Read Online The Third Lie's the Charm by Lisa Roecker - Free Book Online Page B

just… I don’t know. It’s like losing her all over again. Kids are crying in the hallways. Therapists are talking in homeroom. You know?”
    I did know. But I also knew I couldn’t talk to Maddie about any of this. She had no idea that I’d joined the Sisterhood. And after what they’d done to her, she’d never forgive me if she found out. Plus, she was totally Team Liam with the whole “Kate should stay the hell away from the crazy secret societies and learn to deal with her grief like a normal person” scenario. The two of them should get T-shirts made up.
    So I had no choice but to “I’m fine” her. I wished I could grab Maddie’s arm and drag her into the nearest bathroom stall and tell her everything, but those days were long gone. At least until I’d figured out who killed Alistair and put an end to the Sisterhood. Surely, justice had to come before girl talk.
    â€œGuess who, Sis?” a voice rasped from behind me as two large hands covered my eyes.
    â€œHow could she possibly guess?” Maddie hissed. This game was universally hated and only amplified with Bethany “Beefany” Giordano’s paws pressed over my eyes.
    She roughly spun me around. “How’s my baby Sister doing?” Her sticky sweet voice was directed at me, but her huge brown eyes were locked on Maddie.
    Maddie gave me a long look and then turned back to Bethany. I knew the minute she figured out what was going on, because her eyes got squinty and her lips went thin. It was the face she made right before she started crying. Without another word, she turned and began walking down the hallway at warp speed.
    â€œWait! Maddie! I can explain!”
    â€œExplain what? That you’re one of us now?” Bethany batted her eyelashes and smiled triumphantly at Maddie’s back.
    I closed my eyes for a minute and tried to collect myself before I laid into my new “Sister” and got myself kicked out of the stupid society I was trying to infiltrate.
    â€œI was going to tell her eventually. You didn’t have to do that.”
    â€œWhat does it matter? You’re with us now, right? You’re not going to have time for losers like her. Not with us around.” Bethany looked down at me and gave me her most syrupy smile. While Taylor had always been eager for me to join the Sisterhood’s ranks, Bethany was never quite so sure. She didn’t trust me; I didn’t trust her. It was kind of our thing.
    After Grace died, I knew Taylor felt bad about what had happened. She was eaten alive with grief like the rest of us. But Bethany was a different story, and more and more it felt like she was the one pulling the strings. I knew it was her idea to stage her disappearance to get the Brotherhood kicked out. Taylor went along with it because she thought it was what was best for the society, but she never would have come up with it on her own.
    And now, as if she was trying to prove that it was all worthwhile, Taylor was hell bent on creating a new and improved Sisterhood. And apparently I was part of her vision. I’m sure it was partly her guilty conscience, but I didn’t care. Being a Sister was my only chance to end them for good.
    Unfortunately, it seemed like Bethany was on to me.
    â€œSo, what have you been up to since initiation? There are all sorts of rumors flying around about you and Bradley.”
    â€œCan’t believe everything you hear,” I retorted.
    â€œNo, I just believe what I see. And I saw you holding hands at the funeral yesterday.”
    â€œDo you even hear yourself? Holding hands at his best friend’s funeral isn’t exactly a hot date. His best friend is dead and I might be the only person who has even the slightest clue of what he’s going through, so yeah, I held his freaking hand.”
    â€œEasy there. No need to jump down my throat.” Bethany raised her long fingers and pretended to cower