Back Online Read Online Free Page A

like she had two separate lives. They wanted her to feel like they were still a family.
    â€œMaddie, if you want to sleep in my room tonight, you can,” Mom said.
    Madison had a funny feeling Mom needed it more than she did.
    â€œOkay,” Madison said. “I’ll meet you there.”
    Mom headed upstairs, and Madison got into the shower. She had just bought three new body washes from the mall and she wanted to try them all: Sweet Pea, Lovely Lilac, and Jasmine Scrub. It was hard for Madison to remember a time when taking a shower and doing her hair wasn’t fun. Mom teased her and called her Miss Smell Well.
    When she was done, Madison wrapped one towel around her body and another on her head, and went into her room and opened her laptop. She wanted to send Bigwheels an email about Phin. It had been a loooong day.
    Madison found something very surprising when she opened her email.
    Hart had written her a note—a real note.
    From: Sk8ingboy
    To: MadFinn
    Subject: HEY
    Date: Sun 8 Oct 8:14 PM
    I didn’t really know what to say earlier. I mean, I didn’t not write on purpose even though you think that’s what I didn’t do. Wait. Does that even make sense? I hope we are still together like before. I know I live far away but I will try not to forget anymore. Sorry like I said, Finnster. See you around.
    BFN
    Hart
    Madison wanted to be happy about finally getting a note.
    So why wasn’t she?

Chapter Three

    â€œGet out of my way, puh-lease!” barked Ivy Daly from behind Egg Díaz in the lunch line Monday afternoon. Even when Ivy said something polite, it sounded obnoxious.
    She was dressed mostly in purple, with a short skirt, polka-dot leggings, and a loose yellow chiffon shirt over a tank top. She also wore little black flats with purple bows on them, and her hair was swept back into a fishtail braid with purple and yellow barrettes. Madison always marveled at just how color-coordinated Ivy could be. Did she spend hours obsessing over every detail of her outfit? Madison had been so proud of her own sunburn-friendly ensemble this morning, but compared to Ivy, Madison’s fashion sense was taking a siesta.
    â€œUm, you’re in my way,” Ivy repeated. Loudly.
    Madison could see that Egg was ready to fling a spoonful of gluey mashed potatoes at her head.
    The year before, all the boys seemed to ooh and ahh over Ivy, but this year things had changed—really changed. Everyone got tired of Ivy’s dumb comments and mean-girl attitude. Once Poison Ivy’s “drones”—Rose and Joan—disappeared, the equation changed. Rose Thorn finds new, less bossy pal + Phony Joanie moves away = Poison Ivy is rendered powerless.
    It took some getting used to, seeing Ivy this year in a totally new realm where she was not the queen bee. Madison’s feelings for Ivy were always so complicated.
    Madison Finn and Ivy Daly’s friendship began on the playground when they were toddlers. Ivy was the closest thing to a sister Madison ever had. But thanks to a humdinger of a falling-out in third grade, things cooled off. Last year, the pair had a brief bounce-back and shared a few nicer-than-nice moments, making Madison wonder if there was friendship potential again.
    And yet.
    Fact: Ivy Daly was not the most reliable of friends.
    Madison worried that if she gave Ivy any indication of weakness, Ivy would chomp her head off like a praying mantis on the Science Channel.
    So Madison figured it was better to chomp first, check for wounds later.
    â€œIvy, can’t you just wait your turn like everyone else?”
    â€œWhat’s your malfunction?” Ivy asked.
    â€œMalfunction?” Madison asked, getting her attitude on. “I thought we decided we would try to be—”
    â€œ We decided,” Ivy interrupted. “Right.”
    She took her tray, flicked her red hair, and huffed off in her too-cute flats. Madison noticed that Ivy was barely able to