Elite Ambition by Jessica Burkhart Read Free Book Online

class.”
    Brit and I went our separate ways, and as I walked back to my dorm, I couldn’t stop thinking about how interesting she was and how Julia had such a strong reaction to her. She
seriously
couldn’t think Brit was a threat to her spot in the Trio or that Heather would ever add another girl to their clique. No matter how friendly I became with all orany of them, I’d always be on the outside. And that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—I wasn’t sure, even if they’d asked, if being part of their group was what I wanted. Right now, hanging out with them was fun. Heather had been great support over the past couple of weeks.
    But I also missed Paige, and I was ready to chill with her for a while.

 7 
    IT WAS MY CHOICE
    â€œHEY, ROOMIE,” I CALLED DOWN THE WINCHESTER hallway. Paige was unlocking our door. She jumped, dropping her keys.
    â€œGeez! You scared me, Sasha!” Paige said. She picked up her keys, shoving them into the lock.
    â€œSorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to.”
    We walked inside our room and put down our purses. I sat in the middle of my bed, feeling bad for scaring her.
    â€œYou didn’t have to apologize,” Paige said, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “I had way too much caffeine today, and I totally overreacted.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” I said. “You know how I am on too much Diet Coke. I’m totally hyper and I drive you crazy until I crash.”
    That made Paige grin. “How was hanging out with the Trio?”
    â€œAwesome,” I said. “Alison invited Brit—this new girl in Orchard—to watch the movie with us, and it was lots of fun. She’s on the YENT too.”
    Paige sat cross-legged on her bed so we could face each other. “I heard there was a new transfer, but I haven’t met her yet. She’s not in any of my classes.”
    â€œYou’d really like her,” I said. “She’s in a class with me, and we got to talk a little. I found out she’s from a small town too—really close to mine. And you’d never guess it by the way she acts and how people here treat her.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Paige asked.
    â€œLike how the Trio mocked me for months for being from Union. They don’t do that to Brit. She’s just like them in the way she dresses and has that … confidence, I guess, but she’s not mean or snarky like they are.”
    â€œShe sounds really cool,” Paige said. I noticed a hint of distraction in her voice. “You’ll have to introduce me to her sometime.”
    â€œI will,” I said. “So, let’s talk about you for a sec. Did you end up meeting Geena and working on a new recipe?”
    â€œYeah,” Paige said. “We met up in our common room.”
    â€œDid you guys come up with something amazing?” Iasked, thinking about the tasty dishes Paige had created in the past. “Like, cake? Or brownies? Or another dessert that I have to try the second you make it?”
    Paige got off the bed and started packing her bag for classes tomorrow. “We were
supposed
to work on the recipe, but Geena got a text from her roommate and she had to leave early.”
    â€œSo Paige Parker took over the Winchester common room and came up with something on her own, didn’t she?” I asked in a teasing voice. “Tell me. What is it, and, most important,
where
is it?”
    Paige shoved her math book into her backpack. “Actually, I left when Geena did. I went to the Sweet Shoppe.”
    I got up off my bed and walked to my desk, closing books and notebooks. “Oh, cool. Get anything good?”
    â€œIced pomegranate lemonade,” Paige said. “It was awesome.”
    â€œYum. Maybe you and Geena can make a dessert with pomegranates or something.”
    Paige nodded as she walked toward the bathroom. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’m