The New Girl by Cathy Cole Read Free Book Online Page A

go quickly. “But you really are amazing.”
    Polly grinned. With sudden mischief in her eyes, she scooped a full handful of glitter from Lila’s locker and ran after Eve’s fast-disappearing back. A sudden cloud of pink sparkles filled the air, and Lila heard a scream of rage. Polly had dumped the glitter down the Ice Queen’s back.
    Feeling a little better, Lila pulled the spare uniform – blouse, tie and skirt – from Polly’s locker and spun the combination lock shut behind her.
    Holding the spare uniform away from her to avoid any glittery cross-contamination, Lila walked quickly to the toilet down the hall. She hung the uniform on the back of a cubicle door. She washed her hands and legs as best she could at the sinks, with the help of a handful of paper towels. Then she headed gratefully into her chosen cubicle and shut the door.
    Leaning her head against the cool cubicle wall, she shut her eyes tightly and willed the tears away. Lila was stronger than this. She couldn’t let Eve win.
    She stripped down to her underwear, and wriggled into the fresh uniform. Polly’s blouse fitted OK, and the tie of course was fine. She could live without a blazer for today. The skirt was a lot shorter than she would have liked – more along the lines of Lil than Lila – but it would have to do.
    She turned her blazer inside out and wrapped her ruined uniform inside it. Then she tucked the bundle back under her arm and prepared to emerge.
    Her fingers froze on the cubicle latch. Someone was coming into the toilets.
    â€œI can’t believe Polly Nelson thought that was funny,” Eve raged. There was a whoosh from the sink taps. “She’s such a bitch. I don’t know why I was ever friends with her. I have glitter all down the back of my blouse.”
    â€œYou started it, you know,” said Rhi in her distinctive London voice.
    â€œLila Murray deserves everything she gets, the silly cow. You of all people should know that.”
    Lila flinched miserably inside her cubicle. Rhi had definitely told Eve about what had happened in London. She shouldn’t have been surprised.
    â€œWho does she think she is, coming here and smarming up to Ollie? He’s mine. Everyone knows it. He doesn’t fancy her, whatever people think. I bet she’s gone running to Reception. ‘Ooh, miss, they’re all being horrible to me.’ She’s pathetic.”
    Lila’s hand was still hovering on the cubicle latch. She hardly dared to breathe.
    Eve was still ranting.
    â€œMiss Goody Two Shoes is nothing special. Everyone will realize that soon enough. If she thinks she can come to Heartside and act all high and mighty, she’s in for a nasty shock.”
    â€œLeave it, Eve,” advised Rhi. “You haven’t invited her to your party, and—”
    â€œI’d rather invite a dead weasel,” Eve said with venom.
    Rhi continued as if Eve hadn’t interrupted. “—and you’ve made it clear that you don’t want anyone making friends with her. She’s history around here already. There’s no point starting a vendetta for the sake of it.”
    There was the scrunching sound of paper towels, and the flip of a bin lid.
    â€œI love vendettas,” Eve purred. “They’re so much fun. Believe me, Rhi, that girl will rue the day she ever came to Heartside. The fun and games for Lila Murray are only just beginning.”

NINE
    Explaining why she was wearing someone else’s uniform while her own looked like it had been caught in some kind of fairy explosion had been difficult. Lila had invented an art class and a box of glitter with a loose lid, and had just about got away with it.
    â€œTypical,” her dad sighed.
    Lila bit her lip. As usual, her mum intervened.
    â€œThat’s not fair, Greg. At least it wasn’t a bottle of indelible ink. We have plenty of packing tape left over from the move. Wrap it