Free Revenge of the Snob Squad by Julie Anne Peters Page A

I’d been longing to hear. I looked around and thought, I love
     you guys. I wish I could have told them.

Chapter 13
    T he Snob Squad left right before Mom showed up to bring me home from the hospital. That afternoon I had a lot of time to think.
     Usually I can veg out in front of soaps all day when I’m home sick, but today I couldn’t put the brakes to the brain. I relived
     the whole Ashley incident, even the end, when I felt so guilty. When I knew in my heart I’d betrayed Zoe. Even if Ashley had
     held a gun to my head, I should never have revealed Zoe’s secret. What are friends for if you can’t trust each other? Trust
     is a precious bond. You can’t form a club. You can’t pledge trust.
    During a commercial for Kraft macaroni and cheese, the big revelation came. It wasn’t Ashley’s fault. She didn’t hold a gun
     to my head. She didn’t force me to say a word. I should’ve known not to believe her. I should’ve gone with my gut instinct,
     especially when Ashley said she was sworn to secrecy. The only thing Ashley Krupps is sworn to is building herself up by tearing
     others down. She always has. She always will.
    It was my fault Zoe went away. My fault. I missed her. I miss her still. The worst part is wondering where Zoe is now, how
     she’s doing. Wondering if she’s found a new best friend. Knowing Zoe, she has. She was such a great person. I just hope her
     new best friend is a better friend than I was.
    Mom said I could go to the sleep-over as long as I took it easy. What I took was a box of Eskimo Pies.
    Handing them out, I said to Max, “I know I didn’t exactly die, but do you think I’ve experienced enough misery, suffering,
     loss, and defeat?”
    Max just clucked.
    “What are you talking about?” Lydia said.
    I explained about my tarot cards. About the swords. About the Death card.
    “The D-Death card?” Prairie shuddered.
    “It doesn’t mean death,” Max said. “At least not physical death. The Death card only means a change of consciousness. Like
     death of the old self and rebirth of the new.” At my awed expression, she shrugged. “So I know how to read tarot cards. So
     what?”
    “It could mean physical death,” Lydia said. “It could mean we should firebomb Ashley’s house.”
    “We don’t know where she lives,” I said. “And even if we did—” I stopped and took a deep breath. This was risky, I knew. “Let’s
     just forget it.”
    “Forget what?” Lydia said.
    “Forget about taking revenge on Ashley Krupps.”
    “What!” Lydia squeezed her Eskimo Pie, and it plopped out of the wrapper onto her lap. While she wiped it up, she said, “You
     mean just forget all the mean and horrible things she’s done to us? Not get back at her at all?”
    “That’s exactly what I mean.”
    “But she lied to you. She almost got you killed! She made you get hit by a bus.”
    We all let that ring in our ears. It sounded stupid, even to Lydia. You could tell by the red in her cheeks.
    “I ran into the street,” I said. “I got hit by the bus. And I betrayed my friend Zoe. Don’t get me wrong. I hate Ashley Krupps,
     but I think it’s a waste of time to keep thinking up ways to get her. Nothing’s going to change. She sure isn’t.”
    “But we’ll feel better,” Lydia’s voice rose an octave.
    “Will we? Okay, I admit, it was hilarious seeing the Nikes all sticky with mustard and beer hair. But who got in trouble?
     Us. And who’s on the Crips’ hit list for TP’ing Tony’s cousin’s house? Us. And who ended up with a concussion and almost died?
     Us. I mean, me. But you could’ve been right behind me. Face it. We’re lousy at this.”
    “I think that concussion cracked your skull,” Lydia muttered.
    “Yeah,” I said. “It cracked open my head and let a little sense in. Listen, every time we do something mean to the Nikes,
     we’re just like them. And I don’t want to be like them. I especially don’t want to be like their leader, Ashley