SVH11-Too Good To Be True (2 page)

Jessica whirled to face her sister. "Don't you see, Liz? You'd be doing yourself a big favor by letting me go to New York in your place."

"I don't believe this!"

"OK, but if you think I'm making up what Lila said, you can ask Cara. She was there, too."

Elizabeth sank down on the bed and groaned. "Why do I have the feeling I'm being talked out of going on this trip?"

Jessica sprinted across the room to throw her arms around her sister. "Oh, Liz, I'll never for

get this! You're the dearest, sweetest, most adorable sister in the whole universe!"

"Wait a minute, I never said--"

But Jessica wasn't listening. She was already streaking downstairs, singing out, "Guess what, everybody? Liz offered to let me go to New York in her place. Isn't that the most generous thing you ever heard?"

Two

"I still can't believe it!" Jessica cried. "Oh, Liz, it's like a dream come true. I'm so excited I could faint!"

"Don't you dare faint on me now," Elizabeth warned. "I couldn't carry one single thing more."

Buried under the mound of carry-on luggage she was holding for Jessica, Elizabeth managed a breathless little laugh. Their parents and Steven, who was home from, college on mid-semester break, had gone off to see about Suzanne's plane, which would be arriving soon after Jessica's took off, if all went according to schedule. Jessica took one last look at her makeup in a pocket-size mirror.

Satisfied, she slipped the mirror back into her purse and sighed. "I really
do
wish you were coming, Liz. Honestly, it's not going to be the same without you." For a change, she was being sincere.

"Thanks, Jess, but actually it's better this way. You know I've never been all that crazy about big-city life. Besides, we don't even know the Devlins. I'd feel funny staying with perfect strangers."

A tiny frown creased Jessica's forehead. "Well,
I
happen to adore big cities," she stated defensively. "If you want to be stuck in this crummy little cowpatch for the rest of your life, it's OK by me, but I intend to live it up while I'm still young enough to enjoy it. Big Apple, here I come!"

Elizabeth couldn't resist a smile at her sister's enthusiasm. "I can see you're ready for New York. The question is, is New York ready for
you?
Just don't get too carried away, OK?"

"Who, me?" Jessica cast her sister a look of utter innocence. "When was the last time I got too carried away?"

"When was the last time you
didn't?"

Jessica tried hard to hold her frown, but it dissolved in a sputter of laughter. "How come if we're identical twins you don't have
my
sense of adventure?"

"Don't worry," Elizabeth said. "I plan to have a few adventures of my own while you're away. You may have New York, but remember,
I
have Todd."

Jessica's eyes took on a faraway, dreamy look. "I hear there are tons of exciting men in New York. Lila was there last summer, and she said they were
everywhere."

"Just watch out," Elizabeth said, deadpan. "One of them might try to snatch your purse."

Jessica socked her sister's arm in mock outrage. "You're just jealous because you're not going."

Elizabeth thought for a moment before answering. "You know something? I'm really not. Otherwise, I never would have let you wangle me into trading places. I may be nice, but not
that
nice. If I'd really wanted to go, nothing could have made me change my mind."

It was the truth. After thinking it over this past week, Elizabeth decided she was satisfied with the arrangement. As far as vacation went, her sense of adventure and fun was far different from Jessica's. She would have preferred to go mountain climbing in the Sierras or rafting down the Colorado River. Then there was the
Oracle
article. Besides, Lila or no Lila, she really would have missed Todd. They'd made plans to spend a lot of time together over the school break, and Elizabeth would have hated to miss that. No, it

was better this way. Let Jessica have the glamour and glitter of New York. Knowing Jessica, she would make the most of it in a way few people could match.

"All set!" Mr. Wakefield called out as he made his way toward the twins across the crowded terminal.

Mrs. Wakefield filled them in on the details. "Suzanne's plane is due in half an hour. It's too bad you won't get to meet her, Jess, but your plane is going to be boarding any minute. We'd better get down to the gate if you don't want to miss it."

"Wouldn't that be awful if you did miss your plane?" Elizabeth said as they lined up to have the luggage x-rayed.

Steven laughed. "Yeah, then we'd be stuck with Jess for another two whole weeks!"

"Thanks a lot, you guys." Jessica said, pre-tending to look hurt. "I didn't expect you to be heartbroken that I was leaving, but I thought you might at least miss me just a teensy bit."

"Are you kidding?" Steven slung an affectionate arm about Jessica's shoulders. "What are we going to do without you around to stir things up? Life could get pretty dull."

Jessica let that one pass without comment. She was distracted when her turn came to pass through the metal detector. A loud buzzing alarm

sounded, causing Jessica to flush with embarrassment. A guard motioned her to the side.

Elizabeth giggled. "Maybe he thinks you're carrying a weapon. I can just see the headlines: 'Teenager Hijacks Plane To Disneyland.' "

"That's
not
funny," Jessica said as she removed the heavy silver bracelet that had caused the problem.

A moment later, they were sailing into the boarding area. Jessica threw her arms around each of them in turn. She said her goodbyes amid tears and extravagant promises to write.

"It's only for two weeks, Jess," Elizabeth reminded her following her twin's crushing embrace. "Honestly, anyone would think you were going to be gone for at least a year."

Jessica threw up her hands. "Who knows? Maybe I'll love it so much, I'll decide never to come back!"

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Steven teased.

"Say hi to King Kong for me!" Elizabeth called in final farewell as Jessica disappeared onto the plane.

The Wakefields peered expectantly through the huge window of the terminal as Suzanne Devlin's plane taxied into the gate.

"Tom tells me she's pretty involved with

sports," Mr. Wakefield said. "Tennis, jogging, horseback riding, swimming--you name it."

"Great," Elizabeth said. "Maybe we can do a little water-skiing, too, while she's here."

"Watch out," said Steven. "She might be having such a good time she'll want to stick around. Can you imagine Jessica having to share her room? Poor Jess."

Elizabeth giggled. "Poor Suzanne, you mean. We'd have to invent a new sport just for wading through that junkpile Jess calls a room. Suzanne's probably used to better accommodations, though."

"I'll bet she's used to living away from home," Mrs. Wakefield mused. "Ned, didn't you say she's gone to boarding schools most of her life?" She sighed. "I suppose there's nothing wrong with it, but I don't see how I ever could have sent you kids away like that. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I think children belong at home until they're ready for college."

Steven laughed. "Look at me--I'm going to college and you're
still
stuck with feeding me practically every weekend. Not to mention my dirty laundry."

Their mother chuckled. "Now
that
I wouldn't miss."

"I'll bet she's really sophisticated." Elizabeth

sighed. "I've never met anyone who's gone to boarding schools in Europe. I thought that was something they only did in books. She'll probably make the rest of us look like hopeless idiots."

"Speak for yourself," Steven growled, jostling her affectionately with his elbow.

The passengers were beginning to trickle out into the terminal. Elizabeth strained to see past a couple with three pudgy children and a mountain of carry-on luggage. Would Suzanne recognize them from the picture Mom had sent?

Abruptly Elizabeth drew in her breath. Walking toward them was the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. Suzanne? No, she couldn't be! This girl had to be a professional model--or an actress. She was tall and willowy, with black hair that tumbled in glossy waves past her shoulders. Her back was bare in a chic sun dress she'd obviously worn in anticipation of the good weather. Her features couldn't have been more perfect if they'd been sculpted by Michelangelo. Elizabeth was most struck by her enormous, dark-fringed, violet-blue eyes, which were now searching the crowd outside the gate. Suddenly she spotted the Wakefields and swooped down on them with a squeal of recognition.

"Elizabeth!" she cried. "I'd know you anywhere, though that picture your parents sent

didn't do you justice. You're even prettier than I expected."

Elizabeth could only stammer some unintelligible reply.

Mrs. Wakefield enveloped their guest in a warm embrace. "Welcome to Sweet Valley, Suzanne! We're so delighted to have you here."

Suzanne broke into a dazzlingly brilliant white smile. "Oh, I've wanted to visit for ages." She turned to Ned Wakefield. "Dad talks about you all the time, Mr. Wakefield. And when he had this idea for me to come out and visit"--she gave a silvery little laugh--"well, wild horses couldn't have kept me away."

She spoke with an enchanting accent that was vaguely British-sounding. Probably from living in Europe, Elizabeth thought, awestruck by Suzanne's sophistication. She didn't sound stuck-up, though, the way Jessica had when she was playing the lead in
My Fair Lady
the year before and had gone around school talking in an English accent for weeks. Suzanne was obviously the genuine article.

"Tom did say you were into horseback riding, now that you mention it." Mr. Wakefield laughed as he reached for the tote bag Suzanne was carrying. They headed toward the baggage pickup area. "I just hope you won't find Sweet Valley dull compared to the lights of the city."

"Oh, Dad," Elizabeth scolded playfully. Life in Sweet Valley, as far as she was concerned, was far from dull. But even if it was, Suzanne's arrival was sure to liven things up in a hurry.

Suzanne hooked her arm through Elizabeth's. "I just know I'm going to love it."

Any shadow of doubt Elizabeth might have had about letting Jessica take her place in New York was gone. Now that she'd met Suzanne, the prospects for having fun appeared endless. Suzanne seemed as friendly and enthusiastic as she was glamorous.

The ride from the airport to the Wakefields' split-level ranch house was peppered with little cries of delight from Suzanne as she gazed out the window, exclaiming over how green and lush everything was and what a "perfectly adorable" town Sweet Valley was. She asked Elizabeth a lot of questions, about where the kids from Sweet Valley High hung out during vacations and where the best places to shop were. Elizabeth promised to show her everything, starting with the junior class picnic the next day.

"It's a tradition every spring break. We all go up to the lake to swim, and then afterward there's a big barbecue," she explained. "This way you'll get to meet everyone at once. I hope you remembered to bring a bathing suit."

She laughed. "Are you kidding? The minute I heard you had a pool.... I just hope I don't stand out. Everyone around here is so tan. I'll look white as a sheet!"

"Don't worry," Elizabeth assured her. "It doesn't take long to get brown in this kind of weather. Besides, you're bound to stand out no matter what. In fact, you may need a bodyguard after the guys get a look at you."

Suzanne smiled. "Oh, Elizabeth, you're too much."

"Please call me Liz."

"OK, Liz. And you can call me Suzy. That's what my friends back home call me. Although Pete, my boyfriend, just calls me Devlin. Do you have a steady boyfriend?"

Elizabeth flushed. It was the reaction she, generally had when the subject of Todd came up. She was always certain that people could look right through her and see what was in her heart. Her deepest feelings about Todd weren't ones she felt comfortable sharing, even with her closest friends.

"You'll meet him at the picnic," she replied.

"I can hardly wait!"

Suzanne tried drawing Steven into the conversation, too, but though it was obvious he was just as dazzled by Suzanne as the rest of them, he had his mind elsewhere. As they

passed through the neighborhood where his girlfriend Tricia Martin lived, he stared out the window, a sad expression on his face. Elizabeth knew he was thinking about Tricia, worrying about their relationship. They'd always been so devoted to one another, but lately, Steven had complained, Tricia seemed to be drawing away from him. It almost seemed as if she were avoiding him.

It was true she was having trouble at home. Her father had been arrested recently for drunk driving after he hit a pedestrian, and though he was out on bail now it was easy to see why Tricia would be upset. Elizabeth sometimes ran into her at school, where Tricia was a senior, and her worries were evident from the strained look on her face these days. But wouldn't she want Steven around to help comfort her? Why was she acting so distant? It didn't make sense. Whatever the problem, Steven was so in love with Tricia, the prospect of losing her sent him into a panic.

As soon as they got home, Steven immediately went to phone Tricia. Elizabeth could hear his muffled voice on the downstairs phone as she walked upstairs to help Suzanne unpack in Jessica's room.

"Trish, is that you? ... You sound funny.... Is this a bad time to talk? ... Do you want me

to call back? ... OK....No, it's all right, I

don't mind.... Hey, I love you. Irish? Did you hear me?"

Elizabeth felt so sorry for Steven. Things sounded worse than ever between Tricia and him. She heard a choked cry of frustration as he hung up the phone, and she winced in sympathy.

Elizabeth made herself turn her attention back to Suzanne. It wouldn't be fair to involve Suzanne in Steven's problems during her first hour there.