The Ashley Project Read Online Free PDF

around Miss Gamble’s. There were those on top and those at the bottom, and that was how it was. Everyone knew their place. Otherwise the whole system could come crashing down.
    And now this!
    The back-to-school tea was supposed to be all about debuting her new look. She’d picked out the Chloé dress especially for its unique design, and to see Lauren wearing it was, like, more than blasphemous. Her thunder was totally stolen.
    Ashley stood with a huge fake smile plastered to her face as her mother made nice with Lauren’s scary mom. Someone should tell that lady that zebra print, leopard print, and paisley should never, ever be worn all at the same time. When Matilda finally led Lauren’s mom away, Ashley abruptly turned on her heel and walked quickly back to her friends. She made it clear that she didn’t expect Lauren to follow her, but Lauren kept up anyway, matching her stride for stride.
    The Ashleys were seated in a prime spot by the window. Lili was sipping carefully from her teacup, while A. A. was playing with Princess Dahlia von Fluffsterhaus,Ashley’s labradoodle puppy. They both looked up when they saw Ashley and Lauren.
    Lili gasped. “Twins!” she squealed, beginning to laugh. But she quickly cupped her hand over her mouth when she saw the death-ray look on Ashley’s face.
    â€œI know. We’re, like, separated at birth!” Lauren joked, brazenly taking a seat next to A. A. on the floor as if she had always been in their inner circle.
    â€œIf only.” Ashley smiled thinly, knowing she would have to continue to pretend that the whole debacle didn’t bother her in the least, although now that she was pretending to be so chummy, it looked like they had planned to wear the same clothes on purpose. As if they were friends or something. Hello.
    â€œCute puppy! Can I hold him?” asked Lauren, looking nervous.
    A. A. looked at Ashley, who shrugged. Let Lauren play with Princess Dahlia. Maybe if she was lucky Princess Dahlia would bite her.
    Ashley knew that the other girls at the tea were beginning to notice that Lauren was seated with them. Now everyone would think that the Ashleys liked Lauren, when nothing could be further from the truth.
    She licked her teaspoon and watched Lauren laughwith A. A. while they played with the puppy. This had to stop. She could smell an interloper a mile away. In fourth grade, Kennedy Taylor had tried the same thing—to join the Ashleys. She had the complete set of Bratz dolls and thought that was all it took.
    But if anyone could be an Ashley, then what was the point of being an Ashley? Kennedy had to transfer schools after the Ashleys were through with her.
    Somehow Ashley got the feeling Lauren wouldn’t be so easy to get rid of. She would have to take the matter in hand immediately.
    â€œI’m bored!” Ashley announced, putting down her teacup with a clatter on the coffee table. She bit her cuticle and looked around the pale paneled room, with its fluted columns and crystal vases filled with abundant bouquets. Some big fat guy in chef’s whites was passing out a tray of hors d’oeuvres to the oohs and aahs of the assembled guests. Her mother was still greeting new arrivals by the entrance, playing with the string of pearls around her neck and trying to look interested in what Suki Atwater-Smith’s mother had to say.
    â€œI call Truth or Dare,” she finally decided. “Who’s in?”
    A. A. and Lili perked up, while Lauren looked slightly anxious. Good.
    She decided to start off slowly. “Lili.”
    â€œDare,” said Lili, tossing her glossy curls over one shoulder and looking game for anything Ashley had in mind.
    â€œI dare you to kiss Princess Dahlia on the lips,” Ashley said with a grin, knowing that Lili wasn’t too fond of animals.
    Lili rolled her eyes, scrunched up her face, and gave the puppy a quick smack on the lips. “Done,” she said. She