Free Survival of the Fiercest by Anna Carey Page B

the wheatgrass on his breath, like he’d just eaten a whole bag of lawn clippings. “I had ze girls, zey come in wit zespritz spritz in ze hair, and zey smeell like ze parfum. Zey put ze powda under their arms, ze powda.” He pulled his glasses down his nose and gave her a stern look. “I was in ze guttaaa, Lola. Do you know wut zat meens?”
    â€œNo,” Lola mumbled, shaking her head.
    â€œEet meens I wuz in ze feelth. I wuz gnawing on ze old loaf of bread like a dirty leetle rat. So no baaaathing!” He pounded his little fist in the air. “No spritz spritz! No powda or parfum! Understend?”
    â€œAbso-bloody-lutely.” Lola nodded. The shoot was only two days away. She didn’t have to bathe or use hair spray or perfume. She would roll around in a Dumpster if Gunther Gunta asked her to. He was her boss now, and she was his Gutter and his Light. The little man threw his arms around her one last time before pushing her out the door.
    â€œSaturdaaaay!” he called over her shoulder. “Saturdaaay!”
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    F ROM THE DESK OF C ATE S LOANE
    Interview questions for Chi Sigma rush
Have you ever been associated outside of school with Blythe Finley? If so, in what capacity?
If you could only wear one designer for the rest of your life, who would it be? Please elaborate.
Barneys is on fire, and your best friend has been trampled by women trying to get out with their sale items. She’s badly hurt and can’t walk. Do you leave her and go for help, or stay until help arrives? Explain your answer.
Have you ever been to a Disney show on ice? Have you ever suggested your friends go to a Disney show on ice? If so, please specify dates and which ones.
You overhear a girl calling a member of your sorority “stuck-up.” Do you Explain your answer.
a) immediately confront the girl;
b) return to your friends and tell them what happened;
c) convince yourself it didn’t happen—that you must’ve heard wrong; or
d) pretend you’re really mad, but then wave to the girl in gym when your sorority sisters aren’t looking.
    Explain your answer.
    â€¢Tell us your greatest weakness.

SELECTIVENESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS
    T hursday after school, Cate and Stella sat behind a long oak table in the Ashton Prep drawing room, a wood-paneled hall that smelled faintly of Pledge. A few candidates were lounging on the grand piano in the corner, like they were about to break into show tunes. As more girls trickled in, Cate thumbed through her red Moleskine notebook, wanting to seem poised and professional. She and Stella had stayed up late the night before, writing interview questions and deciding how to seem both intimidating and accessible. Cate had borrowed a gavel from the debate team, and Stella had stolen Margot’s red Kate Spade reading glasses.
    Cate scanned the room, which was now packed with more than forty girls. Stella had prepared her for a few inevitable disappointments—the flyers had been plastered all over the high school for everyone to see. Liza Bartuzzo and the marching band girls had shown up after all. And Kimberly Berth, the only member of the Ashton mascot club, dragged a purple duffel bag inbehind her. But with those few exceptions, the view was pretty good.
    Eleanor Donner was there, her black hair falling to her shoulders in shiny barrel curls. Shelley DeWitt had worn a strapless metallic cocktail dress that made her pale skin look radiant. Even Paige Mortimer—a former member of the Chi Beta Phi blacklist—had gone all out, her brown hair swept to the side in a dramatic updo. Cate turned the sapphire ring on her finger, thinking of the time her mother had taken her to FAO Schwarz when she was a little girl. She’d spent two hours wandering the aisles, trying to pick out the perfect porcelain doll. The only difference was, those dolls came perfect. The girls in front of her needed a few adjustments to make them Chi