Amigas and School Scandals

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Authors: Diana Rodriguez Wallach

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Amigas
and School Scandals
DIANA RODRIGUEZ WALLACH
KENSINGTON BOOKS
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
For Jordan,
for always believing in me
Acknowledgments
I'd like to thank my agent, Jenoyne Adams, for the support she leant to this novel. Her advice was invaluable as this series unfolded, and I truly appreciate the work she did to champion the development of this book. I'd also like to thank her team of amazing editors, specifically Kelsey Adelson, Candice Smith, and Kerry Evans. Their time and advice are greatly appreciated.
 
I'd also like to thank my editor, Kate Duffy, for making this series a reality and for always answering my many publishing questions. In addition, many thanks to Kate's assistant, Megan Records, for her immense patience as I navigated the copy editing process.
 
The Cornell scenes in this novel would not have been written if it were not for the friendship of my husband's fraternity brothers. While I only made it to a few parties and Victory Clubs during my visits, your wealth of hilarious stories helped to add humor to many scenes.
 
It should also be noted that during a time when I struggled with the direction of this novel, the advice in Stephen King's
On Writing
truly helped me to cross a major hurdle. And I will always remember sitting in the Philadelphia Book Festival when I was finally struck with the ending for the novel. So I'd like to thank all involved with sparking my inspiration.
 
There are also many people who generously offered their time, and their rolodexes, as I began the promotional side of my career. I'd like to thank Gail Bower for her advice while planning my book launch and for offering me her generous connections within the Philadelphia community. I'd also like to thank my brother, Lou, for promoting my novels to countless influential Philadelphians. Who knew that engineers were so good at dealing with people? I truly appreciate all your efforts.
 
I'd also like to thank the Wallachs for showing so much enthusiasm for my novels. And I'd especially like to thank Paula for offering her very useful assistance during the copy editing process. Additionally, my sister Natalie has always believed in me and offered me endless motivation. More importantly, I'd like to thank my parents for their encouragement throughout my life. It always makes me happy to hear that you've passed my novel onto another friend or acquaintance. Your support and love means so much to me.
 
Finally, I'd like to thank my husband, Jordan. I could not have written this novel had he not encouraged me to pursue my passion full time. His collaboration—from colorful college antidotes to copy edits to photocopying—is immensely valued. I wouldn't be where I am in my life (both professionally and spiritually) if it weren't for his love and support.
Chapter 1
“A
re you sure you wanna do this?” I asked as I piled clothes into my jumbo-sized suitcase.
It was officially my last night in Utuado, the tiny mountain village in Puerto Rico where I had spent the summer. I was going back to Spring Mills.
“Of course,” Lilly answered as she scanned my tenth grade schedule.
My mom had snatched it from the mail before she hopped on the plane to the island, and I was incredibly grateful that she did. Not that I didn't already know which classes I'd be taking, but it was nice to see the schedule in its official form. Now I knew which teachers I had, which electives I got, and how my day would be laid out. I loved the predictable, comfortable order of home.
“Wow, that's a lot of classes,” Lilly muttered.
“It's the normal course load. You get used to it.”
I tossed my bathing suits into my luggage. I wouldn't be breaking them out again for quite a while. There was something sad about packing up a swimsuit for the season, as if it signified the end of fun.
“So, how are your parents dealing?” I asked.
“Eh, they've mellowed a bit. I know they want what's best for me, and to be honest, I've been thinking about it ever since you and Vince got here... .”
“Switching schools is a big deal.”
“I know.” She nodded. “I just see your dad and ... I want more than this.”
She waved her hands around my bedroom. I guess it wasn't really my bedroom anymore, if it ever really was. I glanced one more time at the rock-hard mattress on my twin bed, the powder blue walls, the cement floor, and the stained white window shade. I was going to miss it. I was going to miss all of this.
 
Alex stood before me, his eyes smiling. He kissed me every time my parents weren't looking. They probably looked away on purpose, so they could deny any evidence of my emerging love life. Though I doubted one semi-boyfriend really counted as a love life.
His lips pressed against mine. I wanted to lock the feeling into my brain, soak it in one last time, but before I could, my father subtly blew the car horn. Alex pulled away. His brown eyes looked dull, and his eyelids drooped slightly. A lump pulsed in my throat.
“So, you gonna meet some other American tourist tomorrow? Take her salsa dancing?” I asked with a nervous laugh.
“Absolutely. I've already got one lined up. Only she's Canadian,” Alex replied with a grin.
“Canadian, eh?” I mocked, tossing in the one bit of slang I knew from our neighbors to the north. “Well, be careful. They might look like us Americans, but they're a whole different breed. Bad weather, hockey, bacon ...”
“I like bacon.”
He smiled and hugged me tight. I let my head fall on his shoulder. His shampoo smelled like oranges.
“Mariana, it's time to go,” my father said, exiting the car.
I paused and stared at my great aunt and great uncle's mountain house one last time. The blue concrete facade I had dreaded with a passion two months ago now seemed like home. Uncle Miguel, Aunt Carmen, my cousin Alonzo and his “friend” José—who were gathered on the bright green grass watching our family load up the car—now felt like family. In some odd parallel universe, I could almost see my life fitting in here, but instead, my brother and I were headed back to our normal lives.
Well, almost.
Lilly pushed the porch door open and propped it with her newly purchased—courtesy of my father—travel bag. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and two duffle bags hung from her shoulders—she looked a lot like I did when I first arrived. She paused to wipe the sweat from her freckled brow, and I could tell she was trying to mentally block the Spanish mumblings of her parents. They were chasing after her, rambling on, with their faces tightly twisted in worry. Lilly had spent the past few days reassuring them, in every way possible from conversation to pantomime, that this was
exactly
what she wanted.
She was moving to the States.
Once my dad realized how advanced Lilly's bilingual skills were and how dedicated she was to her education (she got straight A's at her English-speaking school), he couldn't help but offer her a chance to learn in Spring Mills. He wanted to give her the opportunity his parents gave him, and Lilly jumped at the offer. The girl had been riding on a bus for more than two hours each day just to get to and from school. (Meanwhile, Vince and I complained when there was no parking in our school's private lot and we had to walk an extra ten feet.)
“Will somebody please tell my parents that I'm doing the right thing, because I don't think they can actually hear the words coming out of my mouth. They're acting like the universe is going to explode if I step foot off this island!” Lilly exploded as she yanked her suitcase from her father and hauled it across the lawn.
My dad immediately darted toward Lilly's parents. They knew she was in good hands. She was going to be with family (even if we were distant cousins who were totally unaware of each other's existence until a few weeks ago). Plus, my dad had covered every detail of his plans with them numerous times. Within three days, he managed to enroll Lilly in Spring Mills High School (conveniently, the dean went to our church and played golf with my dad on weekends), have the housekeeping staff prepare one of our spacious guest bedrooms, and book all of my cousin's last-minute travel arrangements. He then kindly traded in Vince and my first class tickets for three coach seats. (He and my mom still planned to take advantage of the plane's luxury accommodations without us.)
Lilly's parents were thrilled at my father's generous offer, and they knew it was a life-changing opportunity for her. They had agreed to the move days ago, but still, Lilly was their only child. She was fifteen and had never traveled farther than San Juan. Now she was moving to Pennsylvania where she would attend an American school, and meet new friends and boyfriends, and live in a world completely separate from theirs. A world full of posh amenities they'd never even contemplated.
She was moving to Philadelphia's Main Line—a far stretch from the mountain town where she was raised. There would be no tropical rain forests, exotic birds, wild chickens in the backyard, or laundry duty at her grandfather's run-down hotel. Soon her biggest worry would be which marble bathroom to shower in and which gourmet meal to order from takeout.
“So, you really ready for this?” Alex asked as my cousin trudged over.
“Are you kidding? A chance to be rescued from the island? I think I've been waiting for this since birth,” she joked as she dragged her luggage to the back of the car.
Alex hurled it into the already packed, shiny new SUV, which stood out drastically on the mountain road.
“Ya gonna miss me, Alex?” Lilly asked with a big grin.
“Funny, I was wondering the same thing.” I smirked.
“Oh, really. Well, I'm sure he'll miss you more, even though I've known him my entire life. Apparently years of friendship pale in comparison to a few weeks of smoochy, smoochy.”
“Hey!” I screeched, my cheeks burning.
“I will miss you both,” he replied, squeezing my waist a few times.
I giggled and squirmed as he pulled me tighter.
“See! You two are disgusting! Vince, can you see this?” Lilly asked my brother.
He had been sitting in the car and ready to hit the road for more than a half hour. His escape to Cornell was merely days away, and he couldn't wait to detach himself from our parents.
“I prefer to believe my sister is asexual,” he said flatly, leaning out the window of the car. “Mom, are we
ever
gonna get out of here?”
My mother was seated patiently in the passenger's side. I could tell the week-long trip had been a whirlwind for her. Not only could she not speak Spanish (and thus not understand a word anyone was saying around her), she was forced to drink rum (I had never seen her sip any alcohol other than a crisp white wine), shower in moldy accommodations, and succumb to the humidity-induced frizz in her blond hair. Her locks were currently tied in a sloppy ponytail akin to my own. It made me realize just how similar we were.
“We're gonna leave in a second. Let your father smooth things over with the Sanchezes. Lilly, why don't you go over there and help?” my mom suggested.
Lilly groaned.
“It
is
the last time you'll see them for a while,” I reminded her.
“I know, I know. I guess I need to pretend that upsets me.”
“Lilly, you are going to miss your parents,” Alex stated plainly. “I don't think you realize how different Spring Mills is going to be.”
“Are you kidding me? I know all about Spring Mills. She hasn't stopped talking about it since she got here. ‘Back in Spring Mills, back in Spring Mills.'” Lilly nudged my shoulder as she headed off toward her parents.
They were engrossed in conversation with my father. But I knew he'd have the final say; he always did.
A few hours later, we boarded the plane headed back home. I was squished between Vince and Lilly. Since Lilly was technically our “guest” (even though we were still on a plane and not yet on American soil), I felt compelled to offer her the window seat. Vince's extra inches of leg won him the aisle, leaving me stuck in the middle for four straight hours.
I sipped my tiny bottle of water and fought my brother for the armrest. The elbow war was the only thing distracting me from my impending Madison and Emily drama. I knew they wouldn't let my MIA status this summer drop easily. They hadn't returned any of my e-mails from the past week, and they still had no idea I was bringing a five-foot-four, redheaded souvenir back from the island. But they were my best friends, my only friends before Lilly. They couldn't hate me forever.
“Hey, you thinking about Alex?” Lilly asked, looking up from the gossip magazine she'd purchased at the San Juan airport.
She wanted to brush up on Hollywood celebrities before she landed, which I agreed was a virtual necessity. If she didn't know Tom and Katie's latest relationship woes, there would be no way she'd fit into Madison's world.
“Nah. We'll keep in touch. Or at least I know you guys will, so he can't exactly drop off the face of the Earth—”
“Are you kidding?” Lilly interrupted. “Trust me, you have a better chance of hearing from him than I do. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes to college in the States next year just to be near you.”
“Oh, please! Like that would ever happen! I wish I had that much influence over boys.”
“You do... .”
“Whatever,” I scoffed, readjusting the hairband holding back my stringy red mop. I flicked my eyes toward her. “You scared about moving?”
“A little,” she said with a sad smile. “I'm excited, scared, sad, and happy all at the same time.”
“I still can't believe you're really doing it. There's no way I'd be able to up and move. I mean, you've got your whole life back in Utuado... .”
“Yeah, and if I didn't do something now, my life would always
be
Utuado. My parents have never left the island. Ever. I don't wanna be like that.”
“Still, it's a pretty big leap from traveling to moving.” I pumped my eyebrows.
“I figure I'll give it a year and, if it doesn't work out, then I'll just go home. What's the worst that could happen?”
I stared at my hands. “You could be away for so long that your whole life evaporates. You could come back to a world that's completely different... .” I said softly.
“I have a feeling you're not talking about me,” Lilly said with heavy emphasis. “Lemme guess, the infamous Madison and Emily?”
I shrugged with a knowing nod.
“You think they'll hate me?” she asked.
“Well, right now they hate
me,
” I mumbled.
“If they're half as good of friends as you say they are, they'll get over it. And if not, you've got me,
chica.
”
Just then Vince turned toward us and unplugged his earphones. We had only been on the plane for an hour, but already his dark brown locks were disheveled from the headrest.
“Hey, I just remembered that when we were on the plane to Puerto Rico, and you were sulking like a baby, I bet you that you'd be crying when we left. And that you'd have fun this summer. I
so
won that bet.”
“Too bad we didn't put money on it,” I snipped. “Besides, I'm not crying.”
“I think I saw you shed a tear. ‘Oh, Alex, I'm gonna miss you
so
much.' Mwah, mwah, mwah,” he teased, planting exaggerated noisy kisses on the back of his hand.

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