Meanwhile…

Kristen crossed her legs and flipped open her phone. No new text messages, proclaimed the screen, unforgiving. Fine. It was obviously time to take matters into her own hands. She opened up a new text message screen and began to type.

KristenGreg22: hey dune.

A minute later, a reply came back.

SurfTheWaves: hey kristen.

KristenGreg22: we haven't talked in 4ever.

SurfTheWaves: not since summer. i miss u.

Kristen almost had a squeal fit. He missed her?

KristenGreg22: miss you too. so where are u now?

SurfTheWaves: bali. sum brand offered me a contract w/them to endorse them.

KristenGreg22: omg! what brand?

SurfTheWaves: wavewear. have u heard of them?

Kristen's mouth dropped open. Dune had been offered an endorsement for WaveWear? WaveWear was the hottest new brand to buy beachwear from. It was always in Teen Vogue and had been spotted on every celebrity at the beach. Kristen's chest filled with pride picturing Dune becoming a famous surfer. Finally, she could convince Massie that Dune was the perfect guy!

KristenGreg22: oh my god, dune! ur going 2 get famous!

SurfTheWaves: yeah, well, idk if im going to take the contract.

Kristen's mouth fell open. What was he talking about? How could he not take the contract? Just then, Alicia marched back to them, looking very, very, pissed. Kristen quickly stowed her phone away, but wasn't quick enough.

Alicia's eyes widened. "You had a phone? Why didn't you tell me? I could have called Massie!"

Kristen quickly handed the phone over, not making eye contact. The truth was, she had been so busy checking her phone for texts during the wait that she hadn't wanted to hand it over. Now she was paying for it.

Alicia tapped in Massie's number and hit talk so hard her pink Essie nail polish chipped. Kristen winced.

"Massie? It's me, Alicia. Yeah, I'm sorry. Dean has a flat tire and my phone died. What? Oh, I'm calling from KRISTEN's phone." Alicia rolled her eyes at Kristen. "Yeah, Dean will be here in five minutes. K. Bye." Alicia flipped the phone shut and handed it back to Kristen with one more eye roll for good measure.

"So what did Faux-liva want?" Dylan asked, using Olivia's old nickname from seventh grade.

Alicia looked down nervously at her lap. "Just to harass me about Claire and Cam getting back together."

"Puh-lease, is she ever going to give that up?" Dylan sighed dramatically. "It's totally not your fault."

"Yeah, it's totally hers," Kristen chimed in reassuringly. "If she wasn't so annoyingly anal about her 'baby,' none of this would have happened."

Alicia tried to look reassured, but her mind was racing. She certainly didn't want her secret to get around the whole school, but Claire was her friend – albeit her nerdy, boyfriend-obsessed, Keds-wearing one. Besides, Olivia had no proof. Maybe Alicia could just deny, deny, deny until everyone was over it.

Dean drove up and honked loudly and repeatedly, waiting for the three girls to get into the car. Alicia stepped into the limo and mentally prepared for the rest of her day. How on earth was she going to avoid the wrath of Massie, break Claire and Cam up subtly, and get to the adorable new Earnest Sewn jeans before Dylan?