BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
8:03 AM
NOVEMBER 30, 2012

"Hey, guys!" Kristen greeted the group happily, her breath forming a mist in the cool, crisp air.

"Go change." Aimee shoved her into a dressing room labeled KRISTEN, where the Nicole Miller outfit hung from a rack.

"Is it going to be this cold tomorrow?" Alicia wondered, rubbing her hands up and down her freezing arms. She was wearing nothing more than the miniature strapless number she'd been given when it was still warm out.

Dylan pulled out her phone and checked AccuWeather. "Yup," she confirmed cheerfully. "38 degrees high exactly."

"Ugh." Alicia pulled on the uber-warm Ralph Lauren sky-blue parka she'd brought. "Much better."

Just as Kristen exited the changing stall, Massie and Claire ran out the side door of her house. It swung shut behind her with a thud. "Gawd, it is so cold out," the Alpha muttered. She had on a purple Juicy Couture sweatsuit with gray Uggs.

Claire was the only one wearing suitable clothes. She was layered in Deisel skinny jeans, black Bearclaw boots, a long-sleeved Abercrombie&Fitch T-shirt, and a heavy black North Face jacket. Her gloved hands were stuffed in her pockets.

"Thank you," Alicia agreed. "No one else seems to care."

"Change!" Aimee shouted, guiding Massie and Claire to doors that had their names emblazoned on a plaque.

"What is she freaking out about?" Kristen asked annoyedly. "We're here all day."

Dylan shook her head. "No clue."

"Alright, gals!" Aimee herded the group up to the catwalk. Just as Dylan had imagined it, it was decorated with billions of glittering fairy lights, which gave off at least some warmth.

"Ehmagawd!" Claire yelled, jumping up and down. "It's so cold!"

"No shit," Alicia murmured. Massie shot her a warning look.

"We have decided on the order," Aimee's loyal, loud-mouthed assistant proclaimed. "First Massie."

She stepped up confidently.

"Then- what?" Aimee had run over and shown something to her. It was scribbled on a scrap of paper. "装备的变化?" she read. "Okay, outfit change." She gestured to Dylan and the Epsilon. "You're changing into the same dress as Claire," she told the Gamma. "And you're..." she pointed to Claire, "going to wear it in green, same as Dylan."

Dylan returned first in a green dress that matched the Epsilon's. "I liked the other one better," she moaned. Everyone ignored her.

"And Kristen and Alicia are going to wear the same color," Aimee finished. "Would you like to wear pale blue?" she asked, staring at the Beta.

"No."

"Alright, would you be okay with purple?" She looked at Kristen, who shook her head.

"Sorry."

"Alicia, change, please."

"Why me?"

"Cuz baby blue will look better on you than purple will look on her," Massie interrupted. "Duh."

"Exactly," said Aimee. "Please cooperate, girls. We have to have you ready and on the runway by nine for your mother..." she looked at Dylan, "and Miz Dorsey. Okay?"

"Okay," they sighed.

BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
8:56 AM
NOVEMBER 30, 2012

"Formation," ordered Aimee. "Massie in front, then Alicia and Kristen, then Dylan and Claire. Like... what-do-you-call-them? Pyramid!" The girls shuffled into their spots. "Now, you all have to walk at the same time, or you will look sloppy."

Just then, Merri-Lee arrived with Landon. "I feel so bad for you girls." Merri-Lee shook her head. "If I had known it would be this cold out..."

Landon readjusted her scarf and shielded her eyes. "I cannot imagine walking around in those right now."

"And five, six, five, six, seven, eight," Massie whispered, aiming her voice back toward her Gamma and Epsilon like Aimee had taught her. Not that she didn't already know. "And walk."

BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
7:48 PM
NOVEMBER 30, 2012

"You have to go to bed early." Kendra Block stood in the doorway. "You can't let those scholarship children down." She closed the door gently behind her. "Good night."

"Scholarship kids?" Kristen repeated, her voice squeaking slightly. "That's what this is for?"

"Yeah," Massie replied casually, holding in a yawn. She was drained. "You didn't know that?"

"No." Kristen smoothed her bangs behind her ear. Trying to sound mysterious, she asked, "What if one of us was a scholarship kid?"

Claire sensed the warning signals. She knew all about lying to cover up your financial issues. She faked a gag. "Ehmagawd, I'm gonna be sick!" she exclaimed.

Not understanding that it was a scheme, Kristen rushed to her friend. "Let's go to the bathroom." She led her around the corner, not knowing that Massie had her known. That was what Claire had counted on.

Once her friend had firmly shut and locked the door, Claire hissed,"You're on a scholarship, aren't you? That's why you squirmed out of that Truth or Dare question."

"What? No."

"Yes." Claire patted the rim of the tub she was sitting on. Kristen dropped down next to her.

"Fine," she admitted. "And I don't know if I'm allowed to even be in this."

"You wanna hear a secret?" Claire asked, dropping her voice even lower.

Kristen turned to look at her friend. In the dark bathroom, all she could see was Claire's silhouette.

"Judi told me the other day. I'm on a scholarship too."

BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
8:02 PM
NOVEMBER 30, 2012

"What is taking them so long?"Alicia wondered, switching tank tops.

"She's sick, remember?" Dylan pointed out. "I'm sure they'll be back in a minute." Sure enough, the door swung open, and Kristen and Claire walked back over to their sleeping bags. "You feeling better?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yeah." Claire smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"Gossip?" Massie asked.

"Aren't we supposed to be sleeping?" Kristen protested.

Dylan shrugged. "Who goes to sleep at..." she glanced down at her watch, "8:04?"

"Point." Alicia turned to Massie. "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to take a picture of yourself right now, no hair-brushing or glossing or anything, and post it on the Student Section."

"What?!" Massie exclaimed. "I thought this was a friendly game."

"A dare is a dare," Alicia replied indifferently. She handed Massie her phone.

Pursing her lips together, the Alpha lay down, smiled brilliantly, and snapped the photo. You couldn't see her hair at all, and in the flash, you couldn't tell her lips weren't shining. She posted it on the Student Section, and then opened her Instagram and wrote, 'Sleepover w/ holagurrl, bigredhead, sexysportsbabe, and clairebear.' Then she grinned truimphantly at Alicia. 'Ha,' she mouthed. "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Dylan responded.

They played until almost 9:00, then swapped rumors for another half-an-hour. Finally, they dropped off to sleep.

BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
6:00 AM
DECEMBER 1, 2012

"Girls!" a voice shouted.

Dylan, a light sleeper, stirred slightly, then shot up. "Mom?"

"I told you to go to bed at eight," Merri-Lee scolded. "This is what happens."

"Sorry," Dylan apoligized, and shook Claire awake. She didn't want to be the only one facing her mother's wrath.

"What?" the Epsilon asked wildly, looking around. Dylan pointed toward her mom. "Oh." Then she woke Kristen up.

After everyone was stretching, yawning, moaning, and groaning, Merri-Lee announced, "I expect you to be downstairs, at breakfast, in twenty minutes. You don't have to change."

They eventually got up. After brushing out their hair, applying a light coat of makeup, and donning their Michael Kors, DKNY, and Dolce&Gabanna sweatshirts, they got in the elevator and traveled toward the dining room.

"Hey," Dylan said.

"Hi," they were greeted by Kendra, William, Merri-Lee, Landon, and Ms. Bloom.

"Why are you here?" Massie kept a polite smile plastered on her face to hide her surprise and any possible rudeness that could have been inferred.

"You didn't forget that this show is for OCD?" the principal replied. "It does not center around you and your petty fashion show."

Dylan couldn't believe that the stylish woman who had created the most exclusive school in Westchester didn't like fashion shows.

"Mel!" Landon chided in a stage-whisper. "They're kids!"

"They'll learn someday." She shrugged. "Might as well be now."

BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
4:23 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012

The all-day activites had worn Claire down. She was supposed to smile, introduce herself to celebrities who couldn't care less about the true cause of the benefit, and maintain her perfect image for the cameras. Now she was hiding in the wings with Massie. Not that the Alpha was hiding, she was fuming.

"I can nawt believe they asked Alicia and Dylan to model, but nawt me!" she shouted.

"That sucks," Claire replied, even though she had no clue what Massie was talking about.

"I know!" Massie whisper-screamed, so no one would hear her. "And it was Pop 'n' Lolly too. Totally rich and famous."

"You mean those 15-year-old twins who model for all those designers and always act like they rule everyone and everything?" Claire confirmed.

"Yup."

"Oh God. Well, what about Kristen? She didn't get picked either."

Apparently, that was no consolation. Massie scowled ferociously and stomped away from Claire toward the changing rooms where her dress was waiting. Then she turned back around. "You think they didn't like the outfit?" she asked pleadingly, obviously hoping that it had nothing to do with herself or her personality.

"I'm sure that was it," Claire agreed generously, although she loved the nude-colored assymmetrical-shoulder Chanel dress. With matching Christian Louboutin peep-toe heels that added at least two inches, a vintage white Gucci clutch, and a perfect touch of mascara, Massie looked absolutely impeccable. But if that wasn't what her friend wanted to hear, that wasn't what Claire would say. "I don't like the color that much," she lied.

"Well, at least it wasn't me."

Satisfied, Claire slumped against the wall with her hands in the hidden pockets of her skirt. All of a sudden, a team of paparazzi engulfed her. She stood up straight, twisting her abdomen and jutting out her hip just enough so the dress would look extra-flattering. It was a tip Massie had taught her. She hoped to God she didn't have anything caught in her teeth and threw on a brilliant smile, knowing the pictures would be broadcasted on international TV seconds from now.

"What are you wearing, tonight, sweetheart?" demanded a fat, balding man.

"Donna Karan," she managed. "Her new Mashable line."

"Stand still," the man ordered.

Claire placed her hand on her hip and grinned, for once feeling like the star she was inside.