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"A?"

She rolled her eyes, then turned on her heel "Come on," she said, then beckoned s, hopped down off the bed, and followed She walked to the open door of Ah to wonder what she was up to That was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up

"Sure," I said, then joined Veronica at the threshold When she bobbed her head toward the interior of the rooot my first lookat the room that pink threw up on

Honestly--it looked like a Barbie factory exploded There was pink everywhere, from the walls to the carpet to the bedspread and pillowcases I practically had to squint against the glare

On the other hand, the stuff in the room was choice: flat-screen TV; top- of-the-line laptop; fancy speaker system with an iPod port; thick, quilted duvet I mean, sure it was all covered in kill-me-now pink, but I could appreciate quality

"Nice room," I half lied, as Veronica shut the door behindcrossed over the other and the glossy shoe box on her lap Amie was in a sleek, clear plastic chair in front of a desk made of the same clear plastic "Why, exactly, is she here?" Mary Katherine asked

Veronica gaveto see how cool she is"

When Mary Katherine stroked the sides of the shoe box, I assudom of Pink and the coolness test were related to whatever was in the shoe box in Mary Katherine’s lapor my reaction to it

"Hoe know she’s not a Little Mary Tattletale?" Mary Katherine asked

"Oh, come on, MK Lily’s fro eyebrow "Aren’t you?"

I was fro the first-degree peer pressure to bother correcting her But since the surprise invitation was a mystery that would be solved when MK flipped the lid off the shoe box, I figured I’d go for it I wasn’t getting a whole lot of closure on reed, my voice wicked dry

"Are you ready?" Veronica asked, as Mary Katherine slipped her fingers beneath the lip of the shoe box

"Sure," I said

I’ substances? Diarade plutoniuazines?

It wasn’t quite that drairls--and me--around her, Mary Katherine lifted the lid It was filled with candy, diet soda, back issues of Cosarettes It was like a supermodel’s necessities kit

"Well?" MK prompted "Pretty sweet, huh?"

I opened ain with a snap Surely they weren’t so sheltered that issues of Cosa, and grocery store in the United States--were contraband Still, I was a guest in enemy territory Noas not the time for insults "There’s definitelyall sorts of stuff in there"

Veronica reached in and grabbed a box of candy cigarettes, then pulled out a stick of white candy "We have friends who bring it in," she said, nipping a bit off the end

"And Mary Katherine’s parents practicallyin her voice

MK rolled her eyes "We need it," she said "St Sophia’s is all about health and vigor, organic and free-range and vitaure into that And if Foley ever found this stuff in our roolance "So--can you keep your reatest weakness--I nodded "That shouldn’t be a probleaze, reached over, grabbed the packet of licorice Scotties, and tossed it toto question why she was offering

Veronica looked at her BFFs, then slid a glance ht with promise "You know, Parker, we don’t keep all of Mary Katherine’s stash up here, just in case Foley decides to start doing rooain The rest of it is in our little hidey-hole We call it our treasure chest We were going there, you know, to replenish our stack" She glanced back at Mary Katherine "MK’s alaze was cooland calculating "You can go with us if you want Share in the bounty"

I’d have been stupid not to be suspicious The stash these trendy big-city girls played at being so excited about wasn’t really that exciting More iuessed it was possible they were still uided attempt to steerenda

But they weren’t the only ones with secret plans Foley had nearly ripped the rug out from under me earlier today; this was e, to act

"Where, exactly, is this stash?" I looked at Aet an honest answer

"Downstairs," she said "Baseht A trip downstairs would getout what Scout was involved in--and what else was going on at St Sophia’s School for Girls

I nodded at the group "I’"

8

We were ar produced the set of them from a bottom- drawer stash I also saw a set of pink tools, a pink first aid kit, and some pink batteries in there Ale-ood dose of skepticis me into trouble, that the "treasure" at the end of our hunt was a prank withpossibility that I’d have to ured they offered at least a little more traction than the flip- flops, and they’d probably pack a bigger wallop, if it caone e left the suite, three brat packers and one hanger- on, Veronica in the lead It was nearly ten pm, and the hallere silent and empty as we followed the sao--down the stairs to the first floor, back through the long, h the Great Hall and into theat the door Scout had taken, we took a left into the administrative corridor I’d taken with MK earlier in the day

We hadn’t yet turned on our flashlights, so I’m not entirely sure e had theh the hall, I was glad we hadn’t turned them on Veronica held out a hand, and we all stopped behind her She turned, excitement in her eyes, and motioned us back with a hand We tiptoed back a few steps, then crowded into one of the senawed , sure that the thundering beat of h the hallway for all to hear