Hey guys! After this week, I will officially be on a month-long hiatus. I'm going to Europe for three weeks, and then school starts. So you might get one more chapter this week, but maybe not. See you in a few weeks!

Heart ya,
Joy

PARIS
AUNT JEAN'S HOUSE
9:18 AM
JUNE 30, 2013

"Le temps d'aller!" Kendra announced, ever-chipper.

"What?" Massie snapped, scowling. "Could you puh-lease speak English?"

"I said, it's time to go. We don't want to be late."

"How 'bout you guys just go without me? I think I'm gonna catch up awn some sleep." She made to take her hair down from her artfully messy bun. It wasn't as good as something Jakkob would do, but she had to make ends meet some way.

"No." Kendra snatched her arm. "Why did you beg to come to France all year if all you wanted to do was lie around in bed?"

"I dunno. Let's go back, then. Whatevs."

"No!" Kendra exclaimed again. "Let's go, Massie!" She yanked on her daughter's arm like an overexcited toddler, although it was clear in her grip that she was a very annoyed mother. Her sharp, perfectly filed nails dug into Massie's soft skin, drawing tiny dots of blood.

"Mom!" Massie spun out of her mother's grip and gestured up and down her body. It seemingly dawned on Kendra for the first time what the brunette was wearing. "Do I look ready?"

"Not at all." Kendra's pale gold eyebrows lowered, lending a ferocious glare to her normally kind face. "You have five minutes."

Massie shook her head and tried to refrain from rubbing her eyes. Then she slammed the door, ignoring how it rattled on its hinges, stripped out of her lightweight plaid pajama pants and blue tank, and once again began searching through her closet.

The Blocks were going sight-seeing today, planning on spending most of their time at the Ifle Tower, then eating lunch at some extrememely fancy four-star restaurant that Massie had already forgotten the name of. Her aunt Jean's husband, André, had offered in an absolutely charming (or it would have been, if Massie was a bit more awake) French accent to show them around, but he had to get to work at two, which meant if they wanted to experience everything they'd wanted to today, they'd have to do it now.

She finally decided on a pleated white Marc Jacobs skirt with a gold tube top and shimmering Louboutin gladiators. To add a touch of modesty, she threw a cashmere cardigan over her shoulders and grabbed a golden Victoria's Secret clutch. After swiping her lips with some CoverGirl lip gloss and applying a light coat of mascara to her lashes, she was as ready as she was going to get.

ORLANDO
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
3:34 PM
JUNE 30, 2013

"I can't do anymore rides," Sarah whined, rubbing her slightly plump stomach. She brushed a platinum-blonde corkscrew curl off her forehead and snapped a ponytail holder off her wrist so she could tie her hair back.

"We just started," Mandy contradicted. "Was Wevenge of the Mummy too scawy for itty-bitty Sawah?" she mocked in a baby voice.

"No! I just don't feel so good. I'm kinda nauseous. I think I ate too much." As she spoke, she lifted yet another handful of popcorn to her mouth.

Claire yanked the bag away, causing most of it to spill onto the concrete. "I vote-"

"Let's do Transformers 3D!" Todd said, grinning.

"Todd!" Claire stomped her foot. "No one cares what you want to do. The only reason we dragged you along is because you have no friends to hang out with."

His eyes filled with sudden tears.

"Oh, it's okay, sweetheart!" Sari opened her arms for a hug, and when Todd appeared not to notice her, she gave him an awkward pat on the back and moved away.

"Why can't we ever do what I want to do?" he demanded.

"We only went on two rides!" Claire told him disparagingly. "We're taking turns choosing what to do. See, now it's my turn."

"Well, I want it to be my turn."

"Todd!" she shouted. "Stawp acting like a baby!"

"Stawp?" Sarah echo-giggled, her nausea apparently forgotten. "What does stawp mean?"

"Stop, okay? It means stop!"

"So why'd you say stawp?"

"Just cuz, alright?!"

"Yeah, and while we're all asking questions," Mandy added, "what's with all the designer stuff?"

"I live in Westchester now," she explained slowly.

"So?"

"Ugh! Come awn, let's just go."

"Where?" asked Sarah.

"I don't care!" Through all of this, Todd had continued whining, and Claire was at her wit's end. "You can pick, okay?"

"Transformers!" he selected gleefully, running off in the direction of the ride.

Her friends followed him, laughing, leaving Claire standing in the middle of her favorite amusement park in the world, without anyone, feeling utterly and totally lost.

WESTCHESTER MALL
VERSACE
4:04 PM
JUNE 30, 2013

"You like?" Dylan wondered, sticking out her A-cups so they appeared to burst out of the too-tight baby-doll tee she was sporting.

"No," Kristen told her decisively. "You need, like, two sizes bigger."

"Why?" Dylan sob-pouted. "You think I'm fat?"

"No! But look at yourself." Kristen guided the redhead over to a mirror.

Although she was still upset, Dylan laughed. "Okay, fine, you're right. Can we go now? I have to be at the studio early to judge."

"Judge what?"

"Oh, the competition. They're fighting over alternate captain."

"Gotcha. Ehmagawd, that's him!"

"Who?"

"Kemp Hurley!"

"Kuh-laire said you liked him."

Kristen grabbed the Gamma's wrist. "Come awn!" She dragged her out of the store and landed for the second time in two days in front of him. "Um, hey." She tried to sound easy-breezy, as though running into him was no big deal.

"Yo." He was clearly disinterested in her.

"Kemp, Dylan Marvil. Dyl, Kemp Hurley."

"Dylan Marvil?" His eyes widened and the brows shot up. "Really? My mom is, like, obsessed with The Daily Grind."

"Thanks." She grinned. "I'll tell Mom." In a lowered mutter, she hissed, "When I see her."

"Hey." He grinned at the redhead. "Wanna grab coffee or something?"

Dylan gasped and shot a look at Kristen, who was absolutely devastated. But she shrugged it off and faked a smile at Dylan. 'Go ahead,' she mouthed.

Eternally grateful, Dylan accepted the offer, and she danced off with Kemp.

Kristen's Kemp.

RIVERA MANSION
ALICIA'S ROOM
4:12 PM
JUNE 30, 2013

Alicia counted herself off, then launched into a perfect replica of Dylan's routine. Then she positioned the tripod that had been recording her and pressed Play. Not bad.

She snuck a glance at the clock. "Ehmagawd," she gasped. "I'm gonna be late." She didn't want to bother waiting for the elevator, so, using the stair banister as support, she whipped herself down two flights, yelling for Alex.

"A su servicio, señorita." He nodded.

"Tenemos que ir ahora mismo o voy a llegar tarde a las audiciones capitán alternativas!"

He leapt into the driver's seat of the limo and tore out of there. He traveled up Route 202, turned left, and made a beeline for the dance studio. Alex could be a very aggresive driver when he chose to.

4:28. With a rushed thanks to her chauffeur, she ran outside, changed into her shorts and tank in the deserted locker room, and rushed inside.

"We've been waiting for you, Miss Rivera. I was sure you'd turn up." The teacher smiled.

She beamed. They'd waited for her! "Well, I'm here now."

"Good, good. Dylan?" She extended a black top hat toward the redhead, who fished around inside and pulled out a slip of paper.

"Kiara Santiago!"

A Hispanic girl with boobs that didn't rival Alicia's but were close and dark hair tinted with blonde stepped up confidently.

"Awn three, two, one-"

Mrs. Farson gestured for the rest of the class to sit while Kiara performed. As she danced, Dylan scrawled notes on the clipboard she was balancing on her lap.

Kiara finished the wild wiggle that was the last move with a dramatic hair-flip, the burst out laughing. Most of the class grinned, and they all applauded politely.

"Jessica Acenseo!"

She was sporty for a dance girl, and she looked like she'd be interested in lacrosse or soccer, not modern.

"Awn three, two, one-"

Two left, and Alicia still hadn't had her turn. She was hoping, praying to God that she would be last.

"Bianca Ferriola!" Dylan rolled the R.

Bianca's turn zoomed by, and in a flash, Alicia's name was called.

With a relieved sigh, Mrs. Farson hit the music for the last time, and it rang out.

Alicia focused with all her heart. This was her chance... And there was her cue. And she'd missed it.

"Okay, thank you all!" Mrs. Farson announced. "We have lots of wonderful dancers here! During class tomorrow, we will announce who won, and they will work with Dylan and I for the rest of the week, while you," she indicated the others, "will rehearse with Miss Tia."

"Miss Tia?" Alicia couldn't help letting a disappointed groan out. Miss Tia was the worst of the worst of the substitutes. She smoked all over the place, and smelled like it too. She wouldn't let them make one mistake (not that Alicia ever did), and she was just a bitch.

"Did you have something to add, Alicia?"

She shook her head.

"Very well. Class dismissed. See you tomorrow, bright and early. 8:00, please!"

As the girls filed out, all Alicia could do was hope. She knew she'd screwed up at the beginning, but she was still the best dancer there. She'd gotten right back on track and killed it the rest of the song. She just hoped that Dylan could see how good she was too.

MARVIL MANSION
DYLAN'S ROOM
5:19 PM
JUNE 30, 2013

'Our friendship is screwed, our friendship is screwed, our friendship is screwed.' That was all Dylan could think as she sifted through three pages full of notes. One page a person, one name a page. And not one of the final three names was Alicia Rivera.

Dylan knew she needed to decide this fairly and honestly. It wasn't fair or honest to pick Alicia as alternate captain just because they were friends. But she knew the Beta would be crushed when she found out. What to do?

She had to be fair and honest. She eliminated first one name, and then, after some very tense moments, she eliminated another.

One left.