Eighth Grade, Here We Come!
Massie Block climbed into the range rover, ready to take on the eighth grade. Claire had been waiting in it for a while, and was startled when she heard the door slam shut. "Good morning, Isaac," Massie sighed happily, "Isn't it a lovely day?" "What's gotten into you?" said Isaac playfully. Massie just laughed.
She was wearing a green smocked Patricia dress from Juicy Couture with a matching puffed sleeve cardigan and gold Jimmy Choo peep-toe sandals. Lastly, she was showing off her white alpha handbag. "Hey Claire," she smiled, "I love your— keds." "Thanks," she said gratefully, but still wondering if it was a trick, "they're new." "I was being sarcastic. I would never love keds!" Claire frowned, and Massie said in a worried voice, "No offense, Claire."
"Hey Leesh," Massie waved for Alicia to come into the car, "why's Dyl with you? And Kris?" "We had a sleepover," said Dylan, "Leesh's dad would only let me and Kris stay." Massie looked sort of hurt that she wasn't one of Alicia's first pick, but then shook it off and waved for them to come in again. "So, are we ready to rule the eighth grade?" asked Massie excitedly. "YES!" they shouted in unison. "Good," said Massie calmly, proud of her clique, "Very good."
They pulled up to the OCD parking lot and stepped out confidently. Massie breathed in the warm, summer air. The PC had made it. They were going to be the alphas the rest of their lives. "Come on," she said, waving to her adoring fans, "Let's go."
A stretch limo pulled out in front of the range rover before the girls could even walk to the door. Out stepped a deeply tanned beach-blonde blue-eyed girl. She pulled her over-sized black sunglasses down onto her nose and said, "I have arrived!" She was wearing a green Ella Moss Cortez tank top and white black label all terrain pants from Ralph Lauren. Lastly, she had a black alpha handbag and black sabine silk faille sandals.
"Uh, who do you think you are?" said an appalled Massie. The girl angrily walked over to Massie, snapped her fingers twice, and said, "I am Sydney Blake, alpha of the California Hotties, the new head clique." Suddenly four girls (who happened to look like Dylan, Claire, Alicia, and Kristen in that order) stepped out of the limo. "And this is Margo, Rachel, Bella, and Lydia. Who are you?" she said. "We are the Pretty Committee. I am Massie Block, and this is Dylan, Claire, Alicia, and Kristen," Massie replied, ticked.
The California Hotties stomped onto the walkway, locking arms and giggling. Many girls stared at them, whispering about how they were BETTER than the PC. They stopped, turned around and waved at their new fans. Sydney clapped her hands twice and pulled out a mini megaphone from her handbag. "Hello, Westchester!" she shouted, and many whoot-whoots and a thundering applause filled the summer air, "We are the California Hotties and we are here to take over! NO MORE PRETTY COMMITTEE!" More applause.
Massie screamed at the top of her lungs. Tons of people turned to stare and laugh. The PC ran to OCD in shame.
Massie pulled everyone behind the Starbucks stall. "What is up with these girls?" Massie whisper-shouted, "It's like they got instant popularity for NO reason whatsoever!" Angela Wilker (an LBR who works at Starbucks) stepped out of the EMPLOYEES ONLY door. "Hey Massie!" she said, "Why are you hiding?" "SHHH!!!" Massie whispered, "And we are NAWT hiding!"
She casually stood up and waved for the girls to come out. The California Hotties entered, followed by tons of LBR fans trying to speak to them. Massie imagined Pon de Replay playing on loop in their minds. Massie's ears started ringing and she blacked out. She then fell to the floor.
"Where am I?" Massie groaned softly. Once her eyes were focused, she saw that she was in the nurse's room. And standing over her was— Sydney. "May I have a word with Massie please? Alone?" she asked the nurse. "Yes, of course," the nurse replied and left the room.
"Oh, Massie," she said softly, as if talking to a kid in Pre-K who had just drank a whole bottle of glue, "were you intimidated so much by us that you passed out? Poor little LBR." "I am NAWT an LBR!" Massie shouted, but not loud enough for the nurse to hear, "And this is MY school, so back off." "Sweetie, it's not your school anymore. Your little desperate loser fans thought that we were better. By the way," she smirked, "We knocked off your little glittery card and reserved table 18 for ourselves." With that, she strutted off into the lunch room. Massie was about to say there were enough seats for BOTH cliques, but didn't want to stoop that low to be popular— the war was NOT over yet.
Claire walked past table 18 like Massie had told her to. Then, Rachel (Claire's twin) waved her over. Cautiously, she inched her way towards the seat. "Hey," Sydney said, as if they'd been friends for forever, "you're Claire, right? You look just like Ray!" "Well, I guess a little," Claire replied, then looked around— Massie was obviously too afraid to show up at lunch, so she stayed at the nurse's office.
"So, I heard you haven't always lived here," said Rachel. "No," said Claire, "I lived in Florida." "Ehmagosh!" shouted Lydia, "Cali and Florida, are like, the same thing! You should be a Hottie!" "No," said Sydney calmly, "we have to respect that a fashionable girl isn't with the Hotties. I mean, LOOK at those Keds! Super cute!" "Really?" Claire said— she was sucked in— her and Rachel became fast friends.
The next day, Massie called Claire to go to the spa. While they were getting pedicures, Massie was reading Twilight and talking to Claire at the same time. "You know, Claire, if I ever catch you with those California girls again, you'll be out of the clique for good," she said calmly, as if this didn't matter to her or in any way bothered Claire.
"Um… yeah!" Claire said, her voice breaking. She began a nervous laugh. "I TOTALLY hate them," she was just now texting Rachel:
Ray: what r u doing on sat?
Clairebear: idk. u?
Ray: going up 2 the beach with CH. u wanna come?
Clairebear: sure, i'll b there.
Ray: cool.