"Rate me."
Massie Block fixed her gaze on the corkboard tacked exactly three inches above the built-in webcam on her Mac to work the far-off model stare, cocking her head slightly to the left, to show off her best side. Turns out London had the most ah-mazing shopping centers and cute little boutiques within walking distance from the Block castle. It had been a huh-yuge hassle lugging all her shopping bags back to the estate, but it was definitely worth it. Her wardrobe was fully stocked with all the hawtest new fashions. Since it was cold with a capital C up north, she was dressed in a tan wool Juicy Couture double-breasted peacoat over a cappuccino-colored gold pinstriped Alexander Wang vest and a cream-white Theory cashmere sweater. She completed the look with pair of skinny velvet mahogany pants that were tucked into dark brown suede Marc by Marc Jacob booties. But the finishing touch was the apricot-colored beret perched on top of her gleaming tresses. She had seen photos of KISS students online when she researched the school, and they were way too into the Oxford look there. And by that, she meant the college, nawt the shoes. Ahb-viously she had to be different. Wonderfully different. She would certainly be eye-catching compared to the other students in boring Calvin Klein separates and tweed blazers. And to do that, she needed to be an absolute ten. Hence the early morning checkup with her girls, despite the time difference between Westchester and London. If the PC thought her outfit was a ten, the public would rate it an eleven.
"Ten!" Claire exclaimed immediately, punching her fist in the air. She shoved another sour gummy worm in her mouth. Loud chewing noises filled her room, thanks to the silver Bose speakers hanging from the ceiling. Bean yipped in agreement from her doggie bed.
"Uch, guh-ross, Kuh-laire," Massie sneered, curling her lip. But in a way, it made her smile inside. It reminded her of home.
Kristen let out her signature phlegmy cackle, then said, "Ten." An open, highlighted SAT guidebook was visible from the smooth screen of the computer.
"Teeennnn," Dylan burped unattractively. Her window drapes were pulled shut, since even more paparazzi had found tactful ways to penetrate security in hopes of scoring a new photo since the Marvils started filming their reality show, Marvilous Marvils. Though she would never admit it, Massie missed the sound of Dylan's burping.
That left Alicia, who was calmly flipping through a Gossip Girl book. Massie fixed her gaze on her screen, staring directly at her.
The new Walpha (Westchester Alpha) raised her head up nonchalantly, tapped a scarlet fingernail against her chin, pondering her rating. "9.8."
There was a deep intake of breath from the PC, followed by long silence, broken by Claire rapidly slurping some more gummy worms.
"Why?" Massie demanded sharply.
"You need a hint of more gloss," Alicia explained, her warm brown eyes regarding Massie with the new confidence of an alpha. Massie's heart swelled inside. Alicia was handling her new alpha job incredibly well, better than what Massie had anticipated.
"Ah-guh-reed," the PC chorused.
"Done." Massie pulled out a tube of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Glossip Girl from her coat pocket and slathered it upon her lips. Thank Gawd Glossip Girl shipped to England.
"Ten!" Alicia shouted as soon as Massie capped the tiny silver and brown cylinder.
"Did you guys find a new Isaac yet?" Kristen asked, highlighting a sentence in her textbook.
"Nah, but we did find a new Inez. Her name is Antoinette, and she makes pot roast even better than Inez did."
"Too bad I can't have any. I'm supposed to be on a diet. It's crucial that the pictures of me in People and US Weekly are looking totally slim," Dylan admitted regretfully.
"You look ah-mazing in all those magazine clippings you mailed me," Massie assured her.
"Who's going to take you to KISS then?" Claire asked, pulling open a plastic bag of candy with her teeth. The knot was tugged loose, and Claire dug her hand in and crammed a handful of assorted gummy bears into her mouth.
"James." A light blush crept to Massie's cheeks. She had talked with him the whole flight to England, and Massie knew that Hermia's prediction was a hundred percent correct. She got along with him even better than she did with Landon, and that was saying something. He was a total HART, and he had sweetly offered Massie a ride to school in his Mercedes Benz, driven by him! How alpha was that? Massie thought, starting high school with a ride from a junior.
Alicia sucked in her stomach. "That Brit is de-lish." She licked her lips and batted her thick eyelashes seductively, leaning forward and smashing her C-cups against her webcam. They got a perfect view of her cleavage. Ever since Alicia had accepted her new alpha role, she had stopped being so self-conscious about her breasts and began opting for more low-cut tops. The PC disappeared into fits of laughter. Massie got a warm, tingly I love my friends feeling in her stomach, but it was immediately washed away with a pang of sorrow. She missed her best friends so much. Just Skype wasn't enough. Hopefully she could recreate the PC today at KISS.
"Back off, dog, he's mine," Massie giggled.
"By the way, Mass, you look better than ever. Who did your hair?" asked Dylan, taking a sip of green tea. Her favorite Starbuck lattes and Dr. Juice smoothies were now banned (that stupid diet), so she had resorted to Lipton and more recently, exotic tea imported from China.
"This ah-mazing Taiwanese stylist named Cinyee. She also does makeup. She's even better than Jakkob, if that's even possible. She's in her early twenties. We really hit it off," Massie said proudly.
Alicia's gaze raked Massie's flawless face. Cinyee had done a wonderful job. Massie's glossy brown hair was curled into perfect sections, and the sleek ringlets were splayed sexily on her shoulders. Her face had very minimal makeup, just enough to give her a healthy, translucent glow. Her lashes were a thick black, thanks to Lancôme. Her full, plump lips were curved into a glossy coral-pink smile, and her cheeks were a natural rosy pink. Massie's entire body had been lightly glazed with Estee Lauder's moisturizing glitter-infused body gel.
"Got everything in your bag?" Claire glanced around Massie's new, spacious room, hoping to spy something besides a vast, white space peppered with large cardboard moving boxes.
"Yup." Massie picked up her chocolate-colored Michael Kors satchel off the high-gloss hardwood floor and scanned its inventory. "So. Breaking new guys." She dropped the bag onto the floor with a loud thudand assumed their old "gossip position" as she settled down into the cushy leather rolling chair, leaning into her Mac and snapping her bony elbows together.
The PC leaned in obediently, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I weaned myself off of Chanel No. 19."
"No way!" cried Dylan, dropping the cup of green tea she was downing. Pee-colored liquid sloshed all over a few sheets of paper lying on her desk. "Oops." Dylan smiled sheepishly. "Mr. Director is going to have my head," she moaned, glaring at the now ruined script.
Alicia rolled her eyes. She'd expected something better than this.
"I'm living on Chance now," Massie filled them in, displaying the small bottle on her hand after she fished it out of her bag.
"It's still Chanel," Kristen pointed out, making her point by stabbing the air with her orange highlighter.
Massie gave a shrug as she stuck Chance back in the pocket of her bag.
The white intercom crackled, then Kendra's voice drifted through Massie's walls.
"Massie, breakfast is ready."
"Gotta run guys." Massie stood up from her chair. "I love you guys. I miss you so much."
"We love you too." They blew her air kisses, and Massie pretended to catch them and slip them in her pocket. She felt tears beginning to well up, but refused to cry. She would ruin her makeup after Cinyee's hard work. Instead she bent forward and kissed her computer screen, leaving behind a glossy lip print. Then she straightened up and powered down her computer. Her moment of sentimentality was over, just like Lauren and Kyle. She was taking KISS by storm.