Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder Page A

Hazel’s eyes darted to each one of the PLDs’ faces. Her stomach gave a little flip.
    â€œGod, Sylvia, cut the drama. You’re going to make her nuts,” Megan said.
    Sylvia shot Megan a glare before continuing. “Here’s the deal. We’ve been talking about adding another person to the PLDs. How would you feel about joining our little group?”
    Hazel blinked in astonishment. Was she dreaming? This wasn’t just beyond comprehension, it was…too good to be true.
    â€œSylvia,” she began in the calmest voice she could muster. “Is this a joke?”
    â€œWhy would we joke? You’re smart, you’ve got style and attitude, and we think you’re cool. You’d make a perfect PLD. There will have to be a probationary period, of course.” Sylvia paused. “And you’ll have to earn your place.”
    â€œLike an initiation,” Megan supplied.
    â€œIt sounds crass, but Megan’s right. It is like an initiation. We have stages.” Sylvia raised a finger. “Stage one is party conduct. You passed that.”
    â€œStage two—prank,” Carolyn said, holding up two fingers. “She passed that.”
    â€œThen you’ll have to do a babysitting job,” Sylvia said, “Which is a no-brainer. I mean, who hasn’t babysat by the time she’s a junior in high school?”
    â€œSo that’s it?” Hazel asked. “That’s all it takes?”
    â€œWell, there are some other things. But you’ll find out about those later.” Carolyn gave an impish grin.
    â€œWe have a chat room and everything,” Ellen cut in excitedly. She grabbed Hazel’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’ll love it.”
    Sylvia bit her bottom lip as if she were hesitating to deliver bad news. “You will have to get a cell phone.”
    â€œUm, I don’t know if my parents will—” Hazel began.
    â€œOh, don’t worry about them. I’ll just buy one and you can pay me back with your share of the sitting money.”
    â€œReally?” Hazel asked. “Wow. Thanks!”
    The sitting money. The parties. The status. It was all beginning to sink in.
    Just days ago Hazel had been wishing for the chance to belong to a group as cool as the PLDs. Now they wanted her as one of their own.
    â€œSo, do you think you’d like to give it a go?” Sylvia asked with mock innocence. “It’s not too horrible an idea?”
    Sylvia knew Hazel would be an idiot to say no.
    â€œOh, I suppose it’ll help me pass the time,” Hazel replied, using the same nonchalant tone Sylvia used. “That is, if I don’t get too tired of all of you.”
    â€œWell, mes amies ?” Sylvia prompted.
    Megan, Carolyn, and Ellen produced little wrapped gifts, which they placed on Hazel’s lunch tray.
    â€œWelcome, Haze,” Sylvia exclaimed. “We’re happy to have you.”
    â€œOh,” Hazel said, thrilled. The others smiled at her, obviously pleased.
    â€œAllez,” Sylvia said, gesturing to the presents. “Go on. Open them.”
    â€œThat one’s from me,” Ellen said, pointing to a rectangular box wrapped in purple foil.
    Hazel quickly unwrapped it. Inside was a miniature plastic bottle of lavender body lotion.
    â€œThank you,” Hazel said sincerely. She uncapped the bottle and smelled the lotion. “Oh, it’s nice.”
    Ellen nodded. “I buy it all the time.”
    Hazel’s hand ranged over the other gifts as she wondered which one to open next. She chose a purple bag, its handles tied with curly ribbons. There was something hard wrapped in white tissue paper inside. She drew it out. It was a purple candle.
    â€œShort notice,” Carolyn said, as if apologizing for her gift.
    â€œI love it,” Hazel assured her. She smelled it. “Lavender?”
    â€œSpring rain,” Carolyn corrected. “Purple and lavender, it