BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
4:31 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012
Massie glowered from the shadowy corner as she watched the rest of the Pretty Commitee gather around Claire to have their pictures taken. She scowled and stamped her foot when she noticed how happy they looked, even without her there. But the final straw was when Pop 'n' Lolly approached, waved the cameras off, and said, "What's your name?"
"Claire," she overheard the Epsilon reply shyly.
"Well, Claire," one of the twins smiled, "would you be interested in modeling with us?"
Claire's eyes bugged out.
'No,' Massie prayed. 'If she's loyal...'
"Yes!" Claire exclaimed.
She couldn't keep her mouth shut. "What?!" slipped out. Since she couldn't take it back, Massie marched over to the group, positioned herself in front of the Pretty Commitee, and stated, "This is my clique."
"Thanks for sharing." The twins smirked in sync, then stepped smoothly around her.
Massie felt tears forming. "Why don't you want me to model?" she demanded.
"We don't take girls with... attitude."
Massie thought back to their last interview. Vaguely, she remembered them saying the exact same thing. But she'd figured it was just a show to hold up their beautiful smiles and kind, pretty eyes. Guess not.
"But... but," she stuttered.
"Sorry, sweetheart." Then they turned around to talk to Alicia, Dylan, Kristen, and Claire. Every last one of them had been asked to model. Every last one of them except the Alpha. Massie Block.
BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
4:40 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012
'Me!' Claire almost jumped for joy. 'They want me to model! Pop 'n' Lolly want me to model!' It took some time to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming.
By the time she came back down to Earth, Dylan was shaking her by the shoulder. "Kuh-laire?"
"Mmm?"
"They want to talk to you." The Gamma gave her a gentle shove in the twins' direction.
"You'll have to sign a release form," they instructed. "Have you modeled before?"
"Right now will be my first time," she admitted.
"That's fine. We've been looking for a brand-new face," Pop replied.
"And you'll have to choose a designer to sponsor," Lolly added. "Even though you model for everyone."
Claire smiled. "Alright," she said, accepting the form. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what are your real names?"
"I'm Jenifer," 'Pop' answered. "You can call me Jen."
"And I'm Marisa," 'Lolly' told her. "But stick with Pop 'n' Lolly in public. No one knows our real names. Not even the girls who work with us. Other than family, you're pretty much the first."
"Okay!" Claire agreed happily, glad to be in on such an important secret.
"First rehearsal will be on Monday, in Beverly Hills. You should be there at noon with the other girls."
BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
4:44 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012
Kristen positioned herself opposite Alicia, giving her head a little shake to clear it. After the initial excitement, everything had made itself clear.
The only reason Kristen was at this party was Massie. The only reason she had met Pop 'n' Lolly was Massie. The only reason she had any of these opportunities was Massie. And if the twins wouldn't take her friend, the one who had made this all possible, they weren't getting her.
BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
4:45 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012
Vaguely, Alicia heard Massie's order to start walking. Obediently, she marched in time to the beat of Pretty Girl Rock.
"All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a ten
Don't hate me 'cuz I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cuz I'm beautiful."
'The perfect song for the Pretty Commitee,' she reflected. 'I wonder what Pop 'n' Lolly told Kuh-laire. Maybe-' In a split second, she realized. She had wanted to overthrow Massie almost since the day they met. And it turned out she didn't even have to do the dirty work. The famously perfect twins had done it for her. Without Massie, Alicia was the Alpha. And Massie was officially out of the picture.
BLOCK ESTATE
BACKYARD
5:03 PM
DECEMBER 1, 2012
"We did so good!" Dylan couldn't help squealing the second they got back to the wings.
Massie's lip trembled slightly, and she stalked off.
Alicia chose to ignore her. "I know, right?" she replied. Then she looked at Claire. "What did Pop 'n' Lolly tell you?"
"Good news, bad news, or serious problem?" she asked.
"In that order," Dylan replied.
"Okay, good news: we are officially modeling for Pop 'n' Lolly. We each have to "choose a designer to sponsor,"" she relayed, using the twins' exact words. "Bad news: Massie is definitely nawt in."
"Then I'm Alpha," Alicia interrupted, trying not to sound too eager.
"Whatevs."
"And you're Beta," she told Dylan.
"I'm Gamma," Kristen put in.
"Right, and you're Delta."
Claire smiled tightly, then continued. "Anyway, the serious problem is, well, they want us to move to California."
"Are you sure?" Dylan squawked.
"Pretty much. They said that the first rehearsal is in Beverly Hills, and they didn't sound like we were all flying out there just to come back."
Dylan put on a steely expression. "By when?"
"Monday."
"Where there's a will, there's a way."