Disclaimer: I don't own private…Kate Brian does.

So people have asked me why it said Taylor was next and then she wasn't. In a way she was. I will explain it in this chapter.

There was no eating. Barely any sleep. Getting skinnier by the day. All the traits reminded me of me and how I was when Thomas died. Taylor wouldn't eat and couldn't sleep. She was looking anorexic. She looked ill and pale and just down right sad. I now understood what it meant when they said Taylor was next. Well after Tiffany anyway. Even though they didn't take Taylor they took her boyfriend, my brother. Don't get me wrong I was losing sleep but I wasn't as bad as she was. Not this time anyway.

When Noelle would be rough with her and trying to get her to eat I felt for her because I knew what it felt like. We all tried to comfort her but nothing worked and it seemed nothing would work.

"Hey Taylor," I said as I walked into the room I was sharing with her and Kiran for the time being. Noelle had been trying to bribe Ivy to keep Ariana's secret for the last three days and those three days have been uneventful. Finally yesterday she agreed as long as Ariana be her maid for a week while this was going on. We all agreed for her. She had no choice and if we need her she can stop. We get a kick out of it.

"Hi," Was all Taylor said in response. She looked so weak and it killed me.

"Listen I know how you feel but you know what might make you feel better?" I said cheerfully.

"If it is a fat phoebe party count me out." She said.

"No, I think we need to get to the bottom of who this is so we can get my brother back. Well Dash and Tiffany too." I said.

"What about Thomas?" Taylor asked I flinched at the sound of his name.

"I don't know. Honestly I did love him at one point and you always will love your first love but I am in love with Josh now and I love him more. I feel like we have been through more and because of that we will always understand each other but if I ever saw Thomas again I wouldn't know what to do or tell him." I said.

"Yeah I know but don't you ever wonder what would have happened if he had never died? Or supposedly died?" She asked. Even though I wasn't crazy about the subject she was talking and that made me smile.

"Yeah sometimes but I don't know. I mean I did really love him and stuff but I feel like Josh and I were meant to be but if Thomas were around I don't know what would have happened. I would have had a normal life and that is highly unlikely." I said jokingly. It actually made her laugh though.

"I just wish that these people weren't so messed up." She said.

"I know what you mean." I said.

"So have you talked to your mom since you did at Suzel's?" Taylor asked. We told her the day we got back.

"Once and she explained everything to me. Mrs. Ryan lied about her being on drugs ever. She was only on them when I was a kid because of our car accident but she was still so depressed because of what happened that is why she did it." I said.

"Yeah that stinks so badly." Taylor said.

I was about to ask Taylor a question about why she even like my loser brother when I heard a scream. Not again.

"Reed! Taylor! Come quick!" She said.

We looked at each other and bolted down the stairs when I got to the bottom Scott hugged me. Scott?

"Your back!" I screamed. Taylor screamed from behind and tears of joy fell from her eyes as she ran to my brother. When he moved out of the way my heart beat rose and I fell to my knees for the millionth time this week. There standing in Billings was none other than Thomas Pearson my jaw dropped with Taylor's. I think it was the same expression around the room. He really was alive. He looked as if he had been beaten. He had bruises all over. Kind of like me after I fell off the boat. Well was pushed. I still had a big bruise down the middle of my back.

"Hi Reed," I heard the voice of Thomas Pearson.

"You…here…dead…alive…missing…dead…huh?" I asked.

"I can explain." He said.

"Explain how you faked your death and never even tried to contact me." I said.

"Listen it's not like that." He said.

"Well then how is it Thomas?" Noelle asked.

"It's simple." He said.

"Wait, I thought Ariana killed you." Ariana said kind of angrily.

"Well who are you." Thomas said eyeing 'Briana Leigh'.

"Wait. Bitch. You are Ariana." He said after looking her over.

"Yeah so," She said.

"Why the hell did you try to kill me?" Thomas asked.

"I went crazy. It was temporary insanity. Now how the hell are you alive? I fricken hit you in the head with a baseball bat. Sorry by the way." Ariana said.

"Yeah because sorry fixes it. Anyway I thought I was dead. I woke up one day though. I was in a coma. Some random person had me I had been out over a year. I realized quickly I was being held captive. One this masked person told me how because I was associated with Billings I was going to pay. I was going to suffer. Then a while later Dash and Tiffany were brought in. They were hurt but alive. They are still alive as far as I know. Shortly after, Scott was brought in. One day the same person who told me I was going to suffer said that their plan was working almost too well. They let me and Scott go. I think they were torturing you too much. Now here we are." Thomas said.

Tears fell from my eyes and not a minute later was Josh standing in the door way to Billings. His eyes wide open and his jaw dropped. I just remembered he was coming over to plan for out next meeting with Sabine.

"He…here…huh?" Josh asked more confused than I was.

"Josh!" Thomas exclaimed.

"I thought you were dead." Josh said.

"So did I. I woke up one day. It was explained to me by the people still holding Dash and Tiffany hostage that I was in a coma and the person the police found was already dead and planted there. Eventually they let me and Scott go so here we are." Thomas said. Then Josh saw me on floor crying and ran over to comfort me. This was going to be awkward.

When Josh hugged me the look on Thomas's face was full of hurt. I instantly felt terrible. Our relationship was left open technically.

"Um well uh I am hungry is anyone else?" Kiran asked trying to help.

"Starved," I said. Noelle nodded and followed me up the stairs with Kiran to get changed. Taylor and Ariana followed shortly after. It probably wasn't smart to leave Josh and Thomas almost alone in the same room.

"Noelle, what do I do?" I asked when we got to our room.

"Reed I can't tell you what to do. I have no idea. I didn't think he was actually still alive. And if I did I never thought we would see him. I never thought he would come back here. To Easton. To you." Noelle said.

"I know that is my problem. How do I tell him I am in love with Josh?" I asked her. I saw her look up over my head. Then she closed her eyes.

"That is a tough one. I would start by turning around." Noelle said.

There he was standing in the doorway of my room. He had heard what I said.

"Thomas," I started but before I could finish he was down the stairs.

"Well I will see you down stairs Reed." Noelle said and she walked out of the room with the ever so silent Ariana.

"Why is my life so messed up?" I asked myself out loud. Considering I was still pajama's I got changed into my bright green tiger striped shirt with skinny jeans and black boots. When I walked down the stairs I saw Thomas on one side of the room and Josh on the other. I took a deep breath and walked over to Josh. He kissed my forehead and we headed out to a limo Noelle had gotten us.

I was sitting next to Josh and the window. The whole car ride to some random restaurant we had I looked out the window. I could feel more than one pair of eyes on me. I knew one of the pairs was Josh and I could guess who the second pair was.

"Well we are here. Reed I have to go to the bathroom. Come with me. Can you guys wait for the table?" Noelle asked Josh.

"Yeah no problem," Josh said.

Noelle grabbed my arm and dragged me into the bathroom.

"Reed did you tell Thomas about everything that happened once he was gone? He might want to know. And have you told Josh about how Thomas heard what you said?" Noelle asked.

"No I haven't told him. Why does it matter?" I asked.

"Well he needs to know everything starting with the first legacy and ending at when we saw him today." Noelle said.

"Ok fine I will tell him. Let's just go." I said. I stomped out of the bathroom to find our group of people sitting at a table in the corner. It looked like a private room. When I walked up I heard Josh saying something to Thomas about the first legacy, then Ariana trying to kill me and me leaving. He told him about me meeting Sabine. I stopped when he was telling Thomas about how he as drugged with Cheyenne.

"I'll take it from here." I told Josh.

"Well I was mad blah, blah, blah. Then shortly after Cheyenne was found dead. Not long after her funeral did Josh and I go out to the city. That was when I saw Noelle again for the first time in almost a year. Then Noelle came back to Billings while I was president. Then I kept getting these emails from Cheyenne who was dead blaming me. Then I got things like her clothes and reminders of her. The next year for the legacy we were left out. I fixed it and Sabine had gotten me drinks all night. I was drunk. I got a note from someone. Dash and I had been keeping in touch through email for a while. I thought it was weird but whatever. When I went to the roof it turned out to be Dash. Josh had left the legacy mad at me. I though he broke up with me. I ended up almost hooking up with Dash when Josh walked in on us. We were over for good and I was heartbroken. He was with Ivy only a few short days after that but Noelle still hadn't known. Josh wouldn't speak to me. On our way back from the legacy the one building was burnt down and I was blamed. We had a fundraising event and that was when Noelle found out. I was kicked out of Billings. I lived in Pemberly. Ivy's room was next to my single and I heard everything that went on with her and Josh. Amberly, who you don't know, moved in to Billings. They tortured me. Then before Kiran's party was a pre party Noelle had thrown. She invited me for Christmas. I wasn't going to go and by now both Ivy and I had stalkers. We thought it was Amberly who was rooming with Sabine. Once we got to Amberly's room we knocked over a picture of Sabine's. It was folded. Next to Sabine was Ariana. They knew each other. I ran downstairs to the party to confront her. Josh wanted to talk to me about my Christmas gift to him. I told him to wait. When I confronted Sabine she pulled out a gun on me. She confessed she was Ariana's sister. She forced Cheyenne to take pills. She drugged Josh. She drugged both me and Dash at the legacy. I was drugged too. Josh ran to push her as she fired the gun. It missed me but hit Ivy. He stayed with her and I was going to St. Barts for Christmas. He told me he would give me updates. I met Upton Giles. Josh never contacted me. I almost rod a horse of a cliff and got in a Jet Ski crash because someone wanted me dead for being with Upton. On casino night on the yacht I almost hooked up with Upton when his ex Poppy walked in. Upton ran after her. I went to the deck to get some air. I was so over him. Then I was pushed. I woke up in the hospital and Josh and I made up and were back together." I said. I told Thomas about everything that had happened since I was pushed off the boat. By the time I was done we were all almost done eating.

"Wow I really missed a lot." Thomas said.

"Yeah you did." Josh said.

"Well if you guys don't mind carting me to the mall I have been wearing these clothes since I was almost killed and I need some new threads. And well money too. I have none." Thomas said.

"No problem. I will spot you." Josh said.

"Fun another trip to the mall. I still need some things from last time." Ariana said.

"Hey Reed we can look for dresses too!" Josh said.

"Dresses?" Thomas asked. Woops I forgot to tell him about prom.

"Oh Josh asked me too the prom this year. They are having a few weeks after school restarts. Which is in like three days." I said.

"Oh where will I go then?" Thomas asked.

"Well you can hide in my room for now and then." Josh said.

"Who do you room with?" Thomas asked.

"Trey Prescott," Josh said.

"Fun," Thomas said unenthusiastically.

"So Thomas what is your plan?" I asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I never thought I would be let go, alive none the less. But Reed we really need to talk." Thomas said.

Josh was fine until Thomas said this.

What will Thomas say?

How will Josh react?

Reed?

Now for the fun stuff

Everyone should definitely give me some ideas on what Reeds prom dress should look like. If I get enough I will narrow it down to my three favorites and each of these three people will get some spoilers and hints. The final winner I choose will get a chapter messaged to them one day before I post it. Thanks for all the reviews and remember to give me some dress ideas. It needs to be long for one thing though. Remember this is prom Private message them to me and if you don't have an account give me a URL through reviews. I'll update soon!