Authors: Melissa de la Cruz
Birthday Vicious (23 page)
“Thanks so much for heating our seats for us, ladies,” Ashley said, in her most sarcastic voice. “But pish pish! The main attraction's arrived. Time for the warm-up act to move on.”
She gestured with her latte cup toward the stairs. But Sheridan and Sadie didn't move. They just looked at each other again and giggled.
“If you want ringside seats, you'd better arrive earlier,” Sadie said, coolly crossing her ankles. “It's standing room only now.”
“In fact, you'd look good standing behind us,” gushed Sheridan. “No, really! You're so matchy-matchy. You'd make a perfect backup band.”
Lauren felt her own mouth drop open. Did Sadie and Sheridan have
any idea
of what they were getting themselves into? Destroying the Ashleys took subtlety and behind-the-scenes manipulation. Not some two-girl revolution before class on a Monday morning.
“I can't believe you, of all people, are daring to criticize
us
,” retorted Ashley, though it wasn't clear if she was speaking to Sheridan or Sadie. She dropped her bag on the ground and settled her hands on her slender hips.
“Why?” Sadie stopped smiling. “Because you think you're beyond criticism? Because you think you're the only ones with a sense of style? Because you think you
own
this bench? The only thing you girls own is a set of yesterday's bags and matching pairs of black tights.”
“Yeah,” snickered Sheridan. She'd obviously grown a new spine, Lauren thought. Could Sadie really have talked her into this? “Mary Janes are
so
sixth grade.”
“Don't you think it's time to stop wearing
pigtails
?” said Sadie, staring straight at A. A., who looked too outraged to speak.
“And matching pink nail polish.” Sheridan sighed.
“Dude, that Love bracelet? So last season,” said Sadie, glancing disdainfully at Lauren. A cluster of girls wandered by, slowing their steps so they could watch the showdown between the Ashleys and their impostors. Usually everyone raced past the bench as fast as they could, to avoid fashion critiques. Today, however, nobody seemed to be in a hurry. Half of Miss Gamble's was hanging out on the steps, listening intently to what was going on.
Lauren knew she should be pleased with this strange turn of events. After all, this was what she'd been working toward all last semesterâthe downfall of the Ashleys. But right now all she could feel was righteous indignation.
Sadie was nobody until Lauren had started helping her. And Sheridan always seemed perfectly content to play bridesmaid, basking in the glow of the Ashleys' acceptance. Now here they were, mocking the very people whom they themselves had wanted to beâjust last semester! It was audacious, all right. And it was
just
wrong
. Lauren didn't feel proud of Sadie, or warm toward Sheridan. She just felt incredibly frustrated. She'd wanted to destroy the Ashleys, yes, but not so that another snotty clique could take their place.
The bell for first period started chiming.
“Ta ta!” Sadie waved her fingers at the Ashleys. “Better hurry into class now, like good little matching sheep! Wave good-bye to the Little Match Girls, Sher!”
Lauren bristled. She'd been a friend to Sadie when nobody else would give her old friend the time of day, especially not Sheridan Riley. Her plan was to turn Sadie into an ally, not an enemy, and certainly not into a snob monster who was even worse than . . . well, Ashley Spencer.
Worse than Ashley Spencer? Was there such a thing?
MELISSA DE LA CRUZ
is the
New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal
, and
Publishers Weekly
bestselling author of many books, including the Beach Lane series; the Blue Bloods series, which has 3 million copies in print; and the Witches of East End series, which is now an hour-long drama on the Lifetime network.
Frozen
, the first book in her new fantasy series, Heart of Dread, is cowritten with her husband. She is a former journalist and has written for
Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Marie Claire,
and
Allure
. Melissa attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, which served as an inspiration for the school in the Ashley Project series. She currently lives in Los Angeles and Palm Springs with her family.
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division
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This Aladdin hardcover edition November 2014
Text copyright © 2008 by Melissa de la Cruz
Jacket illustration copyright © 2014 by Jason Brooks
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
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Jacket designed by Jessica Handelman
Jacket illustration copyright © 2014 by JASON BROOKS
Interior design by Mike Rosamilia
The text of this book was set in Adobe Caslon Pro.
Library of Congress Control Number 2008921949
ISBN 978-1-4814-0973-5 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9038-3 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9039-0 (eBook)
