(A/N Thanks for all the reviews you guys! We're past the 100 mark. And I only have 11 chapters out. Yay! I really apprieciate all the feedback! This is probably going to be my last update, so I'll try to make it long. I am sorry that I'm going away, but I will work on the story in the Hamptons – I just don't have a computer there. My parents say that I'm supposed to be de-stressing, and the computer is just a waste of time, and blah blah blah. So, I promise I will update as soon as I get back –it'll be my birthday, yay! Here's the chapter!)
The Mall, Westchester
Level 1, Starbucks
Monday, May 12th, 2008
4:12 PM
Massie waited until all her friends were sitting on the big comfy couches and chairs, sitting around a tiny little table, and a) Alicia had stirred the froth into her chai latte, and taken out her cinnamon biscotti, b) Kristen had taken the lid off her coffee, and dipped her cinnamon stick in, c) Dylan had taken the top of her Double Chocolate Chip Frappacino, and had already stuck her finger in the whipped cream. She and Claire were both sitting at the table, to much in shock to eat or drink any thing.
"So, are you going to tell us what happened NOW?" Alicia asked impatiently.
"Yes, please, please, PLEASE tell us!" Kristen begged.
Massie looked at Claire, and beckoned for her to start.
"Well, we all followed Mr. Green into his office, and we all sat down. It was really silent, and then Mr. Green asked us what the problem was. Of course, both me and Massie said nothing, but then Derrington went into the whole story – how Massie had a stalker, right up to the part about us seeing Cam sneaking around outside Massie's house. Mr. Green went deathly pale, I'm not kidding, and asked us both if it were true." Claire's voice got stuck in her throat, so Massie continued.
"So, of course, Claire and I had to tell the whole story from both our points of view. And then Mr. Green called the police, who questioned us all. And then he called all our parents." Massie casually leant over and snapped off a piece of Alicia's biscotti.
"So?" Dylan urged.
"Cam and Derrington both got suspended, and Cam's going on trial." Massie said, and Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen gasped.
"The worst thing was", Claire said, her voice thick, tears pooling in her eyes. "When Cam told us that he was just lurking around, because he though the real stalker would try to do some thing really bad, and I said I didn't believe him. You should have seen his face, you guys!" Tears started rolling down Claire's cheeks.
"I don't know when he looked more upset, when you said you didn't believe him, or when you said it would be a good idea to take a break." Massie put her arm around Claire's shoulders. "And he wouldn't stop saying that my stalker is Derrington." Massie said to the rest of the Pretty Committee.
"Well, why would it be Derrington?" Kristen asked.
"Yea, I mean, you two are already dating." Dylan said, taking a loud slurp of her Frappacino.
"Yea, it was strange." Massie said quietly, and looked out the window. "I mean, some thing has got to be going on. Some thing, that is right under our noses, but we can't seem to figure out."
"What?" Alicia asked, sounding concerned, and Massie snapped her head back to face her friends.
"Sorry." She said, and closed her eyes. "I just feel like…I don't know, like I'm missing a chapter or two."
Dylan reached over and grabbed Alicia's uneaten biscotti. "What do you mean?"
"I just…I don't think that Cam's my stalker." Massie said slowly, and opened her eyes.
"Massie." Claire said quietly. "Even I think he's you're stalker."
"But what's his motive?" Massie asked, and pulled out a purple notepad and purple fuzzy pen from her Juicy handbag.
"What are you doing?" Alicia asked.
"I think we need to make a list of suspects." Massie flipped the notepad, and clicked the pen. And for twenty minutes, all the girls did was brainstorm. They figured it had to be a guy, from all the phone calls, and the one encounter that Massie had with him. When they were done, the list looked like this:
Boy/ Reason/ Motive's:
Cam/ Not sure/ He was creeping around Massie's house!
Derrington/ Cam kept accusing him/ None, he's Massie's BF
Todd/ He's still in love with Massie/ We haven't actually seen him in a while, he's been at Tiny Nathan's.
Creepy old guy at Rite Aid/ He was staring at Massie A LOT/ He's creepy. What else does he need?
Massie sighed and put the notebook down. "This is ass, you guys." She said, and put her hands in her head. "I honestly don't think its Cam, but, I mean, who else on this list could it really be?"
"Maybe it's some one we don't know." Claire said helpfully, and Massie shook her head.
"If you really don't think its Cam, you're going to need to find some proof that it isn't him, or else he's going to have a trial. And you know he'll probably be found guilty." Alicia said.
"And what happens then?" Kristen asked.
"Probably juvenile hall. I mean, this is a really serious offense. You told them every thing, right?" Alicia asked Massie and Claire, who nodded solemnly.
"Besides the obvious we've got breaking and entering, destroying property, and frightening people! Oh, and theft." Alicia slumped back in her chair. "Remember how he stole our bags that one night?"
"Yea." Dylan, Kristen, and Massie nodded.
"So, do we all believe it wasn't Cam?" Massie asked, and looked around at her friends, who said nothing. "Ok, look guys. Why would Cam stalk me? He's never actually liked me that way, he's totally happy with my friend, I mean, unless he had some…super…weird…personality thingy or some thing…"
At that Claire gasped sharply and jumped up. "EHMAGAWD!" She screamed. "I have a hunch but I…I need to…I have to figure some thing out. I have my cell; I'll call you if I get any leads." And then she sprinted out of the Starbucks as fast as she could.
The rest of the Pretty Committee looked at each other with raised eyebrows, and Massie called after her friend, "Claire, I was kidding!" But Claire didn't stop running, and didn't turn back. She was on a mission.
Massie sat on her bed in her blue flannel Victoria's Secret bootie shorts, matching tank top, and fuzzy boot slippers with dripping hair, and a blue eye masque sitting on top of her head. She was brushing Bean, and watching Legally Blonde on her big screen.
She and her friends decided that they would leave her by herself for a few days. If she got any more news from the stalker, they would know that it wasn't Cam – since he was obviously being watched – and they figured that would be good enough evidence to prove that Cam wasn't guilty.
Suddenly, Massie heard her phone vibrate against a metal tin can of mints in her purse, and dove for her Juicy bag. She quickly flipped up her Sidekick, and answered looked at the caller ID. It said unknown, and Massie's heart thumped in her chest. It might be her stalker!
"Hello?" She said confidently.
"I can't believe you almost got me figured out." Said a low, raspy voice.
Massie's heart must have skipped about three beats. "Huh?"
"You almost got me FUCKING figured out!" The man screamed into the voice, nearly rupturing Massie's eardrum.
"What are you tawking about?" Massie asked, picking Bean up, and running to lock her bedroom door.
"I MEAN, because of the little fiasco with Cam today, I almost got figured out. And now, you're little friend is onto me. But she won't be much longer…she won't be…" The man cackled psychotically, and then hung up, leaving Massie standing in her bedroom, with her cell phone between her shoulder and ear, a high heeled shoe for protection in one hand, and Bean in the other.
As soon as she could, she speed dialed all of her friends. "Are we all here?" She asked.
"I'm here." Dylan chomped.
"Me too." Alicia said, in a tired voice.
"Me three." Kristen yawned.
Massie stood in silence, waiting for the "I'm here!" From Claire. But it never came. So she tried calling her friend again. And then again. And again. And about ten more times. "Holy shit!" Massie breathed frantically.
"Massie, slow down and tell us what's wrong!" Kristen said in a soothing voice, suddenly wide awake.
"Maybe she's just asleep!" Dylan said reasonably. "I mean, it is 10:30. On a school night."
"No, you guys, listen!" Massie said, and then explained what had just happened to her. Her friends were silent. "I THINK HE KIDNAPPED CLAIRE!" Massie screamed into the phone.
"Ok, Massie, I'm coming over." Alicia said.
"Me too." Dylan and Kristen both said at the same time. "Try calling Claire a few more times." Kristen said before she hung up.
Massie did as she was told, and on the third try, some one picked up. "Kuh-Laire!" Massie snapped. "Do you know how worried you had me? Jesus Christ I thought I was going to have to-"
"What, Massie?" The low raspy voice answered.
Massie screamed and dropped the phone, and hastily picked it back up. "What do you want with Claire?" She breathed slowly.
"I want her to keep her big mouth shut about this whole secret. She knows who I am, you see, and I didn't want her telling any one." Massie heard a loud female scream in the background. It sounded exactly like Claire, and she sounded like she was in pain. Tears started to roll down Massie's cheeks. "PLEASE!" She pleaded. "Don't hurt her! I'm the one you want!"
The man giggled. "Oh please, honey, the whole fun of the game is the play, not the final prize. When I decide what I want, I'll call you." And then he hung up on Massie for the second time that night.
Massie collapsed into a sobbing, tired, and scared heap on her bed. She was done, she had lost all hope. And now he had Claire. She needed to do some thing. But what COULD she do? She was only a kid. And then she heard the doorbell.
(A/N OK, done! This was almost five pages guys! I figured you deserved it, after 14 reviews for one freaking chapter! You guys are so awesome, I love you, and I hate to be leaving! But just because I'm leaving, doesn't mean that you don't need to review lol. So, I really went all creepy and phyco with this chapter, I hope you guys liked it. I re-wrote it about three times, and liked this version, so I chose it. The ending is going to be pretty freaky, I have decided, but don't worry, it won't be like that all the way from now until the end. So, yeah, please review, and, have good summer holidays, and I love you, and I'll hear from you in six weeks! Ciao!)
