Pretty Little Devils Part 10

"Exactement." Sylvia looked hard at each of them. "Now is the time to show them who we really are. PLDs act. We don't react. Breona's going to try to get to us all today. You have chem lab with her, don't you, Haze? Don't let her pressure you. She'll try to tell you that she's the victim in all this. It's a lie. I want you to know that."

"But why would she-"

The others looked straight at Hazel, and she remembered that she was still on probation. Not officially one of them.

Maybe she'd be able to ask questions later.

"I'll be fine," she promised.

When Hazel got to chem lab, she found Breona waiting at her table. She shifted slightly when Hazel approached.

"Hey, Hazel," Breona said, pasting on a big smile. "Do you have the notes I missed while I was out?"

"No. Sorry," Hazel said coolly, navigating around her.

"I'm a little behind, you know," Breona continued. "I don't know if you heard, but I was kicked out of school when someone planted drugs in my locker!"

Hazel shook her head. Sylvia said Breona would play the innocent victim. She balled her fists inside the pockets of her black hoodie and looked away.

Breona rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Did they tell you to diss me? You aren't really a PLD, are you? You're just hanging out with them, under the mistaken impression that they're nice people. Right?"

Hazel kept her voice calm and steady. "Actually, I am a PLD."

"Oh my G.o.d! Hazel, do not hang out up with them. They are totally evil. I know you didn't have anything to do with what happened to me, but-"

"I'm sorry, Breona," Hazel said. She pulled out her lab stool. Case closed.

"Okay," Breona muttered, her eyes flashing with anger. "But if you stick with them, you have signed on for some serious trouble, girlfriend."

Lakshmi hurried into the room. She glanced over at Hazel and gave her a little smile. Then she set her pack down and clambered onto her stool one table away.

"How's it going?" Lakshmi asked.

Before Hazel could reply, Breona leaned over. "Don't bother, Lakshmi. Hazel's just like the rest of those b.i.t.c.hes. She's not allowed to talk to anyone who isn't a PLD."

Lakshmi blinked. "Oh?"

"That's not true," Hazel countered quickly. "I can talk to whoever I want."

"Oh. That's right. It's not that she can't talk to you. It's that she just doesn't want to talk to you. She thinks you're a loser. And so do all her little friends."

Lakshmi's mouth dropped open. "Hazel? That's...not true...is it?"

"No," Hazel said.

She tried to make the word believable, but her face gave everything away.

Tears brimmed in Lakshmi's eyes.

Then Ms. Carpentier looked up from her desk. "All right, people. Take your seats."

Everyone fell mercifully silent, but Lakshmi shot Hazel a dirty look before turning to the front of the cla.s.sroom.

Hazel sighed. I knew I'd make friends as a PLD, she thought. I hadn't really counted on making enemies.

When Hazel arrived for her sitting job at Charlie's, Mr. Pollins, a chubby, middle-aged man, was rushing around getting ready for a night shift.

"Charlie will show you around," he said as he went into his study.

She suppressed a grin. Clearly Mr. Pollins was unaware that she had been in his home before-along with about twenty other high school kids.

Pale little Charlie was clad in pajamas and a bathrobe. He led Hazel into the kitchen. "Hey. Matty didn't send me the jpeg yet."

"I'm sure he will," she promised, hoping it was true.

She noticed an open can on the counter and a pot on the stove. "Do you want some SpaghettiOs?"

"No," Charlie answered. "I'm not really all that hungry."

"Is there something else you'd rather have?" she asked.

"No." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm a kid. We eat stuff like this."

Hazel chuckled at Charlie's matter-of-fact delivery. He continued to rub his temples.

"Headache?" Hazel asked sympathetically.

"Tension," he replied.

"Tell you what. Why don't you go on to your room and I'll bring you dinner in bed. Sound good?"

He nodded. "Thanks." He shuffled off to his room like a little old man.

Hazel dumped the can into the pot and lit the burner. While the SpaghettiOs were heating, she got some two percent milk out of the fridge and found an Incredibles cup in the cupboard.

Mr. Pollins came into the kitchen. "I'll be home very late. Please feel free to nap. And if you wouldn't mind answering the phone..."

"Of course. Whatever you say."

"Lock up after me, all right?"

She followed him to the door and secured the dead bolt.

As she returned to the kitchen, the phone rang.

"Pollins residence," she said, picking up the wall unit.

"You are a bad babysitter," whispered a m.u.f.fled, obviously disguised voice.

"You guys," she said calmly. "I know this is a prank."

"I'm outside. I'm watching you."

"The drapes are shut," she replied, glancing at the window over the kitchen sink. "You must have x-ray vision."

"Maybe I do. Hey, here's a thought: do you think the door to the study is locked?"

"Because you left me a present in the study?" she asked.

"Check it."

She moved the pot off the burner and wandered down the hall to Mr. Pollins's study. She tried the k.n.o.b. It didn't move.

"Yes," she announced. "It's lockay-vous."

"I mean the outside door, bad babysitter. The one that leads from the backyard into the study. You know about that door, right? No, of course you don't. Because you are a bad babysitter."

She c.o.c.ked her head. "The outside door..."

For all you know, I let myself into the study and I'm behind that door right now. And when you're not looking, I could sneak out of the study and creep up on you. I could kill you-and the kid."

"That would be pretty, um, drastic." She tried for a light tone, but her voice shook a little.

It's a prank, she reminded herself. Don't let them get to you.

"That's right, I'm behind that door.... I'm in the house right now!"

"You guys?" Hazel said shrilly. "This isn't funny, okay?"

"Hey, we're just seeing if it's all good over there," Sylvia's voice responded coolly.

"Oh G.o.d," Hazel breathed "Chill, Haze," Sylvia said. "You knew it was us, right?"

"Yeah. Well, kind of. Everything's fine." Hazel stumbled, fiddling with the k.n.o.b to the study door again. "But the door...it is locked, and..."

"Sometimes Charlie's dad locks it before he leaves," Sylvia explained. "You can't get back in without the key. But there is a door that leads into the study from the yard, and we always make sure that's locked."

"Well, I'll certainly never forget that again!"

"Good, ma pet.i.te. So anyway, next subject. We had a thought about Ellen's hair. Obviously she needs some guidance on this matter. Tell me, where do you go? Because your hair works and her hair is the same texture, so maybe your person could do hers."

"Does she know we're discussing this?"

"Don't worry, it's not like she's here, so you can speak freely. We have been trying to explain to her that her hair is, you know, a problem, but she's just not getting it."

"It is kind of bad." Hazel thought for a moment. "Yeah, I'll help. It's just-she's sensitive. Let's be subtle about it, okay?"

"Absolutely. Thanks, Haze."

YOU HAVE ENTERED.

The Pretty Little Devils Chat room THIS IS A PRIVATE CHAT ROOM FOR INVITED MEMBERS ONLY.

Members in chat room: PLDSLY.

PLDEL.

PLDCARO.

PLDMEG.

PLDSLY: We're on the line with Hazel now. She sez UR hair's bad. Every1 staring at U, El.

PLDEL: Haze sez so?

PLDSLY: Oui. Real bad. Sez U can go to her place.

PLDEL: OK. Plz thank her.

PLDSLY: We're here 2 help. Friendz!:) PLDCARO: Friendz!:) PLDMEG: Friendz!:) PLDEL: Friendz!:) PERSONALBLOG.

HAPPY2BME.

THE PLDs THINK THEY'RE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS. NONE OF THEM HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT REAL FRIENDSHIP IS. TOO BAD I'LL HAVE TO TEACH THEM...THE HARD WAY. I JUST HOPE I CAN HOLD ON.

THE CAT WAS GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH. I NEED MORE!

NO. NO. I HAVE TO HOLD ON. JUST A LITTLE TINY BIT LONGER.

The next day at lunch, Hazel sailed into the cafeteria. She joined the serving line just as Sylvia and Josh sauntered in. They walked with their heads held high, completely aware that all eyes were on them, like a pair of movie stars. Sylvia's hand was tucked into the back pocket of Josh's jeans, her hair was up in a French twist, and shiny chandelier earrings dangled above her shoulders. Josh was wearing aviator sungla.s.ses and a white Lacoste shirt. On anyone else, it would look like trying too hard. On them, it just looked perfect.

Before parting, Sylvia pulled his sungla.s.ses down his nose and he bent to kiss her.

Hazel sighed. Maybe someday she'd have a boyfriend. And together they would look as amazing as Sylvia and Josh.

She grabbed her tray, and someone tapped her shoulder. She turned her head, hoping...and there he was. She smiled calmly, though her insides were jangling happily.

"Hey, pretty girl," Matty said.

"Hey."