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"Do you and your sister ever spend tiether?" Dr Evans asked after a pause

Spencer reached into the candy dish for a Hershey’s Kiss She pulled off the silver wrapper in one long curl, flattened the foil in her palm, and popped the kiss in her mouth "Never Unless we’re with our parents--but it’s not like Melissa talks tototown house renovations" Spencer looked squarely at Dr Evans "I guess you know ht her a town house in Old City sie"

"I did" Dr Evans stretched her arle bracelets slid to her elbow "Fascinating stuff"

And then she winked

Spencer felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest Apparently Dr Evans didn’t care about the merits of sisal versus jute either Yes

They talked a while longer, Spencer enjoying it more and more, and then Dr Evans -clocks clock that hung above her desk to indicate that their tiood-bye and opened the office door, rubbing her head as if the therapist had cracked it open and tinkered around in her brain That actually hadn’t been as torturous as she’d thought it would be

She shut the therapist’s office door and turned around To her surprise, herchair next to Melissa, reading a Main Line style azine

"Mo here?"

Veronica Hastings looked like she’d co a white Petit Bateau T-shirt, skinny jeans, and her beat-up riding boots There was even a little bit of hay in her hair "I have news," she announced

Both Mrs Hastings and Melissa had very serious looks on their faces Spencer’s insides started to whirl Soain Perhaps A was back Please, no, she thought

"I got a call fro up Mr McAdam was Spencer’s AP economics teacher "He wanted to talk about soo" She took a step closer, the scent of her Chanel No 5 perfu Spencer’s nose "Spence, he wants to nominate one of them for a Golden Orchid"

Spencer stepped back "A Golden Orchid?"

The Golden Orchid was the h school essay equivalent of an Oscar If she won, People and Time would do a feature story on her Yale, Harvard, and Stanford would beg her to enroll Spencer had followed the successes of Golden Orchid winners the way other people followed celebrities The Golden Orchid winner of 1998 was now azine The winner froht" Hersmile

"Oh my God" Spencer felt faint But not from excitement--from dread The essays she’d turned in hadn’t been hers--they were Melissa’s Spencer had been in a rush to finish the assignested she "borrow" Melissa’s old work So one on in the past feeeks, it had slipped her mind

Spencer winced Mr McAdam--or Squidward, as everyone called him--had loved Melissa when she was his student How could he not reood?

Her rabbed Spencer’s arm and she flinched--her mother’s hands were always corpse-cold "We’re so proud of you, Spence!"

Spencer couldn’t control the muscles around her ot in too deep "Mo "I’ve already called Jordana at the Philadelphia Sentinel Re lessons at the stables? Anyway, she’s thrilled No one from this area has ever been nominated She wants to write an article about you!"

Spencer blinked Everyone read the Philadelphia Sentinel newspaper

"The interview and photo shoot are all scheduled," Mrs Hastings breezed on, picking up her giant saffron-colored Tod’s satchel and jingling her car keys

"Wednesday before school They’ll provide a stylist I’ive you a blowout"

Spencer was afraid to -roo material--an assort book of fairy tales that was teetering on top of a Dubble Bubble tub of Legos She couldn’t tell her mom about the stolen paper--not now And it wasn’t as if she was going to win the Golden Orchid, anyway Hundreds of people were noh schools all over the country She probably wouldn’t even reat," Spencer sputtered

Her er, transfixed by the wolf on the cover of the fairy tale book She’d had the saligee and bonnet, leering at a blond, na&iuhtmares

Melissa cleared her throat When Spencer looked up, her sister was staring