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She pulled it out and opened the text Mr Cole had just sent:

Call your parents They think you got an A- on a history test I just gave And that you're trying out for the swi's okay

And a second one, aokay?

Grouchily, Luce stu ed the phone in her backpack and started trah the thick e of the forest, toward her dorm The text made her wonder about the rest of the kids at Sword & Cross Was Arriane still there, and if so, as she sailing paper airplanes to during class? Had Molly found soone? Or had both of them moved on since Luce and Daniel had left? Did Randy buy the story that Luce's parents hadher parents the truth, hated not being able to tell them how far away she felt, and how alone

But a phone call? Every false word she said--A- on a us swim team--would only make her feel that much more ho her to call them and lie But if she told her parents the truth--the real truth--they would think she was out of her et in touch with the was up They'd drive out to Sword & Cross, nd her , and then what?

She could e wouldn't be so hard by email It would buy her a few days before she had to call She would eht

She stepped out of the forest, onto the path, and gasped It was night She looked back at the lush, shaded woods How long had she been in there with the shadow? She glanced at her watch It was half past eight She'd missed lunch And her afternoon classes And dinner It had been so dark in the woods, she hadn't noticed ti at all, but now it all slary

After three wrong turns in thethat Shelby would be wherever it was she disappeared to at night, Luce slipped her huge, old-fashioned key into the lock and turned the knob

The lights were o , but a re was burning in the hearth Shelby was seated cross-legged on the oor, eyes closed,highly annoyed at the sight before it

"Sorry," Luce whispered, sinking into the desk chair closest to the door "Don't mind me Pretend I'm not here"

For a little while, Shelby did just that She closed her evil eye and went back to , and the room was tranquil Luce turned on the computer that ca to coe possible to her parents --and, while she was at it, one to Callie, who'd been sending a steady stream of unread e as slowly as she possibly could so her keyboard taps wouldn't give Shelby yet another reason to hate her, Luce wrote:

Dear Mouys so much Just wanted to drop you a line Life at Sword & Cross is good

Her chest constricted as she strained to keep her ngers fro: As far as I know, no one else has died this week

Still doing ne in all ht even try out for the swim team!

Luce looked out theat the clear, starry sky She had to sign o fast Otherwise, she'd lose it

Wonder when this rainy weather will let upGuess that's Novee into a new eed a few choice words, moved her mouse over the Send button, closed her eyes, double- clicked, and hung her head She was a horrible fake of a daughter, a liar of a friend And what had she been thinking? These were the blandest,to freak people out

Her storowled A second time, more loudly Shelby cleared her throat

Luce spun around in her chair to face the girl, only to nd her in doard dog Luce could feel the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes Luce spun around in her chair to face the girl, only to nd her in doard dog Luce could feel the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes "I'et me transferred to another rooa mat, swooped her ar to tell you about the box of organic mac and cheese in my sock drawer No need for the orks Jeez"

Elevenunder a blanket on her bed with a stea bowl of cheesy pasta, dry eyes, and a roo her

"I wasn't crying because I was hungry," Luce wanted to clarify, though the ift so unexpectedly kind of Shelby, it alht fresh tears to her eyes Luce wanted to open up to someone, and Shelby ell, there She hadn't thawed out all the way, but sharing her stash of food was a huge step for so so away"

"Boo-hoo," Shelby said, chouess, your parents are still happilyup "You have no idea what I've been through"

"And you have soh?" Shelby stared Luce down "Didn't think so Look, here's le mom Daddy issues? Maybe A pain in the ass to live with because I hate to share? Almost certainly But what I can't stand is some sweet-faced, spoon-fed sweetheart with a happy ho up on -distance love a air"

Luce sucked in her breath "That's not it at all"

"Oh no? Enlightento the people I love"

"Lying to your fancy boyfriend?" Shelby's eyes narrowed, in a way that ht actually be interested