It was supposed to be a summer of fun. What came next was anything but … Jasmine is 17, a fitness freak and neurotic. Her best friend Olivia is Jasmine’s polar opposite: overweight and unfit, Olivia is happy in her own skin, despite trouble at home. Best friends since nursery school, Jasmine and Olivia have each other’s backs until the glamorous Ellie arrives in town. Rich and popular, Ellie is everything Jasmine is not … but has always wanted to be.
Jasmine is soon caught in the middle between her childhood friend and the new Queen Bee. Hurt by her oldest friend’s lack of loyalty, Olivia starts keeping her secrets of her own. As the rivalry between Ellie and Olivia heats up, Jasmine will make a single, devastating choice that changes everything.
Book #2 in the 'Intersection Series', Toxic explores the lethal nature of fake friendship and is perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver’s 'Before I Fall' or Laurie Halse Anderson’s 'Wintergirls'.
Saturday, August 25th
I opened the Snapchat message and immediately wished I hadn’t. In plain, accusing black type: YOU TELL HER OR I WILL. A selection of emojis accompanied the message, including angry faces, pointy fingers and fists.
Ellie wanted to make sure I knew she really meant it.
I sighed and slid my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. I picked up the cup and plate from beside the till. My best friend Olivia sat at one of the little aluminium tables and chairs in the The Teddy Bear’s Picnic. A tourist trap, the café was nineties chic by today’s standards, though in reality the last time it had been decorated was twenty years ago. What goes around, comes around. Or so they say.
As I approached, Olivia scrolled through her phone, her expression impassive. She double-tapped on the screen as she did so, one after another. Behind her was a faded mural of various soft toys dancing and drinking from faded tea cups. Various teenagers had added to it over the years. One of the rag dolls now sported what was supposed to be a machine gun and proclaimed in a large speech bubble, ‘You can’t sit here.’ Ah, Mean Girls. Classic.
‘Anything interesting online?’ I wondered aloud, placing the cup and pastry in front of my best friend.
Olivia slung her phone down on the table top with a grimace. ‘Oh ... just some idiot making comments on my Insta.’
‘Ignore them,’ I replied, ‘they’re looking for a reaction.’
As I said this, I was ultra-aware of my mobile, crammed under my left bum cheek on the metal chair. God, I was such a hypocrite! I plucked at the frayed knees of my jeans, unable to look Olivia in the eye.
Olivia smiled. ‘So, what’s the plan?’
That was Olivia-speak for What are we doing today? I shrugged, feeling the betrayal between my shoulder blades.
‘Share it with me?’ Olivia smiled, pushing the mug towards me.
‘I don’t like hot chocolate.’ I didn’t allow myself to have such calorific foods when I was training.
‘Everyone likes hot chocolate!’ Olivia rebuffed.
She touched the top of the cream with her fingertip, licking it off daintily. She was wearing a bright neon pink vest top; a giant smiley face proclaimed on the front, FOR REAL.
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. ‘... What’s the matter?’ ‘Nothing.’ I said automatically.
consultancy.
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