She blinked through her tears. Ian?

Her eyes flickered toward the window. There was a single, yellow spotlight on their backyard, illuminating the big deck. Beyond that, everything was pitch-black. She strained to listen for anyone scuttling around in the bushes by the window, but there was nothing.

The phone rang once more. Andrew took his hand off her back. “Are you going to see who that is?”

Spencer licked her lips, considering. Slowly, she reached for her purse. Her hands shook so much she could hardly undo the small metal clasp.

She didn’t have a new text, but a new e-mail. The sender’s name swam into view. I Love U. And then the subject line: You might have a match!

“Oh my God.” Spencer shoved her Sidekick under Andrew’s nose. In the chaos of the last week, she’d almost forgotten about the Web site. “Look!”

Andrew breathed in sharply. They opened the e-mail and squinted at the message. We are pleased to inform you that someone in our database matches your personal birth information, it said. We are contacting her now, and she should be in touch in a few days. Thank you, The I Love U Team.

Spencer scrolled down frantically, skimming the rest of the note, but it didn’t offer much more information. I Love U hadn’t disclosed what this woman’s name was, or what she did, or where she lived.

Spencer let her Sidekick fall to her lap, her head spinning. “So…this is real?”

Andrew grabbed her hands. “Maybe.”

Spencer gradually smiled, tears still streaming down her face. “Oh my God,” she cried. “Oh my God!” She threw her arms around Andrew and gave him a huge hug. “Thank you!”

“For what?” Andrew sounded baffled.

“I don’t know!” Spencer answered giddily. “Everything!”

They pulled away, grinning at each other. And then, slowly and carefully, Andrew’s hand moved down and circled her wrist. Spencer froze. The party noises outside fell away, and everything in the room felt cozy and close. A few long, slow seconds ticked by, marked only by the flashing dots on the DVD player’s digital clock.

Andrew leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. His mouth tasted like cinnamon Altoids, and his lips were soft. Everything felt…right. He kissed her deeper, slowly pulling her closer to him. Where on earth had Andrew Campbell learned to kiss like this?

The whole thing took five seconds at the most. When Andrew pulled back, Spencer was too shocked to speak. She wondered if she’d tasted like salty tears. And her face probably looked hideous, all puffy and red from crying. “I’m sorry,” Andrew said quickly, his face paling. “I shouldn’t have done that. You just look so pretty tonight, and I’m so excited for you, and…”

Spencer blinked hard, hoping that the blood would soon return to her head. “Don’t apologize,” she finally said. “But…but I’m not sure I deserve this.” She let out a loud sniff. “I’ve been so nasty to you. Like…at Foxy. And in every class we’ve been in together. I’ve been nothing but a bitch.” She shook her head, a tear trickling down her check. “You should hate me.”

Andrew wound his pinkie around hers. “I was mad at you about Foxy, but that was just because I liked you. And everything else…we were just being competitive.” He poked Spencer’s bare knee. “I like that you’re competitive…and determined…and smart. I wouldn’t want you to change any of that.”

Spencer started to laugh, but her mouth contorted into a new batch of sobs. Why was she crying when someone was being so nice to her? She looked at her phone again and tapped the screen. “So you would like me even if I’m not a real Hastings?”

Andrew snorted. “I don’t care what your last name is. Besides, even Coco Chanel came from nothing. She was an orphan. And look what happened to her.”

One corner of Spencer’s mouth curled up in a smile. “Liar.” How did bookish Andrew know anything about haute fashion designers?

“It’s true!” Andrew nodded fervidly. “Look it up!”

Spencer drank in Andrew’s thin, angular face, how his longish, wheat-colored hair curled sweetly over his ears. All this time, Andrew had been right in front of her, sitting next to her in classes, rushing to finish math problems at the board before she did, campaigning against her for class president and leader of Model UN—and she’d never noticed how damn cute he was. Spencer melted into his arms again, wishing they could stay like this all night.

As she nestled her chin into Andrew’s shoulder, her eyes drifted back to the picture of Ali propped up against the Eiffel Tower. All of a sudden, the photo looked completely different. Although Ali’s mouth was still open in mid-laugh, there was a worried, urgent look behind her eyes. It was almost like she was crying out to the photographer, trying to send an unspoken message. Help me, a glimmer in her eyes said. Please.

Spencer thought of her Ali dream again. She’d been standing right next to Ali by those very same bike racks. Younger Ali had turned to her, this same fragile expression on her face. Both Alis wanted Spencer to uncover something. Maybe something that was very close.

You shouldn’t have thrown it away, Spencer, both of them chanted. It was all there. Everything you need. It’s up to you, Spencer. You have to fix this.

But what had she recently thrown away? How could she fix it?

Suddenly, Spencer pulled away from Andrew. “The trash bag.”

“Wha—?” Andrew seemed disoriented.

Spencer looked out the back window. The grief counselor had made them bury all that Ali crap last Saturday—essentially throwing it away. Was that what the two Alis in her dream had meant? Could there be something in there that would solve everything?

“Oh my God,” Spencer whispered, jerkily standing.

“What?” Andrew asked again, standing up too. “What is it?”

Spencer glanced at Andrew, then out the window toward the barn, where they’d buried the Ali trash bag. It was a long shot, but she had to make sure. “Tell Officer Wilden to come look for me if I’m not back in ten minutes,” she said hurriedly as she tore out of the room, leaving a very bewildered Andrew behind.

27

HANNA MARIN, QUEEN BEE

By the time Hanna and Lucas got to the Hastingses’ house, the grand living room was packed with people. A string quartet had just finished playing, and a jazz band was setting up. Waitresses offered appetizers, and bartenders poured Scotches, G&Ts, and big glasses of red wine. Hanna could smell alcohol on almost everyone’s breath. They were all probably horrified that this Ian thing was even happening. Before Ali had disappeared, the most crime anyone in Rosewood ever saw was when one of their neighbors quietly got audited by the IRS.

Lucas undid the lens cap on his Olympus SLR camera—he was covering the event for the Rosewood Day newspaper. “Do you want me to get you a drink?”

“Not yet,” Hanna said, thinking about all the empty calories in alcohol. She ran her fingers nervously over her lipstick-red, chiffon-and-silk Catherine Malandrino party dress. Last week, the silk band around her waist had fit perfectly, but now it was the teensiest bit snug. She’d made herself scarce all day, trying to ignore Kate, Naomi, and Riley’s constant calls and texts, all invitations to the pre-party primping session at Naomi’s house. Finally, Hanna had answered, saying she was too upset about Ian skipping town to pre-party.

“Oh, kids, hi.” Mrs. Hastings rushed over to them, looking irritated that they were here. “The young people are in the library. This way.”

She began steering them toward the library, as if they were pesky clutter that needed to be stuffed into a closet. Hanna shot Lucas a helpless look. She wasn’t ready to face Kate. “Don’t you need to take photos of the adults?” she squeaked desperately.

“We have a society photographer for that,” Mrs. Hastings snapped. “You just take pictures of your friends.”

As soon as Mrs. Hastings threw open the library’s big double doors, someone cried, “Oh, shit.” There were whispers and a flurry of activity, and then the entire room looked up at Spencer’s mom with big I’m not drinking smiles on their faces. A Quaker school girl quickly slid off Noel Kahn’s lap. Mike Montgomery tried to hide his wineglass behind his back. Sean Ackard—who probably wasn’t drinking—was talking to Gemma Curran. Kate, Naomi, and Riley were holding court in the corner. Kate was in a white strapless gown; Naomi wore a multicolored, knee-length halter dress; and Riley wore the green Foley + Corinna Hanna had picked out for her in Teen Vogue.

Mrs. Hastings closed the door again, and everyone brought out their bottles, glasses, and champagne flutes. Kate, Naomi, and Riley hadn’t seen her yet, but in seconds, they would.

It’s almost time! Kate had cackled. I can’t wait!

Lucas noticed Kate and the others across the room. “Should we go say hi?”

Kate’s head was now bent toward Naomi’s ear. Then they both broke away and laughed raucously. Hanna made no effort to move.

“Aren’t you going to go talk to them?” Lucas asked.

Hanna stared at her Dior sling-backs. “I’ve changed my mind about Kate.”

Lucas’s eyebrows raised so high, they practically merged with his hairline.

“I don’t think she’s what she seems,” Hanna added.

She could feel Lucas’s eyes on her, waiting for an explanation. “She tried to destroy my relationship with my dad back in the fall,” she whispered, pulling him into the far corner. “This whole let’s be friends thing…I think I jumped into it way too soon. It’s all been too easy. I’ve been enemies with Naomi and Riley for years, and suddenly everything’s perfect between us, just because Kate’s here?” She shook her head forcefully. “Uh-uh. This is not how it works.”

Lucas narrowed his eyes. “That’s not how what works?”

“I think Kate’s up to something,” Hanna explained, gritting her teeth as Noel Kahn shouted at James Freed to chug the rest of a bottle of vodka. “And I think she, Naomi, and Riley are banding together to ruin me for good. But I have to figure out a way to call Kate out on it first. I have to figure out a way to get her before she gets me.”

Lucas stared at her. The jazz band in the living room was a few measures into their next number before he spoke again. “This is because of Mona, right?” Lucas’s voice softened. “I understand that you might think every person you become friends with after her is going to ruin you. But they’re not, Hanna. No one wants to hurt you. Seriously.”

Hanna fought the urge to stomp her pointy heel. How dare he patronize her! She’d been considering telling him about Maybe-Not-So-Faux A, too—but not now. He’d probably patronize her about that as well. “This isn’t some paranoid little thing in my head,” she said angrily. “It has nothing to do with Mona and everything to do with Kate. What about that don’t you get?”

Lucas blinked rapidly. A disappointed feeling washed over Hanna. He didn’t get it because this wasn’t his world. Suddenly, Hanna realized how different she and Lucas really were.

*** Copyright: Novel12.Com