Read Online Birthday Vicious by Melissa de La Cruz - Free Book Online Page A

always having to be numero uno, even when certain blogs had decreed otherwise, but it was her birthday, and Ashley was still her best friend. When all was said and done, she loved the biatch.
    â€œMake a wish!” A. A. urged, while Lauren took too many pictures with her digital camera.
    Ashley closed her eyes and blew out the flames. When she opened her eyes, they were sparkling. “You guys are the best!”
    Lili sighed. Ashley deserved everything that was coming to her.

9
THAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH OLD FRIENDS: THEY WANT TO DO THE SAME OLD THINGS
    LAUREN LOOKED OVER HER SHOULDER . Ever since Sadie had come back to Miss Gamble’s, she’d been developing neck strain from looking around all the time to watch out for the Ashleys. School had let out for the day, and Sadie had insisted they hang out after school like they’d always done before. Sadie wanted to see the famous Page mansion and wouldn’t take any of Lauren’s excuses.
    Bad luck for Lauren: It was the very day the Ashleys were planning a huge shopping trip to prepare for Ashley’s party. Try as she might, Lauren couldn’t dissuade her old friend, so she’d begged off the retail rampage by saying her mom wanted her to come home and help choose a color scheme for the new wing.
    Of course, so that she wouldn’t blow her cover with the Ashleys, she had to get Sadie in the car, and out of sight, as soon as possible. Now where was Dex? You’d think some guy who didn’t have much to do other than drive her around would be on time for once.
    Lauren craned her neck toward the street, willing the Bentley to appear, and then stretched the opposite direction at the school gates to watch out for the Ashleys again.
    â€œWhy do you keep looking over there?” Sadie asked.
    Lauren didn’t answer, feeling a cold stab of fear when she saw a glint of Ashley’s new Cartier bracelet in the sun. The three girls were walking past the playground and would be right at the front gates in a second. She’d be caught with Sadie! If only—
    â€œDex!”
    The silver Bentley crested the hill, and Lauren grabbed Sadie’s hand and led her to the car. She bundled Sadie into the backseat just as the Ashleys appeared. Lauren slammed the door. “Let’s go!”
    â€œWhat’s the rush?” Dex asked, annoyed. “Easy on the hardware, okay, Page?”
    If Sadie was annoyed at being rushed inside the car, she didn’t show it. She was too busy staring at Dex.If possible, Dex was even cuter when he frowned. He wasn’t Lauren’s type in any way—he was way too old and too much of a brother figure for anything like that to come into play—but she could see the effect he had on everyone else she knew.
    She suspected A. A. had had a major crush on him earlier this semester. Guinevere Parker had even asked Lauren if she could interview him for the school newspaper, part of some bogus feature on parking issues during rush hour in Nob Hill.
    â€œWho is he?” Sadie whispered, pinching Lauren. “He’s gorgeous!”
    Lauren rolled her eyes, noticing how Sadie was staring at Dex almost as if she were hypnotized. “Dex, this is my friend Sadie. Sadie, this is Dex. He’s my driver. And my father’s intern, computer genius . . . whatever.”
    â€œHey, sexy Sadie,” Dex teased from the front seat, making Sadie squirm with delight.
    â€œDoes he have a girlfriend?” Sadie asked, when they’d arrived at the Pages’ house and exited the car.
    â€œUm, yes. And she’s, like, ten years older than us,” Lauren told her. She was a little annoyed at Sadie for insisting that they hang out on today of all days. Hadn’t Lauren given up sitting at the most important table atlunch every day just for her? Sure, Sadie didn’t know that, but the fact didn’t make Lauren any less grumpy.
    Hanging out with Sadie was just like before. But