Posing as Popular | On Hold

Chapter 8

It was a little easier to go back to school the next day knowing that Adrianna really didn't know anything that could destroy Lydia's career, but not much. After all, there was still someone in the inner crowd who were not who they said they were. And Lydia wanted to find out who.

"Hey Adrianna," Lydia said calmly as the tall, lanky girl sat down beside her. Adrianna winked. Lydia realized she still never figured out what Adrianna meant the day before, so she decided to ask.

"Oh, that?" Adrianna said dismissively. "You're the girl who nearly killed Chaise."

Lydia sighed.

"You mean when I almost crashed into her?"

"You could've killed her," Adrianna insisted.

"Adrianna, don't be obnoxious," Mei said in a teasing tone, but it shut Adrianna up anyways.

"Hey girls, hey Cara." Chaise sat down across the table. "Thanks for the barrette Cara," she added.

"You look great," Lydia assured her.

"No she doesn't," Jess snickered, glaring at Lydia, who shrunk back, making a mental note to keep tabs on Jess.

"Whatever," Chaise huffed.

"Hi Cara." Willow sat down next to her. "You look nice too."

"Uh, thanks Willow," Lydia said nervously. Willow patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't take their threats seriously. They're just not used to newcomers."

"Oh, um, okay," Lydia replied, scooting away from Willow a little bit. Willow laughed and dug into her salad.

"Want to come over after school today? I need someone new to hang out with."

"Uh, um, I'll have to ask my, uh, mom, but if she says yes, sure," Lydia said with a bright smile. She'd made a new friend!

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Lydia was standing on the doorstep of Willow's townhouse at four o'clock sharp after school that day. She carefully hit the doorbell, then jerked her hand backwards instinctively.

"Hi!" Willow threw open the door and Lydia jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"Wow, uh, you scared me," she said jokingly as she followed Willow inside.

"Have a seat," Willow said cheerfully. "I'll get us snacks."

As Willow bustled around the kitchen, Lydia took the opportunity to get a good look at her. She was basically the opposite of Lydia, or any of the other spies she'd seen. Willow was short, thin, and looked like she couldn't even pull her own weight. Speaking of which, her fingernails were perfectly filed and manicured, finishing off the look. Her face looked somewhat familiar, framed in wispy, blond hair. Had she gotten celebrity plastic surgery, maybe? Lydia was jolted back to the present when a shriek rang through the halls and a toddler wearing a poofy designer dress bounced into the room.

"Whitney!" The toddler cried, clinging onto her leg. Willow shook her leg and the girl fell backwards onto the ground. She smiled apologetically at Lydia as she picked up the girl.

"Callie, I told you to stay in your room when I have guests, remember?" She set Callie back down on the floor. "And it's Willow not Whitney. Now go find Ali, I'm sure she has something for you to play with."

Willow set a plate of chips down in front of Lydia as Callie dashed back out of the room.

"That's my foster sister, Callie. Ali's my foster mother, I moved just last year."

"Wow," was all Lydia could say.

"I know, right?" Willow laughed. "So Cara, what's your family like?"

"Oh, well, my parents divorced last year," Lydia fibbed. "My step-mother and I are really close, though, so sometimes I call her mom."

"That's nice." Willow nodded just as Lydia's phone beeped. She checked her text messages. Agent Sierra had sent a clip of the song "Come Home" by OneRepublic.

MOM: Hope you like the song!

"Willow, I've got to go home, my mom, uh, step-mother needs me," Lydia corrected herself.

"Oh." Willow looked disappointed. "Come over tomorrow?"

"Maybe." Lydia managed a smile as she hurriedly got her things together. "See ya!"