Free Envy - 2 by Robin Wasserman

the week for mind games, don’t you think?”
    “Look I didn’t come here to fight, or play games,” Kaia promised her, wishing they could just cut through the bul shit and skip to the part where they got something done. But, as she wel knew, that’s not how these things worked. And the bul shit was, in the end, half the fun. “At least, not with you.”
    “Then what?” Harper asked wearily.
    “I know what you’re up to,” Kaia said, relishing the involuntary shudder that ran through Harper’s body. “And I want to help.”
    “You know what we’re up to? Are you talking in code now? What is this, a James Bond movie? What would we be ‘up to’?”
    “Do you real y want me to spel it out for you? Adam, Beth, Operation Screw Over Your Supposed Best Friend—or, in your case, just screw him?” Harper’s face turned pale. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she claimed in a strangled voice.
    “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. You’re total y innocent, you’re appal ed I would even suggest it. Whatever.” Kaia checked her watch. This was getting old. “Here’s my point. I want to help—you two are playing out of your league, and I think you need some coaching from a pro. That’s me.”
    “Just out of curiosity,” and it was clear that Harper had plenty, “let’s say Kane and I did have some unholy al iance—why would you want to help? And why would we trust you?”
    “I’m helping because I’m bored, and because I hate to see a good opportunity go to waste. As for why you should trust me?” Kaia paused. It was a good question. One that deserved a reasonably honest answer. “You shouldn’t. But you’re going to anyway because you’ve got almost everything you need—wil , motive, lack of scruples—but you’re missing one key thing, and that’s what I can supply.”
    “And what’s that?” Harper asked skeptical y.
    “A plan.”

chapter
5

    It was Harper’s policy never to have to depend on someone. Especial y not because she was desperate.
    She was Harper Grace.
    She didn’t do desperate.
    At least, not usual y. Under normal circumstances she plowed through the world and everyone else got out of the way. Unless you were slow. Then you just got run over. She certainly didn’t need anyone’s help to do it. Of course, under normal circumstances she didn’t usual y betray one of her best friends for the purposes of seducing the other, but these circumstances were anything but normal, and with the fate of her love life hanging in the balance, speed was of the essence. Which meant that Harper, lacking scruples and strategy in equal amount, was desperate.
    And desperate times cal ed for desperate measures … right?
    So when Kaia stood up from the cramped library table with an ultimatum: “Meet me after school and listen to what I have to say, or forget the whole thing,” Harper had nodded.
    Final y, and fateful y, she had decided to give Kaia a chance.
    But she wasn’t about to do it anywhere near the school, where someone could see them together. Kaia’s Eurotrash wardrobe, frozen beauty, and outlandish public liplock with Haven High’s most eligible bachelor had won her a fair amount of notoriety, but it wasn’t the kind that translated into social acceptance. She had a few fol owers, of course, but she was too high and mighty to inspire much loyalty, and most of the initial curiosity seekers had drifted away as Harper slowly but thoroughly put out word that the new girl was not to be touched.
    Someone like Kaia could have easily toppled Harper’s careful y constructed high school hierarchy—so Harper did what she had to do to neutralize the threat.
    When Harper spoke, people listened. And if they knew what was good for them, they obeyed.
    She wasn’t about to waste al that hard work by meeting with Kaia in a public place and letting the world think they were suddenly bosom buddies. Harper saw her friendship as a powerful gift, and Christmas for Kaia wasn’t coming