The Block Estate

Massie's Bedroom

22nd August, Sunday

12:04 AM

"Ehmagawd, I'm so tired," Alicia said as she plopped down on Massie's mauve-sheeted bed. "The whole party was like, so energetic."

"I know," Kristen agreed. "I danced the whole night with this hawt guy."

"Is he a HART?" Dylan asked Kristen. Only a few boys earned HART (Hawt, Alpha, Rich & Toned) status from the Pretty Committee.

"Yup," Kristen nodded. "Except that he's an alpha for more popular guys, nawt soccer boys."

"Kuh-laire, what are you staring at?" Massie had been so engrossed in Kristen and Dylan's conversation she hadn't noticed Claire was staring at something as she put on the outfit Massie had forced Claire to wear for tonight's sleepover party: a cami top and boy shorts.

"Uh, nothing," Claire lied. "It's just that-" She paused. Massie was way more concerned now. She couldn't believe Claire was hiding something from her friends.

"Tell us!" Kristen urged.

"C'mon!" Dylan groaned while opened a bag of baked Lays.

"How many gossip points is it worth?" Alicia asked eagerly. Massie gave her a please-stop-thinking-about-that-now. Alicia sighed.

"I dunno." Claire shrugged. "I thinks it's ten or something like that, but it's about my suspicions with Cam."

"Real-ly?" Alicia asked. "Same! I've been having my suspicions with Josh, too, 'cause you know, they didn't reply to a single thing we sent tonight."

"Oh." Massie breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought it was about Dempsey having another crush at someone, or maybe Dempsey two-timing her. It was crucial for Massie's reputation that Dempsey wouldn't be like Derrington.

While Claire and Alicia rambled on and on about why would Cam and Josh be ignoring them, Kristen and Dylan chomping on Dylan's bag of chips, Massie clapped her hands twice.

"Would you guys puh-lease listen to what I'm going to say?" Massie declared. "I have ah lawt of things to tell you concerning about our future high school years."

To Massie's satisfaction, everyone hurried to get dressed in their pj's.

She put her hands on her skinny hips while the other girls sat down on her fluffy sheepskin rug.

"As you all know, next week we're gonna start the ninth-grade as alphas." Massie sat down on her computer chair to be much more comfortable. "And I'm not very sure that you all know where we're going."

"Uh, nope." Claire looked down on her cuticles. Alicia shrugged, while Kristen and Dylan continued eating their chips.

Massie tapped her foot and said, "This year, we are going to Rosewood Prep, the most ex-clusive, and hawtest school in the Upper East Side."

"Ehmagawd!" All of them screamed. They jumped up and down on the bed except for Kristen.

"But what about me?" Kristen wailed.

"Don't worry, Kris, my parents talked about it with yours, and you're officially on scholarship," Massie reassured her while jumping up and down.

"Yay!" Kristen screamed and joined them. They were all laughing until tears strolled down their cheeks.

"Girls, what's happening?" Kendra opened the bedroom door.

"Nothing, Mom," Massie said with a smile. Her mother closed the door.

She smiled to herself again. Everything was going so ... perfect. Too perfect, she thought.

A moment later, the girls were exhausted – all of them were deciding on the perfect outfits for their first month at Rosewood. They had already decided on each of their first-day-of-school outfits – which was, according to Massie, to be more fun but not too immature, a game; each person will choose a few clothes from Massie's walk-in closet (thank God they were the same size), and they will get rated by how ah-mazing the outfit they chose was.

"OK, time's up!" Massie shouted once the thirty-minutes time limit was over. "Can we puh-lease start with Leesh's outfit first?"

Alicia stepped forward and twirled the way she did during the wardrobe check before the party.

Massie took a recorder from her table. "Alicia is currently wearing, as usual, Ralph Lauren material," she announced. "Extra points for the ah-dorable Belleview ruffle sateen blouse, stretch belted ankle pants and the Trina metallic leather sandals. Extra, extra points for your Juicy Couture beach tote. Congratulations, you get a nine-point-nine. It's totally wearable for the first day."

Everyone applauded politely while Dylan went up next.

"With the sleeveless piano rib Miss Sixty cowlneck sweater, and pencil-straight Juicy Couture jeans is Dylan Marvil. The Marc Jacobs patent-leather black flats look ah-mazing with your outfit, and I double-dog luh-v that skinny belt cinched around your waist. The Pucci handbag is an ah-mazing touch. Totally wearable for the first day! Congratulations, you're a nine-point-eight."

Everyone cheered and Kristen stepped forward.

"Kristne Gregory is currently wearing a Juicy Couture green run ruffled dress. It looks ah-dorable with her black leggings and green Miu Miu flats. Luh-v the black satchel! I also luh-v that green thick hairband. It's so wearable. Congratulations, you're a nine-point-five!" Massie declared.

Claire stepped forward. She knew that it would get a nine or higher anyway, since Massie had helped her decide what to wear.

"Kuh-laire, I so ah-dore that floral lace pencil skirt. That silk charmause ruched front blouse looks ah-mazing with that DKNY lambswool cashmere cozy jacket. J'adore those Jimmy Choo pumps. Totally wearable for the first day. You're a nine-point-three!"

Claire blushed while the others applauded and cheered.

"Now for me," Massie announced and showed them the Massie-sized mannequin she'd gotten. "I'm wearing a Lauren Moffat lemon-colored printed smock dress which is kuh-yoot with these black tights and yellow-colored Jimmy Choo flats. I only need to curl my hair, tie it into a hairband and put on some donut earrings. Suggestions?"

"Nine-point-eight," Kristen said.

"Ah-greed," Alicia nodded while Claire and Dylan nodded.

"Ehmagawd, it's already one in the morning," Kristen gasped. "And we need to shop for brand-new outfits tomorrow!"

"Puh-lease! There's twenty-four hours tomorrow." Massie rolled her eyes. "We have loads of time."

"Point." Alicia lifted a finger.

"Ninth-grade is so going to rock!" Claire punched a fist in the air.

"Totally." Dylan nodded.

Massie smiled at her friends. They were so right about one thing:

The Pretty Committee was going to denominate Rosewood Prep.