The Classy Crooks Club Read Online Free Page A

same thing in the end, you know. No job, no money, no nice stuff.”
    â€œIt’s not the same at all ,” Maddie says.
    Brianna shakes out one of the dresses and holds it up against her body. It’s purple and covered in sparkles, totally the opposite of Maddie’s style. “You should really take these. I mean, I know they’re not new, but they’re a lot closer than anything else your mom can buy you now. At least you’ll know who wore them before you.”
    â€œLeave me alone, Brianna. I don’t want your stupid castoffs.” Maddie’s trying to sound strong, but her voice is trembling a little.
    â€œSo touchy,” Brianna says. “Well, I tried. If you want to look tacky, that’s on you.”
    Coach Adrian strides onto the field with a big bag of soccer balls, and he claps a bunch of times to get our attention. “What is this, a fashion show?” he says. “Put the dresses away and get ready to work. Five laps around the field.”
    â€œI was just trying to be charitable ,” Brianna says. She drops the dresses on the ground as if she wants to prove how little they matter to her and takes off running, her long hair swishing back and forth. She always wears it down at practice even though the rest of us pull ours back; she must think it looks cool when it whips around in the wind. Her minions fall into formation behind her. Sabrina looks back over her shoulder for a second as though she wants to apologize, but Brianna grabs her arm and pulls her forward.
    Amy starts fiddling with her shoelaces. “You guys go ahead,” she says. “I think I’ve got something in my shoe. I’ll catch up with you.” It’s obvious she’s avoiding running with us because she doesn’t know what to say to Maddie. I don’t really know what to say either, but I take off running next to her anyway. When you’ve been best friends with someone your whole life, you can’t avoid them just because you’re uncomfortable.
    Maddie and I run in silence for about ten seconds, and then she says, “I hate Brianna.”
    â€œOf course you do,” I say. “She’s literally the worst person in the entire world. Except for, like, Hitler.”
    â€œHitler’s dead.”
    â€œThat’s true. I guess she’s the actual worst.”
    â€œHow did she even know about my mom? I barely told anyone. You didn’t say anything, did you?”
    â€œOf course not. I’d never do that. She probably has spies. Evil people always have evil henchmen.”
    â€œWhat is her problem with me?” Maddie says. “I never did anything to her. And it’s not like we can’t afford clothes. My dad still has a job. We just have to, like, cut back a little.”
    â€œI know,” I say. “You don’t have to explain it to me. Don’t let her get to you, okay? You know how much she loves reminding people she has it better than everyone else.”
    Maddie glances over at me. “Not better than you.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? We’re not rich at all.”
    â€œYeah, but your grandmother is. I know it’s only for this month, but right now you have stuff even Brianna doesn’t have, like a cute chauffeur. You should totally rub it in her face while you can.”
    I’m not usually a show-offy person, but Maddie’s right—someone has to put Brianna in her place, and for the first time, I might actually be able to do that. Brianna has terrorized practically all of us at one time or another. In fourth grade, she told the whole class that my cleats were so smelly they made our coach puke when he accidentally got a whiff of them. Last year she made fun of Amy’s new haircut so viciously that she cried in social studies. At the soccer barbecue last month, she told everyone how sorry she felt for our goalie, Chloe Savitsky, because she’s adopted and doesn’t