Popularity Takeover by Melissa de La Cruz Read Free Book Online Page B

standing around on a chilly afternoon outside Nordstrom, but Lauren had no choice. She’d offered to buddy up to the awful Sadie Graham. Make that re -buddy up. It wasn’t easy. Sadie had totally turned on her after discovering the benefits of her makeover. She had agreed to go shopping that afternoon only as long as Lauren guaranteed that Dex would be there to drive them home later.
    Dex was Lauren’s good-looking chauffeur and big-brother substitute, not to mention her father’s brainy protégé. Sadie had a huge crush on him, Lauren knew. That made Dex her only trump card right now, and sheintended to use it—um, him. Dex would be appalled, but her social survival was at stake!
    Sadie was making a point by being late. No doubt she and Sheridan were holding their own Congé Committee meeting after school today, delighted to find out they were allowed to take on the Ashleys. Lauren shivered miserably, huddling over her bag, wishing she’d brought gloves. If she dared, she could run inside and buy a pair. But if she wasn’t out here when Sadie arrived, the monster-of-her-own-making would probably leave. The only gloves Lauren really needed right now were kid gloves, to handle this whole Sadie situation with care.
    Her phone trilled, and Lauren tugged it out of her bag. Sadie ringing to cancel? No, thank God. Someone much more welcome.
    â€œChristian!” she practically shouted.
    â€œHey! What’s up? I’m excused from crew today because my elbow’s still strained.” Christian had popped his elbow during last weekend’s match, which meant they had to call off their ice-skating date later that night and would probably spend the evening playing Monopoly with his mom and stepdad. Not really the romantic evening of holding hands that Lauren hadbeen hoping for. “So, what time are you coming over?”
    â€œOh! I don’t know. I might be late,” Lauren told him about meeting up with Sadie at Nordstrom, and how it was a spying mission rather than a shopping trip. He seemed bemused by the whole thing. “I have to get on her good side,” she tried to explain.
    â€œBecause you want to get into this S. Club thing?”
    â€œS.  Society . No, I don’t want to join them. We want to bring them down.”
    â€œWe?”
    â€œThe Ashleys, of course.”
    â€œOf course,” he groaned. “I can’t keep up with all the politics at your school. Or is it a religion? The Ashleys sounds like a cult to me.”
    â€œIt is, kind of.” She laughed. How annoying that she had to stand around waiting for Sadie rather than go eat frozen yogurt or stroll around the mall with Christian.
    â€œIt’s just that I hardly ever get to see you.” Christian didn’t sound too pleased. “If you’re not hanging out with your ‘Ashleys,’ you’re planning that Congo thing.”
    â€œCongé!”
    â€œAnd now you’re on some kind of spy mission as well. We never get to spend that much time together.”
    â€œI want to—you know I want to!” Lauren ­protested.Shoppers pushed past her, hurrying in and out of Nord­strom’s revolving doors. Silently, she was cursing Selfish Sadie. “It’s just, things are so crazy right now. And . . . she’s here! Christian, I’m really sorry. I have to go. I’ll try to be there as soon as I can.”
    â€œAll right, I’ll save Broadway for you. But I can’t wait forever,” he said, and it sounded like he was annoyed, but Lauren wasn’t sure. There wasn’t any time to obsess about it now, not with Sadie standing in front of her.
    This was the new Sadie—aloof and unsmiling, gazing critically at Lauren with her ice-blue contact lenses. Her hair was a perfect golden blond, shiny and smooth as a helmet. And even though she was in the Miss Gamble’s uniform, like Lauren, she looked much more chic than she had a