Unfriendly Competition Read Online Free

looked at the screen—staring at the Canterwood gossip blog. The entry was short, but it didn’t need to be longer to cause more damage.
    Rumor has it that a certain soon-to-be teen queen is having a birthday bash that’ll be the blowout of the century. If only all of her lowly worker bees were so happy about the special date. One, for example, would love to see this birthday blow.
    â€œHeather’s party,” Brit and I said together.
    We read the entry again to ourselves.
    â€œHeather’s mom just called her,” Brit said.
    I closed my laptop lid in disgust. “I know. How did it get around school so fast? Unless the Trio already started telling people.”
    â€œBut who is the blogger talking about?” Brit asked. “We haven’t talked to anyone, and Julia and Alison want Heather’s public party to be awesome.”
    I shrugged. “I have no clue. It seems like the blogger is talking about Julia, Alison, you, or me, but you’re right—none of us want Heather to have a bad birthday.”
    Brit shook her head. “I hate this. This post is obviously a lie, but it’s going to start making things crazy if people believe the blogger.”
    I pulled on my cardigan and put my phone in my black purse. “You’re right. But, so far, the blogger has zero credibility. Everyone seems more fascinated by the posts than gullible enough to believe them.”
    â€œLet’s hope it stays that way,” Brit said.
    She waved me out as I headed down Orchard’s hallway to The Sweet Shoppe. I rifled through my purse, already feeling the need to re-gloss, when familiar laughter made me look up.
    Callie Harper.
    And Paige Parker.
    My two ex–best friends.
    Both girls looked away from each other and stopped laughing. They were carrying an armload of textbooks. Paige’s long red-gold hair looked pretty in loose waves,and Callie’s black hair was pulled back in a French braid. Orchard was Callie’s dorm, too. Paige must have come over to study with Callie.
    I paused midstep, then kept walking. We passed each other in the hallway and neither girl said a word. Callie’s dark brown eyes and Paige’s green ones stared straight ahead—not looking at me.
    I pushed open the side exit door with my palms on the glass instead of the handle. I couldn’t get out of Orchard fast enough. Light from the campus lanterns made warm yellow shadows over me as I hurried down the sidewalk.
    The last thing I wanted to think about before meeting Jacob was Callie and Paige, but I couldn’t stop my thoughts from going there.
    Paige had been my BFF and roommate before I’d moved in with Brit. She was also friends with Callie, my other ex-BFF. I’d lost Callie over Jacob. Then, Paige had backstabbed me by siding with Callie.
    I’d gotten used to the emptiness of not having Callie in my life, but the loss of Paige still hurt. More than anything, I wanted our friendship back. Paige had been there with me through everything and, even though I had a new friendship with Brit, it didn’t stop me from missing Paige.
    I shook myself out of my memory and realized The Sweet Shoppe was just ahead. I didn’t want my time with Jacob to be ruined, so I shook Paige and Callie out of my brain.
    Scents of fall treats—pumpkin spice–flavored coffee, apple tarts, and hazelnut cookies—drifted out of the cozy shop, as students came in and out. I walked under the blue and white awning and up the stairs to the building. Inside, I looked around.
    I didn’t have to look far.
    At a table for two near the back, Jacob caught my gaze. His hazel eyes settled on mine and his smile made thoughts of Callie and Paige disappear. He had that effect on me.
    â€œHi, Sash,” Jacob said.
    â€œHi.” I walked over to him, grinning.
    I stopped in front of him and he took my hands, gently pulling me close to him. I squeezed his hands to try and keep myself