Page 14 (1/2)
The rooan to spin It was Kelsey Pierce, Spencer’s old friend frohts drifted back to the bar where she and Kelsey had met Phineas had led Spencer and Kelsey into the tiny bathrooraffiti all over the walls, and a dingy toilet and pedestal sink stood in the corner The room smelled heavily of puke and stale beer
Phineas reached into his pockets and handed each of the girls a smooth white pill "This is how you score fives on all your exams"
"What is it?" Spencer turned her head away Pills weren’t her thing She didn’t even like taking aspirin for headaches
"It’s called Easy A," Phineas explained "It’s totally aot through junior year"
"Where did you get it?" Kelsey’s voice cracked
"Does itto let you girls try it out Share the wealth, right?"
He thrust the pills toward theain Spencer licked her lips Of course she’d heard of Easy A, but only through those stupid public service announceloom-and-doom flyers on the inside doors of the bathrooripped her hard It’ll keep you focused for hours Spencer had no idea how she was going to get through four AP classes in six weeks Maybe desperate ti a deep breath, she reached out, snatched the pill froue "You won’t regret it" Phineas turned to Kelsey "What about you?"
Kelsey picked at her thuer I’et in trouble," Phineas said
"No one will know," Spencer urged
Kelsey continued to rock back and forth on her heels There was a trapped-kitten expression on her face, the saot when Their Ali dared them to swim in Peck’s Pond, where the police had once found a dead body
Finally, Kelsey held out her hands "I guess I should live a little, huh?" Phineas dropped it into her palm Her throat bobbed as she sed it "Here’s to fives on our exaot all fives And Kelsey, thanks to Spencer, was behind bars
"Let’s take a break," A up as all theSome stretched their arms above their heads Others pulled out their phones and started to text
Kelsey crossed the room until she was next to Spencer "We’re twinsies," she said, picking up a gold purse near the doorway It was the sa ti with one of the brass buttons on her blazer sleeve
The grandfather clock in the foyer banged out the hour Kelsey stared at Spencer, her gaze seeh Spencer’s skin Spencer’s stomach swirled Spencer hadn’t seen or heard from Kelsey since that day in the police precinct
Someone cleared her throat, and Spencer turned to see Aaze on both of them Spencer padded down the hall and into the kitchen,she wanted was for Amelia to eavesdrop The kitchen smelled of fresh-cut rose in water ever since she found out it was Mr Pennythistle’s favorite scent
"I didn’t know you played" Spencer gestured at the bow Kelsey was still clutching tightly, almost like a weapon
Kelsey stared at it "I’ve played since I was little Aroup puts on concerts for charity, and my probation officer counts charity stuff as community service"
"Probation officer?" Spencer blurted before she could stop herself
Kelsey’s expression turned guarded "You know For what happened at Penn"
Spencer cut her eyes away
"I id and her left fist, the one that wasn’t holding the violin boas clenched tight "I had to go to juvie for two " She raised an eyebrow "How’d you get aith that?"
It felt as if the terees Spencer was too afraid to aze She felt confused, too--she’d always assus in her dorm room and told the cops about her checkered past But what if she didn’t?
When Spencer looked up again, Kelsey was still staring at her "Anyway, I heard you got into Princeton Congrats"
Spencer flinched "H-how did you know I got into Princeton?"
"A little birdie told htly
Amelia? Spencer wanted to ask, but she couldn’t hts on Princeton, too, but it was doubtful the school had sent her a congratulatory early adain, it seemed like they’d only sent one to Spencer by mistake