SVH11-Too Good To Be True (11 page)

Enid stared blankly at Caroline. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Caroline sucked in her breath. "Really, Enid. I'd think you'd be more sensitive to your best friend's problems."

"Problems? What problems? Who has Lila been talking to?"

"How should I know? But everyone's noticed how strange Liz has been acting--kind of like

she was after the time she had that motorcycle accident."

"That was ages ago," Enid said quickly. "Liz is just fine now. I'm her best friend. I would know if something were wrong, wouldn't I?"

"Sometimes best friends are the last to know," Caroline said, arching an eyebrow. "I'd keep a close watch on Liz if I were you."

"And if I were
you,"
Enid replied angrily, "I wouldn't go around spreading rumors that you have no way of confirming."

"Who, me?" Caroline asked innocently.

Enid was close to tears as she hurried off. There was no point in telling Caroline to keep quiet. Everyone knew she was one of the biggest gossips in school. Even if the rumor wasn't true, she'd have everyone believing it before long.

Enid had to find Elizabeth. She had to warn her before things got out of control.

Elizabeth was busy looking for Todd, who had disappeared into the crowd during her showdown with Suzanne, when Enid came rushing up to her.

"You won't believe it, Liz! Caroline Pearce is telling, everyone that she heard you were having huge problems, that there's something wrong

with you, that your parents are getting professional help for you." Tears filled Enid's big green eyes. "Who could have started such an awful rumor?"

Elizabeth felt a renewed surge of anger. She'd underestimated Suzanne. Even before Elizabeth had been able to spill the truth about her, Suzanne was countering with an attack of her own. Was there nothing she wouldn't stoop to?

"Come oft, Enid," she said, tight-lipped. "Let's go find Suzanne. I think there's something you should know about our too-good-to-be-true friend."

Dumbfounded, Enid followed Elizabeth over to where Suzanne stood, surrounded by her usual throng of admirers. Trembling with outrage, Elizabeth marched up to her.

In a loud voice, she said, "I want you to stop telling lies about me."

Suzanne pretended complete shock. "Liz, what are you talking about? Why on earth Would I want to tell lies about you?"

Cold fury mounted in Elizabeth. Unlike her twin, she didn't get angry very often, but on the rare occasions when she did lose her temper, she was known to cause even the indomitable Jessica to back down.

"I know what you're up to," Elizabeth said. "You're trying to get everyone to think there's

something wrong with me so they won't believe it when I tell them what you did."

Suzanne exchanged a pitying, "see what I mean?" glance with Bruce Patman.

"I know you don't mean any of this, Liz," she said in a soft, conciliatory voice--the way one might talk to a child who's being unreasonable. "After all, you did hit your head awfully hard yesterday. Maybe you should go home and lie down."

Elizabeth frowned. "I never--"

"Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten already! Let me help you remember. We went swimming, and you cracked your head against the side of the pool doing laps."

"You're making it up. I never even went swimming yesterday!"

"Why would I want to make up a thing like that? Liz, you're absolutely my dearest friend! I would simply die if anything happened to you!"

"I'd rather have a rattlesnake for a friend!" Elizabeth cried in a choked voice. "After what you did--stealing my necklace, making up that terrible story about Mr. Collins--"

Suzanne slid an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "Poor Liz. You're imagining things again. How could I have stolen your necklace? You're wearing it. Look, you're probably just tired. I really think you should get some rest. Tell Todd

to take you home. And don't worry about Lila--I'm sure she'll understand."

Elizabeth pushed Suzanne away. "There's nothing wrong with me! You're the one who--"

Her protests were swallowed by the buzz of the crowd that had gathered around them. Elizabeth was shaking with anger, but Suzanne's cool seemed to remain intact. It was at that moment that Elizabeth realized she was dealing with no ordinary liar. Suzanne was a monster. Her beauty was all on the surface. Underneath she was pure poison.

Elizabeth waited for some of the noise to die down. "Mr. Collins was right about you. He knew from the beginning how evil you were."

At the reminder of Roger Collins, the corner of Suzanne's mouth turned up in a tiny, almost imperceptible sneer. But Elizabeth didn't miss it. A spark of hope flared inside her.
Maybe I can crack her angelic veneer after all,
she thought.

"No wonder he wouldn't look twice at you," she added for good measure, mimicking a tone she'd heard Jessica use on numerous occasions.

At that moment Winston jostled his way through the crowd, holding a cup of punch. He extended it toward Suzanne, a foolish grin pasted across his face.

"I thought you might be getting thirsty," he gushed. Literally tripping over his own feet, he

lurched forward, spilling the entire contents of the cup down the front of Suzanne's beautiful white dress. Instantly he was full of tortured contriteness. "Oh, wow, I'm really sorry, Suzy! Gee, I hope your dress isn't ruined! I don't know how I could have been so clumsy!"

Suzanne stood frozen for a long, speechless moment, as if she didn't quite believe what had happened. Then she looked down at the huge reddish stain seeping into the expensive fabric. This was clearly the last straw in an evening that wasn't turning out at all the way she'd planned. The color drained from her face. The same ugliness Elizabeth had glimpsed earlier that evening flashed to the surface once again.

"You idiot!" Suzanne shrieked. "Look what you've done!"

"Gosh, Suzy, I really feel awful about it. Here, let me help you." Winston made a clumsy attempt at mopping up the front of Suzanne's dress with a crumpled handkerchief he'd fished from his pocket.

Suzanne shoved him away. "Get off me, you dumb clod! You're only making it worse! Can't you just leave me alone? You've been following me around like some kind of big, stupid dog ever since I met you."

Suddenly she realized everyone Was staring at her. Abruptly she stopped screaming. Her

sweet, smiling mask shifted back into place. She even attempted a weak laugh, as if the whole thing had been a joke, as if she hadn't really meant all those cruel things she'd said to Winston. But it was too late. The suspicious looks that had been directed at Elizabeth a minute ago were now on her.

"Never mind, Winston," she simpered. "It was just a silly accident. I'm sorry I blew up at you; I was getting tired of this dress anyway, so you probably did me a favor." Turning to Aaron, she cooed, "Would you mind taking me home so I can change? I must look an absolute disaster."

Aaron gave her a calculating look and said coolly, "I don't know, Suzanne. I think it suits you just fine the way it is."

He started to walk away, and Suzanne screeched, "How dare you treat me this way! I was only doing you a favor by going out with you in the first place."

Aaron didn't look back. He just kept on walking. Suzanne cast frantically about for a replacement, but they were all walking away, some of them looking over their shoulders in disgust. All her admirers. This couldn't be happening! Not to her!

Her face crumpled, and she began to cry in shrill, noisy gasps. They were the first real tears she had shed in a long time.

***

"I should probably thank you, Win," Elizabeth said when she'd caught up with him at the refreshment table.

"Thank me? What for?" Winston looked up from a plate piled high with food.

"That was the best-timed accident I'd ever seen. You really saved me."

"Yeah, I know. I heard you talking to Suzanne in the coatroorn."

"You knew?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. It made me realize how stupid I've been. Falling for someone without getting to know what she was really like. I should be the one thanking you, Liz. For setting me straight. As for the accident, well"--he winked--"let's just say that clumsiness comes in handy sometimes."

"Oh, Winston, you spilled that drink on purpose. I love you!" Elizabeth cried, kissing him on the cheek.

"You're lucky I'm not the jealous type," Todd growled, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Where've you been, anyway? I've been all over the club grounds looking for you."

"I was having a private talk with Suzanne in the coatroorn. And then"--Elizabeth paused to

smile at Winston--"Win and I Were taking care of a little unfinished business."

"So I heard. The whole place is buzzing about what happened. Sorry I missed all the action. Guess you really showed Suzanne up."

"The main thing is that now Mr. Collins won't have to lose his job. I think we have enough witnesses who'll tell the school board what that girl is really like. And Winston and I heard her admit she was lying. I don't think she'll be able to do any more damage now."

"Boy, Jessica is going to be mad when she hears about all the stuff she missed out on," Winston commented, cramming an entire chopped-olive sandwich into his mouth at once.

Elizabeth laughed. "Knowing Jessica, I'm sure she'll have a few stories of her own to tell,"

Seventeen

Home, sweet boring home, Jessica thought as she, her parents, and Steven entered the house. Instantly she flung herself into Elizabeth's arms. She never thought she'd be so happy to be back in dull old Sweet Valley, but after the "excitement" of New York, she could use a little dullness. For a little while, at least. Jessica rarely went for long without a fasten-your-seatbelt thrill of some kind.

"Would you believe I actually missed your ugly face?" Jessica gushed, as Elizabeth helped her upstairs with her suitcases. . "Hey, watch who you call ugly," Elizabeth warned with a laugh. "You're talking about yourself, too, you know."

"In that case, I take it back. You're absolutely gorgeous. I was just getting back at you for not coming with Mom and Dad to meet me at the airport. Where
were
you?"

Elizabeth sighed. It was such a long story. Suzanne ... the stolen necklace ... Mr. Collins. Elizabeth's own head was still spinning over the whole ugly mess. She didn't want to think about it right then. And if she ever heard Suzanne's name again, it would probably be too soon. Jessica would know what had happened soon enough--probably the minute she phoned Cara.

"Uh, sorry, Jess, I just didn't feel like riding to the airport, that's all."

It wasn't a lie, really. The prospect of a chilly ride with Suzanne had been enough to quell her excitement at seeing Jessica again. Suzanne hadn't spoken a word to her since Lila's party. She hadn't even bothered to say goodbye.

Jessica acted hurt. "I suppose you and what's-her-name were having such a fabulous time you didn't even know I was gone. What was she like? Mom and Dad didn't tell me anything!"

A smile tugged at the corners of Elizabeth's mouth, but she held it in. "Oh, Suzanne was really--something else."

Jessica felt a pinprick of jealousy. Things hadn't worked out at all the way she'd imagined.
She

was the one who was supposed to have had all the fun, not Elizabeth. Instead, the tables had been turned. It wasn't fair!

After they deposited the suitcases in Jessica's room, Elizabeth pulled Jessica into her own room. "Now, I want to hear everything about your trip--and don't you dare leave out a single detail. I'm dying to know who this mystery man is," Elizabeth sat down on her bed and tugged Jessica down beside her.

"Oh, him." Jessica had forgotten all about the phone call to her sister before she'd found out what Pete was really like. "His name's Pete McCafferty."

"Suzanne's boyfriend! He's the mystery man?" Elizabeth broke into a huge grin.

"What's so funny?" Jessica wanted to know.

"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering what Suzanne would do if she knew, that's all. What's he like?"

"A real dream," Jessica said.

Well, it was true, wasn't it? Nightmares were dreams. Anyway, why not let everyone think she'd had a fantastic time in New York. It would be humiliating if they knew the truth.

"He sounds breathtaking," said Elizabeth.

"Oh, he's certainly that."
How could I catch my breath with him on top of me?

"You really fell hard for him, I can see."

"Positively."
Like falling off the Empire State Building.

"And he's crazy about you, too, right?"

"Insanely."

Inexplicably, Elizabeth's grin broadened. Jessica was confused. If Elizabeth and Suzanne were such good friends, why should she be happy about her sister stealing Suzanne's boyfriend? It didn't make sense. What was the big joke? Elizabeth couldn't possibly have found out the real story about Pete, could she?

Jessica's mind whirled back to that awful night when Suzanne's parents had walked in and found her struggling with Pete in their living room. The second the lights were on, Pete had snapped to his feet, red-faced and sputtering apologies right and left. Jessica had taken the more direct approach--she'd burst into tears. The Devlins immediately took pity on her and assumed the whole thing was Pete's fault-- which, of course, it was. They told him they never wanted to see him again, and neither would Suzanne when she discovered the truth about him.

"Anyway," Elizabeth said, giving her sister a hug, "I
am
glad you're back. It was getting a little too boring around here without you."

Jessica brightened. "You really mean it?"

"Sure. What would we do without you to stir things up now and then?"

"I'm not sure that's a compliment, but I'll let you off this time. Hey, what's this?"

Jessica spied the gift that was still sitting on Elizabeth's dresser, the one that had been intended for Suzanne. Elizabeth had been planning to return it to the store for a refund, but she could see it was too late now. Jessica had seized it and was tearing the paper off......