THE RIVERA ESTATE

ALICIA'S ROOM

Tuesday, March 2nd

6:19

"Thanks for helping me with my debate you guys," Sara said as she wrote down some more notes on her index cards. They were all sitting on the polished wood floor in Alicia's room. Dylan and Alicia were working on posters while Claire and Sara were up on the navy blue bed working on her speech.

"No problem. We feel HORRIBLE about what Massie said to you, so we'll make it up by having you campaign. Plus, we would rather have you as president than some other loser," Dylan said, stuffing potato chips that Sara brought, in her mouth.

"I feel bad for her. I mean, Derrick broke up with her afterwards. Don't you guys feel the least bit sorry for her?" Sara asked, with her pen in her mouth.

"NO!" everyone said at once, as Sara looked down. Claire felt bad for her. Sara was nice to everyone, she just couldn't help it. They would have to teach her that if someone tells you, 'get out of my life and take your sesame street pals with you,' to not forgive them.

"Look Sara, Massie is being really mean. And unless I've been seeing something other than what you have, Massie should be the one kissing our butts, not the other way around," Alicia said to Sara.

"You guys its 6:30. I gotta go home," Claire said, pulling out the cell phone. It seemed that everything reminded her of Massie. Well, of course the phone did, cause Massie gave it to her. But when they walked home and she saw a can of Diet Dr. Pepper, Claire felt bad because that was the only kind of pop Massie drank. And when Isaac drove her to Alicia's she saw a little dog, which reminded her of Bean.

"Do you guys need to be picked up?" Isaac said through the phone.

Claire grabbed her bag of glitter glue and markers and said, "No, it's just me. Massie's at home, right?"

"Well, I thought she was at Alicia's with you," Isaac said in confusion.

"When I left, her door was closed and her curtains were down. Actually, the last time I saw her was after school when she went home with you."

"Same here…"

"Isaac, get over here as soon as you can," Claire said, snapping the phone shut.

"What's wrong?" Alicia asked, putting finishing touches on her poster.

"Well, Isaac thought Massie was here… and I thought Massie was at home. She might be in her room…" Claire said slowly, trying to figure out where Massie was.

"Whoa," Sara muttered, knowing that if something happened, it was all her fault.

"Okay, just call us if you find something out," Alicia said, frantically trying to get a spot of glitter off her seven dark wash jeans. "And remember, we're meeting again tomorrow."

"I'm so glad we're getting ahead of the game. Most people won't start making their posters for two weeks," Sara exclaimed. After the Student Council meeting today, the girls found out that they could run for the first annual school president. Sara was running for president, Claire was running for vice president, Alicia was running for treasurer, and Dylan was running for secretary. But the whole school wouldn't find out about The Student Council until the 16th.

Sara flipped open the cell phone that was sitting on Alicia's bed. "Oh sorry, this isn't mine," Sara said, looking at the picture. The girls had given Sara a cell phone because she didn't have one. "What's this a picture of?" Sara asked, holding the camera out for the girls to see.

"That's my phone!" Alicia screamed and grabbed it from Sara. Alicia put it in her purse and Sara smirked at her.

"What was that a picture of?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Tell me."

"It's not a big deal." Claire and Dylan were cracking up, because the picture was still of Riley's butt. Sara looked like she was The Crocodile Hunter, ready to pounce if Alicia didn't spill, and Alicia looked terrified.

"ARRGGGGHHHH!" Sara screamed as she jumped off the bed on onto Alicia. They wrestled around on the ground until Alicia finally gave in.

"FINE! FINE! I'LL SPILL!" Alicia groaned as she crawled away from Sara, who looked like Steve Irwin hunting his pray. "It's, it's… it's your cousin's butt."

"What?" Sara said, cracking up. "Why do you have a picture of my cousin's butt on your phone?"

"Cause he's hot. And I like him." Alicia smiled as Sara helped her up.

"I can hook you guys up."

"Ehmygawd! Are you serious?" Alicia shouted as she jumped up and down.

"Totally. Come by my house tomorrow after school. He'll probably be there," Sara said, still laughing at the fact that one of her best friends likes her immature and totally weird cousin. "But just so you know, he acts like a 5 year old."

"That's why I love him."

"Isaac's here, you guys. I'll call you later. Bye!" Claire yelled as she left. Alicia's house was so big, she almost got lost on the way out. "Okay, Isaac, lets hurry home."

"I'm on it." He said as the Range Rover screeched to start and they sped off. Claire felt so lonely in the back seat. Was Massie just in her room crying? Claire couldn't blame her. In one day, she lost her friends, her boyfriend, and her popularity. Maybe when they got home, Claire would so see if she was okay. Maybe they could work things out.

They pulled into the driveway and Claire darted out, yelling thanks to Isaac. She bolted up the stairs and straight to Massie's room. The door was closed and a sign said, DO NOT ENTER. "Massie? Are you okay?" Claire asked, knocking on the door. No one answered so Claire turned the knob. All the lights were on but no one was in there.

"Massie? Are you in here?" Claire's heart was pounding like a jackhammer. She looked in the closet, the bathroom, she checked everywhere that Massie could be, but she wasn't in the room. "Come on, Massie, I'm sorry!" Claire said, even though she knew Massie wasn't in there. She lay down on her bed and kept thinking of where Massie could possibly be.

Then she sat up and saw it.

A note sitting on her empty desk, all by itself. She slowly walked over and picked it up.

To Mom, Dad, Claire, or whoever gets this note.

I don't mean to scare you, but if you're wondering where I am, I did leave. I can't tell you because I know you'll come and bring me back. But don't worry, I am safe. I'm with someone who actually cares about me, unlike Claire, Alicia, Dylan, Sara, and Derrick. Please DON'T make a big fuss out of this. I will be home in 5 days. I just need some time to relax and get away from my problems. Once again, please don't send out a search party or something. I am perfectly safe.

Love, Massie

"Oh. My. Gawd," Claire said out loud. What was she going to do? Go tell Massie's parents? Call Massie's cell phone? Call her friends and tell them? She decided to go with the last one. She grabbed her purse and pulled out her cell phone and called Alicia, because they were all still at her house.

"Alicia! Put me on speaker," Claire screamed and paced back and fourth, rereading the note. Was Massie okay? What if she got lost? She might get kidnapped!

"Okay… you're on. What's up?" Alicia said calmly.

"MASSIE'S NOT HERE!"

"So what? Do you know where she is?" Alicia said, totally not getting the point. Of course Claire knew where Massie was. She went to Kristen's boarding school. Even though it would be safer to tell Massie's parents that she was at Frost Boarding School, she decided she wouldn't. Five days without Massie would be a total relief and maybe Massie would learn a couple lessons from Kristen on how to be nice.

Claire groaned at the fact that she actually had to explain this to her friends. "I don't think you understand. Massie ran away."