Harlow Collins looked down at her navy Marc Jacobs heels, white tights, and a Graham & Spencer Silk mini dress. She knew her outfit was a ten, but she honestly didn't care what she thought of herself, only what everyone else did. Especially one person in particular, Harlow thought to herself.
She had only been in the car for about three minutes, picturing in her mind on what would happen when she walked into the doors of Octavian Country Day School again, and reunited with her long lost ... friend Massie Block. Back before Harlow moved to Britain with her parents, Massie and Harlow had been best friends. They were the most popular girls at OCD, and everyone envied them. There were three wannabees whose names were Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen, who seriously envied them the most.
Suddenly, the car stopped, and Harlow gulped. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and put her navy Chanel bag over her shoulder. She looked in the mirror across from her in the limo and made sure not a single hair was out of place. She applied more TuLips Red Apple lipgloss, and took a deep breath. She opened the car door and stepped out holding only her purse and her Marc by Marc Jacob's wool twill jacket. She slipped it on after realizing the Westchester air was colder than she remembered.
People were getting out of their luxury town cars in front and behind her, and it wasn't just girls. Boys were getting out too, and going inside the building. She pursed her lips and looked for the sign that said OCD, but when she found it's previous location, it had been replaced by a sign that now said Briarwood Octavian Country Day School. BOCD. That's strange. Since when have the Briarwood boys been here too? She thought herself as she opened the main door and was bombarded with a blast of hot air. She would've called Massie to ask where she was, but right after Harlow moved, Massie's phone line had been disconnected. She never responded to Harlow's letters either.
Harlow walked through the halls of the school and looked around for locked 222. Once she found it, she opened it, and placed on her customized purple lock, glowing with amethysts from a jeweler in Britain. Her locker was empty, but she took off her coat and hung it on the hanger that was attached to the door. Right as she closed the door, a cute blonde boy came up beside her. "Hullo." He said, his shaggy hair falling into his face. He opened the locker besides Harlow's and put in an Adidas bag and his coat too. Once he closed his locker he turned to face her. "You new?" he asked.
"No, well sort of. I used to go here-uh, but then I moved to Britain for a year-uh and a half. Now I'm bah-ck and bett-ah than ev-a. I'm Harlow by the way." She said with her natural British accent. "I like your attitude." He said and laughed. "I'm Derrick Harrington. You might want to watch out for Massie and her clones. Or Pretty Committee as she calls them." They both laughed at the ridiculous name and grinned at each other. She didn't tell him she knew Massie but instead asked him what he had first period. "World History." Derrick responded. "Me too!" Harlow said, excited. "Walk me there?" she asked. He agreed and the walked off, bumping shoulders occasionally.
Massie Block sat seated in the Green Café with Alicia Rivera, Kristen Gregory, and Dylan Marvil. "Where is she?" Alicia Rivera asked. They rattled off places where the fifth member of the Pretty Committee, Claire Lyons, could possibly be. A few seconds later, there Claire was, bursting through the doors of the Café, running towards table 18. "Guys! Derrington was walking with this girl, and their about to pass the doors!" Claire said, trying to catch her breath. Everyone's heads turned towards the glass see-through door of the lunch room. "Ehmygawd." said Massie, Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen, all at the same time. "Is that Harlow Collins?" Dylan asked.
"Imposs. She couldn't get any prettier than she already was!" Alicia Rivera said and rolled her eyes. Harlow threw her head back and laughed. "Yep, that's definitely her." Massie said, her amber eyes flickered with anger. "Come on. Let's follow them." Massie said standing up and grabbing her empty French Vanilla Latte. The girls walked towards the door and opened it, walking the way that Harlow and Derrington had gone.
"Yoo-hoo, Derrick!!" Massie called in a flirtatious voice. Derrington turned around and his eyes lit up when he saw Massie. He handed Harlow her books then rushed over to see Massie. "Hey Block." He said nervously. She looked at his eyes and silently begged him to make eye contact with her. As if he understood, he stared longingly into her sparkling eyes. "Where are you going to?" Massie asked, grabbing her schedule out of her custom made Dooney and Burke. "World History." Derrick said, mindlessly. "Ehmygawd me too!" Massie said. They both compared schedules and realized, that they had all the same classes together.
"A dream come true!" Harlow mumbled. "What did you say?" Massie asked politely. Harlow finally turned around and crossed her arms. "I said I have all those classes too." Harlow said. For some reason, Harlow didn't recognize Massie. And that made Massie angry. The Harlow-Massie situation was the same thing as Massie-Claire. It was the same thing, Massie moved next to Harlow, Harlow was mean to her and made fun of her, then they became friends. Except Massie was always rich, never poor like Claire. She just didn't buy good clothing. Harlow had been best friends with Massie for a month, when her family moved away. Before Harlow left she was the queen bee of the 6th grade. Massie was then her beta. After she left, Massie became alpha, befriended the Pretty Committee and tried to destroy Claire's life.
It was like Freaky Friday, only it actually could happen. It was silent for a minute or two before Alicia spoke up. "You're Harlow right?" she asked. "Yeah that's me. Who are you?" Harlow asked. "I'm Alicia. This is Dylan, Kristen, and Claire." Alicia responded, pointing to all of the girls. "Oh, and that's Massie." She said pointing to Massie's backside. Harlow examined all the girls. They looked so familiar. OMG, they're the wannabees! Harlow thought. But who was Claire?
Massie turned around and adjusted her TIBI dress, and white cashmere turtleneck. "You guys ready to go to first period?" she asked. Harlow looked Massie up and down. At least she had killer style now. All of the Pretty Committee did, with the slight exception of Claire and her Keds. Massie noticed Harlow eyeing her outfit. "Uhm Harlow, am I a library book?" Massie said coldly. "No." Harlow said. "Then why are you checking me out?" Massie said and smirked. Harlow shrugged, while the PC laughed and high-fived each other. Harlow fake-smiled and readjusted her purse. "Come awn Harlow, don't file. I taught you how to do that." Massie said and grinned.
Harlow saw that Derrick had ignored their little brawl, and walked over to meet up with Josh, Cam, Chris, Kemp, and Dempsey. Harlow eyed the boys like her favorite dish at Butter. The way the PC looked at them and giggled and waved, she could tell the handsome boys were the clique's arm candy. Harlow's stomach lurched, realizing that gaining back her OCD- wait, BOCD, throne would be harder than getting her limited edition-only 5 made in the world purse. And that was next to impossible.
It wasn't that Harlow didn't welcome the challenge. The instant she moved to Britain she was popular. The girls their idolized her and her American clothing. It was like America was her AAC, her American Alpha Card. On the first day of school she was welcomed into the popular group, where she reigned supreme for the year and a half she was gone. Of course, the experience made her imagine that Massie and all the other losers at OCD would worship her hand and foot, and Massie would gratefully hand over her throne, no exceptions.
Of course, Harlow only remembered the old Massie Block. The one who was scared to stand up for people, whose fashion sense looked like a dog threw it up, like how Harlow thought everyone would act. But no, Massie Block was more alpha that Harlow ever was, and her friends cooler than Harlow was. She had taken 4 wannabees, turned them into alpha potential, and they declared themselves alpha of the school. Harlow was amazed that Massie had that much time on her hands. Harlow gripped her head and spoke. "I think my lawyer's calling me from the Daily Grind set." She said looking for her phone frantically, as an excuse to walk away.
"Daily Grind? That's my mom's talk show! And Alicia's dad's supposed to be their today!" Dylan Marvil spoke up, her fiery red curls hidden under a Ralph Lauren beanie. Harlow's mouth dropped open. No, no this can't be happening! She thought to herself. "I think I need to sit down" Harlow said, her head spinning. Everything she saw was blurry and she was looking up at the ceiling. She felt like she was falling off a bridge, and then everything went black.
Massie looked down at Harlow's still body and hoped she was dead. Harlow wanted her throne back, and unfortunately, Massie didn't feel like fighting back. As the ambulance came in carrying a stretcher, people stayed where they were watching the scene, and wondered what Massie and her friends had done this time to knock a girl unconscious.
"Did she hit her?"
"No, Massie was talking to Derrick Harrington!"
"That girl on the stretcher has killer style!"
"Massie doesn't look like she could knock someone unconscious."
"I used to kick box with Massie. She could kill someone!"
"Who was that girl anyways?"
"I just love what they're wearing?"
Massie heard people gossiping and she felt butterflies in her stomach. They were probably talking about how much of a loser Harlow was. But when the PC got in formation and walked to their first period class she heard what they were really talking about. Harlow was gorgeous, she had the cutest outfit on, they missed her. Or they were saying they thought Massie was the one who knocked her out. Either topic wasn't something that Massie approved of.
"Well we caused quite the scene!" Alicia said, running her hands along her pink New York Yankees hat that Josh gave her. Massie rolled her eyes. Kristen and Dylan started arguing about dieting and Claire well just walking, looking down at her Keds. Even though the PC had reunited, they were still a mess. Massie Block would do anything to get order reinstated.