Double Love (Sweet Valley High Series #1)

Chapter 1 "Okay, when did I get so hideous?" Jessica Wakefield groaned. She leaned in toward her bedroom mirror as her twin sister, Elizabeth, rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Liz, it's like somebody snuck into my room last night and whacked me with the ugly stick." "Yeah. That happened," Elizabeth said, digging through a pile of clothes on Jessica's bed. "I'm totally serious!" Jessica protested. "First of all, I gained, like, five pounds since last week-all in my hips and butt," she said, turning around and craning her neck to see her rear view in the mirror. Her perfect-size-four rear view. "And I hate my hair. I mean, that new shampoo I bought did none of the things it was supposed to do. I'm all split ends and frizz." "Uh-huh," Liz said disinterestedly. "Plus I've got a zit! A huge one! Look at this thing, Liz! It's the zit that ate Sweet Valley!" Jessica got right up in her sister's face. "You're right, Jess," Liz said flatly. "You're completely deformed. You should definitely stay home from school today." Jessica's face crumpled and she collapsed face-first on her unmade bed. "You suck." "What? I'm just agreeing with you." "Fine. Just leave me here to rot. I'm not fit for normal society." Elizabeth laughed and pulled her sister back up, maneuvering her in front of the mirror, where they stood side by side. With their shoulder-length blond hair, blue-green eyes, and perfect California tans, Elizabeth and Jessica were exact duplicates of one another, down to the tiny dimples in their left cheeks when they smiled. Each wore a gold lavaliere around her neck-matching presents from their parents on their sixteenth birthday last June. The only way anyone who didn't know them very well could tell them apart was by the tiny beauty mark on Elizabeth's right shoulder. Those who did know them well knew that Elizabeth's style was more sophisticated and preppy, while Jessica's was up-to-the-minute trendy. Plus Elizabeth always wore a watch, while Jessica did not. Time was never a problem for Jessica. She always felt that things didn't really start until she arrived. "Look at me," Elizabeth said to her twin, who did as she was told. "Now look at you." Jessica did. "If you're hideous, then I'm hideous too. Are you calling me hideous?" Jessica's brow knitted. "You're a freak, you know that?" "Yeah. A freak who can't find her new white sweater," Elizabeth said, returning to her search. "Where did you say you put it?" Jessica hadn't said. Because she'd worn it without asking and spilled marinara sauce down the front, then forgotten to wash it right away. The stain had set, and now the sweater was ruined beyond all hope. She was just opening her mouth to plead ignorance when the phone rang. "I got it!" she cried, grabbing the phone from her bedside table. "Hello?" She took the phone out into the hallway to avoid her sister's growing impatience. Why didn't the girl just give up already and wear something else? Liz could be so stubborn sometimes. "Hey, Liz? Or is this Jessica?" a boy's voice asked. "It's Jessica," she replied. Hmmm. A call from a guy before the first school bell had rung. Her day was looking up already. "Oh, hey, Jess. It's Todd." Todd Wilkins? Even better. Todd was one of the most coveted guys in school. Tall, dark, and yum. "Hey. What's up?" she asked, leaning back against the wall with a smile. Jessica had never really considered Todd before, but hey, if he was calling her, maybe he deserved a spare thought. Or two. "Not much. Is Liz there?" he asked. Instantly, the smile was gone. He was calling for Liz? The star wide receiver of the football team, captain of the basketball team, a shoo-inWilliam, Kate is the author of 'Double Love (Sweet Valley High Series #1)', published 2008 under ISBN 9780440422624 and ISBN 0440422620.