The Range Rover

Backseat

Friday, September 9th

7:45 AM

Massie straightened her dark gray shirt dress. She then fixed the big, chunky black belt so it was perfectly at her waist.

"Rate me." Alicia ordered.

"Hmmm…" Massie stared at Alicia's gorgeous cropped, rib length, caramel Ralph Lauren shrug-blazer and her dark wash True Religion jeans. Underneath the shrug-blazer was a plain white cami. Her hair was pefectly glossy and her shiny, mocha colored lips weren't even a little bit smuged from the Dr. Juice drink she was sipping.

"A ten." Normally, even though Alicia was always a ten, she would've rated lower because she didn't want Alicia knowing how much prettier she was than Massie but she needed to keep her friends close.

"A ten? Really? That high?"

"Yup." Maybe it was a mistake. Alicia was the most beautiful person anyone had ever seen and she might decided to get cocky about it.

"Thanks." Alicia beamed.

"Uh-huh."

"You're a total ten too." Alicia told Massie.

"Thanks." Massie grinned.

"Hey, Mass." Kristen stepped into the car.

"Kris, hey."

"Hmmm…you play truth or dare?" Kristen asked.

"Sure." Massie agreed.

"Kay." Alicia also agreed.

"Kay. Massie, truth or dare?"

Massie tapped her chin, "Hmmm…truth."

"Cool. Ummm…do you have a crush on anyone?"

"Nope."

"Leesh, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Hm, do you have a crush on anyone?"

"Nah."

"Alrighty. Mass, truth or dare?" Kristen was desperate to get a secret out of her.

"Dare."

"Okay. I dare you tell me a secret. Something you've never told ANYONE." Kristen dared.

"Kay. You both have to SWEAR you will never tell a soul."

"Given." Alicia said.

Kristen gulped.

"Kris?"

"Oh. Right. Promise."

"Kay. I…never mind." Massie chickened out.

"Come awn!" Kristen whined.

"It's okay, Mass. You don't have to tell us." Alicia reassured her.

Kristen flicked on her digital camera and set it on top of the cooler.

"Fine I will. ItalktoBeansometimes." Massie said all in one breath.

"What was that?" Kristen asked.

"I…talk…to…Bean…sometimes." Massie said.

"That's ah-dorable." Alicia smiled.

"Really?" Massie asked.

"Totally."

"Ah-greed." Kristen said and shut the camera off.

"We're here." Isaac said.

"Thanks." Massie got out of the car and walked with Alicia into OCD but Kristen nervously ran off saying she had to be someplace.

"Claire. Claire! CLAIRE!" Kristen whispered.

"Kristen, is that you?" Claire aske.

"Uh-huh."

"Do you have a secret of Massie's."

"Yup. I taped it with my camera." Kristen said proudly.

"Thanks."

"Yup. Now can I go?" Kristen asked.

"Nope. You're not done. We're in this together."

"Kay." Kristen seemed agreeable to bringing Massie down, which was okay with Claire.

"Let's do this." Claire smiled.

"I had so much fun last night." Dylan smiled at Cam.

"Me too." His eyes danced.

"Let's do that again sometime." Dylan suggested.

"Okay." Cam agreed.

"Thanks for taking me out." Dylan thanked him.

"Yeah. Well, I had fun."

"Yeah." And the best part was Dylan thought Massie didn't know. But she had gotten a phone call telling her not to come to carpool that morning either. It didn't matter. Massie was probably just spending alone time with Alicia or something.

"See you later?" Cam asked.

"Sure." Dylan grinned. Everything seemed perfect.

The speakers crackled and suddenly Principal Burn's voice came over the intercom.

"Students, please come down to the auditorium for an assembly. Two girls would like to share an important message with us." She said.

"Ugh, I hate assemblies." Massie complained.

"Ah-greed." Alicia responded.

The girls walked in silence to the auditorium. Once they got there they deposited their phones into the velvet bag and sat down.

Once everyone was there Principal Burns started talking.

"Two of OCD's girls begged me to let them play a very important film on a special species of animals that is going out. So here they are, Claire Lyons and Kristen Gregory."

"Kristen and Kuh-laire?" Massie asked Alicia.

Alicia shrugged and looked at the two girls; fascinated.

"This is an animal that is on it's way OUT." Claire announced.

"Yup." Kristen said nervously.

"Filming was thanks to Kristen Gregory and I came up with the plan." Claire smiled. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. But Massie had made Cam mad at her. So she had to. It was payback time. She was tired of being the LBR everyone thought she was. She nervously hit the play button and the film began rolling.

Massie appeared onscreen and someone off camera asked, "What was that?"

"I…talk…to…Bean…sometimes." On-screen Massie said.

Then Kristen and Claire's faces were on the screen.

"See, Massie Block is a fake. I mean who talks to their animals?" On-screen Claire asked.

"A Loser Beyond Repair with no friends." On-Screen Kristen said.

"That's ah-dorable." An on-screen Alicia said. They showed her pointing to a hideous neon yellow dress that she'd been making fun of in Lord and Taylor once.

"Is this who you look up to for fashion adive?" On-screen Claire chuckled.

"I think nawt!" On- screen Kristen giggled.

Then the tape ended. Everyone in the audience was cracking up. Everyone except Massie, Alicia, and Principal Burns.

"In my office!" She shouted at the two filmmakers.

Alicia was crying. "Leesh, it's okay." Massie herself was trying not to cry. Everything she'd worked for was OVER. But she had to be there for Alicia. It was what good friends did. So far Alicia was her only true friend and she had to stick by her.

"I…don't…think…it…will…be." Alicia sobbed.

"Leesh, c'mere." Massie hugged her friend.

All eyes were on Alicia and her sobbing. When Massie saw this she whispered it to Alicia and Alicia got up and ran. She was running faster than anyone had ever seen her run. Principal Burns stopped her though.

"My office." She said to her and Massie.

The girls followed her to the principals' office.

"Sit." She instructed. The girls did as they were told. Alicia's cheeks were mascara stained but she still looked beyond beautiful. Ugh, it's so unfair, Massie thought when she noticed this.

"Come in." Principal Burns finally said. The four girls, Kristen, Claire, Alicia, and Massie walked into her office.

"You were all expelled once and out of the goodness in my heart I let you back in. BUT, it is not fair what you did and I am not giving you anymore second chances. You are expelled and that is final."

"But…" Alicia protested.

"Not you two!" She told Massie and Alicia.

"Thank you!" Massie and Alicia hugged and smiled.

"You two." Principal Burns glared at Kristen and Claire.

"What?" Kristen looked at Principal Burns in shock.

"You're expelled." She repeated.

"I…" Claire started.

"Nope. Not going to hear it. I gave you a chance. You blew it. Now, you're out." Principal Burns explained.

"Fine." Claire picked at her nails. This was all her fault. Kristen didn't deserve this. Yet she was being punished. She snuck a peek at Kristen. She was sobbing. She then took a look at Massie and Alicia. They both had smug looks on their faces.

"I'm informing your parents' now." She told Kristen and Claire. She picked up the phone and told their parents' to come by.

"You may wait outside." She told them. Kristen and Claire glumly walked out.

"Are you two alright?" She turned to Massie and Alicia.

"Fine." Massie grinned.

"Okay." Alicia sniffled.

"It's alright, dear." Principal Burns reassured her.

"Thanks." Alicia smiled weakly.

"I'll call your parents' too. You may take the rest of the day off."

"Thanks!" Alicia smiled brightly.

"Really?" Massie asked.

Principal Burns nodded and Massie took out her cell phone, which she'd gotten back from the bag earlier, and dialed Isaac.

"Hey, can you come to OCD and pick us up?….yup…Principal Burns is letting us…I'll tell you later…thanks…bye." Massie snapped her Motorola shut.

"Is someone coming to get you?" She asked.

"Uh-huh." Massie replied.

"Me too." Alicia smiled. The two girls left the office and waited outside with the other two crying girls.

"That's what you get for messing with ME." Massie said.

Kristen and Claire didn't respond. Kristen just kept glaring at Claire in between her heavy breaths. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Massie kind of felt bad for her but she had stabbed Massie in the back.

Massie took out her Palm Pilot to record today's events. Then it hit her. It was just she and Alicia left. She no longer had The Pretty Committee.