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  “Because we don’t trust you!” blurted Lili, her face red. “You’re not really one of us yet, however much you suck up to Ashley.”

  Lauren’s eyes filled with tears.

  “I trusted you,” said Ashley defiantly. “I told them that you were on our side. It was Lili’s idea for us to trick you. Don’t even try to deny it, Lil!”

  “I’m not denying anything.” Lili linked her arm through A. A.’s. “I know who my real friends are. And I’m tired of buying shoes and bags just because you say we have to!”

  “Lauren?” A. A. said again. “Me or Ashley?”

  Lauren brushed her tears away with the back of her hand.

  “I’m really sorry that we didn’t tell you about Congé,” Ashley said quickly. “A. A. and Lili talked me into it. Ask A. A. yourself if you don’t believe me.”

  A. A. rolled her eyes.

  “I didn’t talk you into anything,” she said. “We ALL agreed about lying to Lauren. Lili and I just explained the facts to you and—”

  “So it was you and Lili?” Lauren interrupted. She looked shocked, as though someone had slapped her across the face. “It wasn’t Ashley’s idea?”

  “Well—no, I guess,” A. A. had to admit. One thing she wasn’t, and that was a liar.

  “Then I choose Ashley,” said Lauren, and moved to stand next to her. The four girls—two on one side, two on another—stared at one another as if from across a great divide. The sides had been chosen. A line in the sand had been drawn. It was two against two. United they stood, divided they fell.

  And that was that, thought A. A.—the end of the Ashleys.

  EPILOGUES

  Dear Diary,

  I never thought I’d write this, but . . . I’m BFFs with Ashley Spencer. How weird is that? She’s actually not as bad as you’d think. Sure, she’s kind of bossy and a drama queen, and keeps telling me what to buy and how to wear it, and she won’t shut up for a second about her love life. But the other day she totally cracked me up by making milk come out of her nose.

  Still, it’s a lot of pressure. When we walk into school together, everyone stops and stares. The S. Society is yesterday’s news. Losing Congé and the bet really took the air out of their push-up bras. All anyone can talk about at Miss Gamble’s these days is the Ashleys breakup. They can’t believe it. As for me, I can’t believe that Ashley and I are still friends.

  Christian says I’m insane, and maybe he’s right. Who’d have thought that the Ashleys would fall but that Ashley would still be standing? And that I’d be standing right next to her?

  Lili and A. A. are not speaking to me at all, which is funny because they were always much friendlier than Ashley to me. It’s like a parallel universe.

  Who knows—maybe it’s a dream? When we get back from spring break I’ll wake up and discover I’m still plain, frumpy, poor, and friendless.

  I hope not! Stay tuned for more craziness.

  Lauren Page

  MEMO: FILE: DIARY: ALIOTO, ASHLEY

  I’M IN BLISS. TRI IS A DOLL. LIFE AFTER ASHLEY IS STRESS FREE. JUST 1 DARK CLOUD. MOM SAYS WEDDING TO MARTY IS A GO. DOES THIS MEAN MOVING TO LA-LA LAND?

  HOW DO I TELL TRI?

  Hello? HELLO? Ashley here, reporting from the front lines of the war zone. I’m under attack on all sides, as usual. But I’m sure I’ll come out the winner. I’m still Ashley Spencer, aren’t I?

  A. A. and Lili will have to give in sooner or later. They’ll come crawling back. Without me, they’re not the Ashleys. They’re just two girls with a lot of clothes and no idea how to accessorize.

  In the meantime, while I’m waiting for them to beg for forgiveness, I guess I’ll hang with Lauren. She seems okay. She’s practically an Ashley, and at least she didn’t jump ship and race off with the S. Society when all the other rats were abandoning me. Her family is taking me with them on their trip to St. Barts over break. Her dad just bought a sweet yacht.

  Speaking of ships, I can’t stop thinking of Cooper in his hot uniform. I told him I’d love to be his cruise director. I’d be great at telling everyone on an ocean liner what to do. After all, I’ve seen Titanic a dozen times.

  Later, skaters!

  Ashley

  JOURNAL.DOC

  This has been a very disturbing week. Now Max is an ex-preppie, and I’m an ex-Ashley. Hard to comprehend. It feels like I’ve been an Ashley all my life—literally.

  I’ve often wondered what not being friends with Ashley would be like. And now I know.

  Life’s a little dull, I have to say. A. A. is great, but she’s really preoccupied with her romance with Tri, plus she’s obsessing over her mother getting married again. I’m not allowed to talk to Lauren. And Ashley is strictly off-limits.

  Weird, but I kind of miss her. Who would have thought??

  Yours in confusion,

  Lili

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thanks again to the fabulous Team Ashleys: Emily Meehan, Courtney Bongiolatti, Carolyn Pohmer, Paul Crichton, Matt Schwartz, Lucille Rettino, Valerie Shea, Brenna Sinnott, Richard Abate, Richie Kern, Melissa Myers, Paula Morris, Christina Green, and Adam Parks.

  Love to everyone in my family, especially Mike & Mattie.

  MWAH, MWAH, MWAH to all my readers, who are just so cute and enthusiastic!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of many books, including the Beach Lane series; the Blue Bloods series, which has three million copies in print; and the Witches of East End series, which is now an hourlong drama on the Lifetime Network. Frozen, the first book in her new fantasy series, Heart of Dread, is cowritten with her husband. She is a former journalist and has written for Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Marie Claire, and Allure. Melissa attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, which served as an inspiration for the school in The Ashley Project. She currently lives in Los Angeles and Palm Springs with her family.

  MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT

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  Don’t miss any of the Ashley Project books:

  The Ashley Project

  The Ashley Project #2:

  Social Order

  The Ashley Project #3:

  Birthday Vicious

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALADDIN M!X

  Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

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  This Aladdin M!X edition April 2015

  Text copyright © 2008 by Melissa de la Cruz

  Previously titled Lip Gloss Jungle

  Cover illustration copyright © 2015 by Jason Brooks

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  ALADDIN is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and related logo is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Cover design by Jessica Handelman

  Interior design by Mike Rosamilia

  The text of this book was set in Adobe Caslon Pro.

  Library of Congress Control Number 2014949114

  ISBN 978-1-4814-0974-2 (hc)

  ISBN 978-1-4424-9041-3 (pbk)

  ISBN 978-1-4424-9042-0 (eBook)