Beautiful Malice Read Online Free PDF Page A

you.”
    “No,” I say. “I’m Katherine. Just Katherine.” I try to keep my voice light and friendly but it comes out sounding harsh, an overreaction. I never used to care what people called me— Kat, Katie, Kathy, Kate , I enjoyed them all—but I can’t stand any of the shortened versions of my name anymore. I am Katherine Patterson now, through and through.
    A small frown crosses Alice’s brow, and she stares at me, almost coldly, but in a moment her face clears, she shrugs, then smiles and nods. “Sure. Katherine is more distinguished, anyway. Like that old actress, whatsername, you know, they made a movie … Katharine Hepburn. And a longer name suits your air of mystery better.”
    “Air of mystery?” I protest, glad to have an excuse to laugh. “I don’t think so.”
    “Oh, but you have.” Alice leans forward. “Everybody at school wonders about you. So pretty and smart. So quiet and private, but not because you’re shy or scared or anything like that. It’s as if you just don’t want to get involved. As if you’ve—oh, I don’t know, got some kind of big dark secret and you don’t want to make friends with anyone in case they find out what it is. You have everyone intrigued and intimidated. Some people even think you’re a snob.”
    “A snob? Really? Well, they’re wrong. I’m not.” I stand up and start clearing the table, avoiding Alice’s eyes. The conversation is starting to make me uncomfortable—it’s getting too close to the truth. I do have a secret. A big dark secret, as Alice put it. And though I’m not a snob, it’s true that I don’t want to participate and that I have avoided making friends, for exactly that reason. Clearly I haven’t been as inconspicuous as I’d hoped.
    But Alice laughs. “Hey, don’t be upset. Come on. I’m only teasing. It’s really cool to be mysterious like that. I like it. You’re aloof. And I’m probably just jealous. I wish I was a bit more mysterious myself.” She puts her hand on her chest and closes her eyes. “A mysterious woman with a tragic past.”
    I’m amazed at how close Alice has come to hitting on the truth. I feel exposed and uncomfortable and have to fight an urge to run away and hide. I need to keep my secret safe. I’m scared that Alice is going to continue with this conversation, interrogate me until she knows everything, but instead she shrugs, looks around the room, and shakes her head.
    “God, this place is awesome. We absolutely have to throw a party.” She takes the plates from my hands. “You cooked. I’ll clean up. Sit down. Have another”—she looks at my glass and shakes her head—“milli-sip or two of your drink.”
    Alice fills the sink with hot, soapy water, starts washing, then comes back to the table to chat some more, tell me another story. There is a knock on the door.
    “It’s Robbie!” Alice claps her hands together happily and rushes down the hallway.
    I hear her greet someone, giggle, and exclaim. I hear the deep rumble of his response. And then he is in the kitchen.
    He is tall and blond and very good-looking in an athletic, wholesome way. He grins at me and, unexpectedly, holds out his hand.
    “Katherine. Hi. I’m Robbie.”
    “Hi.”
    His handshake is warm and dry and firm. His smile is spontaneous and open, and for the first time in what feels like a hundred years I feel the mild but unmistakable pull of attraction. I feel myself start to blush. I turn away and pretend to fuss with the dishes, still piled messily beside the sink.
    “I’ll just finish these. It’ll only take a minute.”
    “No. No.” Alice takes me by the shoulders and pulls me away from the sink. “I’ll do them later. Promise. Let’s just have some fun.”
    There is a lot of curry left over, and Alice insists that Robbie try some.
    “Is that okay?” He looks at me apologetically as she serves him up an enormous bowlful.
    “It’s fine. Honest,” I say, and I mean it. I made far too much. Enough for