Pretty Little Devils Part 4

"Of course not," Hazel said.

Carolyn exhaled. "All I can say is thank G.o.d she's gone. She has been a total pain forever."

Ellen and Brandon emerged from the side yard, still hunting around the bushes and calling for the cat. Carolyn shook her head. "And those two...those two are trouble waiting to happen. Brandon is such a user. And Ellen's so sweet."

No kidding, Hazel thought.

She was about to say as much when she saw Ellen's face crumple. It looked like she was about to cry. Brandon pulled her close, stroking her back and whispering something. Rea.s.suring her.

"Maybe he's not all bad," Hazel ventured.

"Pfffft!" Carolyn rolled her eyes at the thought. "Well, enough about them. Let's have some fun." She pulled Hazel over to the group still huddled by the barbecue. She extended her hand and Stephan pa.s.sed her a tightly rolled joint. She took a long drag, then offered it to Hazel.

Hazel froze. The others were smiling-rosily, expectantly.

She wanted to fit in, but she didn't want to smoke. Would they bounce her from the party just because she didn't indulge?

Sylvia seemed to prize strong character more than anything. Hazel was willing to gamble that they'd be cool with her choice.

"Not tonight," she said.

"You sure?" Carolyn asked.

Hazel nodded and Carolyn handed the joint to Trina.

Hazel breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Crisis averted.

She glanced around the yard, half searching for the missing cat and half taking in the scene around her. Absolutely all the cool kids were here and finally-finally-she was among them.

Some of the kids even waved h.e.l.lo to her. Had they noticed her at school? Probably not. But now that she was here-now that she was invitation-worthy-all that seemed about to change.

For the first time, Hazel felt like she was on the way up. It was a good feeling, one she hoped wouldn't fade as soon as the party was over.

Hazel gazed upward. The night was chilly, the sky bright and clear. Brookhaven offered stars, something most San Diegans didn't get to see because of all the city lights. Tonight, this party was the center of the universe.

"I think Isotope is just hiding from all the strangers." Carolyn cut into Hazel's thoughts. "Might as well call off the search."

Hazel nodded. They broke off from Stephan and the others and Hazel began to mingle, moving through the swirls of conversation. She danced with a guy named Mark and then with Carolyn. Someone pa.s.sed out monster chocolate chip cookies. Hazel had two. Later in the evening, she found herself with Trina, telling her an old story about Breona getting in trouble in chem lab.

"Ms. Carpentier found the notes she and Jenna Babc.o.c.k had been writing in cla.s.s. They were writing them in their notebooks so it would look like they were comparing findings or something. There was one that said, 'Carpentier is a crazy b.i.t.c.h today.'"

Trina started cracking up. "Oh my G.o.d!"

"She was so busted. Ms. Carpentier sent her to Clancy," Hazel went on.

"Maybe she was busted, but have you noticed? She always bounces back. This time won't be any different. She'll be back in school before you know it," Trina proclaimed. She took a sip of her drink. "She's like a virus. You think you've gotten rid of her, but she just pops back up."

"A virus?" Hazel laughed.

"Yeah." Trina snickered. "The flesh-eating kind. And the only thing more dangerous than the Breona virus is Breona mixed with Sylvia Orly. Put them together and you get a supervirus-capable of wiping out everything around it! I don't know what those two have against each other, but it can get ugly."

"Seriously," Hazel agreed. For a moment, she thought about telling Trina that the PLDs had narced on Breona. Then Hazel remembered: she'd promised Carolyn she'd keep her lips sealed, and she wanted to keep her promise.

"What's going on out here?" a deep voice called. Hazel turned toward the sliding gla.s.s doors.

Oh. My. G.o.d. She blinked. There, walking out into the backyard, was Matty Vardeman.

He looked amazing in his letter jacket, black jeans, and a black T-shirt. His faint smile was too incredibly s.e.xy, and his dark eyes were dancing with amus.e.m.e.nt as he took in his surroundings.

"Whoa," Trina said under her breath. "New-guy alert. He is so hot."

Hazel licked her lips, aware that her mouth had gone dry. She could hear her heart pounding. Then Matty looked straight at her. He brightened and came toward her.

He stood facing her. "Hey."

"Hey," she managed.

"I'm Matty."

I know, she almost said. But she maintained. "Hazel," she introduced herself.

"And Trina," Trina said.

Matty nodded politely. Then his gaze returned to Hazel.

"So," he said.

Trina cleared her throat. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?"

"I'm good," Hazel said. "How about you?" she asked Matty.

He held up a bottle. "I'm fine with water." Trina took off, and Matty nodded at some familiar faces. "Cool party," he said.

"Yeah," Hazel agreed. She glanced over Matty's shoulder to see Sylvia standing in the doorway. She gave a little wave.

Sylvia's eyes glittered. She pointed at Matty's back and mouthed the words, "You're welcome."

Hazel fought hard to hide her grin.

"This time of year, it's getting cold in Virginia," Matty said. "Out here, it's practically like summer."

"I've never been to Virginia," she said. "I've heard it's pretty, though."

"It is. Green gra.s.s, rolling hills...but what I think I'll miss most are the crazy thunderstorms we get in the spring. I used to sit out on our front porch when the rain was coming down, and the thunder would get so loud." He drank from his water bottle. "You've always lived in Brookhaven?" he asked.

"All my life," she said.

"It's not a bad place; I just didn't ask to move." He sighed. "And living with my sister sucks."

Someone called his name and he waved.

"Well, at least you've made friends," she pointed out.

"Yeah. I mean, the guys on the team are cool, but I haven't found anyone I really click with yet. You know?"

His southern accent was insanely endearing.

"I totally understand. I'm that way too." Not that I'm feeling that way right now, Hazel thought.

"Really? But you've lived here forever!"

Hazel shrugged. "That doesn't mean I've made any real connections. The kind that count. The kind you have forever."

He squinted at her and gave a playful grin. "Maybe you're too deep for Southern California."

"Thanks a lot!" She laughed.

"No, I mean it," he said sincerely. "You seem a little more...in touch than most of the people I've met."

"Thanks," Hazel said, with a straight face this time. They both went quiet and Hazel felt his dark eyes swallowing her up.

The silence was broken when Trina returned.

"Hey, guys." She had an extra water bottle in her hand. "Brought this for you," she told Matty.

"Thanks," he said The three of them made small talk about cla.s.ses and teachers and then about their favorite shows and bands. Hazel tried to keep up her end while inconspicuously drinking Matty in.

He was into Green Day. Trina liked Maroon 5. Hazel confessed her secret nerdy thing for the Beatles.

"I think that's just sweet," Matty said.

"Hey, did you see what happened to Breona today?" Trina ventured. "Seriously harsh."

Matty scowled. "I think there is something seriously wrong with that girl."

He seemed about to elaborate when Megan walked up to Hazel and touched her elbow. "Got a minute?" she murmured.

"Sure," Hazel replied. She looked at Matty. "Back in a few."

Megan grabbed her by the sleeve and steered her toward the opposite side of the yard. Along the back, a weathered wooden fence rose above some untrimmed bushes and woody geraniums. Carolyn and Ellen were huddled together in the midst of them, looking very freaked out.

"Problem," Ellen murmured.

"It's Isotope," Carolyn said under her breath. "Come here and see."

Carolyn stepped among the geraniums. She pulled back a couple of runners and pointed.

The moon shone down on something white and furry-and very, very still.

"Oh no," Hazel whispered.

Then Carolyn bent down, picked up the dead cat, and threw it hard at Hazel.

Hazel screamed. She batted at the body, knocking it to the ground at her feet.

Breathing hard, she stared down at the poor creature.

Matted fur, dirty paws, and...gla.s.s eyes?

Oh my G.o.d, Hazel thought, relieved. It's a stuffed animal. Only a stuffed animal.

Megan and Carolyn burst into gleeful shrieks. Ellen covered her mouth, her eyes glittering.

"That is so not funny!" Hazel protested as they doubled over. "You guys, that's really twisted!"

"Relax. You've been pranked!" Carolyn announced. "Everyone gets pranked at their first PLD party."

Hazel shook her head as different feelings battled inside her. The whole thing was kind of mean-spirited. But the girls were laughing, tossing the stuffed animal back and forth.

Everyone gets pranked at their first PLD party. Did that mean they accepted her? That she was really a part of the cool crowd now?

Hazel looked at the stuffed animal, a rabbit, with its crossed eyes and buckteeth. How could she ever have mistaken this for a dead cat? She definitely needed to lighten up.

Megan and Carolyn walked back to the house, still laughing. Ellen trailed behind.

"It was just a joke, really," she explained. "And it's a good thing. We wouldn't do that to someone we didn't like."

"It's cool," Hazel a.s.sured her. "I just have to know-was the whole thing a setup? Does Charlie even own a cat?"

"Yeah, he really does. And he really is missing." Ellen touched her arm. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Sure," Hazel said. "It was just a joke."

Ellen smiled. "Good. I wouldn't want you to be mad or anything."

Carolyn was right. Ellen was really sweet.

She stayed on the deck as Hazel moved inside. She didn't see Matty in the kitchen, so she waited, leaning against the counter and helping herself to some more guacamole. She chatted with a few other girls before wandering into the living room.

There she found Trina making out with a guy in a nearby armchair. Hazel was curious. Who had Trina pounced on? She lingered for a moment, but as long as the two were lip-locked, there was no way of telling. Time to move on.

Megan and Carolyn sat on the rug, examining a shelf full of DVDs. Sylvia and Josh were curled up on the couch.

Sylvia turned to Hazel. "Hey. I heard you found Isotope?" She picked up her square gla.s.s and peered at Hazel over the rim while she drank.

"Yeah," Hazel replied. "That was, um, pretty extreme."

Sylvia smiled. "But brilliant for a last-minute prank, don't you think?"