Finally, finally, finally! This chapter took unecessarily long to write. (Sorry 'bout that. I've kind of been busy... not that that's an excuse.) I'm hoping I'll be able to get the next chapter out a lot quicker. Reviews are the best kind of motivation, you know! :)

Unfortunately, the temperature didn't drop another two degrees as Dylan and Claire had hoped, and instead of waking up to a blanket of white snow on the cold, hard ground, Massie woke up to the rhythmic pitter-pattering of rain on her window. But just because it had literally rained on her parade didn't mean she was about to let it do so figuratively, too.

"Party at my house this weekend," Massie announced at lunch once everyone had taken their seats.

"Heck yes!" Dylan burped to the assorted eye-rolling and laughter of her friends.

"What time?" Kristen asked, ever the practical one.

"Sunset until sunrise," Kemp suggested, winking at Alicia, who looked away pointedly.

"You know Kristen's parents aren't gonna go for that one," Josh disagreed.

"So?" Kemp challenged.

"I wouldn't want her to miss the party," Josh replied. Kristen beamed while Alicia frowned.

"I was thinking more along the lines of seven p.m. to midnight, anyway," Massie cut in.

"Sounds good to me," Plovert replied.

"I'll definitely be there." Cam grinned, catching Massie's eye. Claire watched nervously for Massie's reaction, knowing from personal experience that the gaze of Cam's one-green-and-one-blue eyes was about as intense as camping. Massie, however, seemed unaffected by it.

"So Saturday, then," Massie concluded, marking the end of the discussion. Under the table she discreetly slid her phone out of the front pocket of her charcoal gray Citizens of Humanity jeans and fired off a text message to the PC.

Massie: compulsory shopping trip today after school
Alicia: im in!
Dylan: same :)

Claire frowned as the messages flashed on her cell phone's tiny display. Shopping with the PC always meant maxing out her debit card. She had to admit, however, that at the moment she wasn't exactly in the position to tick Massie off.

Claire: ill b there

Kristen: i wont. team captain cant exactly skip practice
Massie: fine. but u will b the only 1 without something new 2 wear 2 the party
Alicia: dont worry kris im sure josh wont notice. u no since hes the most fashion conscious of all the boys and all

Kristen bit her lip as she read this latest message and Alicia smiled smugly from her seat across the table. All eyes were on Kristen as the girls waited to see how she'd reply. Meanwhile the boys continued to eat their lunch and discuss sports, completely oblivious to the girls' rapid-fire conversation. In the end, it was Dylan who replied.

Dylan: its cool, ill just pick something up 4 her. size 4 rite?
Kristen: right. thnx dyl :)
Dylan: no prob

The girls tucked their phones back into their purses and pockets, Alicia somewhat resignedly, as the lunch bell rang, dismissing them from the cafeteria. Cam walked Claire to her next class like the dutiful boyfriend he was pretending to be.

As they walked, there was an awkward silence between them, and Claire couldn't help remembering something Todd had once said.

"Gay baby," she coughed, causing Cam to look at her quizzically.

"Every awkward silence, a gay baby is born," she explained with a shrug.

"Right," Cam replied distractedly instead of laughing like Claire had hoped.

She sighed. "Look… If you're thinking about Massie and Plovert, don't worry about it, okay? There isn't a better guy out there than you, and if Massie can't see that, she's blind," she told him as they reached Claire's next class.

"Thanks, Claire," Cam replied, smiling weakly. "You're a great friend."

"Yeah," Claire echoed glumly as Cam walked off to his own class. "Friend."

--

"Ehmagawd Massie, that dress looks even more ah-mazing on you than it does on the hanger," Alicia gushed as Massie twirled for them in the large mirrored dressing room at Macy's. The dress in question was a mauve jersey dress by Splendid with short, poofy sleeves.

"I'm thinking chunky black belt and black tights," Massie said as she turned from side to side, checking her reflection out from every angle. "Shoes?"

"Pumps," Dylan suggested. "Maybe those cute Kate Spade ones you own?"

"Heart that," Massie agreed, plugging the suggestion into her palm pilot.

Claire stood off to the side, observing but refraining from making any comments other than "cute" or "nice" for fear of making an embarrassing fashion faux pas.

"Hey Claire," Dylan said suddenly, startling the blonde. "Wanna help me pick something out for Kristen? Since Alicia and Massie are still trying stuff on and all," she added upon seeing Claire's incredulous look. Claire wasn't typically the member of the Pretty Committee anyone went to for fashion advice. Even though she'd lived in Westchester for almost four years now and had for the most part assimilated into its culture, Claire still didn't quite have Massie's style or Kristen's knowledge of designers.

Claire nodded and followed Dylan out into the store's spacious showroom. Dylan wandered over to one of the racks and began absent-mindedly sifting through its contents.

"What was up with Alicia at lunch today?" Dylan wondered as she fingered the plush fabric of a cashmere sweater. Of course, Claire realized. I should have known she wanted my opinion on something other than clothes.

"What do you mean?" Claire hedged, knowing that with her friends it was sometimes best to play the neutral card.

"She was kind of being unnecessarily titchy to Kristen, don't you think?"

"I guess," Claire allowed.

"Do you think it has to do with Josh?" Dylan asked.

"Either him or TOM," Claire replied, fighting to keep a straight face.

"Tom?" Dylan asked, wrinkling her button nose in confusion.

"Time of month?"

"Ohhh." Dylan laughed. "Yeah, that's what Massie told Kristen yesterday. But I don't believe it."

"Believe what?" Claire and Dylan abruptly turned around, coming face-to-face with a curious looking Alicia.

"The prices on these sweaters," Dylan lied smoothly. "Even Kuh-laire could afford one," she added, subtly elbowing her in the back. Claire frowned at the jab but played along.

"Yeah—think it's cute enough for the party?" Claire asked, pulling a gray turtle neck sweater off the rack.

"By itself? Opposite of yes," Alicia replied, shaking her head. Dylan heaved a sigh of relief. "But I think I saw a navy Splendid jumper that would look ah-dorable with it."

"Thanks," Claire muttered, walking off in the direction Alicia had indicated. Dylan definitely owed her for this.