Clique Bait - Ann Valett Page 0,35

off with some fun,” she said innocently. I noticed an object in her hands, what looked like a sparkling pouch she’d pulled from her bag.

“Chloe’s new,” Sophie said wickedly, her gaze raking over my skin like cat claws. “She should go first.”

“Oh please,” Maddy said dismissively, but she seemed interested in whatever was inside the sparkling pouch. “This again?”

Lola’s glare could have shattered iron, but her glossed grin didn’t falter. “The cards have changed, Madeline. Fresh tasks for fresh meat.”

My stomach turned.

Lola giggled delicately before emptying the contents into her palm. It was a deck of cards. She gestured for me to move closer. “Go on, Chloe.”

I wasn’t familiar with this game.

I took one of the cards, moving to turn it over when Sophie’s hand around my wrist stopped me.

“Uh-uh, we turn them over to look once we’ve all chosen.” Her smile was unsettling. “Then we compare at midnight.”

I watched as each of the three girls took one for themselves. Lola put the rest back into the little bag. “And let’s begin!”

Hesitantly, I flipped over the card.

Steal the phone of a junior

“And . . . go,” Lola said, sliding from her perched seat and leading us out of the room. I looked to Maddy, who was smirking with Sophie beside her.

The first thing I did upon returning to the throng of the party was seek out William. The comfort of his presence around the Level Ones might help me collect my thoughts and decide how to handle this secret mission.

“Hey,” he said. He was midway through pouring a new drink, and when he saw me coming his way, he offered it to me, grabbing another cup for himself.

I shook my head, cursing under my breath as I looked around, observing the crowd. One thing was for sure, and that was that if I wanted to gain Lola and the other girls’ trust, I’d need to complete this task. Impressing them was my in. And I needed to impress Lola. I needed her approval desperately if I wanted to gain anything from my status as undercover agent.

Then it struck me. Their joking about competing for her adoration in the limo.

There was a crowd of girls nearby I recognized to be Arlington juniors. I’d never spoken to any of them, but I remembered a few faces from my Instagram stalking. I assessed each as they laughed, trying to work out the easiest target, trying to ignore whatever sinister plan Lola had for their phone.

Then I saw her, Stephanie Griffith, clutching a drink in her hand and scowling at a boy making a crude gesture to suggest she should flash him her underwear.

“Christ,” I muttered, shaking the severity of what I was about to do from my conscience and downing William’s drink. I motioned to him I’d be right back.

I tried to pretend I was making a beeline for the hallway the girls were standing beside, but doubled back once I passed them, enough to eavesdrop on their conversation. If I stole Stephanie’s phone for the Level One girls, it’d be a golden ticket into their good graces. It’d ultimately help me bring them down once and for all. They wouldn’t do this to anyone ever again. The guilt was horrific, but right now it was me—the greater good of Arlington—or Stephanie. It was a sacrifice I needed to make.

I could see their purses lying on the shelf behind them. Three designer purses, and three girls. I narrowed my eyes, trying to decide which belonged to who. This was where all of Monica’s babble about accessorizing an outfit came in handy.

Neutral tones with bolder dresses. Stephanie’s friends had dresses much bolder than hers, as if she was trying to blend in with the background, avoiding attention. That meant it was likely the jeweled diamante clutch was a better fit than the beige and white leather purses beside it. It was worth a gamble.

Now I just needed a distraction.

I looked around the room, colored lamps illuminating the space of drunken teenagers. I needed invisibility.

I needed darkness.

I stepped back into the hallway, finding what I was looking for. Learning about electrical circuits in physics class was suddenly very valuable. A power outlet half-hidden by a cabinet. I was still holding my drink in my hand, and with a careful glance over my shoulder I splashed the liquid into the socket, just enough to shut off the circuit but hopefully not enough to damage it permanently.

Almost instantly, the house plunged into darkness.

With the darkened sky outside,