Read Online Winning by Lara Deloza - Free Book Online Page A

patented grins. “Guess I got a little carried away.”
    â€œThis isn’t behavior befitting a Homecoming Queen, now is it, Miss Miles?” she says, ignoring Matt entirely. “It’d be a real shame to have to disqualify you for conduct unbecoming.”
    I’m sure she’d be heartbroken.
    â€œI have to go to rehearsal,” I tell Matt. “We’ll pick this up later.” I cut my eyes away from his face and let them lock on Frick’s. “When we’re off school property.”
    â€œHate to tell you, Miss Miles,” Frick says, “but those rules of conduct apply off-campus, too.” Her thin lips curl upward in what I think is supposed to be an evil smile. “You shouldask your mother about that sometime.”
    She turns on her heel and walks away.
    Sloane Fahey is on top of me the minute I enter the theater. “How about Friday?” she suggests. “We can just hang after Key Club.”
    I’m too irritated by Frick’s comment about my mother to think of a valid reason why Friday won’t work. “Fine,” I say. “Friday. Whatever .”
    Sloane looks taken aback by the sharpness in my voice. This only proves to irritate me more.
    â€œDamn it, Sloane, I said yes!” I snap at her. “What more do you want from me?”
    â€œDon’t do me any favors,” she huffs.
    Ordinarily I wouldn’t care—this is, after all, Sloane Fahey we’re talking about. But it’s poor form for me to act so bitchy the day the nominations are posted. I decide to toss her a bone.
    â€œIt’s not you,” I say, by way of an apology. “Frick just chewed me out in the hallway. I’m a little on edge.”
    â€œWhat did you do now?”
    â€œNothing. I was just talking to Matt.”
    Sloane snorts. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what you were doing.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” I say, “but what I do with my boyfriend isn’t really any of your concern, is it?”
    She looks me straight in the eye and says, “Nothing you do is any of my concern, Alexandra.”
    So, the kitten has claws. Interesting.
    â€œI’m going to chalk this up to good old-fashioned jealousy,” I say in a tight, even tone. “Everyone knows you can’t get a boyfriend to save your life. And honestly? I feel bad for you.”
    Her right eye begins to twitch. I’ve struck a nerve.
    â€œBut I would advise you to watch your tone with me,” I continue. “Because we both know what happens when you cross that line.”
    We stand there, staring at each other, in a game of chicken. Finally, Sloane’s gaze breaks away and she shakes her head slightly. “You think you’re Teflon, don’t you?”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œNothing ever sticks, right? You can do or say whatever you want, and you always walk away a winner. Well, guess what, Alexandra. You’re about due for a takedown.”
    Where is this coming from? Even after everything that went down sophomore year, Sloane Fahey has kept her nose glued to my ass. This? This is new.
    My amusement seems to irritate her even more.
    â€œSomeday somebody is going to make you regret how you treat people,” she says.
    â€œOh, really? And who’s that going to be? You?”
    â€œProbably not,” she says with a shrug. “Doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”
    Something about Sloane’s words unnerves me. It’s not like she wields any sort of social status at Spencer. And she’s not someone I’d ever be threatened by, not in a million years.
    Honestly, it’s not even what she said, but how she said it. Likeshe’s been harboring some deep-seated resentment toward me stretching back to the Jonah Dorsey scandal sophomore year. I mean, yes, that situation got really ugly. But Sloane never stopped clinging to my shadow. She never stopped trying to get me to be her friend