Disclaimer: I own nothing. NADA. Zip. Now, read on.

Chapter Two:

Alicia Rivera jumped when her iPhone beeped impatiently at her from somewhere near the bottom of her endlessly large BCBG tote. She shifted the bag around on her shoulder to get a better angle to reach for her phone. Eventually she pulled her arm out, smiling triumphantly, and looked at her newest message.

MASSIE: MEETING AT MY HOUSE, 7:00 P.M. 2NITE. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S INCONVENIENT 4 U, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

ALICIA: M, ? IS WRONG?

MASSIE: I'D RATHER TELL U WHEN EVERY1 IS THERE SO I CAN JST XPLAIN IT ONCE.

ALICIA: OK.

Alicia sighed and stuffed the phone into her purse again, once more losing it in the tote's depths. She looked around herself for a clock before realizing she should have checked the one on her phone before tossing it away. Too late now. Instead, she grabbed her mother's wrist, which was on the couch next to her, and checked her watch. It was 3 o'clock now, which left her four hours to get ready to go to Massie's. Plenty of time.

She relaxed into the leather love-seat and turned the TV on and checked her TiVo. She had one episode of The Hills taped that she had missed for a shopping trip with Massie yesterday afternoon. She turned it on absently and was greeted by the familiar faces of Lauren and Audrina. Alicia quickly found herself immersed in the drama that had made The Hills such a huge hit.

Thirty minutes later, Alicia was watching the after-show and listening to Holly complain about Heidi and Spencer's "secret" wedding in Cabo San Lucas when her phone rang.

So what?
I'm still a rockstar
I got my rock moves
And I don't need you
And guess wha-

Alicia yanked the phone out of her purse and saw Dylan's picture and number flashing across the screen. "Hey girl, hey!" she exclaimed into the mouth-piece. She grabbed her bag and began to walk up the stairs toward her room, clicking Speaker-Phone on as she walked. "What's up, chickadee?"

"Nothing really," Dylan said, her voice crackling a little with the static brought on by Speaker-Phone. "Did Massie tell you why she called this quote emergency end quote meeting?" Alicia could practically see the air quotes as Dylan said them.

"I wish!" Alicia said, exasperated. "Don't think I didn't try to get her to tell either! All she would tell me was that she wanted to tell us when everyone was there."

"Ugh! That's all she told me, too!" Dylan cried into the phone. "I called Claire, and she said it might have something to do with her Dad. She said that he told her that he needed to talk to Massie and that it was really important."

"It better be important. She blew off lattes with me for it. I'll bet it was something bad. She's probably been shopping all day because of it," Alicia grumbled. "Without us! I mean, who would tell her if something was so unflattering?! She'd only have her opinion and what she saw in the mirror! Do you know how many times we've saved her from making a Fashion-Don't?"

"Too many times to count, I know. It's crazy that she shops when something makes her sad or mad or whatever," Dylan agreed. "But whatever. I have to call K and see if she got anything out of Massie. See you at Massie's! Love ya!"

"See you," Alicia chirped. "Kisses!"

Alicia dropped her phone on her bed and walked over to her huge walk-in closet. She had all the best clothes by all the best designers. Better even than Massie did sometimes. Yet she was still the Beta of The Pretty Committee. Massie remained at Alpha status. She'd survived Claire's attempt at her throne, all of Alicia's attempts, Nina's attempt, expulsion, not getting the lead in Dial L For Loser, and so many embarrassments that Alicia had lost count. There were so many ways that Massie could have fallen. And Alicia could have stepped right in and taken her place as Alpha. But Massie always found a way to get back in it. It frustrated Alicia immensely and someday, Massie would slip and Alicia would step in. It was only a matter of time.

She grabbed a pair of DKNY dark wash skinny jeans off one of her shelves and paired it with her best three-inch Michael Kors white wedges. The shirt was a problem for her though. It was getting to be cold—it was September, after all—but she didn't want to choose something too heavy or something too light. She finally decided on a green three-quarter-length-sleeved shirt from BCBG that she'd gotten as a present from Massie last month. She broke the tag off quickly and threw the shirt on over her head. She added a few bracelets, a pair of earrings, and brushed through her hair and she was ready.

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're dow-

Alicia was slightly startled when she heard Kristen's ringtone from her phone. She bounded over to it and grabbed it, clicking Speaker-Phone on right before hitting "Answer" on the touch screen. Kristen didn't even wait for a "hello" to begin a rant about Massie's urgent message.

"Ehmagawd! Leesh, I have so much homework to do before school tomorrow! I can't believe Mass is going to do this to me! I mean, it's bad enough that we got expelled last year because of that seventh-grade trip, which was totally Massie's fault, bee-tee-dub. But now she's putting my grades in jeopardy—which are the only things keeping my butt at OCD—for a stupid meeting?! No!" Kristen said, speaking so fast Alicia could barely understand her.

"Well, she did say it was an emergency..." Alicia said, defending Massie a little. She was getting a little tired of everyone calling her. But then again, that just meant that they looked up to her as Massie's second. She'd rather it be the other way around with Massie as her second, but that was something she couldn't change right now. "I don't know, maybe Derrick or one of the boys called her and said they wanted to make up. That counts as an emergency, right?"

Kristen was quiet for a minute. "I guess...but I'm still not sure that I care enough to hurt my grades. Whatevs. Thanks Leesh. See you in like thirty. Mwah!"

"You're welcome. Mwah!" Alicia said and hit "End" on the touch screen. She sighed and took one last look in the mirror. She wanted to be the first one at Massie's house, just in case Massie was in the mood to spill to someone early.

"Mom! I'm going over to Massie's! I'll be home by nine!" Maybe. Alicia didn't tack the "maybe" on. She knew her mom would already disapprove of her going out on a Sunday night. As if proving Alicia's point, her mother sighed before answering.

"Fine. But no later. Okay?" she said, adding another sigh. Alicia nodded and skipped over to plant a kiss on her mother's cheek.

"Thanks, Mom. See you in a few hours."

She walked out her front door and slid into the plush seats of the Range Rover. The Rivera's new driver, Jacob, slid into the front seat almost simultaneously and started the engine.

"Where to, Miss Rivera?" Jacob asked in his hoity-toity English accent. Alicia giggled quietly to herself.

"Massie's house, please," she said and settled into the seat to enjoy the ride.