"Forget it, Egbert," Aaron Dallas growled. "You've already cut in twice. At least let us finish this one dance in peace."

Suzanne giggled as a defeated Winston slunk off toward the row of chairs that had been pushed back against the wall to make room for dancing. Against the other wall was a white-clothed buffet table spread with plates of tiny sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. In the middle stood a huge cake with "Happy Birthday, Lila!" written on it. Pink and white streamers fluttered from the ceiling amid balloons that had Lila's name on them. Obviously the wealthy Mr. Fowler had spared no expense for his daughter's birthday celebration.

"Poor Winston," Suzanne murmured in Aaron's ear. "I think you hurt his feelings."

The truth was she was glad to be rid of him. The big goon had been following her around all evening. She could hardly turn around without tripping over him.

"Oh, Win can take it. Besides, I don't want to share you with him. I could get used to the idea of just you and me."

"You keep forgetting. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Aaron affected a stricken look that was half genuine. "Life around here won't be the same when you're gone, Suzy. You're going to leave a lot of broken hearts behind."

Suzanne's giggles erupted into bubbly laughter. "You'd make a wonderful actor, Aaron."

"Yeah, I've always thought so. If I don't get to play pro soccer, maybe I'll try out for Superman Fourteen in about ten years."

"Oh, you'd be just perfect as Superman," Suzanne purred, giving his muscular biceps an admiring squeeze. "Better than Christopher Reeve any day."

She gloated inwardly at the glazed look that came over Aaron's face. One snap of my fingers and I could make you fall in love with me, she thought. It wasn't an unpleasant thought. She was enjoying all this attention. It almost made up for the way Mr. Collins had treated her. Almost, but not quite. The only thing that would make her totally happy was to stick around long enough to see Roger Collins get kicked out of Sweet Valley High.

Spotting Elizabeth and Todd as they breezed in through the door, Suzanne waved. Todd looked especially handsome in a blue pin-striped sport jacket. Too bad she was leaving the next day, she thought. It might have been fun to see what she could do with Todd. He was obviously devoted to Elizabeth, but she was accustomed to such challenges. Yes, Todd would be fun. Maybe next year she could switch places with Elizabeth instead of Jessica.

Elizabeth was walking toward her, and Suzanne noticed she wasn't smiling. Then she noticed something else-Elizabeth was wearing the necklace! So the nosy little sneak went through my suitcase. She was annoyed, but not terribly worried. She'd think of some excuse to pacify her. Elizabeth was so naive she'd believe almost anything.

"Suzanne, I'd like to talk to you." Elizabeth cast a meaningful glance at Aaron. "In private."

"Of course, Liz. Excuse me, Aaron." Suzanne winked at her date as she linked elbows with Elizabeth. She felt Elizabeth stiffen, but she didn't relax her hold. "You know how it is. Girl talk. I'll be right back before you know it."

Elizabeth steered her into the coatroom, which was empty. She shook off Suzanne's arm and stood facing her. "I found my necklace, Suzanne. In your suitcase."

Suzanne widened her eyes in an expression of surprised innocence. "I wonder how it could've gotten in there. Oh, Liz, you-you don't think I took it, do you?"

"How else did it get there?"

"I can't imagine, unless.... Let me see, I was wearing my blue sweater that day you lost it, wasn't I? Yes, I'm sure I was. It must have gotten caught on my sleeve or something. I just didn't notice it when I put my sweater back in my suitcase."

"Couldn't you come up with something better than that?" Elizabeth asked coldly.

Suzanne winced as if she'd been struck. She concentrated on making herself cry. A single tear rolled from her eye to trickle down her cheek.

"I can't believe you're acting this way, Liz! I thought we were friends."

"So did I," Elizabeth said. "But I don't think you know the first thing about friendship. Mr. Collins was right. You're the biggest loser of all."

Suzanne's eyes narrowed murderously. The mention of that name instantly made her forget all her pretenses. "Mr. Collins! What did that lecherous creep tell you? That I was the one who tried to seduce him?" She uttered a dry laugh. "OK, so what if it's true? He wanted it as much as I did. He would've done something about it, too, if he weren't such a saint."

"Thanks for telling the truth at last," Elizabeth replied frostily. "Now I'm going to make sure everyone else knows it."

Elizabeth started to walk away, but Suzanne grabbed her by the shoulder. Her long fingernails dug into Elizabeth's skin.

"OK, so now you know," Suzanne hissed. "But who's going to believe you? It's your word against mine. You're the one who's going to look like the liar when I get finished, Miss Good-as-Gold Elizabeth Wakefield!"

Elizabeth wrenched free. "You can deny it all you want. That's not going to stop me. I'm not going to let you get away with ruining Mr. Collins."

Suzanne gave a harsh laugh. "Go ahead then. Try to save your precious Mr. Collins if you think you're so smart. But let me warn you about something first: By the time I get through with you, what happened to Mr. Collins will seem like nothing in comparison!"

Elizabeth turned pale, but she didn't back down. Slowly she turned around and walked away. Suzanne watched her like a cat, contemplating her strategy before she pounced. This was one battle she didn't intend to lose.

She thought back on the past two weeks with Elizabeth until she remembered something Elizabeth had told her in confidence. A plan formed in her mind. She'd need a little help, though. Suddenly she spotted Cara walking toward her, heading for the restroom. Suzanne smiled. Yes, Cara would be perfect.

"I'm worried about Liz," Suzanne confided to Cara after she'd cornered her in the bathroom. "Have you noticed anything different about her?"

"Different?" Cara echoed.

"What I mean is, have you noticed her acting sort of strange for the past couple of days?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"Well ... Liz told me about the time she was recovering from that motorcycle accident she was in. Do you remember how she was acting then?"

"Do I ever! She was even wilder than Jessica. I guess you don't know how Jessica can be, but-well, it was like Liz had turned into someone else." She clapped a hand over her open mouth. "Oh, God, do you think it could be happening all over again?"

"I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but yesterday she hit her head against the side of the pool when we were swimming. She really cracked it hard, too. And ever since then..." Suzanne bit her lip in mock consternation. "You promise you won't spread this around? I wouldn't want Liz to be hurt. I love her just like a sister."

"You can trust me," Cara promised. "I won't tell a soul."

"It's so strange. All of a sudden she doesn't seem like the person I've gotten so friendly with this vacation. She's-"

"Go on," urged Cara, her eyes wide as Frisbees by now.

"Well, she's been really weird about this Mr. Collins business. Ever since she hit her head, she's been acting suspicious of me-as if she thinks I'm the one who went after Mr. Collins instead of the other way around."

"It sounds so crazy. Poor Liz! What are you going to do about it?"

"Please don't tell anyone," Suzanne pleaded. "I think it would be best if I talked to her parents first. It's just that I had to tell somebody or I'd burst. And I had a feeling I could trust you, Cara."

"Oh, don't worry, my lips are sealed," Cara assured her.

"Thanks, I knew I could count on you. The main thing is finding a way to help Liz." Suzanne sighed. "I just hope it isn't too late."

This was too much for Cara. It was all too apparent from her wide-eyed expression that Suzanne's insinuations had conjured up images of men in white coats carrying Elizabeth off in a straitjacket. Suzanne bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud.

As the two girls were walking back to the party, Cara spotted a familiar face. "Uh, excuse me," she said. "I wanted to go wish Lila a happy birthday."

Moments later Cara and Lila were huddled together by the refreshment table, whispering furiously to each other. A feeling of triumph swelled inside Suzanne. Another fifteen minutes, she thought, and everyone there would think that Elizabeth was going off the deep end.

Sixteen.

Caroline Pearce grabbed Enid as she was making her way toward the refreshment table.

"What's going on with Elizabeth?" she asked conspiratorially. "Lila just told me she heard that something's wrong with her. Is it true?"

Enid stared blankly at Caroline. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Caroline sucked in her breath. "Really, Enid. I'd think you'd be more sensitive to your best friend's problems."

"Problems? What problems? Who has Lila been talking to?"

"How should I know? But everyone's noticed how strange Liz has been acting-kind of like she was after the time she had that motorcycle accident."

"That was ages ago," Enid said quickly. "Liz is just fine now. I'm her best friend. I would know if something were wrong, wouldn't I?"

"Sometimes best friends are the last to know," Caroline said, arching an eyebrow. "I'd keep a close watch on Liz if I were you."

"And if I were you," Enid replied angrily, "I wouldn't go around spreading rumors that you have no way of confirming."

"Who, me?" Caroline asked innocently.

Enid was close to tears as she hurried off. There was no point in telling Caroline to keep quiet. Everyone knew she was one of the biggest gossips in school. Even if the rumor wasn't true, she'd have everyone believing it before long.

Enid had to find Elizabeth. She had to warn her before things got out of control.

Elizabeth was busy looking for Todd, who had disappeared into the crowd during her showdown with Suzanne, when Enid came rushing up to her.

"You won't believe it, Liz! Caroline Pearce is telling everyone that she heard you were having huge problems, that there's something wrong with you, that your parents are getting professional help for you." Tears filled Enid's big green eyes. "Who could have started such an awful rumor?"

Elizabeth felt a renewed surge of anger. She'd underestimated Suzanne. Even before Elizabeth had been able to spill the truth about her, Suzanne was countering with an attack of her own. Was there nothing she wouldn't stoop to?

"Come on, Enid," she said, tight-lipped. "Let's go find Suzanne. I think there's something you should know about our too-good-to-be-true friend."

Dumbfounded, Enid followed Elizabeth over to where Suzanne stood, surrounded by her usual throng of admirers. Trembling with outrage, Elizabeth marched up to her.

In a loud voice, she said, "I want you to stop telling lies about me."

Suzanne pretended complete shock. "Liz, what are you talking about? Why on earth would I want to tell lies about you?"

Cold fury mounted in Elizabeth. Unlike her twin, she didn't get angry very often, but on the rare occasions when she did lose her temper, she was known to cause even the indomitable Jessica to back down.

"I know what you're up to," Elizabeth said. "You're trying to get everyone to think there's something wrong with me so they won't believe it when I tell them what you did."

Suzanne exchanged a pitying, "see what I mean?" glance with Bruce Patman.

"I know you don't mean any of this, Liz," she said in a soft, conciliatory voice-the way one might talk to a child who's being unreasonable. "After all, you did hit your head awfully hard yesterday. Maybe you should go home and lie down."

Elizabeth frowned. "I never-"

"Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten already! Let me help you remember. We went swimming, and you cracked your head against the side of the pool doing laps."

"You're making it up. I never even went swimming yesterday!"

"Why would I want to make up a thing like that? Liz, you're absolutely my dearest friend! I would simply die if anything happened to you!"

"I'd rather have a rattlesnake for a friend!" Elizabeth cried in a choked voice. "After what you did-stealing my necklace, making up that terrible story about Mr. Collins-"

Suzanne slid an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "Poor Liz. You're imagining things again. How could I have stolen your necklace? You're wearing it. Look, you're probably just tired. I really think you should get some rest. Tell Todd to take you home. And don't worry about Lila-I'm sure she'll understand."

Elizabeth pushed Suzanne away. "There's nothing wrong with me! You're the one who-"

Her protests were swallowed by the buzz of the crowd that had gathered around them. Elizabeth was shaking with anger, but Suzanne's cool seemed to remain intact. It was at that moment that Elizabeth realized she was dealing with no ordinary liar. Suzanne was a monster. Her beauty was all on the surface. Underneath she was pure poison.

Elizabeth waited for some of the noise to die down. "Mr. Collins was right about you. He knew from the beginning how evil you were."

At the reminder of Roger Collins, the corner of Suzanne's mouth turned up in a tiny, almost imperceptible sneer. But Elizabeth didn't miss it. A spark of hope flared inside her. Maybe I can crack her angelic veneer after all, she thought.

"No wonder he wouldn't look twice at you," she added for good measure, mimicking a tone she'd heard Jessica use on numerous occasions.

At that moment Winston jostled his way through the crowd, holding a cup of punch. He extended it toward Suzanne, a foolish grin pasted across his face.

"I thought you might be getting thirsty," he gushed. Literally tripping over his own feet, he lurched forward, spilling the entire contents of the cup down the front of Suzanne's beautiful white dress. Instantly he was full of tortured contriteness. "Oh, wow, I'm really sorry, Suzy! Gee, I hope your dress isn't ruined! I don't know how I could have been so clumsy!"

Suzanne stood frozen for a long, speechless moment, as if she didn't quite believe what had happened. Then she looked down at the huge reddish stain seeping into the expensive fabric. This was clearly the last straw in an evening that wasn't turning out at all the way she'd planned. The color drained from her face. The same ugliness Elizabeth had glimpsed earlier that evening flashed to the surface once again.

"You idiot!" Suzanne shrieked. "Look what you've done!"

"Gosh, Suzy, I really feel awful about it. Here, let me help you." Winston made a clumsy attempt at mopping up the front of Suzanne's dress with a crumpled handkerchief he'd fished from his pocket.

Suzanne shoved him away. "Get off me, you dumb clod! You're only making it worse! Can't you just leave me alone? You've been following me around like some kind of big, stupid dog ever since I met you."

Suddenly she realized everyone was staring at her. Abruptly she stopped screaming. Her sweet, smiling mask shifted back into place. She even attempted a weak laugh, as if the whole thing had been a joke, as if she hadn't really meant all those cruel things she'd said to Winston. But it was too late. The suspicious looks that had been directed at Elizabeth a minute ago were now on her.

"Never mind, Winston," she simpered. "It was just a silly accident. I'm sorry I blew up at you. I was getting tired of this dress anyway, so you probably did me a favor." Turning to Aaron, she cooed, "Would you mind taking me home so I can change? I must look an absolute disaster."

Aaron gave her a calculating look and said coolly, "I don't know, Suzanne. I think it suits you just fine the way it is."

He started to walk away, and Suzanne screeched, "How dare you treat me this way! I was only doing you a favor by going out with you in the first place."

Aaron didn't look back. He just kept on walking. Suzanne cast frantically about for a replacement, but they were all walking away, some of them looking over their shoulders in disgust. All her admirers. This couldn't be happening! Not to her!