Page 118 of The Darkest Note

She makes a sound of pure relief. “What happened then?”

I shrug the blanket tighter around myself and sink into the couch. “I got sick.”

Turns out, getting shoved into a freezing pool and can weaken a body. After waking up in the nurses office, I found out I had a fever. She sent me to the hospital and by that time, the fever had turned into raging flu symptoms. I got a doctor’s note saying I can’t rejoin society for another three days.

“Oh my gosh. Are you okay?” Serena asks.

“I’m fine.” I smile when Breeze emerges from the bathroom, sees me making my own tea and slants me a thunderous look.

My best friend stomps over to me and wrenches the cup from my hand. Pointing a finger at the couch, she mouths, “Sit. Now.”

I stick my tongue out at her but obediently take my seat.

Serena sighs. “You’re being totally understanding, but I already prepared my speech so I’m going to go for it anyway.”

I laugh softly and nestle into the corner of the couch, watching as Breeze brings a flu pill along with my tea.

“At Babe’s party, I tried to follow you up the stairs. Zane and Finn were standing there like two bodyguards. They wouldn’t even let people onto the second floor. I told them my friend was in there. They said Dutch would drop you home.”

My eyes bug. I had no idea Zane and Finn were right outside the bedroom door. Did they hear us that night?

Heat flares in my cheeks. “It’s okay. I, um, I got home okay.”

She doesn’t need to know that I was so ticked off, I walked almost a mile on my own before I realized I was completely lost. At that point, it took me another half-hour to hike to a bus stop. Apparently, buses don’t run in neighborhoods as fancy as Babe’s.

“So did you make up with Dutch? I heard he ran through the hallways holding you in his arms like he was shooting a scene fromThe Notebook.” Serena laughs. “Are you two back to being the golden couple of Redwood?”

I hack out a cough, pretending that I’m choking on something.

She yelps. “Yikes, that sounds bad. I’ll let you get some rest.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you at school later.”

When I hang up, Breeze gives me a pointed look. “The old cough-hack maneuver. She fell for that?”

I accept the pill, set it on my tongue, and chase it back with the tea.

Breeze plops into the chair beside me, observing me intently.

“I appreciate you ditching school to take care of me,” I say, shifting away from her. “But you really didn’t have to.”

“Yes, I did. You barely tell me anything anymore. Now that there’s nowhere for you to run, I want to hear everything.”

“Everything?”

“You think I buy that weak excuse you gave me at the dance? Isawthe way Dutch watched you when you were talking to Hunter that night. He looked like he wanted to rip Hunter’s head off.”

“Trust me. If he wanted to rip someone’s head off, he would’ve.”

Breeze purses her lips. “Even the kids at Redwood are whispering about you two. Are you seriously going to keep lying to your best friend?”

I grab a pillow and pull at the tattered strings. She’s right. I can’t trust anyone if I can’t trust Breeze. It’s time I come clean.

“Dutch has been trying to kick me out of Redwood.”

Her eyes bug. “What?Why?”

“I have no idea. He won’t tell me.”