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extremely hot Hundreds of people had turned out for the wake They ner suits and black dresses, sipping wine and talking in low tones Peppered aentlemen and Botoxed ladies were dozens of kids from school, all of whom looked shocked and shaken Like Noelle, some of Easton's most renowned Shiseido worshippers hadn't even bothered withat their eyes with handkerchiefs, consoling one another The guys, meanwhile, stood around with their hands in their pockets, looking skittish As if their confidence had been so, they weren't quite as invincible as they had once thought Reality had just set in for these guys who normally walked around in a dream world, a world where they were completely untouchable

"Could this be any lass around a bit too brazenly "This many people didn't turn up when the pope died It's like everyone has some sicko fascination just because he was a kid"

Kiran tipped her wineglass toward her ulp An actual billboard model, she was the most beautiful person I had everher for a ht also be the one most likely to end up in rehab A few pieces of her dark hair had fallen out of her carefully twisted bun, and her green eyes were unfocused Still, every guy in the roo

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"I bet one of these blond chignons walking around here is covering it for the rags," Noelle said stoically "A good prep school scandal is their wet dream"

There was the Noelle I knew and feared

"Noelle!" Ariana scolded, her blue eyes piercing Her own blond hair was also back in a loose chignon In her dark clothing, with her dias securely fastened in her ears, Ariana looked less wispy and e than she ever had before

"What? No one heard , dark hair behind one shoulder "And I'll bet you ht Just wait The Thoe spread in Haazine next month"

"I can't believe anyone would want to exploit his death," I said "It's not like he's fa"

"He was around here," Noelle said with a sigh

At thatand quietly weeping all day, burst into another round of tears Her dark-blond curls shook as she buried her cherubic face in a handkerchief Ariana reached out and rubbed Taylor's arms

Taylor's display of emotion made me so uncoirls hadn't even liked Thomas They had, in fact, hated him Warned me to stay away from him And now, like everyone else, they were all completely shattered As if Thomas had meant the world to them

Still, it wasn't like I should have been that surprised Love him

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