Pretty Little Devils Part 7

The two of them chatted as they went through the line. Brandon stooped slightly, listening carefully to every word Ellen had to say. Hazel was caught off guard by the gentle expression on Brandon's face. He didn't seem like the same guy who had destroyed that girl in geometry last year. Maybe Ellen brought out something different in him.

"They are so not right for each other," Sylvia mumbled to herself.

"Really?" Hazel said. "I think they look kind of cute."

Sylvia snorted. "You don't know Brandon like I do."

She glared at the pair-like a cat watching the quick, scurrying movements of a mouse.

Then Josh appeared behind her, and the storm clouds parted.

"Hey, s.e.xy." She beamed at him and gave him a kiss.

He reciprocated, then took in the packages surrounding Hazel. "You guys have presents? Is there a birthday?"

"We're celebrating Hazel's induction. She's in the club." Sylvia smiled broadly.

"No way! Good for you," Josh congratulated her. "These guys could use some fresh meat."

"Don't be disgusting," Sylvia said lightly.

"Well, where's my present?" he whined, nuzzling her cheek.

"You'll have to earn one. Just like Haze."

Sylvia turned again to stare at Brandon and Ellen. They were laughing now. Brandon had his arm around Ellen's shoulders. Sylvia's lips pressed together to form a grim line.

"I know!" Sylvia looked at the group and clapped. "Why don't we learn the word for the day?"

Hazel had heard about this. For fun, Sylvia taught her friends dirty words in French. Then they worked them into regular conversation, making everyone wonder what they were talking about.

"Why don't we wait for Ellen?" Hazel asked.

"She looks busy," Sylvia scoffed. "Today's word is salope. It means 'wh.o.r.e' in French, only it's more shocking than if we say wh.o.r.e in English."

"Context?" Carolyn ventured.

"Breona is a salope," Sylvia provided.

The girls giggled and Josh turned slightly pink.

"Hazel, on the other hand," Sylvia continued, "is as far away from a salope as one can get."

"Oui," Carolyn agreed. "She has good hair, good style. Hazel rules."

"You want her," Megan sneered.

"Shut up, Megan," Carolyn snapped.

"Now, ladies." Sylvia put her arm around Hazel. "We all want her. Everyone is in love with Hazel. She's our one true love. Someday we'll move to Canada-French Canada-and marry her."

Sylvia and Carolyn beamed at her, and, as silly as it all sounded, Hazel was flattered.

The bell rang and Hazel gathered up her presents. The PLDs walked out of the lunchroom in a pack-first Sylvia, then Megan and Caroline, then Hazel and Ellen. All of them turned heads as they went. Josh came up beside Sylvia, and Matty fell into step with Hazel.

"Hey," Matty said.

"Hi," she said softly. He tentatively put his arm around her and Hazel leaned into him. As they pa.s.sed by a group of senior girls, Hazel noticed them whispering, shooting her envious glances.

This is what it's like being a PLD. You get the most attention, the hottest guys. And I'm one of them now! Hazel realized, amazed. I'm one of them and there's no way I'm ever going back! She gazed up at Matty and smiled.

"Jenna Babc.o.c.k's skirt is way too short today," Carolyn said. "She looks like a total salope."

"Mais oui," Sylvia replied. "And good usage, ma cherie."

"Wait," Ellen ventured. "Is that a new word?"

"Bien sur," Sylvia replied.

"Bien sur," Carolyn said.

"Well, what does it mean?"

Sylvia only laughed. Ellen looked from Carolyn to Megan. They both shrugged.

Finally, Ellen turned to Hazel. "Do you know what it means?" she asked.

"Of course she does," Sylvia informed her.

Ellen suddenly looked panicked. "What did I do? Is it my hair? I'm getting a new cut, I swear."

"Don't be silly," Sylvia drawled. "But if you want to know what the word means, maybe you should ask Brandon."

She chuckled as Josh wrapped both his arms around her waist and murmured, "Salope," in her ear.

Ellen stopped dead in her tracks. She wore a strange expression.

Was it sadness? Concern?

"Ellen?" Hazel asked. "Are you okay?"

"Sure," Ellen whispered. She stared as Sylvia and the rest of the group strolled away with Josh.

No one looked back.

After school the PLDs met Hazel at her locker. "We're going to Starbucks," Sylvia said. "Time to give you our last gift."

The group settled around a table by the window. Hazel offered to order everyone's drinks, but Sylvia waved her hand. "Don't be silly. When you're a PLD, the drinks come to you."

As if on cue, one of the counter people-a good-looking college guy-approached the table. Sylvia flirted with him for a minute or two, leading him on just enough to give him a tiny bit of hope. Soon after, each of the PLDs was gifted with the Frappuccino of her choice.

Hazel took a sip. It was a small thing, she knew, but real evidence of the kind of influence a group like the PLDs could have.

Everyone chatted for a while, eager to let off steam about school before getting down to PLD business. Hazel stirred her Frap with her straw. She glanced up when the door opened.

And swallowed when she saw who walked in.

Lakshmi.

What was she doing here?

Hazel knew Lakshmi wanted to be in with the popular crowd-maybe even more than Hazel did-but didn't she know how pathetic she seemed, following the PLDs around like a puppy?

Lakshmi caught sight of Hazel. Her face broke into a broad smile. She waved and started to approach.

Oh G.o.d, Hazel thought. Don't come over here. Not now.

She frowned at Lakshmi and shook her head subtly-almost imperceptibly-hoping she would get the hint.

Lakshmi stopped, confused. Then realization dawned. She changed course and made her way to the register to order her drink.

Whew, Hazel thought. That was close.

"And now, Haze, it's time for your final present," Sylvia announced. She pulled out a small, rectangular package in purple wrapping and placed it in front of Hazel.

"You guys know you didn't have to do this," Hazel gushed. "All the gifts were so unexpected."

"Just open it," Sylvia commanded. "This one is the most important of all."

Hazel unwrapped the package and found that it contained a small purple notebook. It had been carefully decorated with stickers, mostly of purple flowers. The center of the cover read: PURPLEHAZE.

PLD HANDBOOK.

Hazel opened it. There was a sparkly pen topped with a purple feather lying on the first page, which read, RULES.

"It looks silly, but we wrote these up in middle school, so we tried to make yours look like a little replica of the originals," Sylvia explained. "We've made a few amendments, but the rules are basically the same ones we started out with."

The others nodded, Carolyn chuckling as if at a private joke.

Sylvia held up a finger. "Rule number one?" She looked at the three PLDs.

"PLD loyalty," Ellen quickly replied. "Before guys and anyone else."

"That's our most basic rule," Sylvia said. She looked back at Hazel and leaned forward on her elbows. "Think about a herd of animals. Gazelles. Predators pick off the weak ones, the ones on the outside. The ones who stay close together survive."

"We've been through a lot," Megan elaborated. "We've tried to have outside friends, and it just doesn't work. We stick together, and it makes us solid." The others nodded.

"That means you're free of those hangers-on," Sylvia whispered, "from this point forward."

She didn't need to explain. Hazel knew she was referring to Lakshmi, who was now seated a few feet away, pretending to read a gossip magazine.

"The second rule is, you have to uphold the PLD standards," Sylvia went on. "We have to look good, be united. Support each other. There are people who would like nothing better than to see us fall flat on our faces. Which is why we need to let each other know if we're slipping."

She placed a hand on Ellen's shoulder. Ellen's cheeks colored.

It was a harsh rule, Hazel knew, but it was true. Here at the top of the food chain, it was survival of the coolest.

"Here's some important info," Sylvia explained, flipping toward the center of the notebook. "Basic info. Our phone numbers, birthdays, locker combinations, stuff like that."

"Locker combinations?" Hazel echoed, a little uneasy.

"Sure. We leave things for each other," Ellen replied. "Like, when one of us is down, we surprise her with a little something to cheer her up."

"Oh. Um, that's nice." Nice, Hazel thought, until the PLDs get you busted by vice princ.i.p.al Clancy.

"Needless to say, you cannot lose this notebook," Carolyn pointed out. "If you do, people who are jealous of us could use it against us."

"And while we're on that subject," Sylvia continued, "I know you had a cla.s.s with Breona. She's gone, but all her little friends are still around. You cannot speak to any of them under any circ.u.mstances, all right?" She gave Hazel a hard stare.

"No problem," Hazel said.

"Good. Moving onward." Sylvia turned a page to show an elaborate spreadsheet. Each of the PLDs' names was printed there, in a column. Sylvia's first, then Megan, Carolyn, Ellen, and Hazel. The days of the week headed the rows. Each day was divided into thirds, labeled AFTERNOON, EVENING, and NIGHT.

"This is how we keep track of our sitting jobs," Sylvia informed her. "I'm in charge. The parents call me to set up appointments, and I distribute these sheets every week. You're going to take the Darlings tonight. I already arranged it with Cynthia, their mom."

"Oh. Um, isn't that kind of short notice?" Hazel pointed out. Last night, she had barely made a dent in her homework, despite staying up till one-thirty working on it. She was still behind in her reading for econ, and she'd planned on catching up tonight.

Sylvia frowned. Hazel saw a flash of displeasure in her eyes. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No, no," Hazel covered. "I just...I need to make sure it's all right with my parents."

"Well, it has to be," Sylvia said pleasantly. "I already set it up. Okay, the details. The Darlings are twins."

"And not exactly 'darlings.'" Megan snickered. "You'll need the squeezy brain."

Sylvia gave her a cold look. Megan lost her smirk and said, "You'll be fine."

"We turn in our books once a week," Sylvia said. "On Mondays. I keep track of the sitting jobs and the pay. We usually just pool the money, but sometimes there are exceptions."

"Plus, there are fines," Ellen said.

"Fines?"

Sylvia nodded. "Of course. Like, if you show up late for a sitting job or whatever. All of us shouldn't suffer because one person acts irresponsibly."

Hazel took that in. "Well, I'll really do my best. I'm just-I'm grateful that you guys invited me."

"You seemed like PLD material," Sylvia said. "We think you're really going to work out."