Free The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard Page A

Winters on my soccer team. Fiona Ridge, who’s vegan.”
    Parker rolled her eyes. “Just because she’s vegan doesn’t mean she wouldn’t murder someone.”
    Caitlin shook her head. “Fiona wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
    â€œMy friend Claire’s in the class, but I’m sure she didn’t hear us,” Mackenzie offered. “She was across the room.”
    For a long moment, nobody spoke. Finches and waxwings chased one another across the courtyard, fighting over seeds. Beyond the yard’s stone walls, they heard the slick hum of traffic on wet roads.
    â€œThis is so messed up.” Ava paced back and forth, her high, spiky heels wobbling precariously on the wet stones. “What are we going to do?”
    â€œWe keep our heads down,” Julie said in a steady voice. “We know we didn’t kill anyone. This is all some kind of . . . coincidence, maybe. Or else someone is trying to get us in trouble. Either way, we should just pretend none of it happened.”
    â€œSo we . . . lie?” Mackenzie asked, biting the corner of her lip.
    â€œWe lie,” Julie said firmly.
    Parker took a quick, shuddering breath. All at once, she felt eyes on the back of her neck, boring into her. She glanced back toward the entrance to the courtyard, but no one was there. No one was watching except Saint Francis, his empty stone gaze cold and distant. A shiver traveled through her body, and a telltale white-hot spike of pain jabbed through one eye. She cradled her head in her hands.
    Keep it together , she thought. You can’t fall apart now.
    â€œAre you going to the reception?” Ava was asking, glancing around at the others. The Hotchkisses had made a big deal about inviting everyone to their tony country club across town.
    Mackenzie nodded miserably. “We’re performing there with the ensemble. I have to go. What about you?”
    Ava shrugged. “I guess it’s probably a good idea to be seen there. We’ll just make an appearance. Eat some crudités.” She gave a short, bitter bark of laughter. “It’s going to be the party of the year.”
    Another shooting pain cut through Parker’s skull, raking over her vision with lightning-white streaks. She felt Julie’s hand on her back and looked up to see that her friend had noticed what was wrong. Her eyes were wide. There was a worried look on her face.
    â€œMeet you guys over there,” Julie said, then turned away, helping Parker to a bench. In seconds, she and Julie were alone.
    â€œAre you okay?” Julie asked, rubbing Parker’s back.
    Parker swallowed, her mouth sticky with bile. Nausea started to spread through her body. She thought she might be sick. “I don’t think I can manage the reception,” she whispered, pulling her knees up on the bench and resting her forehead against them. “Headache. Bad one. I need to go lie down.”
    â€œOkay,” Julie said softly. “That’s all right. I don’t think anyone at the party saw you anywhere near Nolan, anyway. You don’t have to worry.”
    â€œI’m not worried.” Parker’s voice came out angrier than she’d intended.
    But her stomach writhed. Julie was right—no one had seen her at the party. She was the invisible girl, after all. There was no reason to be paranoid.
    Julie stood up. “Let’s get you home, okay? My home, I mean. You look awful.”
    â€œNo.” Parker shook her head, then immediately regretted it as another wave of pain washed over her. “You go. Ava’s right. You should get to the reception. I can make it back to your place on my own.”
    Julie gave her a long, measuring look. Then she hugged her. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”
    â€œOkay. I promise.”
    Julie handed her the umbrella, then tugged up the hood of her jacket and walked quickly through the rain toward the street where