"Replica10 - Ice Cold - Kaye, Marilyn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kaye Marilyn)

But she couldn't stay there forever. Eventually the smell of burgers on the grill lured everyone else out of the pool and Amy had to get out too. She collected her hamburger, then moved on to the long picnic table, where salads and chips and other stuff were laid out. Jeanine was on the other side of the table, and Amy studiously avoided her eyes.

She helped herself to cole slaw and handed the serving spoon to Carrie, the girl next to her. "Thanks," Carrie said. "I really like your hair, Amy. When did you get it cut?"

"Just this morning," Amy said. "I'm not used to it yet."

Jeanine looked up. "You got your hair cut today!"

Amy stiffened. She knew something was coming. "Yes," she replied cautiously. "Why?"

"It's Sunday," Jeanine said. "Hair salons aren't open on Sunday mornings."

Amy considered this. She could lie and say that she'd found the one and only hair salon in Los Angeles that was open on Sunday mornings. But then Jeanine or someone else would want to know the name of the salon and where it was. There was no point in getting herself bogged down in a web of stories. So she confessed.

"My mother cut it."

She might as well have announced that her mother had removed her appendix. Jeanine let out a shriek of horror. "You let your mother cut your hair? What did you do, get bubble gum in it? Peanut butter?"

Amy spoke through clenched teeth. "No. I just felt like getting my hair cut."

Jeanine wouldn't let it go. "Why couldn't you wait until the real hair salons are open?" Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and spoke in a very loud whisper. "Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you can't afford to go to a real hair salon."

Amy tried to think of a suitable comeback, but her superior skills didn't include that kind of quick thinking.

Layne spoke lightly. "Oh, who cares who cut Amy's hair? It looks good, that's what counts." Jeanine didn't acknowledge the remark but kept right on talking.

"Being poor is nothing to be ashamed of, Amy," she said, phony sweetness dripping from her lips. "You know, I have some old clothes that my mother was going to give to a charity. But you can have them."

By now all the girls at the table were silent, watching and listening and waiting to see what Amy would do or say. Amy still couldn't come up with a suitable retort. Fortunately, Tasha could.

"Jealous much, Jeanine?"

Clearly Jeanine hadn't expected a remark like that. "Why would I be jealous?"

"Because Amy's on the student council and you're not."

Jeanine's face darkened for a second, but she recovered quickly. She turned to her pal Linda and spoke conversationally. "I think maybe you're right, I should demand a recount tomorrow. That vote was awfully close."

Amy allowed herself a brief smile. The vote hadn't been that close. Jeanine was simply determined to do anything she could to make trouble for Amy.

At least Jeanine's venom wasn't reserved for Amy. Jeanine didn't forget the way Layne had tried to smooth things over. They were all sitting around the patio, eating, when she took her revenge.

"Layne, how is your sister?" she asked. "I heard she was very sick,"

"She's better," Layne said. "She was never all that sick."

"Really?" Jeanine asked. "I heard she was crazy and your parents had to have her committed to a mental institution."

Layne flushed. "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." She got up and went inside the house.