Read Online Popularity Takeover by Melissa de La Cruz - Free Book Online

not coming?”
    â€œI didn’t call her,” Ashley said casually. “Sometimes I like when it’s just us, you know?”
    A. A. and Lili exchanged raised eyebrows, but Ashley decided not to explain further. She had to giveLauren a chance to prove herself. If she delivered the goods, she could remain an Ashley. If not, then best if A. A. and Lili didn’t miss her too much.
    â€œI heard Miss Charm telling the headmistress they were expanding the number of girls in the show this year,” Lili told them with a frown.
    â€œOh God, it’s probably that S. Society behind it,” A. A. said. “They’re all over Congé, so it makes sense that they’re going to be all over this. We better watch our backs,” she said, as she lifted her left foot for the pedicurist to exfoliate.
    â€œSpeak of the devil,” Ashley muttered, as two familiar-­looking girls walked out of the locker room wearing the spa’s white robes.
    â€œOh, look!” said Sadie, in that mocking tone Ashley recognized as her own. “It’s the Jonas Sisters!”
    â€œWhat are you guys doing here?” Ashley snapped.
    â€œThis is the S. Society’s favorite spa. We like to think of it as the S. Spa.” Sheridan sniffed.
    â€œBut this is our spa.” Ashley glared, rising up from her chair a little and getting scolded by the beautician kneeling at her feet for splashing water everywhere.
    Sadie folded her arms and sneered. “Funny, because I don’t see your names on the front.”
    Of course, what Ashley meant was that this was the Ashleys’ personal spa. Their oasis, their spa-away-from-home.
    â€œWhat’s up with calling yourselves the S. Society, anyway? It’s just you and Sheridan. Hardly a society. Not even a group,” A. A. pointed out.
    â€œFor your information, Supriya Manapali is one of us now, and so is Vicky Cameron,” said Sheridan.
    â€œDoesn’t everyone have to have a name that starts with S for it to be the S. Society?” Lili asked.
    â€œFor your information, S stands for signature. Because we each have a signature accessory.”
    â€œI thought the S stood for Sucky,” Ashley said, disgusted that unwelcome interlopers had crashed their relaxing afternoon.
    â€œWhat’s sucky is your idea for Congé,” said Sheridan. “I hear you have nothing.”
    â€œThat’s not true!” Ashley protested, even though it was. Where did they hear that? From Lauren? Lauren wasn’t a double agent, was she?
    Just then two beauticians called Sadie and Sheridan to their treatments, leaving the Ashleys alone with their thoughts. They all seemed a little shell-shocked by the exchange. No one had ever dared speak to them likethat in all their years at Miss Gamble’s. It was hard to get used to.
    â€œLadies, have you all chosen your colors?” asked one of the pedicurists, dipping her hand into each foot basin in turn to check the temperature.
    â€œYes!” Ashley held up the bottle she’d brought with her, glad to think of something else. She always picked the nail color for everyone, and this one was her particu­lar favorite: Princess Pink. “We’d all like the same thing.”
    â€œActually . . .” Lili looked sheepish. “I’d like to get something different today.”
    â€œEr, so would I,” said A. A. She pulled a bottle of polish from her pocket and held it up. “I’d rather get a nude shade, so the chips won’t show. I always mess my nails up shooting hoops and playing video games.”
    â€œAnd I’ve brought something new as well.” Lili fished in her bag and produced a tiny bottle. “It’s called Veruca Violet, and it’s totally funky.”
    â€œFunky?” Ashley made a face. The polish Lili was brandishing was a deep shade of violet with flecks of silver. “I hope you’re not