Jealousy Read Online Free

she wasn’t blinking.
    Clare and Lex smiled as Tay and I approached them. My friends were dressed in the most elegant and gorgeous dresses, and, arms at their sides, they each held a decorated stick attached to a beautiful mask.
    Choosing our dresses and accessories had been no easy task. The memory of shopping online at Macy’s made me smile. Khloe and I had gotten so into it, we’d even sent Clare, Lex, and Jill links to dresses that we thought they might like.
    Khloe looked sophisticated in her strapless black dress with a satin belt that tied in the front. Closest to her, Lexa’s tangerine dress with floral appliqué complemented her mocha-colored skin. My favorite detail of Lex’s sleeveless dress was the bodice—each flower had a tiny pearl in the center. Clare’s amethyst-colored dress made her long red hair pop. Almost out of stock on Macy’s Website, the capped-sleeve dress was pleated and had a tulle underlay. Looking at each of them in their dresses and holding their masks calmed my nerves a little. These were my new friends, and I was about to introduce them to one of my old friends.
    Taylor and I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Taylor, welcome to Canterwood , I thought.

CUTIES IN CAULDRONS
    I SMILED UP AT MY FRIENDS, TAKING A QUICK breath.
    â€œI stepped out for a breath of fresh air and came back with a friend from home,” I said. “Is that a crazy birthday present or what?”
    The girls giggled, but I could see their get to the truth already! looks.
    â€œThat’s quite the surprise present!” Clare said. “I hope one of my friends from home just appears when I turn thirteen. Or maybe stuff like that only happens to people who have birthdays on Halloween.”
    â€œI think that’s it,” I said, trying to keep a serious look on my face. “When this cauldron popped up on the lawnand this guy next to me stepped out, I thought, ‘Whoa! You guys really went all out!’ ”
    â€œThat cauldron better still be there,” Lexa said. She grinned. “I need a cute boy to pop up out of nowhere!”
    We all laughed.
    â€œGuys,” I said. “This is Taylor Frost. He’s a friend from home. No cauldron involved with his appearance, though. Sorry, Lexa.”
    Lex stuck out her lower lip. “Boo.”
    â€œOh. Oh ,” Khloe said. Her blond hair shimmered under the lights as she shook her head. She put both hands on her hips and grinned. Her near-palpable excitement almost sent sparks into the air. “Taylor! Taylor Frost! At Lauren’s party! Omigod!”
    Uh-oh! I thought. Khloe’s going to freeeak out!
    â€œTaylor, hi,” Lexa said, stepping in front of Khloe.
    I shot her a quick, grateful smile, and Lexa winked back. She knew that when Khloe got excited, the girl got excited. I’d told Khlo everything about the Taylor saga. If no one stepped in and gave Khloe a moment to compose herself, my roommate would bury Taylor under a zillion rapid-fire questions.
    â€œI’m Lexa Reed,” Lex said. “This is Clare Bryant . . .”
    Clare smiled. “Hey, nice to meet you, Taylor.”
    â€œ. . . and Khloe Kinsella,” Lex added.
    â€œHi!” Khloe said. “Lauren’s told you that I’m her awful roommate who plays emo music twenty-four/seven, fills our fridge with kelp smoothies, and snores, right?”
    Taylor looked at me, then at Khloe. He had the deer-in-the-headlights look.
    â€œNo, not at all,” Taylor said, shaking his head. “Lauren’s never said any of that.”
    Khloe! I yelled at her in my head. She’d scared Taylor—just like she’d done to me when we had first met.
    â€œKhloe’s an actress,” I said, jumping in. “She—”
    â€œShe likes you from everything Lauren’s said and was just teasing,” Khlo said. She dropped her act. “It’s really nice to meet