Sara Shepard - Flawless

HarperCollins Publishers October 2009

ISBN-13: 9780061975578

ISBN-10: 0061975575

Cundo es? a voice said in her ear. What time is it? Time for Spencer to die!

Spencer shot up. The dark, familiar figure that had been looming over her face had vanished. Instead, she was in a clean, white bedroom. There were Rembrandt etchings and a poster of the human musculature system on the bedroom wall. On TV, Elmo was teaching kids how to tell time in Spanish. The cable box said 6:04, and she assumed it was A.M .: out the window, she saw that the sun was just coming up, and she could smell fresh bagels and scrambled eggs wafting up from the street.

She looked next to her, and it all made sense. Wren slept on his back, one arm thrown over his face, his chest bare. Wrens father was Korean and his mother was British, so his skin was this perfect, golden shade. There was a scar above his lip; he had freckles across his nose, and shaggy blue-black hair, and smelled like Adidas deodorant and Tide. The thick silver ring he wore on his right pointer finger glinted in the morning sun. He pulled his arm off his face and opened his gorgeous almond-shaped eyes.

Hey. He slowly grabbed Spencer around her waist and pulled her toward him. Hey, she whispered, hanging back. She could still hear the voice from her dream: Its time for

Spencer to die! It was Tobys voice. Wren frowned. Whats wrong?

Nothing, Spencer said quietly. She pressed her fingers to the base of her neck and felt her pulse race. Just...bad dream.

You want to share?

Spencer hesitated. She wished she could. Then she shook her head.

Well, then. Cmere.

They spent a few minutes kissing, and Spencer got a relieved, grateful rush. Everything was going to be all right. She was safe.

This was the first time Spencer had sleptand stayed overin a guys bed. Last night, shed sped into Philly, parked on the street, and hadnt even bothered with the Club; her parents were probably planning on repossessing her car, anyway. She and Wren had fallen into bed immediately and hadnt gotten up

since except to answer the door for the Chinese takeout delivery boy. Later on, she called and left a message on her parents machine that she was staying the night at her hockey friend Kirstens house. She felt silly, trying to be all responsible when she was really being so irresponsible, but whatever.

For the first time since her first A note, shed slept like a baby. It was partly because she was in Philadelphia and not Rosewood, next door to Toby, but it was also because of Wren. Before they went to sleep, theyd talked about Alitheir friendship, what it had been like when Ali went missing, that someone had killed herfor an hour. Hed also let her choose the crickets chirping sound on the sound machine, even though it was his secondleast favorite noise, after babbling brook.

Spencer began kissing him more forcefully now, and slid out of his oversize Penn T-shirt, which she was wearing as a nightgown. Wren traced her naked collarbone, then pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Do you want to...? he asked.

I think so, Spencer whispered. Are you sure?

Uh-huh. She wriggled out of her underwear. Wren pulled his shirt over his head. Spencers heart pounded. She was a virgin, and was as discriminating about sex as she was about everything else in her lifeshe had to do it with the perfect person.

But Wren was the right person. She knew she was passing the Point of No Returnif her parents found out, theyd never pay for anything ever, ever, ever again. Or pay attention to her. Or send her to college. Or feed her, possibly. So what? Wren made her feel safe.

One Sesame Street, one Dragon Tales, and a half an Arthur later, Spencer rolled onto her back, staring blissfully at the ceiling. So much for going slow. Then she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at the clock. Shit, she whispered. It was seven-twenty. School started at eight; she was going to miss first period at the very least.

I have to go. She leaped out of bed and surveyed her plaid skirt, blazer, undies, cami, and boots, all in a haphazard pile on the floor. And Im going to have to go home.

Wren sat on the bed, watching her. Why? I cant wear the same outfit two days in a row. Wren was obviously trying not to laugh at her. But its a uniform, right? Yes, but I wore this camisole yesterday. And these boots. Wren chuckled. Youre so lovably anal. Spencer ducked her head at the word love.

She quickly showered, rinsing her head and body. Her heart was still pounding. She felt overcome with nerves, anxious that she was late for school, troubled by the Toby nightmare, but totally blissed about Wren. When she came out of the shower, Wren was sitting on the bed. The apartment smelled like hazelnut coffee. Spencer reached for Wrens hand and slowly slid his silver ring off his finger and put it on

her thumb. It looks good on me. When she looked at him, Wren wore a small, unreadable smile. What? Spencer asked.

Youre just... Wren shook his head and shrugged. Its hard for me to remember youre still in high school. Youre just so...together.

Spencer blushed. Im really not.

No, you are. Its like...you actually seem more together than

Wren stopped, but Spencer knew hed been going to say, More together than Melissa. She felt herself swell with satisfaction. Melissa might have won the fight for their parents, but Spencer had won the battle for Wren. And that was the one that mattered.

Spencer strode up her houses long, brick-paved driveway. It was now 9:10 A.M ., and second period at Rosewood Day had already started. Her father would be long gone to work by now, and with any luck, her mom would be at the stables.

She opened the front door. The only sound was the hum of the refrigerator. She tiptoed up to her room, reminding herself that shed have to forge a tardy slip from her motherand then realizing that shed never had to forge a tardy slip before. Every year, Spencer earned Rosewood Days perfect-attendance and punctuality awards.

Hey. Spencer screamed and whirled around, her schoolbag slipping from her hands. Jesus. Melissa stood in the doorway. Calm down. W-Why arent you in class? Spencer asked, her nerves vibrating.

Melissa wore dark pink velour sweatpants and a faded Penn T-shirt, but her blunt-cut, chin-length blond hair was held back by a navy blue headband. Even when Melissa relaxed, she still managed to look uptight. Why arent you in class?

Spencer ran her hand along the back of her neck, finding it sweaty. I...I forgot something. I had to come back.

Ah. Melissa gave her a mysterious smile. Chills ran up Spencers spine. She felt like she was on the edge of a cliff, about to topple over. Well, Im actually glad youre here. Ive thought about what you said on Monday. Im sorry about everything too.

Oh, was all Spencer could think to say.

Melissa lowered her voice. I mean, we really should be nicer to each other. Both of us. Who knows what might happen in this crazy world? Look at what happened to Alison DiLaurentis. It makes what were fighting about seem sort of petty.

Yeah, Spencer murmured. It was sort of an odd comparison to make.

Anyway, I talked to Mom and Dad about it, too. I think theyre coming around. Oh. Spencer ran her tongue over her teeth. Wow. Thanks. That means a lot.

Melissa beamed at her in response. There was a long pause, and then Melissa took another step into Spencers bedroom, leaning up against a cherry highboy dresser. Sooooo...whats going on with you? You going to Foxy? Ian asked me, but I dont think Im going to go. Im probably too old.

Spencer paused, completely thrown off guard. Was Melissa up to something? These werent the types of things they usually talked about. I...uh...I dont know.