Not Fair

"Reed, I don't complain much, but I'm starving," Sawyer whined. It was a bright Monday morning, and after the disastrous fundraiser, I was finally able to immerse myself with books and no drama. I told Sawyer we were heading out to breakfast about five minutes ago, but I seemed to have lost my phone.

"I'm sorry! I need to find my phone now," I said. "Help me look for it, will you?"

Sawyer nodded and we both got to work. I would have told him to call my cell, but he left his at Ketlar. I knocked over a few text books and threw my jeans on my bed, but my phone was nowhere to be seen. I groaned in frustration. I needed it now.

"So, are you ready for today?" asked Sawyer. He was now looking under the bed while I dug through my drawers.

"Sure," I said, trying to be nonchalant about it.

The truth was, I was scared senseless. I had pretty much told Noelle to kiss my ass, and the fact that some of the Billings girls were picking sides scared the crap out of me. I didn't want friendships to break. I didn't want people to think this was another power struggle. This argument was between Noelle and myself, and no one else.

I really needed a month or two by myself.

Suddenly, Sawyer got up from under the bed and retrieved my phone, dropping it on the floor when a shrill ring sounded. He blushed and murmured some nonsense about not being able to handle surprises, handing me my phone. I thanked him and pressed the green button, not bothering to read the caller I.D.

"Hello?"

"Reed! How are you, sweetheart?"

My heart jumped over and over. "Dad! I'm so glad you called!" I exclaimed, sitting down on the bed. Sawyer grumbled and sat down on the desk chair, rubbing his stomach. I motioned him to leave and eat, but he shook his head, waiting for me instead.

"Yeah, me too. Hey listen, I have to get to work, but I managed to go to the bank. I've left a treat for you. You know, for the fundraiser and hard work," said Dad. "So, uh, congrats." He gave a nervous laugh on the other end; we weren't used to father-daughter moments.

Sawyer was checking his mail on my laptop. I smiled and said, "Dad, you didn't have to do that. How much did you put in my account, anyway?"

"Well, I'm not sure . . . ."

"Dad, please don't lie to me." I got up and went over to the desk, silently telling Sawyer to move out of the chair. He made a mocking gesture, bowing to me and holding the chair out. I giggled and sat down, going on to Chase's online banking website. I logged on and found out he made a two hundred dollar deposit.

I groaned aloud again. "A two hundred dollar deposit? I don't need that kind of money. You should have kept it–"

I felt as if I had been slapped in the face with a whip and had a bucket of ice thrown at me. My phone slipped through my fingers. My limbs refused to work, and hell, my brain wasn't working either. Oh God. What the hell was this?

There was another deposit for twenty-seven million dollars, under the name of "Billings Fundraiser". All the money we had collected was in my account. Mine. How did this happen? Why? Shouldn't it have been with the board members?

Tears began to pour down. I could hear my dad calling my name through the phone, but I was in no condition to talk to him. Something terribly wrong was going on. This couldn't possibly be real. It was almost as if I had . . . stolen the money.

"Reed? What's wrong?" asked Sawyer. He shut the phone and threw it on the bed. His worried face came nearer, his warm hands cupping my face. I hiccupped and more tears fell. "Reed?"

"I – I don't know what to–"

A loud knock was heard on my door. I jumped and immediately tried to stop my crying. Sawyer let go of me and got up, slowly heading towards the door. My heart was drumming in a fast pace, its sound deafening my ears. Out of instinct, I shut my laptop and unsuccessfully tried to wipe the moisture away. Whoever did this was playing a sick joke. I could get arrested for this.

It seemed like others had the same idea as me.

"What the hell is going on?" Sawyer exclaimed. I tried looking past Sawyer, but the doorway was blocked. Why did he sound distressed?

"Sir, I need you to move out of the way. We have a warrant to arrest Miss Brennan."

Arrest Miss Brennan.

Oh my God. Whoever planted the fundraiser money was setting me up. Setting me up for a day in jail. A month at a juvenile center. Setting me up for a lifetime of humiliation was the perfect revenge.

"What? No," I stammered out. With shaking legs, I too got up and walked to the door. My sight was blurred due to my lingering tears, but the blue uniforms and the serious faces were stoically staring right at me. "No," I moaned out. "I didn't do anything!"

In a few minutes, I was handcuffed, my rights were read to me, and I was being shoved down the stairs. My mind was reeling; who wanted to do this to me? Who called the police and told them I, a plain girl from Pennsylvania, stole millions of dollars? Was it Noelle? No, that was impossible. Giving money to me was the last thing on her mind. Then who was it? And why?

The front doors of Pemberly opened, and the officer roughly pushed me passed the doors. To my horror, I saw much of Easton's student body curiously watching, whispering about the latest scandal. There were three police cars, and over to the side, I saw Headmaster Hathaway furiously yelling at one of the cops. More tears fell down. This was real. I was going to jail for something I didn't do.

"What the fuck is going on? Reed, why are you handcuffed?"

I whipped my head to the side and saw a beet red Noelle, pushing past students and coming front row. She looked at the police and my current state. "Tell me!"

"Ma'am, I need you to back away, please," said one cop.

"I don't know. Someone's framed me," I said, more tears forming around my eyes. "Noelle, help me!"

Considering how bad our relationship was right now, I didn't think she was even going to think about my proposal. I didn't think she would care. But upon seeing her frightened yet determined face, I knew that no matter what, we were still friends. And she was going to help me get out of this.

In a span of two years, I had survived three or four murder attempts, countless humiliations and ranking upin a society I had only ever dreamed of. But today marked the day where I was forever going to be known as the girl who had so much, and lost it all in a matter of seconds.

Before I was shoved inside the smelly police car, I could have sworn I heard a loud, crackling laugh.

I didn't get what was so funny about it.


A/N: Thanks to my reviewers and to Glyndewar for editing this chapter. I bet you guys didn't see that coming. ;)

Well, what a ride this has been. After nine months and thirty chapters, this fic is finally over! I'm not going to lie and say I will miss this because well, I won't. :) But probably later. I do want to thank each and every single one of you who clicked on my story, read it, reviewed, added it to your story alerts and to your favorites. Without you, this would not have been a success.

It should be noted I will NOT be doing my own version of Vanished. Why? I simply have too many other fics to finish, and I've kind of lost my touch with the Private series. However, if you want to see what else I've been working on, feel free to check out my profile page and look at what's cooking.

Thanks guys! ~TR