Her best friends of a year and a half blushed just as gratefully as they had the time Ali had recruited them to be her new clique. And Ali had a lot to thank them for, too. If they hadn’t been in her family’s backyard that day, right at that critical moment, things would be very different. Everyone at Rosewood had accepted Ali’s new group quickly, and the other girls’ popularity had skyrocketed. It was a win-win for everyone.
They’d had a lot of fun times. Like at her family’s mountain house in the Poconos. Or at the many parties they’d been invited to, holding court while all the other girls tried to impress them. Or that time last year when they’d skinny-dipped in Pecks Pond, the many sleepovers they’d had, the hundreds of hours of phone conversations and shopping trips and spa days. Ali had made these girls over. They’d gone from nothings to somethings, all because she was Alison DiLaurentis.
Of course, what they didn’t know was that she wasn’t Alison DiLaurentis. But Ali didn’t like to think about her past anymore. It was something she’d learned in group therapy a zillion years ago: If you think only positive thoughts, it will lead to a positive life. Her old existence as Courtney was gone.
She looked at Aria, who’d just picked up her knitting needles and a skein of pink mohair. “Are you making another bra?”
Aria nodded, then held up half of a C cup. “You like?”
Ali fingered the soft fabric. “You could seriously sell these at Saks.” Then she looked at Spencer, who was penciling something into her day planner’s calendar. “God, Spence, you have the best handwriting.”
Spencer brightened. “Thanks!”
Ali told Hanna the new sunglasses she’d bought from H&M were amazingly chic, and she tugged on Emily’s ponytail and said the boatneck T-shirt she was wearing really showed off her muscular shoulders. Paying the girls compliments felt good—not only because they complimented her back, but also because it drew them closer together. There was nothing in the world more powerful than a clique of girls who were honestly best friends—not just frenemies. It was something Ali had wished for all her life.
All the same, Ali couldn’t resist asserting that she was just slightly better than the rest of them. She pulled out her cell phone, looked at the screen, and mustered a laugh. “Cassie sent me the funniest text earlier,” she said, referring to Cassie Buckley, a girl on the JV field hockey team with Ali. “She’s so hilarious.”
“You’re still hanging out with her?” Emily sounded wounded. “Field hockey’s been over for months.”
“We got pretty tight,” Ali said breezily. “In fact, I’m hanging with Cassie and a few other girls from the team this afternoon.”
There was a pregnant pause. Ali peeked at her friends, satisfied by their worried, intimidated expressions. She knew they wanted her to invite them along, but excluding them was the whole point. It wasn’t to be mean, exactly. It reminded her of what Spencer’s labradoodles, Rufus and Beatrice, did in the Hastingses’ backyard: They would play for a while, and then Rufus would climb on top of Beatrice and pin her down to remind her who was the alpha.
“Hey,” Spencer said after a moment. “We need to figure out what we’re doing for the end-of-seventh-grade sleepover. If you don’t already have plans that night, Ali.” Her tone was light, but she gave Ali a cautious look.
“Please say you don’t have plans!” Emily said anxiously.
“I wouldn’t miss our sleepover.” Ali looked at Spencer. “What if we had it in your barn?” The Hastings family had an old barn in their backyard that they’d converted into a gorgeous apartment for Spencer’s older sister, Melissa. With its lofty ceilings, enormous closet, and marble bathroom complete with a soaking tub, it was the ultimate bachelorette pad.
Spencer twisted her mouth. “Not unless we want Melissa playing truth or dare with us.”
Ali rolled her eyes. “Kick her out for the night! It would be perfect, don’t you think? We could set up sleeping bags in that big main room, watch movies on the flat-screen, maybe even invite some boys . . .” Her eyes sparkled.
“Like Sean Ackard?” Hanna asked excitedly.
“Noel Kahn?” Aria braved a smile.
Spencer picked at her nails. “What if we had it in your backyard instead, Ali?”
Ali made a face. “Have you forgotten about the gazebo we’re building? My backyard is a disaster area.” Then she laid her head on Spencer’s shoulder. “Please ask Melissa? I’ll be your best friend.”
Spencer sighed, but Ali knew she was considering it. That was the power she had over all of them. They would do anything for her, even things they didn’t want to.
Just like she had done for her sister, all those years ago.