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The other thing that was obvious at school on Mondaywas the conspicuous increase in security And it wasn’t just the unaruards that patrolled the ca order; there was now also a visible police presence, with at least two uniforuard around the hallways outside of the classrooms

One of the officers carried several imprints on him, which Violet just assumed were occupational hazards Fortunately, none of thenore therief counselors were back as well, which struck Violet as a little preesting that Hailey McDonald wouldn’t be found and brought home unharmed

The counselors made themselves available to those students who felt the need to unburden their fears and frustrations in a safe environment But many of the kids at school also found them to be a convenient excuse to ditch class, since passes to see the counselors were being handed out like candy

Violet had opted to keep her concerns to herself rather than visiting the counselors And since Jay still wasn’t speaking to her, she really had no one to confide in

He had dropped her off on Sunday evening, after their disastrous day at the h to otten safely inside When Violet tried to call hi the phone, and he didn’t respond to her e-mails She didn’t press the et over it

Her parents, however, surprised her when she’d arrived ho her a brand-new cell phone of her own

Violet had been begging the the naotten one Her parents had always refused, ignoring her Christ that there was no "good reason" for her to have one

Apparently they’d changed their minds

Violet should have been ecstatic with the cell phone, but somehow it didn’t hold the same appeal it once had Now it felt more like a necessary tool for survival than the new toy she’d always hoped for She’d shoved it away in her purse…right next to her can of pepper spray

Sheto ignore the fact that Jay, who sat next to her in several of her classes, was still giving her the silent treatood job of at least pretending to pay attention to the teachers, in an effort to avoideye contact with Violet She kneas still furious with her

She really didn’t h she deserved it, at least to some extent She’d acted like an idiot yesterday, she realized, recalling that she’d basically planned to confront a killer in a public restrooet to her, she pretended not to notice his intentional slights

But souard

After PE, her first-period class, she was surprised to find Grady waiting for her outside of the locker rooms He walked with Violet to her second-period class They made casual small talk, which was easy with Grady since they’d been friends for so long And she liked that he didn’t see her, despite the fact that they were still planning to go to the dance together, to be anythinghis colad that he’d decided to ith her

Jay didn’t look up as he passed them on his way into class, but Violet was sure that he hadn’t been clenching his fists until he’d spotted her and Grady together

Still, considering that they were "just friends," Violet was even ain, after each of her next two classes

She’d planned on having lunch at her usual table, with the same friends she and Jay sat with almost every day Grady usually sat at another table with a bunch of his jock friends, but today it was like he so to be alone and he’d decided to tag along with her Violet didn’t complain

She carried her lunch tray to the table where Claire and Jules were already sitting Grady sat down next to Violet…in the spot where Jay norlanced as discreetly as she could around the cafeteria, wondering who Jay had decided to spend his lunch hour with, but he was nowhere to be seen She was a little irritated with herself for the twinge of disappoint him, even froly as she joined the group, squeezing in between Claire and Jules Violet knew that the tone was meant more for her benefit than for Grady’s

"Hey," Grady said, nodding at the other girls at the table

There were a few moments of aard silence, lances in Violet’s direction Chelsea was about as understated as a jackhas worse when she asked where Jay was today

Violet really didn’t want to tell them that Jay was ht to the to stay after class to get some work done She had no idea if Jay would corroborate her stupid lie if he was asked, and for now she really didn’t care…as long as it kept anyone else froain