Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad Page A

apartment.
    Scarlett ran down the hall and found Jane in the living room. She had obviously just walked through the door. Dressed in a pale yellow top and skinny jeans, her hair tied back in a messy knot, she was holding an overnight bag in one hand and a big shopping bag in the other filled to the brim with what appeared to be Christmas presents and Tupperware containers of homemade cookies. She looked kind of lost, like a little girl all alone at a train station.
    “Janie! Ohmigod!” Scarlett rushed up to her and gave her a big hug. “Where the hell have you been?
    I’ve been so worried about you! Ohmigod, I am so happy to see you!” She hugged her again.
    Jane hugged her back. “I’m glad to see you, too! Did you have a good Christmas?”
    “What? No, it was lame. I’ll tell you later. First, what aboutyou ? Are you all right?” Scarlett had a million questions to ask her; she didn’t know where to begin.
    Jane shrugged wearily. “I guess.” She set her bags on the floor and walked over to the couch, sinking down.
    Scarlett was right behind her. “Where did that psycho take you in Mexico? What did she say to you?
    Did she—”
    Jane pulled back, her blue eyes wide. “Uh, Scar?” she said slowly. “I know you don’t like Madison, and I respect that, even though I don’t really understand it. But she’s been a really good friend to me. So I’d appreciate it if—”
    “Friend?” Scarlett cut in, practically shouting. She took a deep breath and forced herself to lower the volume. “Janie? Listen carefully to me, okay? I’m really, really sorry to have to tell you this, but Madison is the one who gave those pictures of you and Braden toGossip .”
    There. She had said it. She sat back, waiting for Jane’s reaction. Would Jane burst into tears? Start screaming? Pick up her phone and call Madison and end their friendship right then and there?
    But Jane did none of those things. Instead, she gave Scarlett an icy smile. “Oh, really? You know what’s funny? Madison said the same thing about you. I’m getting tired of your stupid feud. You’re two of my best friends. Can’t you at leasttry to get along? It’s getting old, Scar.”

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    You’re two of my best friends?Scarlett heard the words but couldn’t quite process them. When had Madison become one of Jane’s best friends? She, Scarlett, was Jane’s best friend. Madison was the enemy.
    Scarlett took another deep breath. Shehad to get Jane to believe her. “I can prove to you that Madison did this.”
    “You can prove it?”
    “Yes! See, right before you guys took off for Mexico, she told me that Jesse gave the photos toGossip .
    So I went over to his house to confront him, right? But when I got there, he told me thatMadison was the one who did it. He said she showed him the pictures earlier and tried to get him to deliver them to some woman at the magazine—you know, what’s-her-name, D’s boss. Veronica.”
    Jane was silent for a moment. “Why would he say that?” she said finally.
    “Um, because it’s the truth? Why would he lie about something like that?”
    “I don’t know. Because he wasn’t thinking straight after those pictures came out? Because he was drunk…or on something? Because he doesn’t like Madison? Or maybe because I just cheated on him with his best friend in the world and he wanted me to feel the same betrayal? There are a million reasons he would say that.” Jane let out a frustrated yell. “I just want to forget about the pictures and get on with my life.I’m the one who messed up here. Not Jesse. And definitely not Madison. She pretty much saved my life, do you know that? If she hadn’t gotten me out of here and taken me to her parents’ condo in Cabo, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
    “But—”
    Jane held up her hand. “Let it go, Scarlett.”
    “Seriously—”
    “No more.” Jane took a deep breath and smiled