Free Rival: A Feuds Novella (The Feuds Series) by Avery Hastings

done it.
    Finally, it was over, and Davis walked a breathless
pas marché
before sinking into a deep curtsey. There was a long silence. All she could hear and feel was the heaving of her own rib cage. She was afraid to look up, afraid she’d made a mistake after all.
    Then a single set of hands began to clap. Davis raised her head, catching Fia’s eye. She was standing on her chair, clapping and beaming. Seconds later, the rest of the audience burst into tremendous applause. Davis scanned the audience through the blinding glare of the stage lights, seeing them rise to their feet—first one by one, then in waves.
    Davis straightened as the lights began to dim, signaling the next performer. But the applause and whistles and ovation didn’t stop. Davis spotted Seth, whose face was blank and shell-shocked. She blew him a kiss, winking facetiously. She didn’t care anymore about what he’d done. She’d released it all by following her instincts. She realized with a jolt that her own instincts were what would vault her to greater heights.
    And just then, she was feeling a very strong instinct. She hopped off the stage with an energetic polonaise … right over to the front row of the audience, where Vera and Fia sat. Laughing, she pulled them both into a fierce hug and sat down next to them to watch one last performance: Gaby’s.
    Watching Gaby perform beautifully, Davis caught a glimpse of Seth in her periphery. His face was dark—stony. Davis almost laughed. She’d have bet money that Gaby had given Seth what he deserved. Soon after, Gaby took her bows to her own thunderous applause. The showcase was over.
    No matter what the official vote turned out to be, Davis knew she’d won.

 
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Sometimes you have to fight for love
    Don’t miss FEUDS , the epic beginning of the Feuds Series, as Davis and a boy from the wrong side of the tracks are drawn together…
    Available now!
    Can love survive?
    Davis and Cole battle for truth and each other in TORN , the finale of the Feuds Series
    Available July 2015

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
    RIVAL. Copyright © 2015 by Avery Hastings. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
    www.stmartins.com
    eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected] .
    Cover designed by Elsie Lyons
    Cover photographs: couple © Coka/Shutterstock.com; molecular overlay © watchara/Shutterstock.com
    eISBN: 978-1-4668-5262-4
    First Edition: April 2015