Amigas and School Scandals Read Online Free PDF

been dodging snotty looks from them all day. In all the years we’d been friends, I’d never known either of them to act this spiteful.
    â€œLook, guys, I’m sorry I lost touch this summer. Seriously. But how long are you gonna treat me like a leper?”
    Madison blew out a frustrated sigh. “Mariana, since you’ve come back, everything’s been about ‘Lilly this’ and ‘Lilly that.’ It’s annoying.”
    That was almost funny considering I hadn’t heard her utter more than a sentence that didn’t revolve back to her Sweet Sixteen. But I was sure she didn’t notice; she was too busy making me feel guilty for being shipped off to Puerto Rico against my will and making the best of the situation while there. Like somehow it was a crime for which I needed to beg forgiveness.
    â€œWell, maybe I thought you guys would want to hear what I did this summer. Would it kill you to take an interest in my life?”
    â€œWell, maybe we would be interested, if you didn’t bring back Chiquita Banana over there.”
    â€œDon’t call her that,” I said, my eyebrows raised.
    â€œWhy? ’Cause she’s your best friend now?” Madison bobbed her head. “You spent two months with this chica, and now you’re ready to replace us?”
    â€œCall me crazy, but I thought maybe we could all be friends.”
    â€œWe can,” Emily offered, finally speaking up.
    â€œOh really?” Madison spat, glaring at her weakened ally.
    Emily ran her hand through her trimmed maple locks and stared at the checkered tablecloth.
    â€œMad, it’s done. She lives here now. And Mariana’s our best friend... .”
    â€œWell, I don’t see why you just get to dictate who our friends are,” Madison interrupted, waving her hands at me. “Just because she’s your relative doesn’t mean she has to be my new best friend. Are we ever going to hang out with you again alone, without her?”
    â€œYou guys don’t have to be BFF. I just want you to try to get along. Is that too much to ...”
    Before I could finish the thought, a crash of broken porcelain resounded from Lilly and Vince’s table. I swiveled to catch Lilly staring doe-eyed at my Uncle Diego, who was looming in front of her, eyes fiery and a plate of food splattered onto his pants.

Chapter 4
    I t was a heck of a first impression. When asked how she was related to us, Lilly explained that my Uncle Diego’s uncle (my Great Uncle Miguel, whom I had spent the summer living with) was her grandfather. She could have left it at that. But she didn’t. She went on to add that she had also invited my Uncle Diego’s sister, Teresa, to her Quinceañera . That’s when he dropped his plate.
    I rushed over seconds after my father.
    â€œWhat happened?” My dad asked, though by the look in his dark eyes I could tell that he already knew the answer.
    â€œI was about to ask you the same thing. When exactly were you going to tell me that you met with that tramp and her daughter?” my uncle asked, a vein in his forehead pulsing in a manner very similar to my dad’s.
    My father took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stroked his ebony mustache. When he pried his eyelids open, he looked almost defeated. It was an expression I had never seen on his face before.
    â€œYes, I spoke to Teresa, but not to her mother,” he explained.
    â€œI can’t believe you.” My Uncle Diego scanned the crowd for his other brother, clutching a butter knife tightly in his hand. If it were sharper I would have feared for my father’s life. “Roberto, did you know about this?”
    My Uncle Roberto looked as startled as the thirty-five party guests surrounding him. He shook his head.
    â€œThis wasn’t planned,” my father continued. “Vince and Mariana were there this summer. They met her. There was nothing I could do.”
    â€œDid