Free Fashion Disaster by Jill Santopolo Page B

called Ever Green that I think is really pretty.”
    â€œDoes it go well with stripes?” Hannah asked. “Because I was thinking about stripes today.”
    Brooke turned her head from where she was polishing Clementine Stern’s toes. “Perfect with stripes,” she said. “Especially if you pair it with White Out or Silver Celebration. Those both look really good against Ever Green. I tested some out yesterday when the box of new colors was delivered.”
    Aly finished the final clear coat atop a Red Between the Lines manicure for Uma Prasad, a sixth grader Aly knew from school, and then led her to the drying area. On her way back to her station she stopped to ask Charlotte, “Who do I have next?”
    Charlotte looked at the clipboard in front of her. “You’ve got Tuesday next,” she said. “Then Daisy and then Parker—pedicures for the first two girls and a manicure for Parker.”
    Aly nodded just as Tuesday walked in the door.
    â€œHi, Tuesday,” Charlotte greeted her. “You’re with Aly today. Just pick your color and she’ll get started.”
    Aly headed over to the second pedicure chair, to the left of the one Brooke was using. She loved how well the Sparkle Spa ran now and how many regular customers they had. Pretty much all of their clients returned once they’d had their nails done there the first time.
    Just as Aly was helping Tuesday up onto the chair, she heard a voice yell, “Stop everything!”
    Aly did stop. Brooke did too. And Sophie. But Charlotte did not. She kept blocking the doorway.
    â€œHey,” she said, “you don’t have an appointment.”
    â€œThis is not about appointments!” the girl yelled, and then pushed passed Charlotte.
    Aly heard Brooke groan.
    It was Suzy Davis. Aly should have guessed. Ever since kindergarten, Suzy and Aly had beenenemies, but just this year, things had gotten a little better. Then Suzy’s uncle had married Joan, Aly and Brooke’s favorite manicurist at True Colors, and Aly and Suzy had been junior bridesmaids together at the wedding. Because of that, they ended up kind of friendly. Not best friends or anything, but certainly not enemies anymore.
    â€œHey, Suzy,” Aly said. “What’s going on?”
    Suzy thrust a doll out in front of her. The doll was wearing a dress the color of Cotton Candyland and had straight, dark, silky hair—kind of like Sophie’s, except Sophie’s was longer.
    â€œLook,” Suzy said. “Doesn’t her hair look gorgeous?”
    Aly shrugged. “Sure,” she said. “But what’s the big deal?”
    Suzy cleared her throat. “I have figured out a way to make the Sparkle Spa the best spa in all the world.”
    Brooke stood up and put her hands on her hips. “It already is the best spa in all the world, Suzy Davis. We’ve had this conversation a million times already.”
    Sophie nodded in agreement.
    Suzy just rolled her eyes.
    But Aly was curious. Even if Suzy was a pain and didn’t say things in the nicest way possible—or even in a way that was nice at all—she did have good ideas. “What’s your idea this time?” Aly asked her.
    â€œHaircuts!” Suzy said, thrusting the doll forward again. “I just cut this doll’s hair, and it looks better than the haircut you got last month.”
    â€œHey!” Aly said.
    She waited for Brooke to say something, because Brooke always said something to Suzy Davis when she was mean, but Brooke was silent. Aly looked over, and her sister seemed deep in thought.
    â€œSo,” Suzy continued, “I think that you should turnpart of the Sparkle Spa into a hair salon and that I should offer haircuts. Especially since your mom said I couldn’t join the salon with my spectacular makeup services.”
    Twice, once at Auden Elementary’s carnival and once on the school’s Picture Day,