I wish she knew that she's really Mom's favorite-"

I shook my head here.

"-the princess she always wanted. That Mom used to dress her up like a little doll and parade her around like Mara was her greatest achievement. I wish Mara knew that I never minded, because she's my favorite too."

The why didn't matter; I just came back from an involuntary stay at a psych unit. Why would never matter again.

Teenagers began to file into the room. Jamie added a comment under his breath with each one. "Phoebe's the psycho," he said, when she walked in. "Tara's the klepto, Adam's the sadist, and Meghan's the 'phobe."

"Now that that's settled, I 've set you up for a tour with Phoebe Reynard, another student at Horizons. Yes," he said, nodding meaningfummy, "everyone is a student here. A student of life."

Oh, God.

Without Noah, I would be truly, completely alone in this.

My father might be right. If I lost Noah, I might just lose my mind.

"It's my way of telling you that I can't bear to look at my bed without seeing you in it," he said, and his words made me shiver. "So do try to avoid a lockdown."

I felt him withdraw, and I opened my eyes. "I'll get right on that," I breathed.

One final wicked smile. "You'd better."

If I truly loved him, she said, I would let him go.

I wished I loved him enough.