FABIAN ESTATE

3:30 P.M

TUESDAY AUGUST 24TH

Cassie and her best friend Michele were sitting in Michele's bed room, getting ready for the first official pretty committee meeting. Well, the first official meeting of the new PC.

"Muh-chele!" Cassie exclaimed. "What are you wearing?"

Cassie noted Michele's tacky lime green halter top with hot pink capris. They looked terrible together. Michele is Cassie's best friend and all but…ew.

Michele looked down. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's…" Cassie wrinkled her nose. "Ew."

Cassie got up and went to Michele's walk in closet and picked out a black and white polka dotted shirt dress with black high heels, and a pair of white earrings. "Here. Much better."

"Thanks?" Michele said and quickly got changed. "Cassie, is my name ugly?"

Cassie looked at her funny. "Paige. Or Michele?"

"Michele." She said. "I don't think I should go by my middle name anymore."

Cassie shook her head. "Whatever you want, dahling."

Michele said quickly. "We're starting high school now. I don't want to be called Michele. I want to go by my first name, it's much more sophisticated. So much more…me."

"Okay, Paige." Cassie said laughing. "Whatever you want."

Paige quickly went and logged onto her myspace account and changed her display name to Paige Michele. "Paige Michele sounds good, no?"

Cassie shrugged. "Yeah. Of course."

"Then Paige Michele it is." Paige said.

Cassie looked at her pink Dooney and Bourke watch then said. "Crap. We've got to go. The Pretty Committee wannabe's are going to be at my house in a hour."

"Okay." Paige said while grabbing her bag. "I'll call Tony."

She grabbed out her phone and dialed the number to her driver Tony. "Tony. Hello. It's Miche—I mean Paige. Um, could you bring the car to the front and take us to the Hotz estate." She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Yes. Okay, we'll be out in like two minutes."

Cassie jumped to her feet and grabbed her multi-colored coach purse, and went to the door. "Okay, lets get going! I can't believe this is happening. It's ah-mazing."

The girls walked, no ran, down the stairs, and walked past Paige's father saying goodbye.

The got into the bright yellow hummer, and sat down. "So, are you and Jeremy still dating?" Paige asked.

"I don't know." Cassie confessed. "The other day he seemed so, I don't know. Distant. It was so not him."

Paige nodded. "I see. Well, the new girl, who moved in next door, Tiffany or something, was walking with him earlier."

Cassie stiffened. "Okay? Big deal."

"Well they were all close." Paige laughed. "That girl was way to friendly with him"

Cassie just shrugged.

Whatever. No big deal, I trust him. I think. She thought to herself.

"So anyways." Paige said. "When he saw me, he introduced us and asked how our clique was going and such, and Tiffany, gosh I can't remember her last name, said she was coming to our meeting. So, yeah, I don't know. I'd watch out with her."

Cassie laughed. "I don't really care. If she's pretty, she's in."

Paige shifted in her seat. "Hm, alright then. I was just saying."

"Well, thanks anyways." Cassie said. "Sorry. I'm not trying to sound like a total biach. It's just, I don't know. I just, want to be carefree when it comes to things like these. Plus the girl is no match for me."

"Ladies, we've arrived at your estate, Cassie." Tony said.

The girls opened their doors and walked up to the front entrance and rang her bell thing.

"Hello?" A voice came through the speaker.

"It's just me." Cassie said.

Her mother appeared at the door. "Hello, girls. Michele, how are you today?"

Paige smiled at Mrs. Hotz. "I'm fine. But, please, call me Paige from now on."

"Ok, Paige." Mrs. Hotz said stiffly.

"okay, mom, I'm having a pretty committee meeting tonight." Cassie said. "So could you like, please, go somewhere else?"

Mrs. Hotz gave her daughter a cold look. "I was just leaving, honey."

"Good." Cassie smiled. "I don't need you ruining this."

"Don't talk to me like that, Cassandra." Mrs. Hotz scolded.

Cassie kissed her mom on the cheek. "Sorry, mother."

When her mom left Cassie and Paige made their way to the pool deck, and sat down at the tables.

"Well, they should be here any minute." Cassie said, watching her housekeeper put out cute little non alcoholic drinks, and snacks.

Her house keeper came onto the deck with a girl with dark blonde hair who was skinny and maybe around five one. Her hair had a red stripe in it, and was wavy. She was wearing a lot of makeup, but was still pretty. She was what you'd call a scene kid, sort of.

"One of your guests arrived." The housekeeper said, and quickly left to wait by the door for more people.

"Puh-aige!" The girl shrieked and ran over to Paige.

"Allie! EHMAGAWD!" Paige squealed back. "I didn't know you were coming!"

Odd. They knew each other? The years Paige and Cassie had been friends, Cassie never met this girl. Ever.

"Cassie. This is my cousin, Alison Vega." Paige said. "She's been away with her parents for years. They're missionaries."

Cassie smiled at the girl. "Hi. I'm Cassie Hotz."

The girl laughed. "I got that."

"Nice to meet you to." Cassie said calmly.

When were the other guests going to come? This girl was so not her style to be in the clique…but, if no one else comes, I guess she'll have to do. Mainly since she's Paige's cousin. Great. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea.