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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Pascal Letter
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Also by Francine Pascal
Copyright
Dear Reader,
The minute I came up with the idea of Sweet Valley High, now thirty years ago, I knew it was perfect. But I knew it needed something else. And that something else was girl power. Unlike the Sleeping Beauty version of romance novels, where the heroine has to wait for the wake-up kiss, in my series the girls would drive the action. And there would be two of them; the good and the bad in all of us.
After that all I needed were the stories. With my three daughters and my own teenage years to draw on, I had endless possibilities. I started with a bible where I developed the characters, the school, and the town, and then began writing the stories for first twelve books, and then twelve more and more and more until I had written 144 stories. And then with the help of other writers, they became the 144 books of the Sweet Valley High series, which more than 100 million fans have loved.
And now it’s all back as e-books for a whole new generation of teenagers who want to lose themselves in the world of Sweet Valley, the fantasy of the eighties, and the best high school no one ever went to.
And for the grown women who want to look back at the love of their high school lives and revel in the nostalgia of life with the most incredible twins, read away.
Sincerely,
Francine Pascal
To Taryn Rebecca Adler
One
“I’ll just die if I can’t go!”
Jessica Wakefield cast her tearful, aqua-eyed gaze about the dinner table. Her lower lip trembled. She paused for dramatic effect, then added, “I’ve been absolutely aching to go to New York City, and this is probably the only chance I’ll ever get!”
“That’s funny,” observed her twin sister, Elizabeth. “I’ve never heard you mention it until recently. This sudden craving didn’t happen to come on when Dad got Mr. Devlin’s phone call, did it?”
The call from their father’s old college roommate had caused more upheaval in the Wakefield house than an earthquake. Tom Devlin was a diplomat, and his family had homes in Paris, London, and New York. Currently they were staying in their New York City apartment. His daughter, Suzanne, was sixteen, exactly the same age as the twins. Since she’d always wanted to visit California, Mr. Devlin had suggested an exchange for the spring break—Suzanne would fly out to Sweet Valley, and either Jessica or Elizabeth would visit the Devlins. The problem, of course, was which one?
At first, both the twins had been torn between a trip to New York and the opportunity to play hostess to glamorous, sophisticated Suzanne. But finally the lure of the big city had won out. For Jessica at least.
Mr. Wakefield shook his head. “I can see this isn’t going to be easy.” He reached for the salad bowl. “I wish I could afford to send both of you girls, but with college coming up in another year, I think the sensible thing to do is put the money aside.”
“I don’t have to go to college. I could earn a living as a Gypsy fortune-teller instead,” Jessica offered in desperation.
Elizabeth giggled. “I can just picture it. Every time you saw a tall, dark, handsome man in your crystal ball, you’d want him for yourself.”
“Maybe you two could start your own comedy act,” suggested the twins’ nineteen-year-old brother, Steven, who was home from college for the weekend. His dark eyes twinkled. “Like the Smothers Brothers.”
“Very funny.” Jessica sniffed. “Anyway, if I don’t get to go to New York, I’ll be too brokenhearted to go to college. I’ll probably just sit home and waste away to nothing.” She crammed a huge forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.
Elizabeth took a more sensible approach. “You could flip a coin,” she suggested to her father. “You know, like you used to do when we were little and we both wanted something there was only one of. You remember the time you won that doll at the fair and Jessica—”
“Yeah, Dad gave it to me and then felt so sorry for you he went out and bought you an ever better one,” Jessica finished, frowning at the memory.
But this wasn’t some dumb doll, Jessica thought. This was a trip to the most exciting city in the world. She had to go—somehow. If flipping a coin didn’t win her the opportunity, she’d find another way. And when it came to getting what she wanted, few things ever stood in Jessica’s path.
Her mind drifted. She imagined herself whirling breathlessly beneath the flashing lights of some impossibly chic Manhattan disco. Suddenly a hand touches her arm. She turns. “Pardon me,” Mick Jagger says, “I believe this next dance is mine.”
Or she would be strolling through the glittering aisles of Tiffany’s, and the owner would rush up to her, holding out a priceless emerald necklace. “It’s made for you, my dear,” he says. “Look how the jewels match your eyes.” He waves aside her protests that she can’t afford such an expensive necklace. “No, you must consider it a gift. It’s payment enough for me just to see you wearing it.”
She might even be discovered by one of the top modeling agencies. She could become the next Cheryl Tiegs. Within a few weeks, her face would be on the cover of Cosmopolitan. Jessica felt a tingle of electric excitement trace its way up her spine. She had to go—she simply had to.
“Yeah, Dad, why don’t you flip a coin,” Steven was saying. “A nice clean kill so we don’t have to listen to these two squabbling about it for the next century.”
“Why, Steve, I don’t know what you could possibly mean,” Jessica purred. “Liz and I almost never argue. No one could ask for a sweeter, more generous sister.”
“Forget it, Jess,” Elizabeth cut in. “I’m not that generous, in case you’re getting any ideas. I still think the best solution is for Dad to flip a coin. At least that way no one can say it wasn’t fair.”
“I second the motion,” Mrs. Wakefield put in. “Ned, you’d better flip a coin before this conversation goes any further.”
With her trim, youthful good looks, Alice Wakefield could almost have passed for the twins’ older sister. Elizabeth and Jessica had inherited their sunshine-blond hair and blue-green eyes from her. The two girls looked exactly alike—each even had a dimple in her left cheek when she smiled. But that was where the similarity ended. While Elizabeth was fairness personified, Jessica prided herself on being clever and devious. Steven was more like Elizabeth, although he looked like a carbon copy of their tall, dark-haired, athletic father.
Mr. Wakefield dug into his pocket for a quarter. “Sounds like a good idea,” he said. “Besides, I don’t hear anyone coming up with a better one.”
Their father was so infuriatingly fair, Jessica thought. She supposed it must come from being a lawyer. Why couldn’t he be unfair for a change? Unfair to Elizabeth, that is.
“We could take turns,” Jessica said hopefully. “I’ll go this
time, and Liz can go next.”
Elizabeth reached over and gave her sister a playful swat.
Mr. Wakefield balanced the quarter on the back of his thumb. “Anyone for heads?”
“Tails,” Jessica spoke out. Taking the different route had always been her trademark.
“Guess that leaves me with heads,” Elizabeth said. The truth was, she didn’t feel nearly so anxious as Jessica obviously did.
Jessica covered her eyes. “Oh, God, the suspense is killing me! I can’t watch!”
It had to be tails. Jessica imagined how jealous her friends would be when she told them. The Devlins were rich. They probably lived in a penthouse on Park Avenue. She would eat at the fanciest restaurants, drive around in limousines, meet fabulously wealthy men.…
“Heads,” Mr. Wakefield announced.
Jessica’s eyes flew open. It couldn’t be! Maybe she hadn’t heard right. But one look at her sister’s happy face and she knew it was true. Jessica burst into tears.
Elizabeth placed a compassionate arm about her sister’s quivering shoulders. “I’m sorry, Jess. Really I am. I wish there were some way we could both go. But, listen, I’m sure there’ll be other chances.”
“Never!” Jessica sobbed. “I’ll probably never set foot out of this dumb town for the next hundred and thirty-seven years!”
“Come on, Jess, you’re exaggerating.”
But Elizabeth’s attempt to comfort her twin was greeted only by a fresh outburst of wailing. Jessica wasn’t about to be consoled.
* * *
“You can wear my new culottes while I’m gone if you like,” Elizabeth offered as she was getting ready for bed. “They look better on you anyway.”
Jessica, who was lying face down on Elizabeth’s bed, unburied a blotchy, mournful face. “Bribery will get you nowhere.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Look, it’s not as though I cheated or anything. It could just as easily have been you.”
“The point is,” Jessica said, sniffing, “it wasn’t me.”
“OK, but I was only trying to make you feel better.”
“Somehow a pair of culottes doesn’t exactly compare with a trip to New York.”
“Oh, come on, it won’t be so bad here. What about the class picnic? And you won’t have to miss Lila’s big birthday bash at the country club, either. At least you won’t be sitting around with nothing to do.”
As for herself, Elizabeth wasn’t sorry to be missing Lila Fowler’s party. The Fowlers, especially Lila, were snobs in her opinion, though for once they’d done the fair thing and invited the whole junior class instead of just a popular few. She was sorry that she wouldn’t be able to go to the picnic, though. She had been looking forward to it. In fact, she was supposed to write an article about it for The Oracle, Sweet Valley High’s newspaper. Elizabeth was one of the school’s best journalists, as well as the author of The Oracle’s “Eyes and Ears” gossip column. Now someone else would have to take over the picnic assignment. She frowned. That was only one of the things she’d be missing while she was in New York.
Jessica could see that Elizabeth was having second thoughts, and she felt her hopes rise. Maybe there was still a way.…
“You’re right, Liz,” she said. “I guess I am being pretty babyish about all this. I really am looking forward to Lila’s party.” Jessica’s aquamarine eyes sparkled with devilish intent. “Too bad you’ll have to miss it, though. Poor Todd—I guess he’ll end up going by himself.”
Elizabeth thought about how much she’d miss her boyfriend. Two weeks away from him would seem like forever. “I hope he won’t be too lonely,” she said, biting her lip.
“Oh, I’m sure he won’t be for long,” Jessica reassured her worried sister. “Todd’s too good-looking for that.”
Elizabeth frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, you probably have nothing to worry about. It’s just that—” she hesitated—“well, I really shouldn’t be telling you this, since it’s supposed to be a secret and all…”
“What?” Elizabeth practically shrieked.
“Well, the thing is Lila has always had this sort of, uh, crush on Todd.”
“Lila? Are you sure?”
“Positive. She told me so herself. She said that if you were ever out of the picture—well, she just didn’t know how she could control herself around Todd. Oh, but I’m sure nothing would come of it—even though Lila is a knockout. Todd loves you.”
Lila was pretty, all right, Elizabeth thought. Pretty enough to tempt even the most faithful of boyfriends. She was rich, too. Though, of course, Todd wouldn’t … would he?
“I’m not worried,” Elizabeth lied.
“No reason to be. Like I said, I’m sure nothing will come of it.” Jessica got up to examine her reflection in the mirror. “It’s just that you know how determined Lila can be when she wants something.”
“Sounds like somebody else I know,” Elizabeth observed dryly.
Jessica pretended not to hear. “She’s a horrible flirt. She’s always bragging that she hasn’t come across any boy yet who’s been able to resist her.”
“No one could ever accuse Lila of being humble, that’s for sure.”
Jessica picked up Elizabeth’s brush and ran it through her hair, pretending to be nonchalant. “Besides, even if she did get somewhere with Todd, I’m sure it wouldn’t last. He’s not really her type.”
“Gee, Jess, you really know how to put a person at ease,” Elizabeth remarked sarcastically. “What do you expect me to do about it anyway?”
“You could always stick around to keep Lila from getting any ideas,” Jessica suggested sweetly.
“I think I’m beginning to get the picture.”
Jessica whirled to face her sister. “Don’t you see, Liz? You’d be doing yourself a big favor by letting me go to New York in your place.”
“I don’t believe this!”
“OK, but if you think I’m making up what Lila said, you can ask Cara. She was there, too.”
Elizabeth sank down on the bed and groaned. “Why do I have the feeling I’m being talked out of going on this trip?”
Jessica sprinted across the room to throw her arms around her sister. “Oh, Liz, I’ll never forget this! You’re the dearest, sweetest, most adorable sister in the whole universe!”
“Wait a minute, I never said—”
But Jessica wasn’t listening. She was already streaking downstairs, singing out, “Guess what, everybody? Liz offered to let me go to New York in her place. Isn’t that the most generous thing you ever heard?”
Two
“I still can’t believe it!” Jessica cried. “Oh, Liz, it’s like a dream come true. I’m so excited I could faint!”
“Don’t you dare faint on me now,” Elizabeth warned. “I couldn’t carry one single thing more.”
Buried under the mound of carry-on luggage she was holding for Jessica, Elizabeth managed a breathless little laugh. Their parents and Steven, who was home from college on mid-semester break, had gone off to see about Suzanne’s plane, which would be arriving soon after Jessica’s took off, if all went according to schedule. Jessica took one last look at her makeup in a pocket-size mirror.
Satisfied, she slipped the mirror back into her purse and sighed. “I really do wish you were coming, Liz. Honestly, it’s not going to be the same without you.” For a change, she was being sincere.
“Thanks, Jess, but actually it’s better this way. You know I’ve never been all that crazy about big-city life. Besides, we don’t even know the Devlins. I’d feel funny staying with perfect strangers.”
A tiny frown creased Jessica’s forehead. “Well, I happen to adore big cities,” she stated defensively. “If you want to be stuck in this crummy little cowpatch for the rest of your life, it’s OK by me, but I intend to live it up while I’m still young enough to enjoy it. Big Apple, here I come!”
Elizabeth couldn’t resist a smile at her sister’s enthusiasm. “I can see
you’re ready for New York. The question is, is New York ready for you? Just don’t get too carried away, OK?”
“Who, me?” Jessica cast her sister a look of utter innocence. “When was the last time I got too carried away?”
“When was the last time you didn’t?”
Jessica tried hard to hold her frown, but it dissolved in a sputter of laughter. “How come if we’re identical twins you don’t have my sense of adventure?”
“Don’t worry,” Elizabeth said. “I plan to have a few adventures of my own while you’re away. You may have New York, but remember, I have Todd.”
Jessica’s eyes took on a faraway, dreamy look. “I hear there are tons of exciting men in New York. Lila was there last summer, and she said they were everywhere.”
“Just watch out,” Elizabeth said, deadpan. “One of them might try to snatch your purse.”
Jessica socked her sister’s arm in mock outrage. “You’re just jealous because you’re not going.”
Elizabeth thought for a moment before answering. “You know something? I’m really not. Otherwise, I never would have let you wangle me into trading places. I may be nice, but not that nice. If I’d really wanted to go, nothing could have made me change my mind.”
It was the truth. After thinking it over this past week, Elizabeth decided she was satisfied with the arrangement. As far as vacation went, her sense of adventure and fun was far different from Jessica’s. She would have preferred to go mountain climbing in the Sierras or rafting down the Colorado River. Then there was the Oracle article. Besides, Lila or no Lila, she really would have missed Todd. They’d made plans to spend a lot of time together over the school break, and Elizabeth would have hated to miss that. No, it was better this way. Let Jessica have the glamour and glitter of New York. Knowing Jessica, she would make the most of it in a way few people could match.
“All set!” Mr. Wakefield called out as he made his way toward the twins across the crowded terminal.
Mrs. Wakefield filled them in on the details. “Suzanne’s plane is due in half an hour. It’s too bad you won’t get to meet her, Jess, but your plane is going to be boarding any minute. We’d better get down to the gate if you don’t want to miss it.”
Too Good to Be True Page 1
