Belles by Calonita Jen

Author:Calonita, Jen [Calonita, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780316202169
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Published: 2012-04-10T05:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

“Isabelle?”

Izzie heard the knock on her bedroom door, and she closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear in a cloud of smoke.

“Can we talk to you?”

They didn’t wait for Izzie’s response. Two seconds later, her aunt, her uncle, and Lucas were standing in her doorway looking less than happy to see her, even though they were the ones doing the intruding. They were all in black tie for a silent auction at the school that evening. Her aunt’s pink floor-length gown shimmered as she rocked nervously on her heels.

“We’re trying to understand what happened today,” her aunt said, making a swishing sound as she crossed the room and sat on the edge of Izzie’s bed. “We know you didn’t steal the club’s prized emerald choker on your own. What really happened?”

Izzie stared at her comforter. There was no point in telling her aunt the truth. She could tell by the way Lucas was staring at her that he already had her rap sheet memorized. What was the use in speaking up now? EC was not going to give her a chance to show who she really was. That’s why she took the rap for Millie. It wasn’t a stretch to think that Izzie would steal a necklace, but if Millie had been blamed, her family’s reputation would have been ruined. Izzie’s already was. She just wished she hadn’t been stupid enough to believe making the swim team would change things.

“Is there more to the story?” her aunt asked hopefully. “Did someone put you up to this, perhaps? If you know something that could clear your name, you have to tell us.”

Izzie shook her head, and she could see the disappointment written all over her aunt’s face. It made Izzie want her mom so bad she could taste it. She’d been thinking about her mother all day today, which wasn’t surprising. Today was her birthday. Or, at least, it would have been.

“Isabelle,” Lucas said her name sharply, “you have nothing to say for yourself? Nothing?” He looked like he was on the verge of having to breathe into a brown bag. He put his hand over his face. “Bill, this is the sort of thing that can sink your campaign before it even officially starts.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Lucas,” Izzie’s aunt started to say. “Kids make mistakes.”

“Maureen, she’s an underage kid from Harborside,” Lucas snapped. “Her third week living with you guys, she steals a priceless piece of jewelry! How do you think that is going to look to your campaign boosters?”

Izzie winced. She hadn’t thought about how this would affect her uncle.

“Are you sure there is nothing you can add, Isabelle?” her uncle pressed. “Mira told us there were other girls with you, but your statement says you acted alone. That’s a little odd.”

He knows I’m lying, Izzie realized. How nice of Mira to mention Violet and Nicole, but leave out the part about how her best friend had orchestrated the whole dare.

She hadn’t had a chance to shower yet and she sat shivering in a tank top and shorts over her damp bathing suit.

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