Escape Read Online Free Page A

shaggy strands of her three-hundred-dollar blond hair behind her ears and brought her voice down to a near whisper as a smile spread across her proud face. “A benefit,” she whispered loudly.
    Gaia watched as a reverent hush fell over all their Stila-glossed lips.
    Carrie Longman was the first to finally speak, though she could only muster one word: “Totally,” she agreed, nodding in slow motion.
    â€œYes,” Megan squeaked, basking in the glow of self-congratulation. “A benefit. Whenever people are suffering, my mom always throws a benefit. We should throw a huge party at some totally swank establishment. We charge at the door, and we donate all the proceeds to finding a cure for Heather’s blindness.”
    Gaia could no longer watch this madness from afar. Her mouth could not possibly stay shut at this point. She plowed through the two kids in front of her and stepped up onto the platform, searching Megan’s sparkling eyes for the remotest indication of intelligence. “Heather is not a Cambodian refugee,” Gaia announced flatly. “She doesn’t need a benefit. She just can’t see. And that’s probably only temporary—”
    â€œExcuse me, Gaia,” Melanie Young interrupted. “But one, who asked you? and two, there’s no need for you to worry: You’re not invited.”
    â€œI think it’s a brilliant idea,” Laura Stafford announced, standing up from her chair.
    â€œGenius, Meegs,” Tammie agreed. “You are a genius.”
    Gaia dropped her head into her hands. A benefit for Heather? Could they possibly have come up with a more offensive excuse to throw themselves a big party? Just the thought of it was enough to snap Gaia’s priorities back in order. She had not come to Starbucks to eavesdrop on this confederacy of dunces. She had come here to find Tatiana and tell her about her father’s situation. And that was what she was going to do.
    She turned to Tatiana to pull her off the platform and deliver her from this nightmare, but before she’d even reached for her arm, Tatiana’s words froze Gaia’s entire body in place.
    â€œI think this is an excellent idea,” Tatiana stated with a smile. “A benefit for Heather? I’d love to help plan it.”
    Gaia couldn’t even be sure if her jaw had dropped open or not. She was too stunned to check.

goddamn tornados
    like some biker trying to start a fight over who had the biggest Harley
    Starbucks Nightmare
    â€œARE YOU KIDDING?” GAIA COUGHED out, staring dumbfounded at Tatiana. “You’re kidding, right?”
    Tatiana shrugged mildly at Gaia. “What? It’s a gesture.” She turned to Megan. “This is a very nice gesture for Heather.”
    â€œWell, thank you.” Megan smiled, turning to Gaia and firing a ballistic
missile of sarcasm at her face. “ I thought so, too. . . .”
    â€œA gesture?” Gaia scoffed. “Heather’s blind, so let’s have a swanky party? That’s your gesture?”
    â€œGaia, come on.” Ed smiled, too. “It’s not that big a deal—”
    Gaia cut Ed off with a harsh glance. If he thought being her boyfriend meant undermining her in public, then they would have to have a long discussion about the terms of this relationship.
    â€œI think I know where we could do it,” Tatiana announced. “Have you heard of this club Pravda? It has sort of a Russian flavor. Many different vodkas, Russian food—”
    â€œNo, it’s totally impossible to book Pravda,” Melanie explained. “We’ll have to find—”
    â€œWait,” Tatiana interrupted. “It is not totally impossible. I have a friend from Russia. She is friends with the owner. I think I could get us the place for sure. If Icall her now, maybe even for tomorrow night.”
    Us? What the hell did Tatiana mean, she could book us the place? Were