Lili lightly touched Gabby’s wrist. “Chill, Gabs,” she said in a hushed voice. Then she yanked Gabby across the patio. “No autographs!” she called to their gaping classmates, shielding her face as though she was being chased by the paparazzi. As soon as Lili let go of her, Gabby spun around and made her finger into a gun, pointing at Emma and pretending to shoot. Emma’s mouth fell open.

A flash instantly swarmed my vision of me ushering the twins out of my room at a sleepover, simpering, “Sorry, girls. We have private Lying Game stuff to discuss. Stay out in the den with the other nobodies.” Gabby’s knuckles had gone white as she clutched her iPhone tighter. Then Lili had risen to full height. “Mark my words, Sutton, it won’t always be this way,” she’d spat.

But now, Madeline just rolled her eyes at the Twitter Twins. “Something’s gotten into those two lately. They’re crazier than ever.”

“That’s for sure,” Charlotte said, sipping her coffee and staring at the double doors the twins had disappeared through. “But they do have a point—we have to plan their ceremony.”

“Let’s do it Saturday.” Madeline stuffed her empty Tupperware container into her purse. “My house?”

“I can’t,” Emma said. “I’m grounded, remember?”

Charlotte let out a snort. “When has that ever stopped you?”

The bell rang, and everyone rose en masse, tossed their leftovers into the trash, and headed back into the school. Laurel and Charlotte split off in opposite directions, but Madeline hung back and waited for Emma to pack her bag so they could walk together.

They turned a corner into the music wing. Off-key notes blared from open doorways. At the end of the hall, Elvira handed out more flyers for the Homecoming dance. Her fake nose threatened to fall off her face, and a couple of kids snickered as they passed. Madeline glanced at Emma out of the corner of her eye.

“What’s with you lately?” Madeline asked, slowing their pace.

“What do you mean?” Emma replied, startled.

Madeline skirted around a girl struggling with a tuba case. “You’ve been . . . weird. Cautious, disappearing and not explaining why, shoplifting by yourself . . . Char and I think an alien life-form has come down and taken over your body.”

Emma felt a flush creep over her face and chest. Calm down, she said silently. She tugged on Sutton’s necklace, fighting for composure. And then she had an idea. “I guess I’m upset because you and Char seem to be really close lately,” she said in a pinched voice, trying to sound petulant and jealous. “Am I being replaced as your BFF?” She eyed Madeline’s tall ballet-dancer frame, clad in skinny cargo pants and a gray dolman-sleeve sweater, hoping she’d take the bait.

Madeline’s finely drawn features tightened. “Char and I have always been friends.”