Project Paper Doll Read Online Free PDF Page B

raked a hand through his hair and flicked the water on Cassi to make her shriek.
    Rachel rested her chin on her folded arms at the edge of the hot tub. “I want you to ask that Ariane girl to Bonfire Week.”
    Oh, not good. Rachel was scheming, and that never ended well for anyone but her.
    Jonas’s face fell comically. “Are you kidding?”
    Rachel raised her eyebrows in response.
    Jonas stepped back, shaking his head. “Oh, come on, Rachel,” he pleaded. “I’m this close to sealing the deal with Lainey Pryce.”
    “Lainey Pryce will sleep with anyone,” Cami said with distaste.
    “Not since she went to church camp in June and became a born-again virgin.” Jonas grinned. “Challenge accepted.”
    Yeah, these were my friends.
    “So sleep with this one instead.” Rachel waved a hand dismissively. “You want a challenge, she barely talks to anyone.”
    “Because she’s a freak. I have a reputation, you know.” But I could hear him wavering, tempted by the idea of trying his superpowers of seduction against Ariane. Jonas was all about the challenge and not so much dealing with the aftermath.
    I sat up. “I’ll do it.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. What the hell was I saying? I didn’t need this kind of trouble. I had more than enough already.
    “What?”
    I wasn’t even sure who’d asked the question: Rachel, Trey, Cami, Cassi, and Jonas were all staring at me.
    I shrugged. “I said I’ll do it. I’ll ask her to Bonfire Week.”
    Jonas exhaled loudly in relief. “Thanks, dude. You saved my life.” He turned and headed back to the pool, shouting at Matty about a cannonball contest.
    “You hate Bonfire Week,” Trey said.
    “I doubt Ariane’s much of a fan either.” I had trouble picturing her face painted in the school colors. “So we’ll have that in common.”
    Rachel narrowed her eyes at me. “Why?”
    “Why, what?” I stalled for time, knowing what was coming.
    “Why are you suddenly Mr. Social when it comes to Ariane Tucker?”
    “Rachel,” Trey muttered in careful warning.
    “No, for the last year he’s been basically ignoring us. I think we have a right to know what has triggered his sudden return.”
    And there it was…
    Rachel would bring that up. I already lived with the pitying looks and the whispers, though they’d faded somewhat over the last few months finally. Was it necessary to keep reminding everyone what had happened?
    “You want someone to ask her out,” I said. “And I’ve spoken to her a few times.” A slight exaggeration. Unless you count learning that 2.333333 was not the answer to number 10 in the homework. And she’d barely glanced in my direction during that exchange. Still, I couldn’t stand the thought of Rachel siccing someone else on her. What Ariane had done today took a lot of guts. She didn’t deserve to be demolished by whatever Rachel had planned, and Jonas wouldn’t give a damn. But I could try to stop it from getting out of hand.
    I was tired of these games Rachel played, but it was too late to strike out on my own. I only had two years left here. It wasn’t worth the effort. Not to mention, being friends with a member of the illustrious Jacobs family was pretty much the only thing I’d managed not to screw up, in my father’s opinion.
    Rachel cocked her head to one side, giving me a considering look. Then she stood up in the hot tub and stepped out. The ends of her dark hair were wet, and goose bumps covered the skin that was not covered by her red bikini.
    I braced myself, expecting her to begin firing off questions, her suspicions aroused.
    But instead she leaned down, smelling of chlorine and that heavy musky perfume she favored, and said, “Welcome back, Zaney.” Then she brushed her mouth over mine, which shocked the hell out of me.
    She strolled off toward the house, leaving me to deal with Trey, who was glaring at me like he wanted to set me on fire.
    Great.
    That was Rachel for you—always