So Many Boys (The Naughty List #2)(7)
Author: Suzanne Young

I gasped. In as long as I’d known her, Leona had shown little interest in the opposite sex, other than busting them as they got their grooves on with people other than their girlfriends.

“Who?” I asked, now completely fascinated.

She exhaled, her breath smelling like the watermelon Jolly Rancher she was always sucking on. “His name is Marco Sandoval. He’s a junior.”

I tried to remember if we’d ever been called on assignment over Marco. Nothing came to mind. At least there was that. So few innocents were left! “Is he nice?”

“Yeah,” Leona mumbled. “Really nice. And he’s smart. Maybe even smarter than I am.”

I smiled. That was highly improbable. “So what does that have to do with you taking body shop?”

“Because that’s where he always is. His dad runs Sandoval’s Repair, and Marco is planning on taking over the business after graduation, so he has a fast track in auto-body shop.”

I tilted my head, still not understanding why Leona had to go to this much trouble over a guy. She was pretty, smart, and wellaccessorized (normally). “Why don’t you just ask him out—or better yet, tell him to ask you out?” I was a modern Kitten. No need to wait on a boy these days. Well, except for Aiden. But that was different. We had history.

Suddenly Leona’s normally level stare faltered. “Because I don’t think he likes me.”

“What? Why in the world wouldn’t he?” I was genuinely surprised.

Leona looked at the wood floor and kicked at it with her sneaker. “Remember that time I got into an argument at the pool with Lucy McGill?”

“When you called her fat?” I cringed as I spoke. I hated to think that Leona could be so harsh, even if Lucy did accidentally-on-purpose dump her root beer float in Leona’s lap just because she didn’t like cheerleaders. Another classic case of cheerleader envy. It was an epidemic, really.

Leona looked embarrassed. “Yeah, that time. Anyway, she’s Marco’s cousin, and he heard about it. He thinks I was totally unprovoked. He told me that he couldn’t hang out with someone who’s shallow.” A tear started to run down her cheek, but she rubbed it away. “And I’m not shallow,” she whispered harshly.

I chewed on the corner of my bottom lip. “So you joined body shop and started getting dirty,” I said for her.

“I wanted to prove that I wasn’t as one-dimensional as he thought. And Tessa, I think it’s working. But…”

She paused, and I was afraid she was going to break into total hysterics. I reached over to pat her shoulder supportively. I should have known about this sooner.

Leona sniffled and straightened her posture. “It’s awful,” she whispered. “I haven’t worn a headband or earrings in three weeks. Three. Weeks.”

“No!” That was awful. Even though my own love life was completely convoluted, I couldn’t stand the thought of Leona changing herself to get someone to like her. I mean, had Marco seen her accessories collection? It was fabulous.

Just then, the gymnasium door popped open and Kira flittered in, her blonde curls framing her face as she flashed a brave smile, trying to look captain-like. “Sorry I’m late,” she called to the squad. “But I have news.”

Leona made a barfing sound, and when I glared at her, she rolled her eyes. “I hate when she does the power-trip thing,” Leona leaned over to whisper. “Hey, don’t say anything about Marco, okay, Tess? I don’t want it getting back to him.”

I nodded, but I had a small pang in my chest. I needed to help her. Once I sorted out this copy-Kitten mess, Leona was top priority. Well, that and working off the extra five pounds I’d put on since I’d stopped cheering. My skinny jeans were seriously starting to cut off the circulation to my ankles.

“Oh, good!” Kira said, noticing me in center court. “You’re here already.” She jogged over, sneakers squeaking, and hugged me. “Oh, thank God, Tessa,” she murmured in my ear as we embraced. “I’ve got nothing, and they’re turning on me. I’m so royally nailed without you.”

“I think it’s screwed,” I said as I pulled back to look at her.

“That too.” Kira forced a smile and then spun back to the squad. “I just checked my e-mail, and it seems another report has gone out. The fake SOS is not only charging money for their services; they’re taking the organization public.”

Izzie gasped. “Our reputations will be destroyed.”

“Take a breath, Iz,” Kira said. “I think they’re only taking the spying public and not the members.” She shot a side glance to me before continuing. “Luckily for us, Tessa’s here now, and together we’re going to fix this.”

I was pretty sure I had no idea how to help fix it, but I nodded and stepped up next to Kira, facing the squad. It was good to look unified.

Kira rubbed her lips together as if deep in thought. “We have a fraud,” she announced. “And after discussing it with Tessa, I ran a thorough check last night and have determined that none of the Kittens were involved.”

“Well, of course we weren’t,” Leona snapped.

“Right, Leona,” Kira responded. “Like you hadn’t considered continuing SOS.”

Leona reset her jaw. “No more than you, Kira.”

“Enough,” I said, holding up my hands. “Look, I made some calls, and that SOS notice went out to every girl in Washington High, West Washington, and Fairfield. But as far as Google Search is concerned, we’re still very much secret. The copy-Kitten could be bluffing.”

“What if she’s not?” Izzie yelled, her voice cracking. “If the copy-Kitten exposes us to everyone, the boys at school will be totally ticked!”

“Shit. She’s right,” Leona muttered from her spot on the bleachers. I shot her a dirty look, but she just shrugged. Actually, I echoed her sentiment internally, just in a much more polite way.

The entire squad began fretting, and I knew I had to take control. Kira was right. They were turning on her. I stepped forward.

“Listen,” I said. “I’m hoping that the girls we’ve protected will be able to see that this is an obvious forgery. Most of us”—I eyed Leona—“don’t cuss. And hopefully that, coupled with the fact that they’re charging money, will jump out as phony-baloney nonsense so that even if they do name us, no one will buy it. I have no idea what this copy-Kitten wants, but our priority should be finding the culprit and stomping her out before she can do something we’ll all regret.”