The Heartbreakers Read Online Free Page B

extended pause. “Kel?”
    â€œIt’s Will. Kind of.”
    Best Week Ever came back on. Alexia dove for the DVR remote and paused it. “What happened?”
    â€œHow about if I come inside and tell you? I’m sitting in your driveway.”
    Alexia went to the front window and pulled up the Roman blinds. Kelly’s blue Honda Prelude sat in the driveway. She waved and hopped out of her car, tugging her jacket hood down to block her face from the onslaught of snow and wind. Clutching a brown paper bag to her chest with the other hand, she ran up to the porch.
    Kelly had only been friends with Alexia, Raven, and Sydney since seventh grade. Lately, Alexia had been hanging out with Kelly more than the other girls because Raven and Sydney were more serious with their boyfriends.
    It was weird, the genesis of friends. Alexia and Raven had been best friends since second grade. Sydney joined them two years later, when her parents moved from Hartford to Birch Falls. The three of them had a tight bond. Back then, Alexia never would have thought they’d eventually add another. Three friends had always seemed like a big enough group.
    But then, Alexia met Kelly in seventh grade and invited her to join Sydney, Raven, and her for a night at the movies. Kelly had been a part of the group ever since. It certainly helped that Sydney had a huge crush on Drew, who was Kelly’s best friend back then. Sydney always wanted to hang out at Kelly’s house.
    Sometimes when Alexia hung out with Kelly, she could almost forget that she was the only one of the four girls who didn’t have a boyfriend. Kelly was crazilyin love with Will Daniels. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like Will was crazily in love with Kelly, which left her a lot more free time than a full-time boyfriend would.
    Alexia flipped her cell closed and pulled the front door open.
    Kelly brushed her hood aside and ran her hand down her strawberry-blonde locks. “I can come in, right?”
    â€œIf you promise to share your Monkey.”
    â€œDeal,” Kelly said. She held up the paper sack. “I supply the Monkey, you supply the spoons?”
    â€œFollow me, my dear.” Alexia walked to the kitchen, Kelly trailing behind, her wet boots squeaking on the cherrywood floor.
    â€œYour parents here?” Kelly asked.
    Alexia shook her head. “They’re out of town for a seminar.”
    â€œAll weekend?”
    â€œYeah. They should be home on Sunday.” Alexia set her cell on the kitchen island and dug in the silverware drawer for two spoons. She handed one to Kelly when she heard Beethoven playing again.
    Two phone calls in one night?
    If you asked her an hour ago which was more likely, being struck by lightning or receiving two phone calls on a Friday night, she would have picked the lightning.
    The cell phone screen said it was Sydney.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œLexy, you need any company?”
    â€œUh…” she looked across the kitchen island at Kelly. “Kelly’s already here and she brought Monkey.”
    â€œOh, God, that sounds so perfect. We’ll be there in five.”
    Alexia said, “bye,” and hung up, realizing afterward that Sydney had said, “We.” Was she bringing Drew or something? Drew and Sydney sometimes hung out at Alexia’s house, but not on Friday nights. They usually did their own thing.
    â€œSyd’s on her way,” Alexia said. “Looks like we’ll need more spoons.”
    Five minutes later, as promised, Sydney showed up, but with Raven, not Drew.
    Sydney shuffled into the kitchen in terry cloth pants and a hooded sweatshirt. Her messy ponytail bobbed behind her. Her eyes were glassy, lids heavy with exhaustion.
    Raven, too, looked…different. Her usual caramel complexion was closer to a milky latte and there was a permanent scowl on her Angelina Jolie lips.
    â€œSomething wrong?” Alexia asked.
    Raven grabbed a spoon and took a