Jealousy Read Online Free Page A

you.”
    Taylor smiled at her—the kind of smile that I knew meant he liked Khloe’s sense of humor now that he was in on the joke.
    â€œIt’s cool to meet all of you,” Taylor said. “Lauren’s mentioned you guys before. Actually, she did mention that her roommate snores . . . .” Taylor looked at Khloe, a teasing gleam in his eyes.
    Khloe’s jaw dropped, and she covered her open mouth with her hand. I winked and stuck out my tongue at her.
    â€œLauren’s mentioned you, too,” Clare said. “We thoughtwe had planned every surprise for tonight, but you coming here from Union is def the biggest one of all!”
    â€œYou did come a long way for LT,” Khloe said. She played with the ostrich plume on her white satin mask. “We totes know you’re her ex!” she blurted out.
    I looked at Khloe sideways. Khloe! I mouthed.
    Khloe’s face reddened. “But we know you’re not a bad ex!” she added. “We know it was mutual. The breakup, I mean.”
    Oh my God! I’m going to kill Khloe! I thought. After everything Taylor had told me back at the bench, Khloe had no idea that my breakup was now a teensy bit more complicated.
    Clare played with a lock of her red hair, and Lexa inspected her mask. I half expected Taylor to excuse himself, run to Wren Hall, and never come within ten feet of me or my friends again.
    Khloe stepped out from behind Lexa and made eye contact with me. She curtsied. “I hope you all will congratulate me on making this the most awkward introduction in history to occur on Canterwood Crest Academy grounds. Not since the school was founded in nineteen . . .” She frowned. “Nineteen whatever—just way before cell phones and anything cool had been invented.”
    I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. Beside me Taylor did the same.
    â€œMy words that have surely embarrassed Lauren’s friend, the seemingly nice Taylor Frost, should be included in the student handbook under a new section: Improper Methods of Introduction. I hope this night, October thirty-first, is remembered not just for Lauren’s birthday or Halloween but for how I welcomed a visitor to our campus.”
    Lexa nodded, making a serious face and patting Khloe’s arm. They are going to drag me away for questioning when I tell them that Taylor’s a Canterwood student now! I thought.
    â€œPlease make sure to take this story to the yearbook staff,” Khloe continued. “I must be recognized as ‘The Seventh Grader Who Blurted Out Embarrassing Things,’ along with my other most honorable accolades.”
    Khloe bowed her head and took a step back.
    Silence.
    Slowly Khloe lifted her head as if she was peeking at us to see if I was going to forgive her or revoke her invite to my party.
    We all burst into laughter.
    â€œI know I told you Khlo was an actress,” I said to Taylor. “I left out how good of an actress she really is.”
    Taylor and Khloe traded smiles.
    I went from wanting to shake KK to applauding her for being the best icebreaker. Her methods weren’t conventional, but they worked.
    â€œTaylor did come to surprise me for my birthday,” I said. “He had another surprise too.”
    Lex, Clare, and Khloe raised their eyebrows.
    â€œDo tell!” Khloe said, leaning on the iron railing.
    â€œLike I said, Taylor’s a friend from home,” I said. “He used to attend Yates.”
    â€œWait,” Clare said. She frowned. “You said ‘used to.’ ”
    I wasn’t going to embarrass Taylor with the truth about his father. He would have plenty of time to decide whom to tell and when.
    â€œHe’s not at Yates anymore,” I continued, twirling my mask in my hand. “It wasn’t the right fit for him, and he decided to transfer.”
    â€œOh, cool,” Lexa said. “What school? Is it close to