"A ditzy little upstart like her? Definitely not," Sabine agreed, following my gaze.
"Well, whatever. I'm kind of dying to see what her version of 'or else' looks like," I said with a laugh
as I stood. "I'm going to go get some more cereal."
As I rejoined the food line, Ivy and Josh were just coming out the
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other end with their breakfasts. Much to my surprise, Josh said hi to me, but Ivy simply smirked. I
narrowed my eyes at her and didn't look away until the snarky expression completely fell off her
face.
She and Rose had been torturing me. I was sure of it. Now all I had to do was find the proof. And
photograph it.
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DIFFICULT
As I sat in morning services, listening to the Crom drone on about rules and regulations for
tomorrow night's Easton Holiday Dinner, I realized I felt better than I had at breakfast. About as
good as a person in my rather precarious and pathetic position could feel. I turned in my pew
slightly to glance back at Noelle. She was texting on her iPhone, so she didn't see me. I couldn't
help but cross my fingers. I so had to win her back tomorrow night. Had to. Because if my plan
didn't work... No. I couldn't think that way. I had to be positive.Wiping the worry from my mind, I
started to face forward again, but before I could I caught a glimpse of Josh on the other side of the
aisle, sitting on the end of the last pew. He wasn't paying attention to Cromwell either. Instead, he
was sketching like crazy in a small sketch pad, his brow knit in intense concentration. As I watched
him, he pressed his lips together, then pursed them, then went back
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to normal and started the process all over again. I smiled, my eyes stinging with nostalgia.
He always did that when he was really in the zone, though he never believed me when I told him
about it. I wished I could take a picture right then and prove it to him, but it wasn't my place
anymore. And besides, Cromwell's henchman Mr. White would see the flash and swoop down on
me like a vulture.
But I couldn't tear my eyes away from Josh. The weak sunlight streaming through the colorful
stained-glass windows danced against the right side of his face. There was a tiny fray in the hem of