SVH04-Power Play (10 page)

"What a day!" Elizabeth said, then sighed as she followed her twin into the house.

The next morning Jessica would not talk to her, but Elizabeth wasn't too heartbroken. She didn't expect it to last. If there was one thing she could be sure of, it was that Jessica would not stay quiet for long. She wondered what it was going to take to break the silence.

The next day Elizabeth drove to the jeweler's shop, where she finally bought Todd's watchband. Feeling a little funny, she stopped by the window of Lisette's. The saleslady spotted her

and waved an unenthusiastic hello. I
guess she's still not sure of me,
Elizabeth mused sadly.

When she reached home, the phone was ringing, and she raced to answer it. It was Lila. Apologetic and with a note of fear in her voice, Lila explained that she would need Elizabeth to go to juvenile hall with her and her father late the following afternoon.

Parking behind the white, Spanish-style mansion, Elizabeth marveled at Fowler Crest, the sprawling Fowler estate. Its sculptured, landscaped grounds, blood-red brick-tiled courtyard, and the fountain containing rare tropical fish were truly magnificent. How odd that Lila wasn't happy in such luxurious surroundings.

On the drive to juvenile hall, Elizabeth sat in the backseat with Lila. Lila was pale, yet she seemed curiously calm and serene. Her dangerous gamble had finally made her father notice her, Elizabeth observed.

Mr. Fowler sat in front, next to the chauffeur, But he continually looked around to smile reassuringly at Lila. He reached back once to pat her hand.

"It's going to be all right, sweetheart," he said softly. "We're going to make everything right."

At juvenile hall in downtown Sweet Valley, they met Mr. Fowler's lawyer, a slim, gray- suited man with a mustache. The four of them walked in through a side door and down a corridor to the chambers of Juvenile Judge Herbert Mancuso. They sat in deep, rich leather chairs as the judge looked over a sheaf of legal papers, mumbling and nodding. Finally he looked up, an understanding smile on his face.

The lawyer introduced Mr. Fowler, Lila, and Elizabeth to the judge, explaining that Elizabeth was a schoolmate of Lila's and was there as a character witness.

Elizabeth kept her statement brief. She told the judge in all honesty that Lila was not a troublemaker and she had never known her to do anything dishonest before this.

"Well," he said. "Do I understand the defendant in this matter has made a complete statement and that restitution has been made?"

"Yes, Your Honor," responded the lawyer.

"Would you like to say anything, young lady?" Judge Mancuso went on.

"No, sir," Lila said in a tiny, faraway voice.

"I'm sure you've learned your lesson, Miss Fowler. Mr. Fowler, I'm going to release your daughter into your custody. It would serve no useful purpose to take any other action. If your daughter remains out of trouble for six months,

the matter will be dismissed. Six months probation."

And that was that. They filed back out through the side door, got into Mr. Fowler's silver Mercedes, and the chauffeur drove them away.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" said Mr. Fowler.

Silence from Lila.

"Listen, what do you say we all have an early dinner at the Palomar House?" he said brightly.

The Palomar House! Elizabeth thrilled at the thought of going to the poshest restaurant in Sweet Valley. After the chauffeur dropped them off, the maitre d' greeted Mr. Fowler by name and showed Elizabeth, Lila, and her father to a plush banquette in the main room under an immense chandelier. Exquisitely designed silverware was arranged beside each gold-rimmed plate.

They ordered shrimp scampi, baby lamb chops, asparagus tips, and chocolate souffle, then topped off the dinner with a perfectly heavenly cappuccino. Elizabeth rode back home stuffed and happy, promising again on the way to a nervous Lila that she would never reveal what had happened.

As the Fowler car pulled away from Elizabeth's house after dropping her off, she saw with a rush of anxiety that Jessica was looking out the

window. The moment Elizabeth opened the door, Jessica was on her.

"Where were you with Lila Fowler?"

"She just gave me a ride home, Jess."

"You are the most disgusting liar since Pinocchio! Your nose is going to grow leaves! Where were you?"

"I told you."

Jessica was shaking with frustration. "I can't stand it! You and Lila are up to something, and you won't tell me! I can't stand other people having secrets!"

Jessica was still howling when Elizabeth disappeared up the stairs. It was the end of the shoplifting episode, Elizabeth fervently hoped. It was time to get on with her own life, which had recently been slipping away from her.

That night she went out on a date with Todd and gave him his watchband.

"Welcome back," he said when he kissed her. "I've missed you."

"Oh, me, too, Todd." Elizabeth sighed. She put her hand on his cheek. "I love to be with you like this."

Todd tightened his hold on her, feeling the warmth of her body. "How about like this?" he asked huskily as he ran his hand over her back, sending chills all the way through her.

"Even better," she replied, then kissed him deeply.

The next day Elizabeth plunged into the stack of work that had been piling up on her desk in the
Oracle
office. A story about mid-term cheerleader tryouts had to be written at top speed. Typing the names of the girls who were trying out, Elizabeth almost flipped when she saw it.

Robin Wilson's name was on the list.

Twelve

If there was one thing Jessica Wakefield found totally unbearable, it was her twin sister's Cheshire-cat grin. It meant that Elizabeth knew something Jessica didn't know, and that was enough to drive Jessica into a screaming, clawing tantrum.

The day started with Elizabeth wearing that absolutely exasperating Cheshire-cat face. "Elizabeth Wakefield, you stop that." "Stop what?"

"Stop looking like that. What do you know that I don't know? Don't deny it, you creep! What is it?"

Elizabeth drank her orange juice, munched on her toast, and smiled. "You'd know something, too, if you read the paper once in a while."

Jessica snatched up
The Sweet Valley News
and searched through it frantically.
Nothing but the usual hundred and thirty-seven disasters and boring business and politics,
she said to herself.

Elizabeth was finishing up her toast when she finally offered, "I mean our newspaper--
The Oracle."

"The Oracle?"
Jessica pounced on it, devouring the six pages in record time. When she saw
it,
she practically fell off her chair.

"Oh, no!"

"Yes, Jessie, it looks like you've got competition on the cheerleading squad. Robin Wilson."

Jessica threw the paper under the table with a flourish and crossed her arms. "Who said she could try out?"

"Anybody can try out, Jessie. The Pi Betas don't control that."

"But she's a--space cadet, Liz! Have you seen her walking around like something out of a horror movie?"

"I've seen her, Jess. And a lot of other people are seeing her these days, too."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's getting popular in a big way

since she lost all that weight and did herself over. And she doesn't act like a space cadet, either!"

"I don't think it's a bit fair," Jessica pouted, reluctantly admitting Elizabeth was right. "I mean, a few weeks ago I could see she was a little less of a slob, but how could she possibly get so good-looking so fast? I mean we're talking about Tubby here."

"Well, she's been working hard at it," Elizabeth pointed out. "Haven't you noticed that? She deserves to look gorgeous."

"Oh, keep quiet for once!"

"I saw Bruce Patman drooling over her the other day after school."

"Bruce Patman is the jerkiest person in thirty- seven states
and
Mexico," Jessica fumed. "And

anyway, what does he know? Beauty is only skin deep, Liz. Just remember that. It's what's underneath that really counts. And underneath, Robin Wilson is a deranged freak! Why she doesn't like any of us after all we did for her, I'll never know. But it's the mark of a sick person."

What the Pi Betas had unintentionally done for Robin certainly was remarkable, Elizabeth had to admit. She had not simply avenged herself by losing weight. Robin had gone through a complete transformation. The old tent dresses

had slowly disappeared, replaced with flattering and stylish outfits. The pale face had taken on a healthy glow, and all in all a totally new Robin Wilson was dazzling Sweet Valley High. There were many kids, in fact, who swore she'd just moved to town. They'd never even noticed her before.

And it all started to come together the week of cheerleader tryouts.

On Monday Robin showed up in designer jeans, a rainbow top, and a new hairstyle. Lip gloss and perfect eye makeup created an effect that almost caused Bruce Patman to walk into the gym door.

"Who was that?" he gasped.

"She just moved here from Mars," said Elizabeth, who'd witnessed his near accident. "We call her Wrecker Wilson."

"Boy, she can wreck me anytime," Bruce said. "Wow, what a beauty--awesome!"

Most of the school jocks turned out for cheerleader tryouts, including Bruce, and Robin went through the routine as if she'd done it a thousand times before. Not only was she picked at once, but she was made co-captain with a completely astounded Jessica Wakefield.

But Jessica wasn't the only one who was shocked.

"I can't deal with this," muttered Bruce Patman

to anyone who would listen. "That gorgeous girl is Robin Wilson!"

Elizabeth decided to interview Robin for
The Oracle,
as her new status as co-captain of the cheerleading squad had to be one of the school's hottest items in the past few weeks.

She asked her a number of questions, which Robin answered enthusiastically, with occasional bursts of cheerful laughter. It was the first time Elizabeth had heard her laugh in months.

Finally Elizabeth asked a question that was, as she told Robin, "off the record." "Well, how does it feel to shove it all down their throats?"

"Heavenly." Robin giggled, then she regained her composure. "Well--I don't care about them. Although, let me tell you, Liz, you haven't seen anything yet."

"You've got other surprises for us?"

Robin smiled. "I've got the biggest surprise of all. Just wait."

"I hope you're not going overboard, Robin."

"Don't worry, Liz. I've learned how to swim with sharks."

After that victorious afternoon, it seemed Robin regained some of her old friendliness, and Elizabeth was happy to find herself sitting together

with Robin and Enid outside under a tree one beautiful day, having lunch.

"At first I thought you really had set me up," Robin told Elizabeth. "I thought you must have known somebody was going to blackball me. I thought you just might be as rotten as your sister."

"Come on, Robin. Jessica isn't rotten."

Robin looked at her. "You're too much, Liz. You know that? You can't see rottenness in anybody! She's the one who blackballed me."

"Jessica? No!" Elizabeth couldn't bear for Robin to be so hurt, so disillusioned. "She was your friend!"

Robin laughed and shook her head. "Liz, don't try to protect her. I know it was Jessica. I decided after a lot of thinking that you couldn't have been in on it. I'm even starting to believe you don't understand that scheming sister of yours."

"Oh, but, Robin--"

"You just don't want to face up to what kind of person Jessica is. She and I were never really friends. I used to pretend to myself that we were because I wanted to believe it was really true. It must have given Jessica a few good laughs."

Little by little Elizabeth began to feel that she and Robin were becoming close friends. Somehow, through adversity, a strong bond of friendship had sprung up, grown, and deepened.

"I was so afraid," Robin confessed one day. "I needed to be accepted so much that I threw away my pride and self-respect. Believe me, it's never worth it."

"I tried to tell you that silly sorority wasn't worth it," said Elizabeth.

"I know you did. And you were right. But
you
were already in, Liz. Everything comes easy for you. You're bright, pretty, everyone likes you. You don't know what it's like to have troubles."

Remembering the recent past, Elizabeth had a difficult time keeping her mouth shut at that last remark.

Being Robin's new friend proved to be quite entertaining. Everywhere they went, Bruce Patman followed. Todd wasn't pleased to find him hanging around Elizabeth, but he could see it wasn't his girlfriend Bruce was interested in. Bruce simply couldn't keep away from the new cheerleader. He seemed to have completely forgotten that he once called her the

Queen Mary.
Everybody at Sweet Valley High, even Elizabeth, gradually forgot there had ever been a fat and ugly Robin. But Robin would always remember.

Thirteen

Elizabeth sat in the
Oracle
office trying to figure out what snappy news items she could include in her column. About the only important thing going on at Sweet Valley High was the approaching football grudge game against Palisades High. But that was news that the sports editor, John Pfeifer, handled.
This is impossible,
Elizabeth thought disgustedly.
Maybe I should give up journalism altogether and become a novelist instead.
She grimaced, remembering what had happened the day before.

She had been working at her desk in the
Oracle
office when Mr. Rollins strolled over and

handed her a letter. Her eyes widened when she saw the return address:
The Sweet Valley News.
In the corner was typed the name of the editor, Louis Westman. Elizabeth tore open the letter, her heart pounding. Finally, she prayed, acceptance of one of the articles she had mailed to the newspaper on a regular basis for months. As she scanned the words, her elation slowly deserted her.