Chapter 1

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."- John F. Kennedy

The New Block Estate

Driveway

Wednesday, August 28th

1:25 P.M.

"Thanks for the ride, Dean!" Claire said as she slid over the buttery black leather seat to the open door of the Riveras' limousine. Dean replied that it was no problem with a small smile on his face. She knew for a fact that no one in the Rivera family ever muttered one word of appreciation to their faithful driver. It was a small wonder that Claire was his favorite passenger.

Claire shut the door behind her and joined the rest of the Pretty Committee standing in awe. Even Alicia and Dylan seemed to be impressed with the new estate.

"I can't believe this is her new house," Dylan muttered what Claire herself had thought.

After a year and a half of separation from Massie, it was hard to believe that she was back in the States. What was even harder to believe was that her family had purchased an estate in their old neighborhood. The giant Georgian mansion looked like it belonged on the cover of a home and garden magazine, the kind that her mom bought for "inspiration". Not only was it beautiful, but it looked as if the occupants were very important people. Whenever Claire passed by on her bike ride to Cam's she had always imagined some celebrity family or CEO living there.

"It's even bigger than the last one," Kristen said as they walked towards the front steps. "It's not like they need a lot of space."

It wasn't a castle in England, but the address was still a luxurious status symbol. A behemoth home designed by some long-dead famous architect was about as close to a castle as you could get in Westchester, NY. And Claire was beginning to suspect that the Blocks specifically chose the fabulous estate for its grandiose style.

After the Blocks had lost all their money, their snobby friends had quickly ditched them like last season's Manolos. William and Kendra had been shunned from the country club and had lost all their exclusive memberships. Meanwhile, Massie had been in a debt-induced depression. She had worried endlessly about the whole school discovering her family's financial woes, and for good reason. If anyone at OCD had found out, Massie would have been eaten alive by all the girls that were vying for her spot as Alpha. It was why the PC had fiercely protected her secret. Thankfully, the Blocks had quickly regained their fortune. Claire wasn't sure if their old family friends knew about the castle outside of London but knew one thing for sure... that the Block's new enviable estate confirmed that they were back and better than ever.

Claire's icy blue orbs took in the house and she knew that there was a swirl of different emotions brewing in them. Of course, she was ecstatic to have Massie back, had dreamed of it happening since the day Mass had broken the news to them. But her guilt ate away at her happiness until only trembling fear was left.

Since the day the PC had stepped foot in the halls of BOP Claire was terrified of Massie finding out the truth. Would she hate her for repeatedly lying? Renounce their friendship? Probably, which was why she had never spilled her guts. But oh how she had wanted to over the course of the year. There had been numerous times where Claire had broken down and almost called Massie, but the PC had always talked her out of it. One time Alicia had to slap her across the face to bring her out of her remorseful hysterics.

Just as Alicia reached for the button of the doorbell, the door flung open revealing Massie. She stepped back slightly so the PC could enter and then threw up her arms, expecting them to rush forward and group hug her just as they had at the airport all those times she came to visit. Claire knew that Massie was waiting for them to tell her how happy they were that she had moved back, that they had missed their true alpha.

But this wasn't the baggage claim at JFK, and this wasn't a short visit that they had to get through. It was until permanent.

No one moved an inch. They stared at her with blank expressions, and Claire had to fight a gulp. She shuffled nervously on her feet, her gut filling with dread.

Seeing Massie in person only heightened her guilt levels. It was easy to lie over texts but not in person! The light and excitement faded in Massie's amber eyes as she dropped her arms, realizing they weren't going to shower her with love for their returned alpha made Claire almost grip the doorframe from the pain in her stomach.

"Okay, I know I should've told you guys that we weren't just staying at The Plaza but living there while we were trying to find a house, which we obviously did." Massie gave a little ta-da motion and the PC's eyes roamed over the grand foyer's wide hardwood floors, beautiful paneling, and curved staircase. The room was bare except for the moving boxes pushed up against the wall but it still looked exquisite to Claire. "I just didn't want to get anyone's hopes up until we had a house of our own."

Claire's stomach twisted with a sharp jab. Massie was rambling in guilt and apologizing for a tiny little white lie compared to the gigantic secret they were there to confess. Claire wanted to run to Massie with open arms and jump up and down screaming that she was officially back on U.S. soil just like she had whenever she daydreamed of Massie moving back. But instead, Claire picked at her nails for the first time all summer, ruining her manicure. There was no doubt that Alicia would scold her for it later, but at the moment Claire couldn't find it in her to care. What was the point of worrying about her nails when Massie was most likely about to kill them?

"We're definitely surprised!" Dylan said, nervously twisting a piece of luscious red hair around her index finger.

"Yeah, but totally stoked!" Kristen tried to smile but it came off as looking like bad menstrual cramps.

Massie's amber eyes danced between the four girls standing before her, eyeing them suspiciously before walking to the stairs and coldly ordering them to follow.

Claire took in a shaky breath. Massie knew something was fishy, and it wasn't Dylan's tuna breath.

Claire exchanged a nervous glance with Kristen and Dylan. Alicia quickly followed after Massie and for a quick second Claire could recognize a look of dread but she quickly regained her composure and continued to stoically trail after Massie.

The higher up the steps they went, the more Claire could feel her throat dry up and close off. If they had just been honest with Massie from the beginning none of this would be happening!

They probably would've been truthful if it hadn't been for that ridiculous promise they had all made in the Hamptons...

When they reached the landing of the second floor Massie led them through a large archway and down a hall filled with more boxes. She opened the first door on the left to reveal what Claire knew to be Massie's room by all of the boxes written with MASSIE'S ROOM in thick black sharpie. Many had the names of designers and their collections written on them and Bean was sleeping on a pile of clothes next to a box that said DONATE- Claire/Kristen.

"Have you guys thought about what you're wearing for the first day?" Massie asked, sitting at the window bench on the opposite side of the room. Claire's mind went back to all the times the PC used to gather around her old bay window, back when things had been so much simpler and their biggest worries were about lip-kissing, not losing their virginities.

Dylan's eyes widened at the mention of school and Alicia had to dig her elbow into the red head's ribs to remind her to remain calm.

"Uh, no not yet." Alicia walked over to a door that Claire guessed was to the closet. "But you know me, it'll be Ralph."

"Not a clue yet, but I'm sure your wardrobe will give me inspiration!" Dylan quickly followed Alicia in a desperate act to get out of the conversation.

Alicia opened the door and stepped into the walk-in-closet that already contained Massie's most precious garments hung up with care. "Where's the massiequin?"

"Ugh, the moving company dropped it!" Massie rolled her eyes. "But I grew two inches, so I needed a new one anyway. It should be here in a few days."

Claire thought she had noticed that Massie seemed a little taller but simply dismissed it, rationalizing that she hadn't seen her in so long that Massie was bound to look a little different. But her legs seemed slightly longer, and so did her torso. Massie's breasts had also grown from the last time she had been in New York during Christmas, going from barley there A-cups to fuller B-cups. Meanwhile, Claire had only gone up in shoe size.

"So I have something to tell you guys…" Massie was digging through a box next to her as Claire sat down at Massie's bed.

Dylan and Alicia emerged from the closet. Alicia took a deep breath and said, "We also have something we need to tell you, but you first."

"Well before I came here for the summer James and I had a long talk…" The PC rushed to sit before Massie and urged her to go on. "And we decided that we're going to give long distance a try."

"Awwwwww!" The girls sang. Claire had only ever seen pictures of James on social media and had only ever "talked" to him once over Facetime, but he seemed very charming and treated Massie well so Claire had decided she liked him as long as her friend did.

"There's more." Massie fished out a Tiffany frame with a picture of James and Massie both in their school uniforms standing in front of KISS with his arm slung around her shoulder and kissing her temple. It was staged, but sweet nonetheless. Claire was shocked at the sight of the picture in the frame, she had never seen it on Massie's Instagram or anywhere else for that matter. "His cousins live in New York and he'll be visiting next weekend!"

"We finally get to meet him?!" Claire asked excitedly, forgetting all about the secret that they were there to confess.

She had heard all about James and had even talked to him while Facetiming Massie, but they had only exchanged polite greetings and small talk, nothing to really help her get to know him. And talking to someone through a screen was way different than live and in the flesh. Would she get a better view of his copper eyes that Massie always gushed about? Get to hear his native British accent without listening to it through a speaker?

"Yes!" Massie said, her amber eyes bright as if their tense greeting hadn't happened just minutes before.

James had been Massie's first friend in England and the first boy Claire had heard her admit to possibly loving. Derrington, Dempsey, and Landon had only been crushes, and Massie had fretted over simply kissing them on the lips. James was Massie's first real boyfriend, possibly her first love. It was the first time in her life that things could get a lot more serious than a simple make-out session.

"Not fair," Dylan picked up the picture of Massie and James and pouted. "Everyone is about to be in a relationship except me!"

Claire and Alicia's eyes widened and they met each other's gaze in a panic. Kristen pinched Dylan in the arm and the redhead finally realized what she had done. Dylan's big mouth had exposed them, they had to tell Massie now! Maybe it was for the best. They desperately needed to come clean and prepare Massie for what she was going to walk into on Monday… or there would be even more hell to pay later.

"Huh?" Massie's freshly waxed brows furrowed. "I thought Claire and I were the only ones with boyfriends?"

"Uh, yeah, but- we didn't tell you that-" Alicia stammered out while Claire mentally braced herself for Massie's imminent fury. "We forgot to tell you that Josh and I have been hanging out lately…"

Claire's first reaction would have been letting her jaw fall to the hardwood floor, but the actress in her forced her face to remain neutral as if this were old news to her. She wanted to slap Alicia for not telling Massie the truth, for adding another lie to the already heaping pile. Claire was tired of keeping her best friend in the dark, she deserved to know the truth.

"Yeah, and Dempsey and I have been practicing together and have also been talking about getting back together." Kristen shrugged, her face betraying nothing since at least that was a half-truth. Kristen had told them about her resumed soccer sessions on the roof of the Pinewood with her ex but it was clear that Kris just wanted to remain friends with him, and he seemed perfectly fine with that.

Massie looked back and forth between Alicia and Kristen, taking this new information in. Claire could tell by the slight squinting of Massie's amber eyes that she didn't fully believe it, but accepted their lies anyway.

"Well Dyl, we'll find you a boyfriend this year, I promise." Massie smiled sincerely.

"I already found him." Dylan proudly announced and the girls, Claire included, once again were distracted by boy news. Had Dylan met someone while she was in the Caribbean? "And his name is Derrick Harr-"

Kristen groaned, Alicia rolled her eyes, and Claire and Massie grabbed the fluffy pillows off Massie's bed and chucked them at Dylan's head to hopefully knock some sense into her.

For the entire duration of their freshman year of high school, the entire PC had been subjected to the drama of Derrington's tumultuous relationship. They had listened to Dylan cry about their breakups to only go on disgusted rants when they were together. The cycle of breaking up and making up had not only taken its toll on Derrick and Dylan but their friends as well. Cam had even admitted to Claire that all of Derrick's friends were sick of his relationship with her. Apparently, over the summer the guys had convinced him to go on a date with one of Josh's cousins and thankfully he hasn't said a word about Dylan since.

"Gawd Dyl, I swear if you take him back I'll make it look like you pooped your pants on your family's reality show!" Alicia plopped down on Massie's bed, making herself comfortable. Claire glared at her and Alicia gave her a shrug. She was going along with Dylan's distraction to avoid what they were there for.

"Mass, there's something-" Claire started to blurt out but Alicia slapped her hand over her mouth while Massie rummaged through her closet for something.

"Shut it." Alicia snapped and the rest of the girls gave her their ugliest looks. They were all backing out… Claire was the only one that wanted Massie to know the truth. "We'll tell her, right now is just not the time."

"Then when will be the right time?" Claire whisper hissed. "When she's walking up BOP's steps?"

Kristen's glare quickly fell apart. "Maybe Claire is right, we should just come clean and prep her for you know who!" Kristen suggested and Claire was about to press the issue now that she had an ally but Massie came out of her closet with an armful of clothes.

She dumped them in the Claire&Kristen box before asking Dylan to help grab some more. What came out were piles and piles of Chanel, Versace, YSL, Chloé, Alice+Olivia, MK, Burberry, Max Mara, Gucci, Prada, and even more designers whose price tags usually made Claire's head spin. Massie told them to take anything they liked while she debated on keeping a pair of Manolos, ultimately throwing them into Kristen and Claire's box.

"Are you sure you don't want some of these?" Claire sorted through the pile and held up a little black Chanel dress. She recognized it from one of Massie's Instagram stories, she had worn it to some upscale restaurant in London when James' parents had invited her to dinner.

"Yeah, I'm not too attached," Massie said as if the garments were last season, which they definitely were not. Even Claire, who shopped at Target, H&M, and Forever 21, knew that the luxurious fabrics in a heap on the floor were still considered new and in style.

Claire's eyes met Kristen's, a slow smirk spreading on both of their faces before they pounced on the pile of hand-me-downs. Where else would they get designer duds for free?

"It's like Christmas!" Claire sang, hugging a Gucci blouse to her chest. Truth be told even on Christmas Claire didn't receive such expensive clothing. She was lucky to get pajama sets from Victoria's Secret, and the nicest present she had ever received was a black Michael Kors crossbody. She was pretty sure the blouse she held now was worth way more than the purse.

"It's better than Christmas!" Kristen said, throwing a pile of Brunello Cucinelli scarves up in the air. They floated back down gracefully on top of their heads, and one fell on top of Bean, blocking the pup's vision. The little black pug frantically started running in circles, causing the PC to break into a fit of giggles.

"I can't believe you're getting rid of all those clothes," Alicia said, putting her hand to her heart and looking at the pile with pity. Claire and Kristen exchanged a secret eye roll. Alicia was bound to do the same thing after Fashion Week to free up room in her closet.

"Yeah, well, I was seen twice in some of them so they need to go." Massie plucked the scarf off of Bean and threw it to Kristen. "Besides, I figured that they would be more loved and appreciated by the less fortunate."

Everyone's mouths dropped open. Had Massie called her and Kristen less fortunate? She had kicked the other box labeled charity while she said it, but it was clear of what she thought of the two girls.

"What?" Massie's eyes darted between all of them, still confused. She looked down at Kristen and Claire on the floor, taking in their mixed emotions of hurt, betrayal, and anger. She gasped and horror spread across her face as she realized what she had done. "Ehmagawd, I soooooo did nawt mean you guys! I meant the LBR poor people that shop at Goodwill and Salvation Army!"

Tears started to well in Kristen's eyes, and Claire's stung not only in hurt but also a little resentment. It was no secret (among the PC) that Kristen shopped at Goodwill and usually, Claire would join her. Being spotted there was social suicide at BOP, but they had managed to find some really cute designer clothes that had either never been worn or once or twice. Their finds had given them more pride than any purchase at Target or Marshalls could have ever made them feel.

Back in middle school, Claire and Kristen had been treated like the charity cases of the PC. Endless poor jokes, hand-me-downs, and having their friends pay for them. Massie, Dylan, and Alicia had always gotten everything they asked for, and mostly never really had to ask. Their parents had given them no limits, and when the Blocks lost their money Claire and Kristen had thought that Massie would finally know what it was like not to have everything she ever wanted. They had thought Massie had learned her lesson when the Block fortune ran dry, thought that it had knocked her off of her insanely high pedestal. But apparently not.

Claire glared at Massie but she only shrugged it off. "Claire, you would look ah-mazing in this!" Massie pulled out a D&G floral cami and held it up to Claire's torso. "You should wear it for the first day."

Claire looked down at the top, noticing it still had the price tag on it. She held it up to herself and looked in the mirror, not sure how she felt about it.

"Oh, and that reminds me." Massie announced, "Everyone needs to send me a picture of your outfits before Monday for my official seal of approval."

Kristen and Dylan's brows shot up. Alicia barely concealed her scoff for a cough, and Claire remained frozen.

The Rivera Estate

Alicia's Bedroom

Friday, August 30th

8:01 P.M.

Alicia straightened the crystal bowl containing m&ms (a Claire and Dylan staple), making sure it was in line and perfectly spaced with the other bowls containing Massie's low-fat yogurt covered pretzels and Kristen's power protein almonds. She turned around and made sure the five sleeping bags resembled a flower, each one a different colored petal radiating out from the circle of magazines and paper face masks in the middle.

"Thanks, Mrs. Rivera!" a faux-sweet voice rang out from the other side of her bedroom door, and less than a second later the door swung open revealing the cause of stress that was currently making her chin break out.

Claire, Kristen, and Dylan filed into the room after Massie and deposited their overnight bags before diving towards the small snack table. Alicia's eyes drifted to Massie's purple sleeping bag and noticed that compared to the rest of the girls, Massie had brought double the supplies. Not only was her black leather Saint Laurent duffle bag fully stocked, but a large Chanel bag was overflowing with boxes and tissue paper.

"Are you moving in because your house is being renovated or something?" It was an entirely serious question despite the sound of it. In middle school, Massie had made copies of all of their house keys and had even tested their homes for livability after her parents had announced their move to England.

The whole reason the Friday night sleepover was at her place instead of Massie's was that the Block estate was still in the process of being unpacked. But Alicia didn't mind, she figured it would probably be her last time hosting for a while. Once the Block Estate was up to Kendra's standards Massie would most likely take them over. Because the alpha always hosted the sleepover, unless she chose not to.

And Massie was the alpha now…

Alicia's heart sank at the thought. She had been so close to the top. She had paid her dues as a freshman at the bottom of the totem pole, had done what she had to do to survive, to make sure the Pretty Committee survived. They had survived the freshman year from hell, all because of her leadership.

"No." Massie leaned down and grabbed the giant Chanel shopping bag. Inside, boxes wrapped with giant purple bows begged to be torn open. "They're presents."

"PREZZ-ENTS!" Dylan burped, walking right over the facemasks Alicia had laid out in the middle of the circle of sleeping bags.

Dylan quickly ripped the bow off while Massie handed out the rest. Alicia watched with dismay as some of the glitter from Claire's box fell to the spotless wood floor. She made a mental note to have Rosa, their housekeeper, vacuum it up in the morning. The last thing Alicia wanted in her room was a reminder of her new beta status.

"Cute!" Dylan held up a pair of emerald green silk pajamas with her initials monogrammed on the breast pocket.

"I got them all in your favorite colors!" Massie announced, clapping excitedly.

Sure enough, Claire's was baby blue, Kristen's was black, and when Alicia flipped the lid of her box it was pink… her old favorite color.

"Wow, this is so…" Alicia racked her brain for something useful to say but she was overcome by the need to puke. The bright, cheery pink silk in her hands looked disgustingly similar to a Yankees hate buried deep in the clutches of her closet. "Thoughtful."

"Yeah," Claire agreed, but unlike her, actually meant it. "Thank you, Massie."

Knock-Knock

Her bedroom door opened once again, but this time it was just her housekeeper with their newly traditional (thanks to her) sleepover smoothies from Westchester's hottest juice and fro-yo café, Loose Juice.

"Your smoothies!" Rosa sang-song and set the tray down on the low table in the corner of her room that was surrounded by bright pillows on the floor. Pendant lamps hung up above, and the intricate hand-carved wooden room divider her dad had bought for her while in Marrakesh provided a backdrop. It was the perfect place for the PC to sit and gossip before their night really started. Alicia loved that corner not only because it enhanced the Moroccan theme of her room, but because Massie didn't have a special place to hold meetings anymore now that the Blocks no longer had their horse barn- turned spa.

"Thank you, Rosa." Alicia dismissed her, waiting until she closed the door and heard her feet walking down the hall before dashing over to her bookcase. Behind her giant, unopened copy of a selection of Shakespeare plays was a fifth of Grey Goose that she had stolen from her parent's fully stocked basement bar.

She plopped down on a red pillow on the floor and grabbed her peach-mango smoothie, pulled the lid off and carefully poured in a shot worth of vodka. The other girls followed with Massie trailing behind, eyeing the smoothies suspiciously.

"Sorry, Mass." Alicia handed out the smoothies to their correct recipient. "I didn't know what flavor you'd like, so I had Dean pick up a variety."

Once the last cup was handed to Claire on her right, there were four smaller cups left on the tray.

"That's okay, I don't want the extra calories," Massie said, looking down and inspecting her nails before giving her the same bright smile she gave to any adult when lying. "But thanks anyway."

"More for me!" Dylan grabbed the strawberry-banana and the triple berry containers before Claire and Kristen quickly snatched the other two.

"You sure, Mass?" Claire offered her the one she took. "Earning gossip points is extra satisfying when you're giggly." But Massie smiled with no teeth and shook her head.

"Since when did you drink?" Massie watched in shock as Claire made herself a spiked smoothie.

"Since the St. Patrick's day party at Plovert's dad's house," Dylan informed before taking a big sip.

"Ew, you went to a party at Pervert's?!" Massie squealed in disgust.

Plovert's older cousins had thankfully been on their way to Boston from UPenn when they had stopped by while Plovert's dad was conveniently away on business. They had agreed to supply his party with not only the best green beer but the best bud in the New York metropolitan area. The party was as green as promised, and it had practically made Plovert a god at BOP.

"Um ya, the whole school was there." Dylan continued to talk about the fateful party. "They only served green beer, so thankfully it only took a few to get me tipsy."

"Dyl, you were practically tripping over yourself!" Claire laughed.

"Yeah, but so were you." Kristen pointed out. "You were so fucked up that you fell into the pool and took Cam down with you!"

"It was the first time any of us drank, and we all got to experience our first hangovers the next day." Alicia felt the need to explain. The St. Patrick's Day party had been wild, and the PC had made embarrassments of themselves. "We've been spiking our smoothies and drinking whatever we can get our hands on all summer to build up our tolerance."

"You plan on letting yourselves get out of control like that again?" Massie snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

"No, that's why practice makes perfect." Kristen bit her eco-friendly paper straw.

Massie's eyes darted around the circle before she grabbed one of the smoothies Dylan had taken and poured herself a little less than a shot and took a sip. And it was then that a realization slapped Alicia across the face.

Massie wasn't upset that they were drinking, it was because she felt left out. They had made a memory at Plovert's without her and their new Friday night tradition was a reminder of that she hadn't been there for their first drunken night together. She was jealous that she had missed all of the shenanigans that had ensued, the gross and strange bonding of holding each other's hair back while they vomited their guts out.

"So why did you never tell me about it?" Massie said after another sip.

"It's not exactly something we want to relive," Claire mumbled. The video of Claire and Cam falling in the pool was still all over Twitter and Instagram.

"It wasn't all bad!" Dylan pointed out. "Alicia met-"

"A really cute dog!" Claire jumped in. Alicia discreetly kicked Dylan under the table before shooting Claire an appreciative glance, but it still didn't stop Massie's perfectly sculpted brows from furrowing in suspicion. Her palms immediately started to sweat. This was Dylan's second time almost opening her big fat mouth and Massie was very observant.

It was only a matter of time before her secret got out.

The Rivera Estate

Alicia's Bedroom

Friday, August 30th

11:11 P.M.

While Massie, Dylan, and Kristen were changing into the matching pajama sets, Claire and Alicia sat cross-legged on their sleeping bags, phones in hand. Both were scrolling through Instagram, the ex-alpha and her unofficially appointed beta whispering amongst themselves.

"When are we going to tell Massie about you know who?" Claire whispered the question that Alicia knew she had been dying to ask all night.

Speaking of the devil, the image of a glamorous brunette posing on a balcony in Paris with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower in the background was on her feed. The graceful grey-eyed beauty had a knowing smirk on her face as if she were looking straight at Alicia.

"What if we don't?" Alicia continued to look at the girl's smirk. Now it just felt like a taunt, as if she knew that Alicia wasn't the sophomore alpha.

"But Massie thinks that everything is just going to fall back into place and be exactly like it was when she left!" Claire's eyes widened in panic. "She expects to waltz in and be proclaimed the alpha!"

"Don't you think that's a problem though?" Alicia snapped, finally unable to keep it in anymore. "Things aren't the same as they were in eighth grade, things have changed!"

And the biggest difference was that Alicia was no longer willing to just be swept aside. It had been fine to pass over the power for Massie's short vacations to the States, but Alicia refused to let go of it permanently. She had worked too hard to just give it all up.

It was time they all took a stand. They were no longer the scared middle schoolers that aimlessly followed a power-hungry alpha. They had all grown and matured without Massie, and it was time that she caught up.

They had to teach her a lesson. One she wouldn't ever forget.

"Let her go through what we did last year." Alicia finally said. "We had stormed in there as if we owned the place, and we were socially shunned for it!"

They would have stayed in social Siberia if it weren't for Alicia, and it was all because she had made a deal with the devil.

Not only did she have the guarantee that she'd be proclaimed the alpha of her grade once again, but that she'd be the Alpha's successor once she graduated in June. And once you were a junior, you often carried the title to your senior year (unless overthrown). She'd be the Alpha until she left for college.

But did that still apply if Massie was under the illusion that the title belonged to her?

"There's no way that Massie can win against her." Alicia shoved the image of the stunning beauty in Claire's face.

Claire shoved the phone away from her face. "And what if she kills us for not only lying but for breaking our oath?"

Alicia stilled at the mention of that night in the Hamptons.

The summer between eighth and ninth, they had been all been invited by Dylan to Merri Lee's Hampton house just before Massie was supposed to go back to England. For four days they had all been inseparable, spending every waking second together. They had shopped in East Hampton, enjoyed the spa, and spent their days relaxing by the pool or on the beach. But on their last night, they had been on the beach in front of a bonfire. Everything had been light and almost giddy even with their inevitable separation looming.

Until Massie had stood up and with the flames reflecting in her eyes, the brunet's amber eyes had turned to a molten copper as she recited another one of her cheesy yet inspirational poems about friendship and staying on top- no matter the cost. She had convinced them that they were all-powerful, that true alphas could make the impossible possible. So she had sworn to overthrow her BR (British Rival), Zara, and the Pretty Committee had vowed to overcome whatever or whoever came in their way between them and their rightful spots at the top of BOP's A-list.

But only one person had kept their promise.

They had lost their battle and faked their victory.

But Alicia's guilt over the deception had quickly evaporated. Massie always took her oaths too far. If it weren't for that childish vow, they wouldn't have lied and Massie wouldn't be clueless to a dangerous threat.

"She can't." A smirk started to spread across Alicia's face. "Massie wasn't exactly nice or close to anyone in middle school besides us. Without the Pretty Committee, she's her worst fear…"

"…A friendless LBR." Claire finished for her, breathless at the realization.

"Right now her power is just an illusion, she has none." Alicia explained further, "She can't do anything about it."

"Just because she can't defriend us doesn't mean that it's not wrong!" Claire continued to be the voice of truth and honesty, and it was honestly starting to give Alicia a headache. Why couldn't Claire just let Massie get her comeuppance?

"What's not wrong?"

Alicia and Claire whipped around to the sight of Dylan in her new silk pajamas, Kristen right behind her.

"Where's Mass?" Claire asked anxiously as if what they were discussing was treason.

"Talking to James in the bathroom," Kristen said before asking her question again.

"Alicia doesn't want to tell Massie!" Claire whisper-yelled.

"She practically called you and Kristen poor the other day!" Alicia pointed out, remembering what Massie had said in her bedroom earlier that week.

Kristen flinched and Claire's blue orbs stabbed with pain at the mention of it, but she still didn't back down. "She'd be facing the same fate as we did a year ago."

"Maybe that would be a good thing." Dylan shrugged and sat down on her sleeping bag, picking up one of the magazines in the middle as if this were a casual conversation, and not as if they were deciding how their year would start. "We learned from our mistakes and earned our way back to the top."

Alicia wanted to point out that none of that wouldn't have happened if it hadn't of been for her but bit her tongue. At least Dylan was backing her up.

"Maybe it'll finally knock her off her high horse," Kristen mumbled, also grabbing one of the magazines. But the title, Stylista, on the front in big bold red letters made Alicia's heart rate shoot up at yet another reminder of the girl who was sitting on Briarwood-Octavian Prep's throne.

Claire's eyes were also transfixed on the glossy pages in Kristen's hands as she said, "Don't you think this trans-Atlantic move is already enough on her? Shouldn't we warn her about trying to fight an uphill battle she's destined to lose?"

"No." All three girls said icily at the same time.

Claire's eyes turned to Alicia, silently pleading for her to change her mind. She knew what the blonde was trying to do, to make her remember the beginning of freshman year. It worked.

Memories came flooding back in an instant. The PC storming into BOP's auditorium, fashionably late as always so everyone could see their fabulous outfits. As she had walked in, burning smoky eyes glared at her, a promise of death in them. That promise had been fulfilled after Alicia had publically challenged her. After that, it had been rock bottom for the former alpha. Less than two months into her high school career she had been labeled a Loser Beyond Repair, and she had certainly felt like one.

But it had all started because she had acted on Massie's advice and insistence. And after she had been buried alive, it had been Alicia who had not only dug herself out of that grave but her friends too.

"Massie needs to find out the hard way." Alicia finally stated coldly, her eyes shooting daggers at Claire to prove her point that the decision was final.

As if on cue, Massie walked through the door and apologized for taking so long. Alicia effortlessly changed her expression from serious to friendly, plastering a bright smile on her face. She was going to have to be patient and sneakier than ever if she wanted to take what was promised to her…

Briarwood-Octavian Preparatory School

The Rivera's Limo

Monday, September 2nd

8:06 A.M.

Massie was checking her reflection in her Chanel compact, inspecting herself one last time as Dean inched the limo forward in the backed-up drop-off lane. When they had picked her up she had given him specific instructions to make sure that they were front and center when they got out of the limo. She had their entrance perfectly planned so that they would be getting out at the curb in front of the giant majestic fountain in front of the curving stairs of the main entrance.

It was where everyone hung out before and after school hours, or so the PC had told her. Naturally, it made the best place for a first impression.

With every passing second, Massie's body hummed and prickly thorns turned in her stomach. She had to pinch her thigh under her black Prada belted leather miniskirt to get her mind off of her nerves. She hadn't seen anyone from OCD and Briarwood other than the four girls inside the limo with her since she had moved. Would people even notice her? Would she be recognized or be forced to endure another year as "the new girl"?

The AC blasted, sending a reassuring shiver down her spine. She was Massie Block, alpha of the Pretty Committee, and as soon as she walked through those gleaming carved wood doors, she would be the Alpha. This was her school, and no one could make her feel insecure or inferior.

Her attention snapped to the PC. Claire and Kristen were doing as Massie had just done by checking over their makeup once again as they inched forward in the morning school traffic. Alicia and Dylan were busy playing with filters on Snapchat "Who wants to be rated first?"

Alicia dropped her phone in her lap and shot up her hand. "I do!"

Massie grabbed a SmartWater from the minifridge as her prop for a mic.

"Alicia is wearing a black Ralph Lauren foil-print racerback crop top with a blazer over it, and black washed cropped skinny jeans from Ralph, of course," Massie announced. "Annnnd a Gucci belt, Suzanne Kalan turquoise and diamond studs with the matching bracelet and ring. Congrats, you're a nine-point eight."

"Yay." Alicia clapped to herself with a satisfied smile as Massie turned to Dylan.

"Dylan is in an orange embellished Philip Lim jersey mini tank dress, a Veronica Beard denim vest, and white with orange trimming Tabitha Simmons block heels," Massie said into her waterbottle-mic. "Good job Dyl, Nine point seven."

"Do you think Derrick will think I'm a ten?"

"Who cares?" Massie rolled her eyes. "The only person's opinion that matters is-."

"Yours!" Claire cheerily butted in with supportive nods from Kristen and Alicia.

"No, actually mine," Massie smirked before her amber eyes landed on her next target.

"Kristen is wearing a strapless grey and white striped Veronica Beard jumpsuit, and white K. Jacques sandals." Just as she had instructed during the Friday night sleepover, Alicia had picked out Kristen's first-day outfit because Massie had known there wouldn't be anything acceptable in Kristen's closet. There was no way Massie could be seen walking in on her first day with someone wearing anything from last season or Gawd forbid Target. "Nine point five."

Kristen clapped to herself and Claire gulped when Massie's gaze landed on her.

"Kuh-laire, what happened to the Dolce I leant you?" Massie snapped. She had been waiting since she had first stepped in the limo and saw Claire and Alicia sitting together with their phones in hand. They hadn't even bothered to cover that they were texting while sitting right next to each other.

"It just didn't fit right." Claire shrugged. "And Alicia offered this instead."

Of course, the outfit screamed Alicia but still looked ah-mazing times ten on Claire. The ecru Jonathan Simkhai mixed knit lace puff sleeve bustier top with high rise medium wash Stella McCartney skinny jeans and the Gucci espadrilles made the look casual yet sophisticated. It made Massie want to rip it off Claire's body and shred it to tiny threads.

Since arriving back in the States, she had noticed that Claire and Alicia had seemed much closer than they had when Massie had visited during Christmas break. They had their heads pressed together the entire time during the sleepover on Friday night, and whenever they weren't together they were in constant communication through their phones. And Massie hadn't missed the looks that they passed to each other, able to read each other like they had a secret language. Kind of like how she used to be with Claire, and it made a painful knot pull in her stomach.

"Well, you would have been a nine-point eight in the outfit I gave you." Massie eyed the brunette and blonde. "But this will do, congrats you're a nine-point four."

"Rate me!" Massie demanded, posing the best she could while sitting down.

Alicia took Massie's waterbottle/microphone and spoke into it clearly and enunciated every word like the professional school reporter that she was. "Massie is looking exquisite in a Balmain white V-neck tank with gold metal straps, Versace denim shirt, Prada black leather miniskirt, and black Prada heel sandals."

"Ten!" Kristen called out.

"Ten." Claire and Dylan replied.

"Ten!" Alicia confirmed.

"Perfect." She was ready for this, well at least she appeared to be so outwardly.

On the inside, Massie was screaming until her lungs were hoarse. Every shred of confidence slipped away with every inch forward.

Once she got out of the limo, there was no going back...

Briarwood-Octavian Preparatory School, the most exclusive private school on the East Coast, was meant to educate the offspring of the fabulously wealthy and ensure their acceptance at elite schools. While KISS had been a building block for schools like Oxford and Cambridge, BOP was meant to cater to the Ivy League. Once upon a time, only a few short years ago, she had dreamed of spending her teenage years on this very campus.

At OCD, Massie had envisioned pulling up in gleaming purple Lexus convertible, storming the marble hallways like a Paris runway, and of course being proclaimed the It Girl, the Alpha of BOP.

But that had all crumbled away.

She had started from nothing and knowing no-one at KISS. Massie had fought and won her way to the top of KISS's A-list.

And then her parents had ripped her away. Again.

Now she was back home, only it didn't feel like home anymore.

Things weren't the same as when she had left, that was the only thing she was sure of anymore.

Complete strangers were living in her old home, which she had to drive past every day to get to her new home. The Pretty Committee had inside jokes and stories that no longer included her, which was to be expected, but it still hurt. And if Massie had actually felt comfortable, she wouldn't be starting her sophomore year feeling like a nervous LBR.

Massie Block was supposed to have the confidence to walk into school wearing a trash bag and know that soon everyone would try and fail to pull it off just like her. An alpha shouldn't be cowering in a limo, scared to face what was outside of it. An alpha was supposed to be confident in every step.

But she was terrified.

She hadn't even been this petrified since starting at KISS. At least there no one had known her. She had been given a chance to start over, to create an entirely new reputation, and she had. But this wasn't KISS, it was BOP, where people already knew her and she already had a reputation. And not a really good one at that.

Before leaving New York, Massie's reign of terror at OCD had left many of her peers scarred for life, or so she had read on some LBR's twitter after landing at Heathrow. It was true that she had probably insulted every girl in her grade at least three times each, and that she had profited off every Eternal Wannabe in the Hamptons by pointing out all of their flaws and selling them makeup to correct them. It was well known that she had even made her best friend's life a living hell when she had first moved to Westchester from Florida. Rumors had been correct about her over-controlling her closest friends' lives.

To put it simply, she was known as a bitch to the students of BOP.

Now she had to face them all again.

"You okay, Mass?" Claire asked, her eyes full of concern. A string behind her heart pulled at the sight. At least someone was concerned about her.

For a teeny-tiny second, she considered breaking down and admitting to her internal panic attack…But it was almost showtime. She had a group to lead, and they expected her to be in charge of her emotions, confident in every little thing she did. So she bottled up the nerves, shoved it down as deep as possible, and forced a radiant smile and nodded. "Of course!"

"Good!" Alicia smiled, placing a hand on the door handle. "Because it's time!"

A small wave of relief washed over Massie when she remembered that thanks to her years of training and grooming Alicia as her beta, she had ensured that her friend would lead the Pretty Committee into high school and take the title of Alpha. When she had left there had been no doubt in her mind that Alicia would take charge and make sure the PC stayed where they belonged, at the top. Just as Massie had expected, her protégé had made the PC the first-ever freshman clique to rule BOP.

And that meant that Massie wouldn't be returning as the bottom of the food chain as she had at KISS. Everyone knew that she had been the leader of the PC, and now that she was back it would be obvious to everyone who actually held the power and deserved the title.

This time she was entering her new school on top. She was the Alpha, the most powerful person at BOP.

BOP

The Rivera Limo

Monday, September 2nd

8:12 A.M.

Claire looked down longingly at her nails and cursed the bright coral color (Alicia had insisted it would bring out her tan) currently covering them. The itch to bite them and pick at her cuticles was insufferable as the little kernel of anxiousness in her stomach grew. She had known that Massie wouldn't be pleased that she had decided to ditch her pre-approved outfit at the last minute. But her hand-picked Massie outfit had just seemed too… Massie.

The Dolce & Gabbana top had been to die for, but when Claire had laid it out for the morning, she had realized that Massie had given the clothes that she would wear. Everything had been sleek and chic just like the brunette, and nothing like the relaxed but cute style that the blonde preferred. So when Claire finally realized just before midnight that she wanted to look and feel herself on the first day, she had called Alicia.

Even though it had been close to midnight, Alicia had rushed over to the Lyons household (via the limo and a sleepy/grumpy Dean) with an entire rack of clothes. They had settled on the Jonathan Simkhai top to show off her flat stomach and growing B-cups, pairing it with the Stella McCartney jeans to make her look more laid back. At first, Claire had been skeptical, worried that either Massie would force her to walk behind them for the entire day for her disobedience, or that Dean Sanders would send her home for showing the skin of her stomach. But after a little convincing from Alicia, Claire had accepted that she would look good even when paying the consequences.

True to her word, Alicia was right about her still looking amazing, but Claire couldn't help but feel awful.

To the average person that didn't know her, they would think that Massie looked perfectly calm. But Claire knew better. She knew that Massie was beginning to get nervous by her foot tapping on the spotless carpeted floor and the loss of color in her cheeks. The biggest sign was the withdrawn look in her amber eyes, and Claire knew that feeling well. Any kid that was starting at a new school knew what it was like to have a million questions and what-ifs run through their head before they entered the fray.

"You okay, Mass?" Claire ignored the glare from Alicia, not caring if she was bitched out later.

Massie's eyes snapped to her, and for a small second, Claire wondered if Massie was about to break down and cry.

But as quickly as that look had come, it disappeared even faster and was replaced by a look of assurance. "Of course!"

She looked up at Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen almost disgusted that they almost looked giddy with excitement. They knew perfectly well what was happening. They were about to feed Massie to the sharks, and the rest of the PC was anxious for the blood bath to begin.

Alicia looked over her shoulder and smirked at the sight of two figures sitting on the fountain's edge. Claire's own eyes widened at the sight: a willowy blonde next to a girl with hair and eyes the color of chocolate, both nightmares disguised as dreams.

No. No, no, no, noooooo!

"Good!" Alicia purred, "Because it's time!"

They had all been foolish enough to think that a short stint of poverty would change Massie, that her inflated head had finally come down to Earth. The rest of the Pretty Committee wanted to see her crash and burn for it. But just because she was still the same entitled snob didn't mean she wasn't still Claire's best friend.

They were all about to let Massie walk into BOP thinking the same delusional thought the PC had a year ago. And just like them, Massie was about to be eaten alive.

Claire wasn't sure if she could let that happen anymore. She had to do something, anything!

When Dean stopped directly where Massie had instructed, Alicia slid out first, followed but Dylan and Kristen. But Claire's butt stayed firmly on the leather, the warm humid morning invading the cold air of the limo as the door stayed open.

"Massie, there's something you should kn-"

"Kuh-laire!" Massie snapped, her amber eyes now blazing. "Are you a server at Slice of Heaven now?"

"What?" Claire's brows furrowed. "No."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Massie pointed to the open door. "We need to get into the building ASAP before my hair frizzes from the humidity!"

She was out of time, there was no way she could warn Massie now. Claire looked over her shoulder, peaking through her blonde hair at the fountain. The two girls on the edge were now discreetly watching the Pretty Committee through their eyelashes as they pretended to be invested in their phones.

The feeding frenzy was about to begin.

I promise the next chapter is shorter.

Reviews?