I’d come up sputtering in time to see Regan’s shocked face. Just like mine, her plan had worked out better than she’d expected it to. Before I could climb out of the fountain to retaliate, she’d turned tail and sprinted toward home. I’d almost turned her in for it, but knowing my luck a camera would have caught me tripping her, and I’d have gotten in trouble too. Thinking about a camera made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and I glanced around nervously at the surrounding trees, glad I hadn’t decided to pull that thing out of my shoe to read for the twentieth time. If I got caught now, all I’d get was a scolding for being out past curfew. Not wanting to take any chances, though, I stepped a little farther into the shadows of the trees. Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention to the fountain, the soft rush of its spouts doing nothing to ease the knot in my stomach. How much about this did Regan know? Was she playing dumb earlier when she pretended like she’d never seen the thing before? Was it all a setup? What if she decided to turn the tables and show up with security officers? The sound of a twig snapping made me jump and I spun to face Regan as she jogged out of the darkness.

Chapter Six

Regan

Elliot was leaning against a tree near the edge of the fountain, staring into it like it held all the answers of the universe, but when he looked at me, his expression made me stop cold in my tracks. Gone was his normal contemptuous and haughty look, and in its place was fury. Why in the world was he mad? If anything, I was the one who should be mad. He’d stolen my letter, after all. He was the reason I’d had to climb out my window and down the side of the house like a very uncoordinated monkey. At this very moment my mom could be knocking on my bedroom door, and I’d be beyond busted.

“What’s your problem?” I asked, taking an involuntary step back.

“You,” he said, his voice hard.

“Well, what else is new?” I asked, deciding that keeping things light was probably in my best interest. Elliot seemed to be on edge, and the last thing I needed was to push him over it. The thought had me stifling a smile as I glanced behind him, reliving the lovely moment when I’d shoved his smug face directly into that fountain. The next second I caught sight of Elliot again, and all thoughts of smiling disappeared.

“So, I’m guessing you read the letter?” I asked.