On the Avenue Read Online Free PDF Page A

Cristal. Coco requested a vodka and cranberry, Lex a Malibu Bay Breeze. The bartender, in his twenties and marginally cute, delivered the drinks without hesitation.
    “Hey,” Coco said. “Where's Park, anyway?”
    Madison did a quick sweep of the floor, scouring the crowd gathered by the other bar across the room. No sign of Park.
    Suddenly Lex said, “Heads up! Flash alert!”
    All three girls simultaneously placed their drinks on the bar, then turned to face the photographer. In quick, practiced gestures, they linked their arms around each other and smiled. With the booze out of sight, the published picture would have no reason to stir trouble. The photographer thanked them and continued on his way.
    Reaching again for her drink, Madison let hereyes drift to the dance floor. There they were again— Theo and Annabelle, making a spectacle of themselves. This time the sight hit her hard. She couldn't stop the tears from welling up. She heaved a sigh and looked helplessly at Lex.
    “No, no,” Lex said worriedly. “Your makeup. It'll start running all over your face.”
    “Come on.” Coco grabbed Madison by the arm.
    The three of them rushed past the tables and out into the huge hall. Lex reached the ladies' room door first. She jiggled the knob, which appeared to be jammed.
    “Hurry,” Madison urged, sobbing. “I don't want anyone to see me.”
    “Just stay calm,” Lex said. “Damn thing is locked from the inside.”
    “Let me try it.” Coco wrapped her hands around the knob, but it didn't budge.
    Madison heaved as mascara-tinted tears ran down her cheeks.
    A moment later, Lex managed to bust open the door.
    A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Lex, Madison, and Coco froze, eyes wide, mouths open.
    Jeremy Bleu, superstar and hottie-in-the-flesh, was sitting on the sink. His white shirt was pulled out of his pants. His mouth was smeared with lipstick. He stared at the onlookers and cracked an impetuous smile.
    The girl half-straddling him didn't bother to move. Her arms were locked around his neck, her face flushed and caked with her own lipstick.
    “Park!” Madison screamed. “What the
hell
are you doing?”
    The shock hung on the air for another tense moment. No one noticed the photographer coming out of the men's room directly opposite, but they all blinked when he lifted his camera over their heads and captured the scandalous scene with a flash.

3

The Lights on Park
    She extricated herself from the compromising position very casually. Her long brown hair, flipped to one side of her head, fell around her shoulders as she pulled her legs back and set her feet firmly on the floor. Then she ran a finger beneath her wet, glistening lips and said, “Hi.”
    It was typical of Park. She never panicked. She assessed a situation, weighed her options, and then cheerfully tried to banter her way out of it. Positive thinking was her trademark. But as she stared backat the stunned faces taking in her every move, she couldn't quite think of anything pithy or profound to say.
    “Hi?”
Madison echoed incredulously. “Is that what you just said? What the hell is wrong with you?”
    Park opened her mouth to speak. No words came out. She turned around and shot a glance at Jeremy Bleu, who was hastily shoving the tails of his shirt back into his pants.
    When he realized the silence was focused on him, he cleared his throat. “Uh …I guess we got a little carried away,” he said quietly. “Sorry.”
    Park finally let out a long sigh. “Well, what's the big deal, anyway?” she snapped, looking from Madison to Lex to Coco. “You're all acting as if you've never seen two people having fun. Jeremy and I were sharing a beautiful and heartfelt moment. We were just—”
    A second flash cut through the bathroom. It was more startling this time around, like a direct hit to the face, and Park found herself blinking rapidly in the confusion of the moment.
    Everyone was silent around her.
    Until Madison turned and