well, even though I only got 4 reviews (:[) out of 40 visitors I'm posting a new chapter because its the holidays. and my writers block was cured yesterday and I wrote three new chapters!
"Reed Brennan," a voice shouted. The lights in my room were suddenly turned on and the covers were ripped off my bed. "Your presence is requested in the Billings parlor."
"Astrid? Constance? What is this?" I asked rubbing my eyes.
They giggled. "C'mon. Noelle has Christmas gifts for us downstairs."
I followed the girls downstairs to the parlor door, which was closed. Everyone else was standing around waiting.
"Noelle is taking forever," Missy said yawning.
"Is Reed there?" came Noelle's voice from inside the parlor.
"Yes. She's here," Missy said impatiently. "Finally."
"Alright, girls, you may enter."
The doors opened and Noelle jumped out from behind then. "Welcome to Noelle's winter wonderland," she said.
The parlor looked exactly like it usually did. Except the old red couches were pushed out of the way to make room for a rack of clothing with each girl's name on it. And the huge flat screen TV hanging above the fireplace, complete with a big bow hanging from the corner.
The girls excitedly chattered as the found their rack. I was just standing in the middle of the room because there was no rack with my name on it.
"Reed, what are you doing?" Constance asked as she flipped through the skirts on her rack.
"I don't have a rack," I said taking a seat on the couch.
"I figured everyone needed a new wardrobe with a special Noelle Lange touch. Merry Christmas girls!" Noelle said excitedly; glad to see that her present was a success. She came over and sat on the couch next to me.
"Don't worry, Reed. You'll get your gift on Christmas. Plus I already gave you a new wardrobe."
"Nice TV," I said grabbing the remote and turning it on to the news.
"Yeah, that old one was so not doing it for me. 24 inches is totally not big enough."
"Thanks so much Noelle!" Shelby said as she walked by towards the kitchen. "I think we need some cider to celebrate!"
"I want eggnog," Rose said as she followed Shelby to the kitchen.
Noelle sighed and looked around. "Success feels good, huh?" she aksed.
"I wouldn't know."
"Oh, please Reed, you've been successful before. What about when you got firsts? Or at the fundraiser?"
"I guess," I said yawning. "But right now I just want to get home and sleep."
"That reminds me, a car will be here to get you at four," Noelle said.
"What are you talking about?"
"I got a car to take you to Croton. Billings girls don't ride Greyhound."
"Oh, thanks Noelle," I said yawning again. "I'm going to go upstairs and pack."
"Alright. Maybe you can fit in a nap after that," she said smiling at me.
"And don't forgot to talk to Ivy!" she called as I made my way up the stairs.
Oh yeah, Ivy.
At 2, after a nap and packing, I said goodbye to the Billings girls. They were all off to their respective homes and I was in Billings alone. I was sitting on the couch watching the new TV when there was a knock on the back door. I jumped up startled and went to answer it. A tall, dark haired figure was standing with her back to me. Ivy Slade.
"Hey Ivy," I said opening the door.
She came in without saying anything and sat down on the couch. "Want to tell me what the hell this is about?" she asked pulling a cream white piece of paper from her bag. I could see the gold writing on the page. I knew instantly what it said.
Ivy Slade
The girls of Billings House would like to
invite you into the sisterhood of Billings.
Etc, etc, etc. It was the same kind of note every Billings girl before Ivy had received. And now it was my job to convince her to join.
"It's an invitation to Billings," I said.
"Yes, but why me?" she said incredulously. "I hated Billings."
Hated? As in past tense? That was good at least.
"Well Amberly left Billings so we have an opening. Noelle and I talked it over and we would love to have you as a member of Billings. You have what it takes, obviously because you were invited before."
"This has got to be a joke. After all I went through before, Reed. This is sick."
"Ivy, it's not a joke," I assured her. "We want you in Billings. You belong here. Everyone knows that. Just forget the past and except the invite."
"Why should I?"
"Well I'd tell you because off all of the connections it gives you, connections with everyone from the president of admissions at Yale to the editor in chief of Elle. But that's a bunch of bull shit, right? You should join because of the sisterhood. Because of the honor. Because of the status. Because we want you here," I said, more powerful than I even thought I was capable of being.
She thought about it for a minute. "Fine, I'm in," she said sighing.
"Really?" I said, not believing it. The girl who hated Billings the most was actually excepting an invitation.
"Yes," she said. "I can't believe it either. Ever since I knew about Easton, I've wanted to be in Billings. Even after all that happened, I still wanted to be in Billings. I just pretended to hate it because I knew I should, you know, after my grandma dying," she said, a tear running down her check. She quickly wiped it away, but I saw a million more just waiting to fall. "But I never stopped wanted to be a Billings girl. And now I can be."
"Welcome to the sisterhood," I said cheesily, trying to make her smile.
She laughed, a few more tears falling down her face. "It's good to be here."
After Ivy left, I continued watching TV. There was a knock on the back door, and I got up to answer it. A tall figure stood, facing away from me. Déjà vu, big time. Except this tall person had blonde curly hair.
"Josh!" I said opening the door.
"Hey, Reed," he said pulling me into a hug.
For some reason, I jumped up and wrapped my legs around him. And then, right there in the back hallway of Billings, we were kissing.
"Can I put you down now?" Josh said as he pulled away from the kiss.
"Oh. Yeah. Sorry, I don't know what came over me. I guess I'm just going to miss you a lot," I said frowning.
Josh smirked.
"What's that for?" I asked.
"Oh nothing," he said. Again, I could tell he was lying. Something was up. Every time we talked about me going home for Winter Break he couldn't stop smiling. It was like he was hiding something from me. A surprise of some sort.
"My car comes in 45 minutes," I said pulling him into the parlor. "What do you want to do until then?"
"Your car is outside and ready," he said smiling wider.
"What?" I asked curioiusly.
"Just follow me," he said, pulling a bandana out of his pocket.
"What's that for?" I asked.
"To blindfold you with," he said wrapping it around my eyes and tying it.
"Josh. What is this?" I asked, trying to yank off the bandana. Unfortunately, he'd tied it very tight and was holding it so I couldn't pull it off.
"Nothing," he said. Although I couldn't see him smiling, I knew he was.
"So where are we going?" I asked.
"Outside," he responded.
"We can't," I said stopping walking. We couldn't. Someone could see us.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because of Ivy."
"Reed, my deal with Ivy is over as of today. We can do whatever we want. Now come on, start walking," he said while opening the door.
He led me down the front steps of Billings and then picked me up.
"Woah, Josh. Why are you carrying me?" I asked surprised.
"Because I don't wait you to know where we're going," he responded laughing.
"Josh please put me down," I pleaded. "Now. Please." I didn't like this whole not knowing where I was going.
"Reed, what are you afraid of? I've got you. Just cooperate please," Josh said. I could hear in his voice that he was smiling. And I did not want him laughing at me.
"Stop smiling," I said.
"Fine," he mumbled as he started to walk across what I thought was the quad.
I was silent until he set me on the ground 5 minutes later. I had no idea where we were.
"Take the blindfold off now," I demanded.
"Yes ma'am," he said. Then he proceeded to take on the blindfold as slow as he possibly could.
"Josh, hurry up," I said.
Finally the blindfold was off. Josh was covering my eyes though, so I couldn't see. He turned me around 180 degrees and took his hands of my face.
I opened my eyes to see his Porsche. We were in the student parking lot.
"Josh, what is this?" I asked.
"This is your ride to Croton."
"What? But this is your car," I said confussed.
"Exactly. I'm going to Croton with you."
"Wha-" I began to say. But Josh interrupted me by putting his finger over my lips.
"I talked to your parents already. They can't wait to see me."
"Josh," I said. "This is perfect. Thank you."
"I know, I know. I'm the perfect boyfriend," he said, pulling me close to him.
"You really are. Just don't get too cocky," I said smiling and kissing him.
"This is so surreal," I said as we pulled up to the small house I had grown up in.
"What?" Josh asked shifting into park.
"You being here in Croton. It's so weird, like 'which one of these does not belong,'" I responded.
"Are you alright with all of this?" he asked, looking concerned.
"I guess. It's just weird. Promise not to laugh at how small my house is?" I said trying to make Josh laugh to cover up my embarrassment.
It didn't work. "Reed, none of that. I want to see how you grew up, don't be embarrassed by it."
"It's just that my house could fit in one floor of yours. You are way out of my league rich."
"Good thing I love you anyways," he said opening his door. He stepped out and walked over to my side of the car. He opened the door for me and then grabbed our bags from out of the back seat.
We walked up the front walk hand in hand and rang the doorbell. Scott came to answer it almost immediately. His face looked like Scott, but his clothing didn't. He wore khakis and a red polo, something way out of his uniform of jeans and a t-shirt. And his hair was neatly combed. Something was up.
"Reed!" he shouted, stepping aside to let me in the door. "You're here!" At least he still sounded the same. He gave me a firm hug. At least he still hugged like Scott.
My mom and dad came rushing into the small entry way to hug me. After the hugs were over, I turned my attention to Josh, who was standing in the corner smiling at me.
"Mom, Dad, Scott, this is Josh, my boyfriend," I said grabbing his hand.
"Hi, Mr. Brennan. We spoke on the phone. I'm Josh Hollis," Josh said, pushing out his hand to shake.
My dad took his hand. "A firm shake this boy's got," he said to me.
My mom pulled Josh in for a hug. "Hi Josh. It's so nice to finally meet you," she said. So far, so good. She didn't look drugged up or anything.
"It's nice to meet you all too," he said as Scott gave him a look over.
"He looks alright to me," Scott said. "Now, Reed, let's go in the kitchen." He had the biggest smile on his face.
"What's in the kitchen?" I asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," he said. My parents gave him a knowing look. Scott grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the kitchen. We entered the familiar kitchen with the tiny geese on the wallpaper and at the kitchen table was sitting a girl with dark brown hair and green eyes. She was sitting turned away from us.
"This my girlfriend," Scott whispered with a huge on his face.
Whoa. Scott had a girlfriend? And he was bringing her home to the family? This was a major first.
"Hi. I'm Reed," I said as the girl turned around. And then I couldn't breathe.
mwah cliffhanger! review if you want to know who scott's girlfriend is!