Forgotten: Seventeen and Homeless (16 page)

"Yes," Isabella declares on my behalf. "Check out those red soles. They're the real deal. I already tried them on and they're delicious."

"I'd like to check them out." Bristol nods at me like she expects me to stick my foot up in the air. Perhaps in her face, which I wouldn't mind doing just now. Instead, I simply force a very stiff smile.

"Well?" she says, like she's waiting for me to do something.

"Let's see the soles of your shoes, Adele."

I gracefully raise my foot to reveal the red sole beneath the pretty shoe and then, feeling worried, quickly put it back down.

"Let's see that shoe again." Bristol clicks on the overhead light, which really brightens the interior of the limo.

"Man, Bristol." Jayden frowns at her. "You need to get out more, girl."

"I just want a better look," Bristol says in a cheery voice. "You know how we girls are about shoes."

Hoping to get this over with, since it looks like we're almost to the hotel, I lift my foot again. Only this time, Bristol actually grabs my ankle, lifting the shoe to expose the red sole better. And then she laughs. "Just as I suspected."

"What?" I stare at her as she drops my foot so it lands with a dull thud.

"Fake." She nods with satisfaction as the limo pulls in front of the hotel. "Just like you."

"Bristol!" Isabella shakes a finger at her. "Don't act like such a-

"Sorry." Bristol makes an innocent face. "But I just have a serious problem with fakes."

"What do you mean?" Isabella demands. "Adele is not a fake."

"Oh yes, she is, and I can prove it." Bristol's eyes are locked on me now. In fact, everyone's eyes seem to be on me. I wish we could just get out of this car and get on with the dance and forget any of this happened, but it's like a bad dream that refuses to end.

"Knock it off, Bristol," Jayden firmly tells her. "No one is amused."

"I'm surprised at you." She turns to Jayden. "You of all people ... I thought you hated fakes even more than I do."

"Adele is not a fake." He reaches for my hand. "Let's go."

"Wait a minute," Bristol says. "At least you can hear the truth."

"From you?" Jayden frowns at Bristol.

"Then hear it from Adele." Bristol points her finger at me. "Why don't you just tell everyone what's really going on with you. Admit that your mom isn't sick and in the hospital. Tell us all about how your mom lost her job and how you guys got evicted from your condo and how you've been just playing all of us for a bunch of fools."

"Bristol Louise Allen," exclaims Isabella, "you have totally lost your mind."

"You seriously need to get over yourself, Bristol," Ethan adds. "This is not funny."

"And quit picking on Adele." Jayden is tugging on my hand now, trying to get me to stand up and exit the limo with him, but it's like I'm stuck to the leather seat, like my legs won't move.

"Don't let her get to you," Isabella tells me. "We should've known she'd pull a stunt like this."

Bristol just shrugs. "Hey, sometimes the truth hurts. But you don't have to shoot the messenger."

"You're totally nuts, Bristol." Jayden shakes his head as he pulls on my hand again. Somehow I manage to stand and get out of the limo with him helping to steady me. But my legs feel like rubber as Jayden guides me into the hotel. And then the beef medallions I just had for dinner begin doing somersaults in my stomach. So much so I'm afraid I might actually hurl all over the beautiful Oriental carpet of the posh hotel lobby.

"Excuse me," I say to Jayden. "I need to visit the ladies' room." He nods and I rush off in search of a bathroom or any place I can hide and attempt to figure this thing out. Part of me just wants to confess everything-get it out in the open and over with, admit that Bristol is right, and accept the consequences. Another part of me wants to stand up to Bristol and deny everything. And I almost think I could make it seem like she's really the devil in disguise by picking on a girl whose mother is possibly dying right now. And yet another part of me wants to play the kicked dog, tuck my tail between my legs, and just tear out of this place.

"Are you okay?" Isabella asks as she finds me in the ladies' room where I'm standing in front of a sink just staring at my image in the mirror, wondering who am I and how did I get here?

I shake my head, blinking to hold back the tears.

"I don't understand Bristol." Isabella puts a hand on my shoulder. "For a while she was being so nice, just like she used to be. Then totally out of the blue she launches this major attack on you. It's seriously deranged. I honestly think Bristol is losing it."

I press my lips together and nod. I have no words. No defense. No answers.

"I feel so bad that we even let her come with us," Isabella continues. "And I really don't know why she's acting like-"

"I'll tell you why Bristol is acting like this." Bristol is directly behind me now. I never even saw her come in. "Because Bristol is telling the truth."

Now Lily is behind Bristol too. All of us are looking at our reflections in the mirror. Four girls, dressed for a dance. It should've been such a delightful evening ... but it's all gone sideways.

"Isabella," Lily says, "you'd better listen to Bristol."

"Why?" Isabella's forehead creases.

"Because she is telling the truth."

"Oh, Lily!" Isabella looks angry. "I cannot believe you'd take Bristol's side. This was supposed to be such a fun evening, and it's like you're determined to ruin everything. Honestly, what is wrong with you?"

"Listen to me." Lily puts both hands on Isabella's shoulders. "I was with Bristol when she went to Westwood Heights this afternoon to get to the bottom of this. I witnessed her talking to

"What?" Isabella looks stunned. "What on earth are you guys doing snooping around like that? It's like I don't even know you two.

"Listen!" Lily says again. "I'll admit I was skeptical when Bristol asked me to drive her to Adele's house, but then I saw and heard it all for myself. Bristol actually talked to the manager there, and unless he is lying, which is ridiculous, what Bristol is telling you about Adele and her mom is true."

"Why are you sneaking around asking questions about Adele in the first place?" Isabella points her finger at Bristol. "Just because Jayden likes her instead of you? I am so sick of it. Why can't you just get over your obsession? Instead you have to spoil everything for everyone!"

"It's not like that." Bristol shakes her head. "I swear! It's just that nothing made sense. First Lindsey Nelson talking about how Adele was spending all this time at the public library. Then I saw Adele getting into this weird-looking black van and-"

"What?" Isabella looks thoroughly confused.

"So I decided to visit Adele at the condo. And that's when I saw an eviction notice on their door."

"I don't believe it," Isabella declares.

Its true," Lily tells her. "I saw it myself."

"Maybe you were at the wrong condo," Isabella says with a slight waver in her voice, tossing me a worried glance like she is starting to buy into this. And why shouldn't she?

"I thought so too," Bristol says. "And I was concerned. So Lily and I went to the manager's office, and he told us that Adele and her mom had been evicted a couple of weeks ago for not paying their rent."

Isabella looks truly shocked now. As do the two girls who just came in here to check their lip gloss but quickly left after Bristol gave them one of her looks.

"And I checked all the local hospitals," Bristol continues. "Adele's mother isn't in any of them. And she never was. All of it, everything that Adele told us, was a complete and total lie."

I want to defend myself but don't even know where to begin. I consider questioning why a hospital would give out information about a patient, but knowing Bristol, I'm sure she has her ways. Besides, what difference does it make now? Really, most of what she's saying is the truth. And more than ever, I know the truth hurts.

"So all this while," Bristol continues in a calm but deadly tone, "Adele has been playing on our sympathies. She's carried out this act- that her poor sick mother is on the verge of death. Consequently, we've all been supportive and sweet to her. Just swallowing up all of her poisoned lies like candy. But the truth is, she and her mom really were evicted for not paying their bills."

"Not only that," Lily chimes in, "but the manager said that Adele's mom was a drug dealer too."

"That's a lie," I say in a raspy voice.

"That's exactly what the manager told us," Bristol says to me. "He also said that you and your mom left the place in a big mess and that there was drug paraphernalia all over and that he's already informed the police."

"That's right," Lily declares. "I heard it myself." She turns to Isabella and puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I feel used, Isabella. And I do not like being lied to. It makes me feel dirty just knowing someone like Adele Porter claimed to be our friend. I can just imagine how she probably laughed behind our backs as she pulled this whole thing over on us."

"I can't believe how we fell for her tricks and trusted her," Bristol says coldly. "I thought we were smarter than that."

"And have you considered how this could impact our college acceptances?" Lily asks Isabella. "Or how your college board would react if they knew you were friends with a con artist?"

"Or a drug dealer?" Bristol adds. "For all we know, Adele and her mom might've hoped to make us into their drug clients. They obviously knew we could afford it."

I want to die right now. I wish the white marble floor would crack open and just swallow me whole. I wouldn't fight or complain.

Isabella turns to me with a pained look, like I have intentionally hurt her. "Is this true?"

"It's not like she's painting it," I say weakly.

`Is it true?" Isabella demands. "Have you been lying to all of us? After we welcomed you into our circle of friends, have you simply been using us? Pretending to be someone you're not?"

"You don't understand. It's hard to explain, but if you'll just listen-"

"We're sick of listening to your lies," Bristol tells me, then she points down to my feet. "You're a fake, Adele Porter. Just like your shoes."

he expression on Isabella's face was enough to convince me it's over. Her hurt and disappointment were the final twist to the knife Bristol had stuck into my back. And I knew that my short-lived stint as one of them was over. So without saying a word, I turned away and walked out of the bathroom, out of the hotel, and I just kept on going.