Wishful Thinking by Amanda Ashby Page A

Sophie pointed out, her voice not much more than a whisper. “I mean, I thought that was obvious. Anyway, the thing is, I’ve decided that from now on we’re probably best not to mention it ever again. Let’s just pretend it never happened. Especially the—”
    â€œHey, you. Are you Sophie Campbell?” a voice suddenly said, and Sophie turned around in her seat to see Melissa Tait standing behind her with her hands on her hips.
    Could this day get any weirder?
    Melissa was Jonathan Tait’s twin sister, but while everyone loved Jonathan, who was nice and easygoing (and super easy to look at) his sister was a completely different kettle of fish.
    In fact, when she had graduated from Miller Road Elementary the year before, even the teachers had looked relieved that she was going. Sophie just tried to avoid Melissa in order to stay under her Queen of Mean radar.
    â€œWell? Is that your name?” Melissa repeated (in a way that suggested she didn’t like to repeat herself) before she flicked a perfect, glossy strand of blonde hair back from her shoulder. “Because I want to talk to you. About your jeans.”
    â€œOh, right,” Sophie finally replied after Kara had given her a gentle nudge in the ribs and she awkwardly got to her feet. It was one thing to attract the attentions of Serena Towers and her friends, but for her jeans to attract Melissa’s attention was something else entirely. Since even though nearly everyone was afraid of her, there was no denying that she had the best taste ever. People even said she would probably get a job at Teen Vogue when she was older.
    â€œSo kids have been talking about them all morning,” Melissa said as Sophie obligingly stepped closer to her and wrinkled her nose. She knew that the Universe had wanted her to buy the jeans to help her get closer to Jonathan Tait, though she hadn’t quite imagined it would be by way of his scary sister. Still, who was she to question the Universe?
    â€œI got them at that store at the back of the mall, Jean-I-us,” Sophie said in a helpful voice as she gave her ear another rub to try to dislodge the buzzing noise that was still racing around.
    â€œReally?” Melissa arched an eyebrow that looked suspiciously like it had been shaped. “Because I don’t believe you.”
    â€œWhat?” Sophie blinked. “B-but I did. You can ask my mom because she was with me. N-not that I always go shopping with my mom, of course, but it was on a Sunday and there weren’t many buses, and then she had to drop me off to babysit, so we went together. Just this one time—”
    â€œEnough. I know the place, and I can assure you that they don’t sell two-hundred-dollar Motion jeans there. In fact, the only place that sells these jeans is Bella’s Boutique, and unless you’ve been on the waiting list for them, you still wouldn’t get a pair.
Were you on Bella’s Boutique’s waiting list for them?
”
    Sophie shook her head while next to her she could vaguely see Kara clutching nervously at Harvey’s arm.
    â€œNo, but—”
    â€œHowever,” Melissa continued. “I will tell you where you
were
. You were next to my house yesterday babysitting that brat of a kid, and you paid him to come and take my jeans from the clothesline and leave me with a cheap knock-off pair.”
    â€œWhat? No—”
    â€œNo, you weren’t next to my house yesterday?” Melissa raised her eyebrow again. Definitely shaped. How else could she make them go like that?
    â€œI mean, yes, I was babysitting yesterday, but no, I didn’t take your jeans off the line,” Sophie said in a bewildered voice as she dragged her gaze away from Melissa’s perfect eyebrows. “Why would I?”
    â€œYou tell me.” Melissa gave an impatient snort.
    â€œWell, I didn’t,” Sophie insisted before pausing for a second. “I mean, Ryan,