Page 18 (1/2)
Ali backed up Her forehead wrinkled "No No way"
"Are you sure?"
"I’ blond hair over her shoulder A freshy textbook on the marble floor "Honestly, Spence? Melissa’s probably just jealous You both have another sister now…and I like you better"
A war seeped into Spencer’s bones as Ali said her good-byes and headed down the art wing Spencer cut through the lobby toward homeroom, but when she passed Steam, a rack of today’s Philadelphia Sentinel made her stop short "Oh my God," she whispered
The Polaroid Aria had found last night was splashed on the front page, the blurry, spooky eyes gazing straight at Spencer Spencer recognized the face immediately
Melissa
18
TWO FASHIONISTAS, ONE CUNNING PLAN
Even though it was barely four o’ clock on Friday, Rive Gauche, the French bistro in the King Jaroo over es ener labels were tucked under tables Waiters dressed in crisp white shirts and skinny black pants swirled around the diners, delivering bottles of wine and crèmes brûlées The air sot and wonderfully greasy Belgian fries
Hanna sighed with pleasure She hadn’t been to Rive Gauche in a while, and she’d ave her an extre It was like instant therapy
The hostess led Hanna and Ali through the dining roos fro on al in the store For once, it wasn’t all about Ali twirling in front of the three-way mirrors in size-two dresses and twenty-five-inch-waist skinny jeans while Hanna sluly, pih-waist trousers, wrap dresses, and slinky shifts Ali had even asked Hanna for soht denim--she had been locked up in a hospital for three years, after all, and was out of touch
The only teensy annoyance hen Hanna re room with a friend--Mike had taken Hanna there on her first date, and he’d picked out all kinds of skanky, waytoo-tight outfits for her to try on She’dif Nao Ali said she didn’t know for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise her
Ali and Hanna plopped down in a booth Ali pulled a silk scarf out of her Otter bag and wound it around her neck "I want everyone to come to the Poconos house too in the hot tub, reconnect…"
"That would be awesome" Hanna clapped
Ali looked uncertain for a o for it?"
"Spencer and Emily definitely will," Hanna answered Aria, on the other hand, wouldn’t stop talking about so well "Ali said it was the inspiration for the well on her flag," she’d whispered urgently to Hanna last night on the phone "Did she ever tell you about a well?"
"No, but who cares?" Hanna had answered, not understanding where Aria was going with this So Ali had a secret wishing well she kept all to herself Who cared?
"We’ll have to pick up alcohol and snacks," Ali said, ticking the iteined a trip to the Poconos They’d play drinking games and tell secrets They’d cli bikinis, except this time Hanna wouldn’t self-consciously cover her chubby stoued by the worry that she was the joke of the group, the girl as always on the verge of being ousted But there was a new Hanna in town--a pretty, skinny, confident Hanna
A skinny waitress with a French twist and high cheekbones flitted to their table Hanna handed back the et moules frites"
The waitress nodded and left, pausing to check on a table of Quaker schoolgirls by the
Ali whipped out her iPhone from its cracked leather case "Okay On to Operation TTBD--Take Those Bitches Down"
"Great," Hanna chirped She was so ready Kate, Nao everyone that all Hanna’s couture was as fake as the DVF fashion show tickets And thatat breakfast, Kate had coed her all the way to New York as a joke,her miss the Hamlet rehearsal As usual, Hanna’s dad believed Kate Hanna didn’t even bother to defend herself What was the point?
"I’ve figured out the perfect thing to do" Ali tapped her iPhone’s screen "So at the sleepover the other day?"