Free Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick Page B

the mirrors. They fluffed their hair and touched up their lip gloss.
    “We should order pizza and watch movies tonight,” one of them said.
    “No can do, girls. It’s just me and Susanna tonight.” I recognized the voice as belonging to Marcie Millar. She was in the middle of the lineup, tidying her strawberry blond side ponytail, pinning it in place with a pink plastic flower.
    “You’re ditching us for your mom? Um,
ouch?
”
    “Um,
yes
. Deal with it,” Marcie said.
    The two girls on either side of Marcie made a big show of pouting. Odds were they were Addyson Hales and Cassie Sweeney. Addyson was a cheerleader like Marcie, but I’d once overheard Marcie confess that the only reason she was friends with Cassie was because they lived in the same neighborhood. Their bond was due to the simple fact that they could afford the same lifestyle. Peas in a pod—a very affluent pod.
    “Don’t even start,” Marcie said, but the smile in her voice clearlystated she was flattered by their disappointment. “My mom needs me. Girls’ night out.”
    “Is she … you know … depressed?” the girl I believed to be Addyson asked.
    “Seriously?”
Marcie laughed. “She got to keep the house. She’s still a member of the yacht club. Plus she made my dad buy her a Lexus SC10. It’s
sooo
cute! And I swear half the single guys in town have already called or stopped by.” Marcie ticked each item off on her fingers so fluidly it made me think she’d been rehearsing this speech.
    “She’s so beautiful.” Cassie sighed.
    “Exactly. Whoever my dad hooks up with will be a major downgrade.”
    “
Is
he seeing anybody?”
    “Not yet. My mom has friends all over. Somebody would have seen something. So,” she transitioned with a gossipy voice, “did you guys see the news? About Nora Grey?”
    My knees went a little soft at the mention of my name, and I flattened a hand to the wall for support.
    “They found her in the cemetery, and they’re saying she can’t remember anything,” Marcie went on. “I guess she’s so messed up she even ran from the police. She thought they were trying to
hurt
her.”
    “My mom said she was probably brainwashed by her kidnapper,” Cassie said. “Like some skeezy guy could have made her think they were married.”
    “Ew!” they all said in unison.
    “Whatever happened, she’s damaged goods now,” Marcie said. “Even if she says she can’t remember anything, she knows what happened subconsciously. She’s going to be dragging around that baggage for the rest of her life. She might as well wrap herself in yellow tape that says, ‘Stay out and do not cross.’”
    They giggled. Then Marcie said, “Back to class, girlies. I’m clean out of late passes. The secretaries keep locking them in their drawers. Whores.”
    I waited long after they had filed out, just to be sure the bathroom and halls would be empty. Then I hustled through the door. I speed-walked all the way to the end of the hall, shoved through the outside exit, and broke into a jog toward the student parking lot.
    I flung myself inside the Volkswagen, wondering why I’d ever believed I could waltz back into my life and expect to pick up right where things had left off.
    Because that was exactly it. Things hadn’t left off.
    They’d moved on without me.

CHAPTER
7
    I PREPPED FOR DINNER WITH HANK AND MY MOM by changing into flats and a billowy bohemian dress that fell above the knee.
     
    It was nicer than Hank deserved, but I had an ulterior motive. Tonight’s goal was twofold. First, make my mom and Hank wish they’d never invited me. Second, make my stance on their relationship crystal clear. I was already mentally rehearsing my discourse, which I’d deliver on my feet at top volume, and it wouldend when I doused Hank with his own glass of wine. I intended to usurp Marcie’s Diva Queen throne tonight, my own propriety be damned.
    But first things first. I had to lull Mom and Hank into believing I was in the