Chapter One

Westchester Mall

Level One

BCBG Changing room

2:30

Massie Block stood in front of the 3 paneled full length mirror at BCBG and admired what a great choice of outfit she had made. The Pretty Committee swooning over her outfit made her even more positive. A yellow tight fitting baby doll top over a pair of super skinny gray stone wash jeans, and to top it all of, about a dozen yellow bracelets and yellow Stilettos.

Yellow was her latest clothing color obsession. Since the Derrington break up, she had focused on trying to be as happy as possible, and yellow made her feel complete and refreshed, just like after waking up after a night of sleeping with her Aveda moisturizing gloves.

She had made a pact with herself that she would win back her alpha-status as the new ruler of the 8th grade, and with her new delivery of vanilla latte Glossip Girl as her secret weapon, the Pretty Committee as her supportive shield, and her new vintage Prada, she couldn't lose!

"Okay girls, rate me," Massie instructed.

"10," Dylan insisted.

"10," Alicia agreed.

"10," Kristin added.

They all waited for a "10," from Claire, but she was admiring a semi-cute pink stitched cap on clearance.

"Huh-Low?!" Massie yelled.

"What?" Claire looked up, "Oh, um…..9.6?" Claire managed.

Massie mustered a shocked look.

"If I'm not at least a 9.8, my peers will notice my one weakness, and my confidence level will crash, and then my social status will be rigged, and I'll have to work twice as hard, and before you know it, I'll be so stressed, that I will officially be down graded to a BETA! Ehmagawsh, just the thought of that!" Massie shook her head and massaged her temples.

"C'mon Mass," Dylan tugged at a loose seam on her denim mini and sighed.

"You look fine, trust us," Kristin promised.

"Si," Alicia promised.

Massie huffed and forced an eye roll. She secretly wished she could trade outfits with Alicia.

Her forest green and gray Luck V-necked sweater dress over ultra-skinny dark wash jeans looked put together and sassy with her knee high metallic silver open toed boots (a Spanish trend she had picked up) and the deep green liquid eyeliner that she had applied under her lower lids made her dark eyes pop. Her long freshly washed hair had been glossed to perfection thanks to her Proclaim Professional Care olive oil infused Glossing Polish, and made Massie think of chocolate biscotti against her acne-free skin.

She was swinging her chunky black Coach impatiently against her Pilates toned thighs.

"You look great, can we puh-leese go now?"

"Go? NOW? Honestly Alicia we've only been here for 3 HOURS! If you want to go to Versache so badly, then just go already!"

Alicia knew that if she DID leave, her position in the Pretty Committee would be put in jeprody, and that was not an option.

So, she admitted to weakness, by sinking down on the changing room bench.

"Alicia, do I look like a swing-set to you?"

Alicia knew what was coming but decided to get it over with, "No," she replied smartly.

"Then why are you pushing me?" Massie tossed off coolly, as the PC cackled with delight.

Massie smirked with pleasure and returned her concentration to her outfit.

"Girls when I walk through the doors of BOCD tomorrow, I need to turn heads, got it?!"

They all mumbled in unison.

"But really Mass, why are you so worried about this whole thing anyway? I mean, you just seem a lot more stressed then usually. I can tell, because you forgot to rub in some spray tan on your arms, so something must be on your mind."

Dylan picked at her Montador red nail polish and a large chip floated to the floor.

"Ehmagawsh, why didn't you point it out earlier?" Massie scratched vigorously at the strip of exposed skin on her forearm, and decided that a trip to her mother's dermatologist was a sincere priority.

Kristin plucked a pair of oversized white sunglasses of a shelf and whisked her pinkie finger across the side as if examining for dust. She managed a pitiful look towards Alicia who nodded to Massie, who was answering Dylan's question.

"Um, uh, because I, uh, haven't been on top of my game lately, and uh, I er, need to make absolutely certain that I'm prepared."

But only Massie knew the truth, and she hoped to keep it that way.

Then she noticed the Pretty Committee staring at her, their waxed eyebrows knit in confusion.

Massie knew that they were suspicious and she had to act fast. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Okay Alicia, you win, we'll go to Versache. Just let me change and I'll be right out," Massie promised. Alicia's MAC ruby red lips parted in a smile revealing a row of Crest Whitestrip teeth, as Massie disappeared into the dressing room.

A few minutes later a glitter infused body oil coated arm with crisp French manicured fingernails popped out of the door and handed Dylan a stack of clothes.

"Dyl, would you ring these up for me? Here's my card."

Massie slapped her Gold Card in Dylan's spray tanned palm.

What seemed like hours later to Alicia, Massie emerged from the changing room wearing her favorite pair of True Religion jeans, and a scoop-neck purple fitted top with a low-slung black belt hugging her hips and a denim blazer. Black gladiator sandals completed the look.

"Oh, you're finally ready!" Alicia sighed.

"Yeah but I'm not!" Dylan said pulling a super tight black and red striped halter dress of the rack and holding it up to her face.

Massie shook her head, "It doesn't look good with your rosy coloring."

The PC silently thanked Massie with their eyes for saving them from one of Dylan's weight loss shopping excursions. She had lost 2.5 pounds over the 3 day weekend, and was infamously known for loosing weight, and becoming a huge flirt and then gaining weight, and eating more out of depression.

She slipped the dress back on the rack. The girls collected their shopping bags and purses and decided to go to Starbucks for cappuccinos.

"Go on without me guys, I'll catch up later," Massie called over her shoulder.

";Kay, see you soon," the Pretty Committee responded.

Massie bolted out of the store and ran faster than Paris Hilton trying to get the new limited edition Fendi purse before Nicole Ricci. She dashed into the Food Court bathroom of the Westchester mall and locked herself in a stall.

As if on cue, her purple Swarovski crystal covered Env2 buzzed, signaling her that it was time.