Disclaimer: I do not own any Clique characters. Lisi Harrison is the author of all Clique Series books and owns all of the characters.

Westchester, NY

Starbucks

Sunday, Feburary 2nd

4:43 PM

"Hey, Alicia." Massie embraced her friend, happily.

"Ehmagawsh! Mass." Alicia hugged her best friend back.

"How ya been?" Massie asked.

"Ah-mazing. You?"

"Ah-mazing." Massie replied.

"It's so weird we haven't seen each other in, like, a month." Alicia bit her lip.

"I know. Everything's been good though. My life is...everything I've ever dreamed of." Massie smiled.

"Yeah, I know how you feel. I'm engaged! I really love Josh, ya know?" Alicia grinned back at Massie.

"After all these years you're still with Josh! That's phenomonal." Massie stated jealously.

"I know." Alicia was completely oblivious to Massie's jealousy.

"Hm." Massie pursed her lips.

"So, what about you? Who's special in your life?" Alicia asked.

No! Alicia couldn't possibly be asking that. There was no way to answer that question. It was a non-option to admit to Alicia that she'd recently broken up with her boyfriend, Dan. He'd been perfect a Ralph Lauren model Alicia would have been so jealous. It would have been perfect to see Alicia's face- Massie stopped herself. She was getting carried it away. It was over with Dan and she had to think quickly. Finally she decided to lie. Yes, she'd lie her butt off and Alicia would never know the truth. Massie grinned at the very idea. "Um, you know, this guy, um...George. George Ishkinsi." Massie lied.

"Really?" Alicia looked intrigued.

"Mhm." Massie sipped her drink so she wouldn't have to say anymore.

"What does he do?" Alicia asked.

"Oh, he mmmmmmm." Massie went back to drinking her water before she answered and simply made inautible sounds. Think! She instructed herself. What should his job be? Something ah-mazing. A doctor? Nah. Um-

"Huh?" Alicia widened her eyes.

"What? Oh he's in...advertising." Massie nervously lied again.

"Interesting. What's the name of his firm?" Ugh, why was Alicia asking so many questions? It was stupid really. Massie wanted to tell her friend to shut up but she knew she couldn't. They hadn't seen each other in a month now and she wanted to get along with Alicia.

"Um, Iskin and Baldinini. He owns it." Massie flipped her glossy brown hair and began to relax. This was going quite well actually. Now if she could just change the topic to something-

"I thought you said his last name was Ishkinsi not Iskin." Alicia was genuinely confused.

No! This was awful. Massie began to sweat and hyperventilate. Why now? Couldn't Alicia just shut up abot stupid, fake George? Why not ask her about her job? Or something else?

"It is...um...he shortend it. For you know...business purpose. His partner wanted him to. Because it was, um, too long for the sign on the buliding and, uh, it was, like, too long." Massie gulped. She thought her answer was satisfactory. So why wouldn't Alicia whipe that confused look off her face?

"Oh." Alicia nodded politely.

"Look, I gotta go." Massie pretended to look at her Coach watch.

"Okay." Alicia agreed.

"See you sometime...soon." Massie flatly responded and left the bulding. When did Alicia and I grow so distant? Massie couldn't help but wonder. But as soon as the thought entered her head she shook it off. She had more important things to worry about. Like, shopping for her job interview. Because currently Massie Block had no life. Well, sort of. She had no job, no boyfriend, and no best friends close to her. So, really she had no life. She sighed heavily and continued down the sidewalk listening to her Jimmy Choos clinck down the street. When did she become so unpopular? Massie used to be fabulous. Now she was anything but.