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"I like to keep everyone guessing," E her head While she didn’t want Laurel to give her the third-degree about her odd behavior, it was kind of nice that Laurel had noticed that her sister wasn’t exactly acting like herself

The girls walked up a shiny path that led to the front door and rang the bell Two deep strikes of a gong sounded, and a woray ultra-skinny jeans that left nothing to the i striped shirt Emma had seen in theof Urban Outfitters, and silver heels with cutouts at the toes A pair of white Ray-Ban Wayfarers perched on her head and diaolden, lineless skin, rich blond hair, and bright eyes the color of the Caribbean E who this person was An older sister hoirl said "Hey, Laurel" She nodded appreciatively at Laurel’s striped Madewell duffel "Love the bag"

"Thanks, Mrs Chamberlain," Laurel chirped

Eum Mrs Chamberlain?

I was pretty astonished, too I couldn’t remember her at all

"Guys!" Charlotte called froave Mrs Cha smiles--she had an expectant look on her face, al out with the double-staircase lined with splashy, Jackson Pollock–style paintings

Charlotte pushed through two double doors to a bedrooazillion ti Emma had ever lived in Madeline and the Twitter Twins already sat on a striped rug in the center of the roo Coke Zeroes

"We were just telling Lili and Gabby about the Nisha prank" Madeline pulled up her off-the-shoulder blouse so that it wasn’t showing half her bra

"Not that we hadn’t already heard, of course," Lili piped up, flicking a piece of lint off one of her Avril Lavigne–like fingerless gloves

"Maybe one of these days you’ll let us help you with one of your pranks," Gabby added, readjusting the grosgrain-lined headband that held back her long blond hair "We have tons of killer ideas"

Charlotte sat down and grabbed a handful of pretzels "Sorry The Lying Gaht, Sutton?" Again she looked to Eh Emma made the final decisions

A shiver danced up E Gaht," she said after a pause

Gabby made a face "So it’s okay for us to be part of the club when the joke’s on us, but not the other way around?" She nudged Lili, and she nodded, too Their eyes blazed

There was a long pause Madeline exchanged a look with Charlotte "That was different"

"Yeah, really different" Charlotte turned and stared pointedly at E she knehat theythe aard tension "Well There’s one ga open the double doors of a large wooden wardrobe at the far end of the room "Since we’re all here, we can start" She unveiled a bottle of Absolut Citron from behind her back "It’s not a new school season without a round of Never Have I Ever"

She poured the clear liquid into round glasses and passed the you’ve never done before For instance, never have I ever French-kissed Mr Howe"

"Ew!" Lili squealed

"And then anyone who has kissed Mr Howe has to drink," Charlotte concluded

"Except they have to be real things," Madeline said, rolling her eyes "Not stuff none of us would do"

"Sutton ht kiss Mr Howe" Charlotte shot Eled nervously "I’ll go first," Madeline volunteered She looked around at all of them "Never have I everskipped four days of school in a row"

She sat back on her haunches, not drinking Gabriella and Lilianna also held their glasses in their laps Emma didn’t move either Madeline flicked Eer "Hello? What about that ti weekend?"

"The really long weekend," Charlotte giggled "I thought you were dead!" Then she nudged her chin at Elass "Bottoms up, buttercup!"

Eged It tasted like sucking on the nozzle at the gas puhtly rotten lemon at the same time

Charlotte was next She dru "Let’s see Never have I everstolen someone’s boyfriend"

Everyone sat very still once lanced at Laurel Charlotte turned and stared at E a little ahem under her breath E at Tentatively she lifted her glass to her ain "Good," Charlotte said quietly Emma bit down hard on the inside of her cheek Who knew a drinking gaoldthes about ht