I think everyone likes Massie, so Massie it is. But maybe not immediately...

BEVERLY HILLS
GOLDEN ISLES
5:01 PM
DECEMBER 4, 2012

"Truce," Massie proposed. She waited for Claire to respond, but she didn't, so she continued, "We got each other here."

"What are you talking about?"

"You convinced Pop 'n' Lolly to let me model, but you would never have gotten to L.A. if my mom hadn't talked to yours. So we got each other here." She folded her arms, waiting for Claire to argue with her logic. Again, she didn't. "We have to get along. Alicia wants us both out."

"And?"

"Do you want to be out?"

"Honestly, now? Yes."

"Fine," Massie snapped through clenched teeth, her amber eyes narrowing. "Get out."

"And go where?"

"Back to Westchester, remember, sweetheart?"

"Fine." She twirled around. "I'll go pack."

OCTAVIAN COUNTRY DAY
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
2:02 PM
DECEMBER 4, 2012

SEXYSPORTSBABE: did u tell her?
CLAIREBEAR: hell, yes.
SEXYSPORTSBABE: what happened?
CLAIREBEAR: she kicked me out.
SEXYSPORTSBABE: i'm really sry, Kuh-laire.
CLAIREBEAR: don't b.
SEXYSPORTSBABE: ;) that's my girl! r u coming back?
CLAIREBEAR: i hope so. i told Massie i waz.
SEXYSPORTSBABE: good luck.
CLAIREBEAR: i'll need it.

Kristen clicked on her e-mail. They had a sub today, who was letting them do whatever they wanted. She found one new message.

FROM: Massie Block

TO: Kristen Gregory

Hey Kris,

i know this isn't what u want 2 hear right now, but u hav 2 pick sides. Dylan and me, or Alicia and Kuh-laire. And u hav 2 choose now.

Massie

TO: Massie Block

FROM: Kristen Gregory

Hey Mass,

i know this isn't what u want 2 hear right now, but i pick Alicia and Kuh-laire. Tell Dylan i hav nothing against her. This is all ur fault. And BTW, Kuh-laire's actually coming back. We've been talking behind ur back, so i guess u want 2 kick me out 2. Go ahead.

All my luv,
Kristen

BEVERLY HILLS
GOLDEN ISLES
5:05 PM
DECEMBER 4, 2012

"I want to leave," Claire rushed, playing the part of the grieving drama queen. Tears (really tap water) running down her face, hair mussed, eyes rimmed with faded red that she'd taken from Dylan's bag. She knew the only way her parents would even consider leaving so soon after picking up everything was if she milked the situation for everything it was worth. "I hate it here."

"Honey, what happened?" Judi soothed. "Talk to me."

"Massie Block," she choked. "She-she-,"

"What?"

"I want to leave." She threw herself into Judi's lap, where she sat and sobbed like a six-year-old.

"We can't."

Claire lifted her head as though it were the heaviest load in the world and turned to face her mother. "Wh-why?"

"We just moved here. Honey, I'm sorry you're having a difficult time, but you have to get over it." Judi smoothed Claire's frizzy hair through her fingers and sighed. "We didn't have much of a choice, and you seemed so excited about coming out here."

"I was!" she defended. "But... why don't we go back to Orlando?!" The idea had just come to her, and it seemed the perfect solution. She could escape this glamorous world and return to her real friends, Mandy, Sarah, and Sari. Who didn't judge her for what she was wearing and who she was going out with. Who didn't have ulterior motives undermining everything they did or said.

Judi's eyes brightened for a second. "I'd love to."

"So why can't we?"

"Because your father has to work."

"He can't work in Orlando?"

"Well, that's why we moved. They shut down that office because the upkeep costed too much, and they promoted everyone so that they'd stay with the company," Judi explained. "None of us wanted to move, Claire. But we have to earn a living."

"Can I go back by myself?"

"No. Stop being unreasonable. You're the one who wanted to come here. If you think about it, we moved because of you."

"You came here because the Blocks were leaving. Don't blame me, Mom. It's not my fault you're miserable." She flipped her blonde hair and smirked.

"What's wrong with you?" Judi wondered. "You've changed. You've been so different ever since, well, ever since you met Massie Block."

Claire employed a Massie-strategy that she herself hated. "Are you a manure salesman?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie?"

"Are you a manure salesman?"

"No." Judi crinkled her eyebrows.

"Then why are you giving me all this crap?" Cooly, she shrugged one shoulder and left the room. Judi chased her.

"Did you really say that to me?"

"Yup." Claire locked her door, dragged the chair from her desk in front of it so that using the spare key wouldn't help Judi open it, and fell onto her bed. Why, if she detested Massie so much, was she using the Alpha's language?

"Kuh-laire?" A loud pounding echoed throug the room.

"Yes?" she called.

"Can I come in?"

Claire groaned, then got up and dragged her door open. "What do you want?"

"Do you really want to leave?"

Claire nodded. No way was she letting her guard down, no matter how kind Massie sounded.

"I talked to my mom. She said she'll go back with you."

"What?!" she exclaimed. "Why are you helping me? And I thought you sold the house."

"Newsflash: I don't want an LBR in the Pretty Commitee and we didn't sell the house." With that, Massie turned on her heel and left. Without looking back, she said, "Your plane leaves in two hours."

BEVERLY HILLS
GOLDEN ISLES
5:36 PM
DECEMBER 4, 2012

"She's leaving?" Alicia repeated. "With Kendra?"

"Uh-huh," Dylan reported. "Massie sent me to ask you to put any hard feelings aside and rejoin the Pretty Commitee."

"What about her?" Alicia challenged. "What about her hard feelings?"

"Gone." Dylan clapped her hands together to demonstrate.

"Fine, I ah-gree," Alicia smiled. "But only if Kuh-laire's gone."

"Kuh-laire is long, long gone," Dylan assured. "Totally given."

"Fine." And they linked arms and strolled over to Massie's beach mansion. As they walked, they passed Claire, who was toting an ancient mauve Wheelie suitcase. Discreetly, Alicia stuck her leg out. Claire, who was trudging along sadly, not watching where she was going, fell and crashed to the ground, her palms digging into the rough gravel. "Oops," Alicia giggled. And then they skipped off, leaving their old friend in the dust.

BEVERLY HILLS
GOLDEN ISLES
6:58 PM
DECEMBER 4, 2012

With a sigh, Dylan let herself in the back way and slid up the stairs toward her room, which was in a secluded corner of the house that came with its own wing. Massie had informed her of Kristen's desicion, but now everything was different. And apparently it was her job to tell Kristen that.

She dialed her friend's number with a heavy heart. "Kristen?"

"Dyl!"

"Listen, the Pretty Commitee's back together now, except for Kuh-laire. Do you want to-"

"Nope," she replied instantly. "I'm sorry, but..."

"I know," she answered. "I think I liked her the best too. She was just so... down-to-earth and... everything Massie isn't."

"Exactly," Kristen affirmed. "I never liked Massie."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "Look, I've really got to go; I have soccer practice. Will I see Claire soon?"

"I think you will." It was hard to keep a smile from creeping across her face. "I think you will."