The Cinderella Society Read Online Free PDF

New Age gift shop. Then some fancy companies moved their big-kahuna offices to town, and it totally went upscale.
    Cassandra’s subdivision? Definitely Big Kahunaville.
    I trailed Sarah Jane and Kyra up the front walk of Cassandra’s McMansion and waited quietly, trying to look unobtrusive. Kyra pressed the doorbell, chattering comfortably the whole time. When the door opened and squeals of delight were exchanged, I changed my strategy from unobtrusive to blend-in-with-the-brickwork. But Sarah Jane was having none of that. She pulled me inside the gorgeous marble foyer and made formal intros.
    “Cass, this is Jess Parker. She’s new on the team this year. Her team in Seattle was top ten at nationals.”
    “The one who put Lexy out on her butt,” Cassandra said, raising her eyebrows. “Your reputation precedes you.”
    After having spent time with Kyra and Sarah Jane, you’d think I’d have been used to being around beautiful people. But Cassandra made them look almost average. Thick, glossy hair the color of milk chocolate and a megawatt smile made her look like a walking advertisement for, well, anything you’d want to sell. Especially to the male population.
    “I guess that’s me,” I said, unable to think of a snappy comeback to lighten the mood. “Sorry for crashing your party.”
    “Don’t sweat it. SJ told me you were coming.” Cassandra smiled. “And I think someone putting Lexy in her place is long overdue. Everyone needs a knock off their pedestal to keep them humble.”
    I was so relieved she wasn’t mad about the Lexy thing—or the crashing thing—that I almost didn’t register the voice behind me.
    “Don’t get your panties in a wad, Cass,” said the hunky voice of my dreams. “I just forgot my iPod.”
    “Off-limits, Ry! You know the score. You forget something after seven, you go without until tomorrow,” Cassandra yelled as Ryan jogged past us and up the curving staircase. Cassandra turned back to us, shaking her head. “Guys. They think rules only apply when it’s convenient.”
    Three things went through my mind in rapid succession. One, Ryan Steele was here in this house, which meant … two, Cassandra was his sister, which also meant (please, no)  … three, Cassandra was Lexy’s sister too. If I’d been wondering about ulterior motives, a public face-off between Lexy and me on Lexy’s home turf was about as juicy as any gossip I could think of. Apparently, I wasn’t crashing the party after all.
    I was the entertainment.
    The doorbell rang again, and I stepped aside to witness another squeal-fest while my mind drummed up ways to make a quick escape without letting on that I’d figured out the game. Mental wheels spinning at hyper speed, I turned to pick up my bag, and rammed right into a now-familiar chest.
    I rubbed my nose and snuck a glance at Ryan’s face.Just in time to see the corner of his mouth tugging up in a half grin.
    “Is this going to be our thing?” He lost the battle to keep from smiling. “Running into each other everywhere?”
    God, I hoped so. “I didn’t hear you come back down the stairs.”
    “Not hard to believe with all the screaming.”
    He gave me a wink and moved toward the door before turning back. “Don’t let Cass make you do anything you don’t want to do. She’s a devil underneath that squeaky-clean exterior.”
    “Ryan! Don’t scare the guests.” Cassandra swatted him out the door. “You’re gonna make her run before we even get to check her out.”
    “Check me out?”
    “Get to know you,” Cassandra said smoothly, steering me away from the front door-slash-escape route. “Come on in, Jess. I promise we’re harmless.”
    I must have hesitated a second too long, because Cassandra draped an arm around me. “Lexy’s not here,” she said in a low voice, while Kyra and Sarah Jane greeted two other girls I recognized from school. “She has her own plans, so it’s just us tonight.”
    I wasn’t buying it. Since when