The Block Estate
Massie's Bedroom
6:00 PM
For one second Claire looked around and felt she was back in the eighth grade again. She felt like she should be feeding Dylan gummies and they would be giggling, while Alicia would be going on about some gossip that she said had to be at least 20 gossip points.
Kristen would be nodding as if she were paying attention to Alicia's gossip, but was really focused in the clothes that Massie had tossed aside as last season that had never even been worn.
Then there would be Massie, sitting up on her sleeping bag looking pleased with her friends, clapping twice to get there attention and introduce the latest trends and sleepover games.
But sadly, much has happened since then.
"Kuh-Laire!" Massie snapped bringing Claire out of the good times. "What kind of granola does Kris like? Gawd are you always daydreaming like this? I asked you like ten times!" Massie said with an eyeroll.
"Oh, she likes Kashi cherry chocolate." Claire said. She was wondering if they all would come tonight. Maybe they changed their minds about missing Massie.
The Block Estate looked better than ever since Massie's family bought it back. Claire loved the feeling of the pristine white house, it was so clean and sophisticated. But there was something also very intimidating about it, just like the Block family.
"How do things look? Why aren't they here yet?" Massie said checking her watch.
Claire smiled, she loved it when Massie confessed her insecurities to Claire. It made her feel special because Claire was the only person to ever get a glimpse of that side of Massie.
As if reading Claire's mind Massie straightened her shoulders and held her chin up. Claire eyed her in a way that let Massie know she knew about her insecurities. Massie sat down next to Claire and they both giggled.
"How was England?" Was the singular question Claire asked. She really wanted know, who were your new friends? How was your house? Do you have a boyfriend? How was your school? Did anybody replace the pretty committee? Did anybody replace me?
Massie smirked. "You'll find out soon." Then the doorbell rang and they both immediately stood up, anxious to see who it was. "Kuh-laire go to my window and see who it is."
She looked out the window and saw Alicia wave to her driver and walk into the Block Estate. "It's Leash."
Than Kendra Block came on the intercom in Massie's room, "Massie darling, I'm sending Alicia to your room." "K mom," Massie responded.
Claire was looking at some pictures of the pretty committee all without Dylan, when Alicia came in. "Hey guys," she said.
"Hey Leash, any idea when Kris is going to be here?" Massie said while looking out the window. "Yeah, she texted me to tell you guys that she will be late because of soccer sisters practice." Alicia responded casually.
"How could she ditch us for sweaty girls in cleats, I have been in England for 7 months and was supposed to be telling you all every detail by now! Massie barked.
"Point," Alicia said lifting up her finger like she always used to do when Massie said a come back or just made sense.
The doorbell rang and soon Kristen was knocking on Massie's bedroom door. "Hey guys!" Kristen said, her hair still damp from just being washed.
"Good, you're here." Massie said trying to look frustrated, but Claire knew she was secretly glad everyone came.
"I need to know about everything and everyone, so you will all take turns answering my questions starting with Leash. Oh, and if you lie about an answer you'll be caught because the pretty committee will vote to see if you're correct. If you are NOT telling the truth then you will have to walk one pace behind the rest of the PC for the rest of the week," Massie announced.
Alicia smirked, "What if you ask Kristen a question and she lies and then when you ask us if she's telling the truth Claire and I lie too?"
Massie glared at Alicia but then smirked back at her "Come awn, I would know if anyone of you were lying to me, the only reason I added the confirmation part to the game is that you all could have changed. When Kristen lies she looks at my forhead while lying to me and starts redoing her ponytail afterwards. You fold your arms over your chest, and Claire couldn't lie to me, she's just too Claire. Now first things first, how did she become alpha?" Massie said, almost whispering when she said she.
Alicia cleared her throat clearly enjoying all the attention and suspense, "as you know I have always wanted to lead us, yet it never quite worked out." They all nodded and Claire remember when Alicia had tried to form BOCD's first ever boy girl clique, the soulm8s. It had failed when Massie formed another clique and stole everyone's attention with the ah-mazing fashion show for the homeless she threw in her backyard.
"Well, when you left, Massie, everything seemed different." "The LBRs started sitting at table 18 and everybody lost track of trends, and started wearing H&M, it was total OCD mayhem." Alicia said in disgust.
"Then Dylan stood up for the PC, when LBRs sat at table 18 she smiled and waved at them, then told us to sit a table 19. Then she started rating us and giving us rides to school, and sooner or later everybody liked her and looked up to her and OCD was once again calm and composed with their new alpha."
Claire thought about it and realized that Dylan wasn't such a bad alpha. She put the pieces of OCD back together, using her boldness and humor.
Claire looked at Massie, her expression softened and Claire wondered if Massie was maybe even proud of Dylan. After all it was Massie who took Dylan in as an assistant for four years. Claire was the first to speak, "true," and Kristen echoed, "true."
Instead of turning to Claire, Massie looked straight at Kristen. "Next question, "What kinds of social events has Dylan done already? Like in seventh grade when I had the first ever Halloween boy, girl party, or how I started the whole exclusive Friday night sleepovers. I need to know things so I can know how to top her."
Kristen turned white, she clearly still felt bad about ditching Dylan, and didn't want to humiliate her even more. "Well, she threw a Marvilous Marvils party."
And, Kirsten let out, "She also plans to throw a back to school party. " Everyone was quiet after that.
Massie's expression turned from devious to confused. "A what?" Massie demanded.
"She was very vague about it, but said it was an excuse to throw an ah-mazing party, and that on the first day of school everybody would be talking about her fabulous party."
"Is this all true?," Massie asked Alicia and Claire still getting used to the fact that she had never heard of a back to school party herself. "True," Claire said. "True," Alicia said.
Massie stood up making her way over to her closet,"Well I guess that's all I needed to know, now we can give each other makeovers with my new England products, and admire my English closet."
"Ooooo, I could use a new lip stain." Alicia added delighted at the idea. Kristen joined in, "And my soccer sisters early practices have been giving me dark circles not even Clinique: Even Better Eyes can fix. Do you-" Claire cut her off. "Wait, you never asked me a question?" Claire asked, how could Massie just skip her?
Massie looked at Claire for a second but then burst out laughing, "Kuh-Laire I don't need a game to ask you a question I can ask you a question whenever I want and you will answer truthfully no matter what."
Claire blushed, she was flattered by being the "honest" one out of the girls, but it was a little strange. Claire might have been the most honest out of everyone but she did lie. She never got away with it, but she did lie.
Alicia who clearly did not like that Massie was complimenting someone and it wasn't her started pouting. "Mass! I always tell you the truth!"
Massie looked Alicia as if she was joking. "Leash, you know I love you to death, but do I have to remind you about you turning against me every other month when I was here last year."
"Hmph," Alicia scowled and folded her arms across her chest.
The sleepover continued as usual, they gave each other makeovers gossiped about the B listers and LBRs at OCD, and read magazines.
Claire felt comforted that Massie was back. Massie made her feel protected, as if when Massie was around their was a wall that would block any insults torwards Claire.
A mischievous smirk spread across Massie's face.
"What are you thinking about Claire?"
Claire blushed, the way Massie said that was as if she just read Claire's mind. "What, uhh, nothing… Ummm, why would you ask that?"
"Gosh silly. I was only playing with you because, you were staring at me and I think you were going to start drueling if you stared any longer." Massie said tauntingly.
Alicia was quick to start laughing, and Kristen let out one of her famous cackles.
So much for that wall against insults.
Massie leaned in torwards the rest of the girls, "where do you think I should host my back to school party." She asked, her tone was sly and devilish.
Kristen raised an eyebrow. "Wh-what? Isn't that Dylan's idea?" She stammered.
Claire felt bad knowing that Kristen was right. The back to school party was Dylan's idea, and that Massie would probably crush Dylan's little party with something only the extravagent Massie could think of.
"Come awn, Kris. You'd think I'd actually let Dylan host this little party herself. What kind of a leader would I be, if I didn't lead." Massie replied casually.
"A nice one…" Kristen muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me? Kris don't mutter it's rude."
Claire and Alicia fell silent, and watched as Massie glared at Kristen. Her eyes ice cold.
"A nice one, I said." Kristen's face began to redden.
"Why do you have to crush everybody at everything?"
Everyone gasped.
"Everybody thinks it! And I'm tired of just thinking and watching! How could you be so mean to someone who has been totally reliable to you for four years? There is nothing special about you except the fact that people are scared of you so they follow you around like little puppies."
Then Kristen realized what she had just said and all color drained out of her face. "M-mass.." Kristen croaked, her voice cracking.
"I'm so sorry! wou-"
"Stop talking and get out of my house." Massie's tone was even and cold.
"I really am sorry!"
"No your not. Leave. I'll call my car service, she lives next door." Massie said.
Kristen rain for the door and the girls heard her steps echo down the giant stairs.
In a way Kristen was right. Why did so many people worship Massie when she was so mean? Massie made people feel special like they were on some huge secret that nobody else new.
Only they never knew what the big secret was. Only Massie did.
