I just got the new Jonas Brothers cd & I'm already completely in love with it! (Okay, maybe not Don't Charge Me For The Crime..that song's kinda iffy. Then again, its feat Common and rap's never really been JB's thing.) I find it really weird that I started writing this story before their last cd came out and now their new cd has come out and I'm still writing this story. Man, it's been awhile.

& while we're on the subject of things that are ironic. I also find it really funny that I orginally made this story Dylington because it was a crack!pairing and I thought they would be cute together and now it's 100% canon. Well, at least they're still cute. :)

When Monday morning dawned bright and sunny, worrying about being considered lame for having a driver drop her off at school seemed silly compared to her current problems, and so as she straightened after fastening the straps of the plum colored Mary Janes on her black stockinged feet and smoothed the skirt of the lavender shift dress she had paired with a classic black cardigan and a long strand of pearls knotted just under her bust that picked up the sheen of her shoes, Massie decided to nix the walking only policy and reinstate the carpool. She fired off a text message to her friends to alert them to the change of plans (wording it carefully to make it sound like walking had been a poorly thought out group decision and not her own dumb idea) and glanced one last time in the mirror to make sure the giant black bow on the headband holding her curls in place was positioned exactly right before heading downstairs to nicely ask Isaac to resume driving her and her friends to school.

Ten minutes later Massie and Claire had both taken their seats in the Range Rover and were sitting in awkward silence as Isaac pulled out of the Blocks' long driveway and onto the road. They hadn't spoken to each other since the ill-fated party and the tension in the air was enough to make even the spacious interior of the luxury vehicle feel claustrophobic.

"I don't want to fight, Massie," Claire said finally, breaking the silence. "If you want Cam, you can have him."

"Kuh-laire. I don't want him," Massie replied firmly. "Cam's a jerk. He led you on and used you to get to me. Not to mention how he totally stabbed Chris in the back. I don't want him, and you shouldn't either."

"I know," Claire sighed. "I'm trying to get over him." Massie sighed too.

"I'm sorry. That was kind of harsh. The past couple days can't have been easy for you," Massie told her, frowning sympathetically.

"It's not your fault, Mass," Claire replied with a sad smile. "You didn't ask Cam to like you."

"No. I didn't. But once he sees how absolutely uninterested I am in him, maybe he'll give up on me. And maybe he'll start liking you again," Massie suggested. Claire instantly perked up.

"You really think so?" she asked hopefully.

"I know so," Massie told her assuredly.

Just then Isaac pulled up in front of the Rivera mansion, signaling the time to end their heart-to-heart. Alicia pushed open the heavy oak doors of her house and stepped out into the frigid air in ultra dark wash True Religions tucked into equestrian-style knee-high leather boots. Despite the fact that she had on nothing except a cropped tweed blazer over her crisp white button down, Alicia took her own sweet time on her way to the Range Rover, moving slowly like she always did because she was "worth the wait."

"Hi Mass! Hi Claire!" Alicia said brightly when she finally reached the car and gracefully climbed in.

"Someone's in a good mood," Massie noted. She glanced at Claire to make sure she wasn't paying attention before discreetly pulling out her phone and texting Alicia for details.

Massie: did u talk to josh?
Alicia: no. im trying not 2 b needy & desperate remember?
Alicia: did u talk to plovert?
Massie: not yet
Alicia: mass! its been 2 days
Massie: i know im going to talk to him today
Alicia: you better b4 he starts thinking youve moved on
Massie: i do NAWT like cam
Alicia: never said you did

Massie rolled her eyes and slid her phone back into her oversize Coach tote, ending the conversation. The rest of the carpool went by without incident. After she was picked up, Dylan immediately launched into an animated conversation about how ah-dorable Derrick was that lasted the rest of the way to the school. When Kristen entered the car she smiled briefly at Claire but pointedly ignored Massie and Alicia, preferring instead to focus her attention on the Sudoku puzzle in the magazine on her lap.

When Isaac pulled up in front of Westchester High School, Kristen took one look at Alicia before jumping out of the car and speed walking towards the main building.

"Ehmagawd!" Alicia turned to Massie, her voice low and urgent. "She's trying to beat me to Josh!" Dylan, who had overheard this statement, laughed.

"It's not like it's that hard to do," she pointed out in an amused tone.

"I'll show her!" Alicia lengthened her strides, picking up her pace so that she was moving at a brisk walk.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen her move that fast," Claire commented as they watched Alicia attempt to catch up to Kristen. Kristen glanced over her shoulder, and, upon seeing Alicia gaining on her, started jogging, her stick straight dirty blonde hair streaming out behind her and her gym bag bouncing against her back. Alicia broke out into a run in response, and before long the two were sprinting neck-and-neck to the courtyard.

"Now that's the fastest I've ever seen Alicia move," Massie laughed. "Those two are pathetic."

"We can't all have two boys fighting over us," Dylan reminded her.

"It's a tough life, but someone's gotta live it!"

When, Massie, Claire, and Dylan arrived at the courtyard picnic tables, Alicia and Kristen were already there, sweaty and panting for air, but the boys had yet to show up.

"Looks like you both lose!" Massie announced. "Josh isn't even here yet. Now do yourselves a favor and fix your hair, or else he isn't going to want anything to do with either of you."

"Point," Alicia agreed, pulling a brush out of her bag and running it through her thick, silky black hair. Kristen rolled her eyes but followed Massie's advice as well.

"Now you're presentable," Massie told them approvingly.

The doors to the courtyard creaked open, and all five girls' heads turned simultaneously.

The boys had arrived.