Betrayal

“What do you think happened to Olivia?”

“Besides someone stabbing her, you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” Taylor said, trying to conceal her a

Bria

Keep calm. She’s a twit. A rich twit. A traumatized twit.

“Without thinking?” Taylor asked. “What happened to Olivia was either random or intentional. In any case, whoever did it will get caught and go to prison. I just want to know who did it. Beth is my friend. I care about her, and this has really hurt her too.”

“I’m the one that this mess has hurt. Olivia and I were tight. I adored her. I wanted to spend Christmas with her in London.”

“Hey, Baby.”

Taylor turned to find Drew practically leapfrogging over her to get to Bria

“Hi, Drew,” Taylor said.

He ignored her. “Cops keep bugging me for another interview,” he said to Bria

Bria

“I guess not,” Drew said, sticking his finger in Bria

If she licks it, I’m going to hurl, Taylor thought.

Which, of course, is exactly what Bria

“Hey guys, nice talking to you,” Taylor said, backing away, wishing there was antibacterial spray for the brain so she could forget the last couple of minutes.

WITH DREW GONE OFF TO CLASS and the bevy of curiosity seekers and fake friends dissipated, Bria

Bria

Sure, she was enjoying all the attention of Olivia’s death, but at the end of the day, all this left her with was Drew (who was fun, but not exactly a life partner), her good-for-nothing parents, and even worse, her nicey-nicey stepmother. Her dad and stepmom had cut their cruise short, which out of everything that happened, provided the biggest ray of sunshine.

Serves them right, she thought. They are so selfish.

When it came to her mother, Brandy, Bria

“Robby has made other plans, Honey. I just can’t get over to the peninsula this weekend after all. Rain check. You understand, sweetie.”

When Bria

“Honey, forgive me. Robby’s sick and is being a big baby. I have to spend all weekend taking care of him. I love you. Rain check.”

Bria

“Flight 253 service to Miami boarding now at B-8.”

It wasn’t Robby who had screwed things up and continued to keep them apart. It was her mother.

After that, Bria

“My mom got me this cool top from Saks in Bellevue,” she’d lie to friends, when, in fact, Bria

“My mom is taking me to Italy in August. I’m so lucky,” she’d tell teachers when they asked about her summer plans. The following fall she’d be back in school with an expensive Italian leather purse.

“My mom and I saw it in a shop in Milan and she just had to get it for me.”

It was only a half-truth. Her mother did buy it in Milan, but she was there with Robby and had shipped the package to Bria

Every time she carried the soft Italian leather bag, she’d say “Ciao,” explaining, “It’s something my mom and I got into when we were in Florence. It felt so right there and, well, I just love the way it sounds.”

Bria

“She’s always getting mistaken for Demi Moore, you know,” she once told a group of girls hanging around Pretzel Time at the mall. “She’s the prettiest mom in the world. I’m so lucky that I favor her side

of the family. What a total relief! If I looked like my dad’s side of the family, I’d kill myself right here and now.”

When she had called her mom about Olivia’s murder, Brandy had said she’d be right there. A few minutes later, Bria

HONEY, CAN’T MAKE THE BOAT. MISSED THE LAST CROSSING. LUV U.

Bria

While A

OKAY. I’LL BE FINE. DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME.

Her dad, Brian, for whom she was named, wasn’t much better than her mom. She loved him, but she hated Shelley, her stepmother, whom her dad always seemed to put first. She wondered if Shelley was good for him or merely better than nothing. Bria

Bria