This is WAR Read Online Free PDF Page B

smile had pulled at the corner of Willa’s mouth as she surveyed her handiwork. And while Madge huffed behind her sister, Rose did catch a flick of her eyebrow as she looked her up and down.
    Today there was no Willa to save Rose from her stepsister. Today Rose had to fight her own battle.
    “I know what you’re planning, and I want to help?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
    Maybe they hadn’t heard her. The words had sounded so much louder in Rose’s head. “Was that even English?” Lina asked.
    Sloane had the decency to avert her eyes. Madge’s smile was lethal, and her eyes were too bright as she advanced on Rose.
    “I said I want to help.” Rose practically shouted the words this time, carefully enunciating every syllable like a kid doing speech therapy exercises. As Madge drew near, Rose edged closer to the doorway.
    “Fabulous.” Madge stood and extended her hand, palm up. “The cost of admission is twenty-five thousand dollars.”
    Rose blinked.
    “What? You said you wanted in, right?” Lina demanded. “Well, it’s a club, and there are dues. Maybe your mom can take out a cash advance. There’s got to be a Quick Cash near your house.” Lina held her hand out in front of her, tilting it back and forth, assessing her nails, not bothering with eye contact.
    Rose’s face caught fire.
    “You guys, her mom works at the Club!” Sloane cried. “We can’t let her in.” Rose blinked. Interesting. Maybe Sloane was the cruelest of all of them. Mocking Rose so directly, with such an obvious—
    “I was
kidding
, Sloane,” Lina explained.
    “Now if you’ll excuse us.” Madge approached the attic door, positioning herself inches from Rose. She pulled the door open and raised her eyebrows, waiting for Rose to do as she’d been told.
    She would never be able to look at these girls again. What had she been thinking coming up here? Did she just expect them to welcome her with open arms? Instead they made up fake dues for their ridiculous little revenge scheme. She paused to take one last look around the room, but as her foot made contact with the top step, she froze. If she left now she knew she’d never come back. And she couldn’t go back to her normal life. She couldn’t forget.
    And then it hit her.
    Before she could stop herself, she took a deep breath and spun back around. “You need me,” she said with an authority that sounded completely foreign to her ears. She might as well have said the words in Spanish.
    Lina sat up a little straighter, Sloane shut her mouth, and Madge lowered her arm.
    “My dad is a detective. I have access to information on the Gregorys, on everyone.” Rose was met with silence. She looked from the girls to the trunks and armoires and boxes of old papers and documents. The girls had as much of a history as the things in this attic, a story woven with threads of Willa. She might not have their history or their money, but if they were serious about getting revenge, she had something much more valuable.
    “Whatever. Her dad’s lame-ass files can’t be worth twenty-five grand. Buh-bye.” Lina stretched her neck over the arm of the couch.
    “I might be able to help cover part of it.” Sloane cockedher head in Lina’s direction. Apparently Sloane was still going with her little joke. Hilarious.
    This was pretty much Rose’s worst nightmare. Scorned by the very Club Brats she and Mari had spent the past three summers ripping apart. There had to be an easier way. She’d get Mari to talk to her again. She’d do whatever it took. Anything would be better than this humiliation. Rose turned to walk back down the stairs, back straight, head high. Just because she was embarking on her own personal walk of shame didn’t mean she had to advertise it.
    “Wait.” Madge’s voice stopped Rose.
    She didn’t turn. Madge grabbed her and spun her around.
    “Welcome to the War.”
    “The War?” Rose repeated. She wasn’t sure what side she was on.
    “That’s what it is,