of the cafeteria and dropped into a cold chair. Supporting my head on my hand, I poked at my
Cheerios, shoving them down into the milk until each one was so soggy I didn't want to eat it at all.
My eyes hurt. The skin around my eyes hurt. Even my scalp hurt. I had never been so tired, so
frustrated, so scared in my life.All I could do was hope that my plan for Noelle would work. All I
could do was hope that the stalker wouldn't attack again before I won her back. Because I wasn't
sure how much more of this I could take.
What would I do if it didn't work? Who would I turn to then?
A familiar laugh caught my attention and I looked over at the Billings table. There was Noelle, her
head thrown back in laughter,
161
looking fresh-faced and gorgeous and carefree. Didn't she see how miserable I was? Didn't she
care at all?
Then Sabine stepped up to my table, blocking my view.
"Hey," she said tentatively. "Do you mind if I sit?"
"You probably shouldn't," I told her flatly. "Noelle will make your life a living hell."
"I don't care."
Sabine set her tray down and smoothed her brown tweed pencil skirt underneath her as she sat.
She slid her linen napkin out and unfolded it on her lap.
"You're my friend, and if Noelle doesn't like it, c'est la vie," she said.
I was so touched, my eyes filled with tears. Sabine was the only real friend I had left. Even
Constance only spoke to me when there was no chance of her being caught. Not that I didn't
understand. Constance was, after all, terrified of Noelle. As I had been last year. But that just made
Sabine's sacrifice all the more special. Now I needed both hands to hold my head up.
"Reed? What is it? Are you all right?" Sabine asked, concerned.
"No. I'm not," I said, staring down at my cereal bowl. My voice was thick with unshed tears. "It's
happening again."
One hot tear escaped the corner of my eye and I let it run right down the side of my nose and plop
onto my tray. I was so tired. So, so, so tired.
"What?" Sabine asked, breathless. She leaned into the table. "What's happening again? Reed,
you're scaring me."