Free Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad Page A

she already had plans (i.e., an evening at home with some take-out Thai food andWuthering Heights , which she’d been meaning to reread since Liam had brought it up).
    “Scarlett, let’s get a quick picture!”
    A photographer was standing by the small white backdrop with the Cüt logo all over it. Scarlett had learned these backdrops were called step-and-repeats. Since being on the show and being forced to attend so many launches, openings, and premieres, Scarlett had learned a lot of new things, like that they were all basically the same event. They were at the same locations, with the same guests, and with the same photographers and reporters asking the same questions. The only things that changed were the logos on the step-and-repeat and gift bags for the guests to take home afterward. Scarlett hated posing for photos, but she was here at the party—might as well follow the party rules, which included smiling pretty for photographers and acting like she was really, really glad to be there in support of some here-today, gone-tomorrow teen idol’s idea of fashion. Besides, the night was young. There was still plenty of time for rule breaking.
    Inside, STK was crazy crowded. Several of the tables normally used for dining served as stages for models wearing what Scarlett assumed were clothes from the line. She saw that they had set up a DJ
    booth near the front door, filling the room with techno music. Waiters maneuvered their way through the thick crowd while balancing trays of tiny beef sliders and skewers of chicken satay.
    Scarlett glanced around, searching for Jane. After their awkward conversation yesterday about Madison, Jane had puttered around the apartment unpacking and doing laundry, talking to her goldfish, Penny, and in general basically ignoring Scarlett. And this morning she had left for work early. Scarlett had texted her at lunch-time, asking her if she planned to be at the Cüt launch, and Jane had written back, YES. Not, YES, U 2? Or YES, U WANNA GO 2GETHER? Just YES.
    Scarlett noticed Madison at the bar, talking to some guy and looking for all the world like a high-priced hooker in her animal-print minidress and coordinating metallic platform stilettos. Scarlett felt her face go hot. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Madison since before Cabo, but she had some things she wanted to say to her now. She didn’t care that the cameras were there. Nothing she said to Madison would make the cut, anyway. Trevor had called last night and filled her in on his little plan for presenting the whole Jane-Braden-Jesse-Gossipfiasco. The sentiments Scarlett had in mind for Madison most definitely didn’t fit Trevor’s plan.
    Scarlett crossed the room in a dozen quick strides, aware that theL.A. Candy cameras were following her every move. (No Liam today, though.Sigh .)
    “Madison,” Scarlett said, tapping her shoulder.
    Madison turned around and looked a little surprised to see Scarlett there.
    “Hey, Scarlett.” Madison gave her a fake smile. “Jane didn’t tell me you were coming. You want a drink?”

    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    “I don’t need a drink, you pathetic, two-faced, lying bitch. What I need is the truth.”
    Madison’s fake smile never left her face. “About what?”
    “About the fact that you gave those pictures toGossip . I want to know where you got them. And why you did it.”
    Madison looked away, chuckling. “Guess I was wrong about you needing a drink. You’re already drunk—or crazy—or both.”
    “No,you’re the one who’s crazy,” Scar spat out. “How could you do that to Jane?”
    “I didn’t do anything to Jane. I love her like a sister. I already told you”—Madison glanced at the camera—“Jesse’s the one who gave those pictures toGossip .”
    “I talked to him about it, and he said it was you.”
    “Oh, so you’re gonna believe what Jesse says? Of course he’s gonna lie about that. He’s covering up for