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These were Ali’s things, all of them Didn’t Courtney have any possessions of her own?

Courtney flopped down on the bed "What’s on your mind?"

Spencer sank into the paisley, stuffed chair across the roohtened the protective ar she could drop on a person without warning--especially so a mysterious illness Maybe this was a bad idea Maybe she should just up and leave Maybe…

"Let uess" Courtney picked at a loose thread on the duvet "You want to talk about the affair" Courtney shrugged "Your dad My asped "You know?"

"I’ve always known"

"But…how?" Spencer cried

Courtney’s head was down, and Spencer could see her jagged part and perfectly honey-blond roots "Ali found out And then she told me on one of her visits"

"Ali knew? Billy wasn’t justthat up?" Billy-as-Ian had IM’ed Spencer about the affair right before he’d killed Jenna

"And she never told you, right?" Courtney clucked her tongue

A sparrow landed on the ledge of Courtney’sThe room smelled suddenly of new carpet and fresh paint Spencer blinked hard "Do Jason and your dad know?"

"I’ But if my sister knew, my brother probably does, too And my parents pretty much hate each other--which means my dad is probably clued in" She rolled her eyes "I swear they only stayed together because Ali wentI’ll bet you that a year froerine-size luht now And my mom just found out about this She’s really ht at Spencer

Spencer shifted her weight, and the chair squeaked angrily "Everyone was keeping things from me," she said quietly "I have an older sister, Melissa Youto your brother" She was also the one who glared at you, she wanted to add

"Melissa told h school," Spencer continued "She never bothered toI didn’t Some sister, huh?" She let out a loud, clumsy sniff

Courtney rose, plucked a Kleenex box off the bedside table, and plopped down at Spencer’s feet "She sounds really competitive and insecure," she said "That’s how Ali ith ht She hated if I was better at anything I know she was pretty competitive with you, too"

That was an understate--who could bike to Wawa the fastest, who could kiss the uys, or who could rade There were lots of times Spencer didn’t want to race, but Ali always insisted Was it because Ali knew they were also sisters? Was she trying to prove so?

Salty tears spilled down Spencer’s cheeks, and sobs rose in her chest She wasn’t even sure what she was crying about All the lies, maybe All the hurt All the deaths

Courtney pulled her in and hugged her tight She sum and Mane ‘n Tail shampoo "Who cares what our sisters knew?" she ht?"

"Uh-huh," Spenceron sobs

Courtney pulled away, her face brightening "Hey! Want to go dancing to?" Spencer wiped her puffy eyes Toht She had an AP history test at the end of the week She hadn’t seen Andrew in days, and she still needed to get a dress for the Valentine’s Day dance "I don’t know…"

Courtney grabbed her hands "C’mon It’ll be our chance to break free of our evil sisters! It’s like that ‘Survivor’ song!" And then she leaned back and launched into the old Destiny’s Child song "‘I’ as she waved her hands over her head, stuck out her butt, and wheeled around crazily "Co with rief and confusion, Spencer burst out laughing Maybe Courtney was right-- to do aood time This hat she’d wanted, after all--a sister she could confide in, rely on, and have fun with Courtney see

"Okay," Spencer said And at that, she let out a big breath of air, stood up, and sang along with her sister

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