Ex-Rating Read Free Page B

Hulse squealed.
    Holly, Mads, and Lina hadn’t made it to the front door of the school when Rebecca Hulse and Autumn Nelson accosted them. Holly
     stiffened, bracing herself for a veiled insult. Pretty blond Rebecca and bratty brunette Autumn were sort of friendly with
     Holly, and yet … she didn’t trust them. Autumn had a self-obsessed blog called Nuclear Autumn, where she ranted and raved
     about anything that bothered her, and more than once she had publicly blasted Mads, Lina, Holly, and the Dating Game.
    “We heard you on the radio,” Autumn said. “You were so good. And now we all look like the most sophisticated high school kids
     in America.”
    “You think?” Mads said. Holly knew she was nervous. But it looked as if everything was turning out okay.
    “Definitely,” Rebecca said. “I already got three evites to parties this weekend from guys from other schools. They said to
     bring lots of those hot Rosewood girls. It won’t be a party unless we’re all there.”
    “With me and Rebecca, of course,” Autumn added. “I mean, you three by yourselves … I don’t think you could keep up the illusion
     of cool. You need backup.”
    Sebastiano walked in and smiled at the commotion. “I told you,” he said.
    “Let’s go inside,” Lina said. “I need to study for a French quiz. …”
    “You don’t need French,” Sebastiano said. “You already speak the language of love.”
    They walked into the red-and-white stucco Spanish-style school building. The halls were just getting crowded. People whispered
     all around them—Holly couldn’t quite catch the words, but the buzz followed them through the hall.
    The girls continued toward their lockers. Up ahead, the crowd parted. Holly saw a tall guy with shaggy blond hair and a swimmer’s
     muscled shoulders striding toward them. She glanced at Mads, who immediately lit up. Sean.
    “Kid,” he said to Mads. He nodded at Holly and Lina. “Friends of Kid. I heard you on the radio. You rocked. I was glad to
     finally hear somebody tell the truth that everybody knows: Sex totally rules the world. Nice job. All
right
.”
    Sex definitely seemed to rule
Sean’s
world, at least. All he had to do was look at a girl and she was his. Practically.
    “Thanks, Sean,” Mads said.
    “You’re welcome,” Sean said. “Carry on, little sex chicks. Later.”
    The intercom speakers crackled to life. The voice of the principal, John Alvarado, broke through the static. Lina called him
     Rod because he was so stiff, he seemed as if he had a pole up his butt. She’d overheard Dan Shulman, their IHD teacher, call
     him that, and she passed it on to Holly and Mads. It was spreading fast through the school. A nickname like that couldn’t
     help but stick—especially when it fit the person so well.
    “Holly Anderson, Madison Markowitz, and Lina Ozu,” Rod said over the intercom. “Please come to my office immediately.”
    “What could that be about?” Lina asked.
    “Maybe he wants to congratulate us on all the good publicity we’re bringing to the school,” Mads suggested.
    “You think so?” Holly said. “That doesn’t sound like something Rod would do.” In fact, it didn’t sound like Rod at all.
    “Brace yourselves,” Holly said. “I think we’re in for some trouble.”

3
The Rod Squad
To:
mad4u
From:
your daily horoscope
    HERE IS TODAY’S HOROSCOPE: VIRGO: There’s only one way to say this: You’re in big trouble.
    G iris, I heard you on the radio Saturday,” Rod said. “So did everyone else in town, apparently. Which makes sense, since we
     announced it here at school and in the local papers. Foolishly, it turns out.”
    Mads, Lina, and Holly were sitting lined up across from his desk. Mads was nervously tearing a Kleenex into tiny scraps. Next
     to her, Lina’s leg jogged up and down, up and down.
    “So—you didn’t like the interview?” Mads asked.
    “Frankly, if I hadn’t known the three of you, I would have found it fascinating, if