Unfriendly Competition Read Free

stop fights before they started.
    â€œWhat do you care?” Julia asked. She yanked her short hair into a ponytail. Pieces escaped around her face. “You’re on the YENT. Like you want to know what advanced rider Julia is doing.”
    If Brit was fazed by Julia’s comments, she didn’t show it.
    â€œWe’re friends,” Brit said. “So I do care. But you don’t have to tell me.”
    I didn’t get Julia. After I’d helped prove that Jasmine had framed her and Alison, she’d at least made an effort not to openly hate me. But now, it was as if Brit and I had done something to her. She only really made an effort—and not always a great one—to be nice when Heather was around.
    Before Julia could respond, the door opened and Heather and Alison walked in with two full trays of snacks and drinks.
    â€œHey!” Alison said, her greeting waaay more enthusiastic than Julia’s.
    Brit and I said hi to Heather and Alison as they set the trays on the dark-wood coffee table.
    â€œThanks for the snacks,” I said.
    Heather smoothed her black leggings and folded her arms. “Trust me,” she said with the famous cocky-Heather look on her face. “I didn’t drag Alison to the common room with me just to feed all your faces. You’re going to need the caffeine and sugar, ’cause you’ll be here as long as it takes to make my party plans perf.”
    â€œIt’s going to be amazing,” I said. “Don’t worry.” Everyone else nodded.
    That made Heather smile. She handed us all legal pads with purple paper and pens.
    â€œYou obvi want it to be big , right?” Alison asked. “I mean, a crazy-huge blowout where we invite everyone.” She paused. “Well, by ‘everyone,’ I mean all the cool people we know.”
    Heather stared at her paper for a second. She blinked her mascara-coated lashes then looked up at all of us from her center spot on the couch.
    â€œI was totally going to go that route, you know, like, the most luxurious party this school has ever seen. But . . .”
    â€œBut what?” Julia asked.
    Heather gave her a look. “ But that’s what everyone expects. And I don’t do what everyone thinks I’m goingto do. I’m thinking a supertight invite-only party. Just us and a few other people. I mean, we really don’t like too many other people.”
    Alison smiled. “So true. I love it! It’s your birthday, so we’re going to do whatever you want.”
    I sneaked a glance at Julia—her lips were pressed together and she wasn’t saying a word. Julia wanted a huge party, I knew it. But she wasn’t going to argue with Heather. Not when Heather already seemed kind of annoyed by her attitude lately.
    Heather looked around at all of us, perfectly waxed eyebrows raised. “Start taking notes—hello.”
    We all looked down at our papers, waiting for her to continue.
    â€œI want to throw it here,” Heather said. “Something cozy—not anything where we have to get crazy dressed up. We’ll make a small guest list, order food, and watch a ton of movies that we haven’t had time to see lately.”
    Guests
    Food
    Movies
    I wrote on my paper.
    â€œThat sounds perfect,” Brit said. “I’d want a quiet party, too. I love the idea of watching movies. We coulddo a theater-themed party and transform the living room into a theater. We could have popcorn, M&M’s—all the movie snacks.”
    Heather nodded, smiling. “I love that. And you guys pick out the movies. You know what I like. Or . . .” She eyed all of us. “I should hope you do.”
    â€œWe’ll get the list right,” Alison said. She turned to a fresh sheet of paper, covering it with her hand as she wrote. “I’ve already got ideas.”
    Julia was the only one who hadn’t said anything so far. I tried to