Jealous Lies

  JEALOUS LIES

  Written by

  Kate William

  Created by

  FRANCINE PASCAL

  Copyright © 2015, Francine Pascal

  JEALOUS LIES

  Sandra raised her hand. "I nominate Jean West," she said. Scattered applause broke out across the room, and three or four girls seconded Jean at the same time.

  Sandra barely heard the rest of the meeting. She knew they would all be meeting again the next day after school to plan the first big event of the pledge season. Since she had nominated Jean, Sandra would be appointed her "sponsor." It would be up to Sandra to keep Jean up to date on all the pledge-season events and help her out in any way she could.

  But Sandra had other plans. She was going to be Jean's sponsor, all right. But she was going to do everything she could to make sure that Jean didn't last through the pledge period. She was going to keep Jean out of Pi Beta Alpha—no matter what it took.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  One

  "Listen, girls," Alice Wakefield said, her blue eyes twinkling as she glanced from one twin daughter to the other across the breakfast table. "Your brother's coming home for a whole week this coming Friday, and I want your help planning something to make his visit really special."

  As Jessica helped herself to another serving of scrambled eggs, she said, "I wouldn't worry about Steve, Mom. From the way Cara's been talking, we'll be lucky if we get to see him at all!"

  Cara Walker was in the junior class at Sweet Valley High with the twins and had been dating their older brother for some time now. Steven was a freshman at college and lately had been so busy with his studies that he had not been able to come home often. Jessica knew Cara had been looking forward to his vacation for ages.

  "Mom's right, though, Jess," Elizabeth protested. "Don't worry," she said to her mother. "Jessica and I will think of something. You can count on us!"

  Ned Wakefield's eyes crinkled up with laughter as he listened to this exchange. "Something tells me I've heard that line before," he joked. "Just keep it tame, you two. Your aged parents can't stand all the excitement you two can."

  Jessica giggled. "Come on, Daddy! Liz and I keep you two young!"

  Elizabeth couldn't help but agree. Despite his long hours as an attorney, her father didn't look that much older than Steven. His thick, dark hair showed no sign of gray, and his eyes sparkled with youthful enthusiasm. An interior designer, the twins' mother worked hard at her career, too. With her soft blond hair, shining blue eyes, and trim figure, she was often mistaken for the twins' older sister.

  "Hey, Liz, what are you daydreaming about this time?" Jessica demanded. "I asked you if you're finished with your tea."

  Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. "You go ahead, Jess," she said. She knew her sister was impatient to leave the table so she could get ready for the sorority meeting at her friend Lila Fowler's house that afternoon, whereas Elizabeth enjoyed dawdling over Sunday brunch with her parents—just another way in which the two of them were not so identical, Elizabeth reminded herself, watching Jessica spread her bagel thickly with cream cheese.

  From their physical appearance it was hard to tell the twins apart, even for the people who were closest to them. They were both sixteen years old, though Elizabeth occasionally reminded Jessica that she was four minutes older. Five feet six inches tall, they were model-slim, with sun-streaked blond hair shimmering to their shoulders and dark-lashed, turquoise-colored eyes. They even wore identical lavaliere necklaces, presents from their parents on their last birthday.

  But that was the end of "identical" as far as the twins were concerned. In everything else—friends, hobbies, tastes—they were completely different. Elizabeth was careful about everything. She liked her friends to be thoughtful, honest, and dependable; and she tried hard to live up to those virtues herself. She was an earnest student who worked especially hard in English, her favorite subject. One day Elizabeth hoped to be a writer, and in the meantime she was getting all the experience she could, writing the "Eyes and Ears" column for The Oracle, Sweet Valley High's newspaper.

  Jessica, on the other hand, was as impetuous as her twin was cautious. She moved from one friend or hobby to another with lightning speed—not because she was fickle, but because she loved excitement. Wherever the action was, Jessica was bound to be in the midst of it. School for Jessica was a place to socialize more than a place to study, and she was always teasing Elizabeth for slaving in the Oracle office when she could be at the beach or doing something fun, such as cheerleading!

  Take Pi Beta Alpha, for example. Jessica had convinced Elizabeth they should join the elite sorority. After they had pledged, Elizabeth had become a member in name only, while Jessica had thrown herself into the various activities of the group and was now president.

  "You're coming to Lila's this afternoon, aren't you?" Jessica asked her sister anxiously, suddenly afraid her twin might be crazy enough to miss the most important meeting of the semester.

  Elizabeth laughed. "Yes, I'm coming," she said. "But I can't stay very long. Enid and I are planning to go to the beach, so we're going to leave early."

  Jessica shook her head sadly. She found Elizabeth's best friend, Enid Rollins, unbearably dull. "This meeting is really important, Liz," she reminded her. "We're nominating new pledges today."

  "Pledges?" Mr. Wakefield said blankly. "Am I missing something?"

  "For the sorority, Daddy," Jessica told him. "I'm putting Amy Sutton up. Will you second her, Liz?"

  Elizabeth laughed. She and Amy Sutton had been best friends before Amy's family moved to Connecticut when Amy was at the end of sixth grade. When Amy moved back to town, Elizabeth had been incredibly excited at the prospect of resuming their friendship. But four years had proved to be filled with changes, and she discovered, to her disappointment, that Amy was very different from the friend she remembered. Obsessed with boys and her own image, she struck Elizabeth as vain and self-centered. Elizabeth didn't foresee Amy having any problem gaining admittance to the sorority, especially since Jessica was backing her nomination. "Something tells me Amy will have no shortage of supporters," she said lightly, winking at her father.

  "I wonder who else will make it this time," Jessica mused.

  "I just hope you girls remember to be considerate of other people's feelings," Mrs. Wakefield said. "I imagine that getting cut must be extremely painful."

  Jessica looked horrified. "We have to be selective, Mom. If Pi Beta started taking just anyone, our reputation would completely fall apart!"

  "Yes." Mr. Wakefield chuckled as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I believe that the whole point of having a club is to keep people out."

  "Daddy," Jessica protested, pouting, "it isn't like that at all." She looked quickly at Elizabeth for support. "Tell them it isn't, Liz."

  Elizabeth laughed. "Well, there's a grain of truth in what Daddy says, Jess." She frowned, thinking back to the time that Robin Wilson had tried to get into the sorority. That was a long time ago, before Robin lost weight and became co-captain of the cheerleading squad with Jessica. Back then Robin was awkward and ungainly. Jessica and some of the other girls in the sorority did all they could to keep her from getting in, and it had hurt the girl terribly. That was history now, but Elizabeth hoped nothing similar would happen with this new round of pledges. She knew most of the girls in Pi Beta Alpha were wel
l-meaning, but the potential to hurt someone was quite strong.

  "Well, don't forget about your brother with all this sorority stuff going on," Mrs. Wakefield said, beginning to clear the table.

  Jessica's aqua eyes widened incredulously. "We couldn't possibly, Mom," she said. "Don't you remember? Cara's in Pi Beta, too. And all Cara talks about anymore is Steven."

  "We'll think of a special treat for him, Mom," Elizabeth promised, giving her mother an impulsive hug as she got up from the table.

  Personally, she was looking forward to Steve's visit a million times more than the sorority pledge period. And she was beginning to think she should have skipped that afternoon's meeting altogether and convinced Enid to go straight to the beach!

  "OK," Lila Fowler said, clearing her throat as she got to her feet in front of the group of girls assembled in the Fowlers' magnificent, oak-paneled recreation room. "Cut the gossip, you guys. We've got to get down to business, or we're going to be here forever." From the efficient tone in her voice, it was obvious that Lila was taking her role as pledge chairman very seriously.

  Sandra Bacon was sitting toward the back of the room, looking around her with amazement. She had only been to the Fowlers' house a few times before, and each time she marveled at the size and splendor of the rooms. Lila's father was one of the richest men in the Valley. His computer firm had earned him a fortune, and judging by the grand style of his home and the grounds of Fowler Crest, it was obvious he liked to show his money off. Lila's parents were divorced, and she had no brothers and sisters, so she was the sole recipient of her father's lavish gifts. Unbelievable, Sandra thought, shaking her head and watching Lila take out a pad of paper as she tried to get the meeting under way. Lila was pretty enough, with long, light brown hair and big brown eyes. But what people noticed about her first were her designer clothes and expensive jewelry. Sandra frowned as she looked down at her own jeans and simple polo shirt.

  Not that anyone would comment on the way Sandra was dressed. She knew she looked OK, as she always did. "OK," the perfect word to describe her, Sandra thought. Average height, average build, average grades. Sandra looked at the pretty, chattering, self-confident girls around her. I've got to be the most average girl in this room. She didn't mean to put herself down; she felt she was just being honest.

  The way Sandra saw it, she was the sort of girl people liked but never really remembered. Usually people met her with a group and didn't pay that much attention to her.

  Especially not when she was with Jean.

  Jean West had been Sandra's best friend for as long as she could remember. They had grown up together, sharing absolutely everything: records, games, clothes. Jeanie had two brothers, and Sandra had three, but neither had a sister. And that was what they'd been like to each other for years and years—sisters. But Sandra was getting sick of living in Jean's shadow. The trouble with doing everything with Jean West was that Jean was spectacular at every single thing she did. Put spectacular next to average, and average looked a whole lot worse.

  OK, Sandra thought morosely, so Jeanie can't help the fact that she was born with the kind of looks she's got. Long, glossy, dark brown hair, big green eyes and perfect white skin. She was petite and had a perfect figure. Jean never had to worry about gaining weight. She had a fast metabolism, she was always saying, so she could eat anything she wanted and still stay slim. And her clothes . . . everything she wore was original—and perfect. Unlike most of her classmates, Jean never wore jeans. She usually wore skirts or dresses, and she looked just that much more sophisticated than anybody else—just that much more glamorous. For years Sandra had never given Jean's appearance a second thought. Then all of a sudden, wherever they went, people told Jean how terrific she looked. And no one said anything to Sandra.

  But that wasn't all. Jean did everything perfectly. Take cheerleading, for example. Sandra had made the squad by the skin of her teeth, stumbling during one of the jumps and struggling to look natural. She had to work very hard to learn the routines. Jean, on the other hand, made even the most complex routine look simple. And she was that way at everything! Where Sandra got B's, Jean got A's; she played the flute and had won award after award; she was a fabulous dancer; and she was even a great cook!

  Sandra had never been able to tell Jean how she felt. She just knew that things had been getting worse lately. Once she had started comparing herself to Jean, she just couldn't stop.

  There was only one thing in the world Sandra had that Jean didn't. That was Pi Beta Alpha. And Sandra was bound and determined to make sure Jean stayed out of the sorority.

  "Sandy!" Cara Walker exclaimed, plopping down in the seat beside her. "I'm late," she said apologetically. "Have I missed anything important?"

  Sandra shook her head. "Lila's about to start taking nominations. You haven't missed a thing."

  "Good," Cara said, her brown eyes shining. "I was just talking to Jessica. She's putting Amy Sutton up."

  "Really?" Sandra said. Her mouth felt dry. She knew everyone expected her to nominate Jean. Jean had been too busy with a special music project to go through the last pledge period, but she was perfect Pi Beta Alpha material. Everyone had been saying so to Sandra for weeks. They all wanted Jean to get in.

  More important, Jean wanted to join the sorority. She had asked Sandra about it several times, but Sandra had always managed to brush her off.

  She couldn't tell anyone the truth; they'd think she was horrible. Jean was her best friend, and she knew her feelings were wrong. She was being disloyal to the girl she cared about most in the world.

  But Sandra was convinced once Jean got into Pi Beta, their friendship would collapse. She felt that the sorority was the only thing that set her apart, that made Jean respect her. Once Jean joined . . .

  Sandra blinked back tears. She couldn't let anyone see how upset she was. They were counting on her to nominate Jean, and she had already decided she would have to go ahead and do it. Everyone would wonder what was wrong if she didn't, and word would get back to Jean.

  No, the thing to do was to go ahead as if everything were normal. But after that . . .

  "OK," Lila said. "Nominations are officially open. Who'd like to start?"

  Jessica's hand shot up. "I nominate Amy Sutton," she said.

  "And I second her!" Cara said enthusiastically.

  Sandra raised her hand. "I nominate Jeanie West," she said. Scattered applause broke out across the room, and three or four girls seconded Jean at the same time.

  Sandra barely heard the rest of the meeting. She knew they would all be meeting again the next day after school to plan the first big event of the pledge season. Since she had nominated Jean, Sandra would be appointed her "sponsor." It would be up to Sandra to keep Jean up to date on all the pledge-season events and help her out in any way she could.

  But Sandra had other plans. She was going to be Jean's sponsor, all right. But she was going to do everything she could to insure that Jean didn't make it through the pledge period. She was going to keep Jean out of Pi Beta Alpha—no matter what it took.

  Two

  "So tell me what happened at the meeting yesterday," Jean said, dangling her legs in the blue-green water of the Sweet Valley High swimming pool. It was Monday morning, and the girls were practicing water-ballet routines. Sandra looked glumly at Jean's sleek black tank suit. Only Jean West could look great in one of those things, she grumbled to herself. Her own suit felt a size too small, and her only consolation was that water ballet wasn't co-ed. She would die if a boy saw her looking like this!

  "I told you," she said. "We nominated people and seconded them, and that was it. I think this afternoon we'll actually start planning the pledge events."

  Jean shivered. "I hope there's nothing too terrible," she said. "Sandra, I'll just die if I don't make it!"

  Sandra looked down at the water. "I'm sure you won't have any problems," she said, trying to sound casual. "They're all pretty easy things. Of course," she added, "the first
time you mess up an assignment, you're out. That's the rule. But don't worry. You'll sail through."

  Jean bit her lip. "Sandy, you're making me nervous. What sort of things will they be?"

  "Oh, you know," Sandra said, waving her hand vaguely in the air. "Just silly things." She looked thoughtfully at her friend. "I don't know if we're going to do what we did last time, but if we do, someone will have a party this Saturday night, and each pledge will be given an assignment of a guy to bring as her date."

  Jean paled. "That's awful," she said. "What if the guy finds out?"

  Sandra laughed. "Well, you've got to arrange things so he doesn't. Don't worry," she added quickly. "Honestly, Jean, you'll do fine. Can you imagine a single guy in this school who wouldn't jump at a chance to be your date?" She watched Jean's face carefully for a clue.

  Jean frowned. "I'm sure there are tons of guys who'd say no to me," she said. "You're just being generous, Sandy. You always say really nice things to me."

  "Well, like I said, don't worry about a thing." Sandra slipped down into the water. "I'd better get to work on my water ballet. I still can't get this routine right."

  "Let me help you," Jean said, slipping in beside her and pulling her cap down over her ears. "All you have to do is keep your hands really close to you, and move them really quickly—and keep your legs straight when you kick, like this."

  Sandra watched Jean flip onto her back and propel herself through the water, her legs kicking up a froth of spray. When she was a few yards away, she stopped kicking, paused for four beats, and did a perfect somersault in the water. She went through the entire routine as gracefully as if she had been doing it for months, even though, she had learned it only a few days before.

  It wasn't fair, Sandra thought, diving down and coming up with a noseful of chlorinated water. Why was Jean so darned good at everything?

  She had no idea how she was going to keep her friend from getting through the pledge season with the effortless skill that seemed to be hers naturally. The only thing Sandra could think of was to arrange to get Jean assigned to a guy who would be sure to turn her down for Saturday night. She was fairly certain a party of some sort would be arranged and that there would be a dating assignment; it was a Pi Beta tradition by now.