Part 10 (1/2)

40.

A LOYAL OWL IS ALWAYS ON HIS GIRLFRIEND'S SIDE-NO MATTER WHAT.

On Sat.u.r.day morning, Callie was torn out of a deep sleep by the buzzing of her cell phone. She rubbed her eyes and squinted at the tiny screen. She had a new text message: Get out of bed, lazybones. Meet me outside your dorm in 20, okay? Xo. Callie smiled in spite of herself. It was like Easy couldn't bear to be out of her sight for too long. Good. That was how it should be.

When she'd gotten undressed last night, she'd found a piece of hay stuck in her sweater, and she'd slipped it into her desk drawer so that whenever she opened it, she would remember last night. She kind of wished she had a sc.r.a.pbook, but then she realized it might be kind of weird to put something like that in there. She could picture her mom flipping through it and wanting to know why she had kept a piece of hay for posterity.

Callie glanced over at her roommate's bed, noticing it was empty. Her sheets and blankets were twisted into a giant lump at the foot of the bed. Probably one way of saying eff you to Callie after their fight last night. Well, nice f.u.c.king try. Like she gave a s.h.i.+t if she left the room a mess-Callie left the room a mess. She flounced into the shower, resolved not to think any more about her self-righteous little roommate who needed to learn how to get over it.

After throwing on a pair of slim-fitting Stella McCartney jeans and her newest pair of boots-ultra-cozy black suede Michael Kors fur-lined ones that made her think of all the upcoming winter days that would be spent snuggling with Easy, with or without the boots on-she hurried outside, eager to walk into the dining hall with Easy on her arm and have the whole world know that finally, he was hers once again.

Take that, Ms. Humphrey.

Easy was waiting for her on the front steps. She paused before opening the door and going out to meet him. Through the window, she could see his outline against the brilliant blue sky, all the autumn leaves in full color. She'd never really gotten all the fuss about the leaves before. But right then, the beautiful colors seemed to be forming a perfect frame for the back of his head.

She opened the door slowly, and he spun around. ”Hey,” she said, a little awkwardly, stepping outside. Despite the sunny blue skies, it was freezing, and she was glad she'd decided to put on her cream-colored Ralph Lauren peacoat. She could feel her wet hair start to stiffen in the cold.

Easy still looked kind of sleepy, but unbelievably cute in his navy quilted vest and jeans. ”Wanna go for a walk? I brought breakfast.” She noticed two paper coffee cups sitting on the steps. He shook the bag in his hand. ”Bagels.” Callie tried to hide her disappointment. She'd really been looking forward to walking into the dining hall together and having everyone see them, to establis.h.i.+ng the way things were going to be from now on. But . . . it was pretty sweet of him to surprise her. She smiled. ”What kind?” ”One cinnamon-raisin, extra-toasted, with fat-free cream cheese.” His eyes glinted in the sunlight. ”But that's for me.” Callie slapped her hand against his chest and he caught it, holding it for a second in his own calloused hand. At the touch of his skin, she felt her own starting to heat up again. ”Where are we going to go?” she asked, a little huskily.

He picked up one of the cups of coffee and handed it to her, still steaming. She gratefully wrapped her hands around the warm cup, but was very conscious of the whiteness of her coat. It seemed to be begging her to spill all over it. ”Maybe up to the bluffs?” She hid her frown. No one would see them up there. But . . . whatever. Maybe that was the way he wanted it. They started out across the gra.s.s, their feet crunching noisily against the cold, colored leaves.

”Everyone's really talking about this fire,” Easy said as they walked.

Callie glanced over at him. ”Well, yeah. We don't have off-campus parties and burn down barns every day.” He took a sip of coffee, making a cute little noise as he swallowed the hot liquid. Then he cleared his throat and glanced at her, his deep blue eyes looking troubled. ”Well, I guess a lot of people kind of think we started it.” ”What?!” Callie stopped walking. Of course Jenny was spreading rumors that the fire was their fault. ”It's Jenny. I know it is. She's trying to get us expelled.” ”What?” It was Easy's turn to be surprised. ”Jenny? No way.” Callie stiffened up. Was he defending that little fire-starting ho-bag? She felt her palms start to sweat. Not again. ”She saw us, you know. We had a huge fight last night, and she called me all these names.” That wasn't exactly true, but Easy didn't really need to know the exact truth. He just needed to be on his girlfriend's side, unquestioningly.

Easy absentmindedly combed through his hair with his hand. ”Well, I'm sure she's upset, and all.” Wrong answer. Callie took a step away from Easy and took a sip of her coffee. Almost immediately, she felt a few drips sneak out the plastic top of the cup and splatter against her coat. f.u.c.k. ”If you think she's so great, then maybe you should just go be with her right now.” ”Don't be like that.” Easy took two steps forward and quickly put his arms around her-the quickest response he'd ever had to one of her temper tantrums. Callie was impressed. He nuzzled his lips against her ear and Callie closed her eyes and forgot about the coffee that was probably going to stain her brand-new coat. His hoa.r.s.e whisper tickled her ear deliciously. ”You know last night was the best night of my life.”

She sighed and pressed her lips to Easy's neck. That was more like it.

But he pulled away slightly. His forehead was furrowed with worry. His dry fingers traced her cheekbones.

”What is it?” she asked.

”I'm just worried. . . .” He stepped away from her and picked up a stick that was lying on the lawn and chucked it into the distance. ”If I know Marymount-and after all the trouble I've been in, I think I do-someone's going to take the fall for this.” Callie grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She and Easy were finally back together. They were in love, just in time to drink hot cocoa after dinner together at night and kiss in the middle of the quad the first time it snowed. It wasn't going to be them. It couldn't be. And if that meant it had to be someone else, well, so be it.

BennyCunningham: OMG. Did you hear? They found Julian's Zippo in the wreckage of the fi re!!

TinsleyCarmichael: No kidding.

BennyCunningham: I guess he's the prime suspect. Hope he doesn't get expelled. He's too cute, even if he's a freshman.

TinsleyCarmichael: I actually SAW him behind the barn . . . with Jenny. Guess they've been hooking up. Think they started it?

BennyCunningham: Probably. There's something s.h.i.+fty about a guy that tall and a girl that's practically a midget.

TinsleyCarmichael: Totally . . .

CallieVernon: Hey. How are you?

TinsleyCarmichael: Um, fi ne.

CallieVernon: Sorry we haven't talked this week.

TinsleyCarmichael: Whatever.

CallieVernon: U in trouble for the barn? Because I think I know who did it.

TinsleyCarmichael: Talk to me, sister.

CallieVernon: Jenny. She saw me and EZ, um, together.

Together, together.

TinsleyCarmichael: Sounds like motive to me. CallieVernon: Exactly.

TinsleyCarmichael: I'm soooo on it. And Cal?

CallieVernon: Yeah?

TinsleyCarmichael: It's good to have you back on the dark side.

CallieVernon: Good to be here. Later, babe.

Once upon a time on the Upper East Side of New York City, two beautiful girls fell in love with one perfect boy. . ..

Turn the page for a sneak peek of It had to be you the gossip girl preque!

and find out how it all began.

by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Cecily von Ziegesar Disclaimer: All the real names of places, people, and events have been altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent. Names, me.

hey people!

Ever have that totally freakish feeling that someone is listening in on your conversations, spying on you and your friends, following you to parties, and generally stalking you? Well, they are. Or actually, / am. The truth is, I've been here all along, because I'm one of you.

Feeling totally lost? Don't got out much? Don't know who ”we” are? Allow me to explain. We're exclusive group of indescribably beautiful people who happen to live in those majestic, green-awninged, white-glove-doorman buildings near Central Park. We attend Manhattan's most elite single-s.e.x private schools. Our families own yachts and estates in various exotic locations throughout the world. We frequent all the best beaches and the most exclusive ski resorts. We're seated immediately at the nicest restaurants in the chicest neighborhoods without a reservation. We turn heads. But don't confuse us with Hollywood actors or models or rock Stars-those people you feel like you know because you hear so much about them, but who are actually completely boring compared to the parts they play or the songs they sing. There's nothing boring about me or my friends, and the more I tell you about us, the more you're going to want to know. I've kept quiet until now, but something has happened and I just can't stay quiet about it. . .

the greatest story ever told We learned in our first eleventh-grade creative writing cla.s.s this week that most great stories being in one of the following fas.h.i.+ons: someone mysteriously disappears or a stranger comes to town. The story I'm about to tell is of the ”someone mysteriously disappears” variety.

To be specific, S is gone.

In order to unravel the mystery of why she's left and where she's gone, I'm going to have to backtrack to last winter-the winter of our soph.o.m.ore year-when the La Mer skin cream hit the fan and our pretty pink rose-scented bubble burst. It all started with three inseparable, perfectly innocent, uumlber-gorgeous fiteen-years-olds. Well, they're sixteen now, and let's just say that two of them are not that innocent.

If anyone is going to tell this tale it has to be me, because I was at the scene of every crime. So sit back while I unravel the past and reveal everyone's secrets, because I know everything, and what I don't know I'll invent, elaborately.