Hell's Belles by Megan Sparks Page A

directly to the other kind of date.
    In French, she gave up working on verb tenses and instead conjugated the verb danser: to dance.
    In algebra, they had a substitute teacher who gave them an easy worksheet and told them they could talk quietly among themselves when they’d completed it. When Annie returned to her seat after dropping her finished worksheet on the teacher’s desk, the girl who sat behind her leaned forward. Her name was Emily and she was on the girls’ soccer team.
    â€œSo what are you going to be for Halloween?” Emily whispered.
    â€œNot sure yet,” said Annie. On the chance that Emily might attend the Liberty Belles’ themed bout, she didn’t want to spill the beans about the entire team dressing up as vampires. “How about you?”
    â€œWell . . .” Emily sighed. “I’m torn between going as a cowgirl — you know, with boots and a hat and all — and a mermaid.”
    â€œIt’ll be too hard to dance in a mermaid tail,” said the girl next to Emily. Her name was Jessica and she had also tried out for cheerleading. She hadn’t made it at first, but Annie’s resignation had bumped her up to a place on the squad. For this reason, Jessica (unlike the other cheerleaders) seemed to feel beholden to Annie and treated her nicely.
    â€œShe has a point,” Annie agreed, giggling. “What’s your costume, Jessica?”
    â€œMy boyfriend and I are going as Frankenstein and his bride,” Jessica grumbled. “His idea, not mine. I was hoping for something cuter, like maybe Cinderella and Prince Charming, but . . . oh!” Suddenly Jessica’s eyes lit up. “Speaking of Prince Charming . . . Annie, you know who you should go as, don’t you?”
    Annie shook her head.
    â€œKate what’s-her-name. You know, the one who married Prince William!”
    â€œKate Middleton?” Annie asked.
    Emily nodded enthusiastically. “It’s perfect! I mean you look kind of similar! Same hair, and you’re tall and slim like her.”
    And Tyler would make the perfect Prince William, she thought, blushing. Quickly, she shook her head. She really needed to stop daydreaming about that.
    When the class bell rang, Annie headed directly for the cafeteria to meet Lexie and Lauren.
    She made it through the hot lunch line in record time and put her tray down across from Lexie, who was biting into a tuna sandwich. “Pizza,” Lexie observed, nodding at Annie’s lunch selection. “Brave choice.”
    Annie frowned. “Why’s that?”
    â€œWell, for one thing, there’s enough grease in one of those pepperoni slices to keep the acne cream manufacturers in business until the next millennium. And that cheese . . .” She shook her head slowly. “Probably not actually cheese.”
    â€œDon’t listen to her,” Lauren said. “She’s kidding.”
    Annie glanced at Lexie, who laughed.
    â€œYeah, I’m just joking,” Lexie said. “The pizza is actually one of their better offerings. However, do yourself a favor and avoid the fried fish sandwich at all costs.”
    Lauren grinned. “The tartar sauce alone could kill you.”
    â€œWell, if you’re sure it’s safe . . .” Annie gave them a teasing look, then opened her mouth as wide as she could and took an enormous bite of her pizza. She was only being silly — usually her table manners were better than this. The pepperoni was yummy, the sauce was tangy, and the cheese — real or not — was gooey and delicious.
    Suddenly, Lexie’s eyes went wide. “OMG,” she whispered. “Tyler is walking over!”
    Annie kept chewing her huge mouthful and rolled her eyes.
    â€œNo!” cried Lexie. “I’m serious.”
    â€œShe’s telling the truth,” Lauren confirmed, quickly reaching out with a napkin to wipe a glob of tomato sauce from Annie’s