A/N: Hope you like :) Don't forget to review! Your input makes this story. Thanks!

Chapter 7: Queen Bees and Troublemakers

"Which do you think is better?" Camille asked, toting two wire hangers holding a pair of dresses between her fingers, "This one or this one?"

Scarlett was sitting in front of her, an overwhelmingly large beanbag very close to swallowing her whole. She and Mercedes had invited Camille, Lucy, and Stephanie to a fitting for the party on Sunday night. Scarlett sighed at stared at Camille's picks pensively.

"What kind of attention are you trying to attract?" Scarlett asked. She squirmed in her beanbag, pouting when her attempts to escape failed.

Camile bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. "Logan's attention."

Scarlett's lips flattened into a grim line. Camille had managed to stuff her boyfriend's name into every conversation they'd had. Her endless gushing was going to drive Scarlett mad.

"Go with the shimmery blue number," Scarlett decided. "It's the color he loves you in, right?"

Camille grinned, pressing the dress against her compact body. Her grateful smile was reflected in the full-length mirror on the opposite wall.

"I'll go try it on," Camille said. She bent down next to Scarlett and threw her arms around her neck. The wire hanger was jabbing Scarlett in the gut, but she smiled and sank into the embrace. She was trying to be happy for Camille…it was just hard at times.

"Next," Camille began, "We find you a dress." She then pranced away, disappearing into one of the fitting rooms. Scarlett exhaled and sent her bluntly-cut bangs flying into the air. She glanced at one if the several watches on her wrist, wondering when her aunt was going to show up.

"Have you even tried anything on yet or did you just plan on letting that beanbag eat you?" Scarlett smiled and shook her head. She shifted to see Lucy approaching in a velvety purple, bustier-style dress covered in chains (from H&M rack) and biker boots (from Lucy's closet).

"I think I might just wear a suit," Scarlett joked half-seriously. "Gosh, guys have it so much easier than us. They could look like crap and we just fall all over them." Scarlett evaluated Lucy's attire with her eyes, nodding appreciatively. "You look hot."

"Don't I?" Lucy laughed. She posed ridiculously, resembling a model with a broken leg. And arm. And maybe neck. "I'm gonna pair it with those tights with the runs in them."

"That'll look amazing," Scarlett agreed. "Now, could you do a girl a favor and get me out of this thing?" She patted the sides of the beanbag. Lucy stuck her arm out and hoisted Scarlett upwards. Scarlett brushed off her wool, tartan-plaid skirt.

Lucy and Scarlett turned to see Stephanie bound out from behind a rack of expensive clothing. The tiers of her Zac Posen frock fluttered in the air as she twirled around. "Carlos will fall down at my feet when he sees me in this!" she remarked cheerfully.

"Are you all intent on impressing a guy?" Scarlett asked, raising her eyebrows. Teenage girls couldn't help but be boy-crazy.

"Not me," Lucy insisted, adjusting the bust of her dress. Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Why even try lying to us?" she teased. "We all know you're totally in love with Mister Eyebrows." Lucy turned away so no one could see her face burning up.

"I think you've been breathing in too many nail polish fumes," Lucy said to Scarlett, pretending to go through a rack of dresses. "There is absolutely no attraction between me and Kendall."

"Who said she was talking about Kendall?" Stephanie giggled. Scarlett cackled in delight and lifted her hand for a high-five. Stephanie smacked her hand to Scarlett's, smirking proudly.

"Do I look good or do I look good?" Scarlett's smile went even wider when Mercedes reentered the rooms, her arms spread out wide. She was wearing a saucy, leopard-print micro-mini dress.

"You look good," Scarlett, Stephanie, and Lucy answered simultaneously. The three sets of eyes shifted from Mercedes to the door. It creaked open to reveal Kelly and a couple of stylists. Scarlett's aunt trailed behind them.

Scarlett snuck away from her friends to pull Nova into a hug. "Morning, Sunny," Nova murmured, rubbing Scarlett's back up and down. Scarlett smiled; her mother had used to call her Sunny when she was little because of her bubbly personality. She missed that.

"When are you planning on moving in with me?" Nova asked, pulling away.

Scarlett let out a little sigh. "I will soon, I swear," she promised. Honestly, Scarlett wasn't sure how happy she would be living with her aunt in Mercedes' big beach house. Lucy's cramped little pad was growing on her.

Their little moment was cut short when Camille burst out of the fitting room and exclaimed, "Ta-da!" She reddened slightly when she realized there were adults in the room.

Camille looked flawless. The dress highlighted her every curve with its body-con quality. There was a long, sapphire-blue train that just barely touched the ground and a sequined neckline. Scarlett tried to shake off the feeling she knew she would feel when Logan saw her in that getup.

"Tomorrow night, we will be the envy of the entire party," Mercedes declared confidently.

BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR

"Are you okay, Scarlett? You're looking a little green," Stephanie teased.

Scarlett rolled her green eyes towards the ceiling and flicked a Cheeto at Stephanie. Stephanie had invited the girls over for a sleepover to get ready for the party that would go down the next night. Scarlett was in the process of applying an avocado mask.

"Just because you said that, I will beat you with my shoe when you fall asleep," Scarlett giggled, slathering more avocado goop on her face. "That had to be the worst joke ever told."

"Have you heard Kendall's jokes?" Lucy asked, looking down from her position on the couch, "They're terrifyingly horrible." She picked up the television remote and changed the channel to Nickelodeon.

"So when exactly does Camille get here?" Mercedes asked curiously. She pranced into the living room with a bowl of puppy chow in hand.

"She should be here anytime now…" Stephanie trailed off, glancing up at the clock. Like most days, Camille was filming an episode of a show or a commercial. It was pretty rare to see her during most of the day.

All of the girls turned their attention to the flat screen when they heard one of Scarlett's old music videos playing. Stephanie grinned and jumped to her feet, imitating the dancers on the screen. A younger Scarlett danced along in a flashy prom dress, older guys vying for her attention.

"I used to adore this song!" she sang excitedly. "It was totally my jam." Mercedes joined her eagerly, botching several of the dance moves.

"You like the way I move, boy
Well, get in line
'Cause baby I'm a hot commodity
And I don't wanna waste your time
Got you sweating like a heat wave
And I'm cool as ice
You ain't never seen a girl like me
In all your li-i-i-fe!"

Scarlett smiled and stared at her Aztec-print toenails. She refused to meet the eyes of the girl who was singing one of her old hit songs, Queen Bee. Though it was a song she was actually proud of having written, it reminded her too much of one of the most miserable periods of her life. You never would have known with the big smile she was wearing.

There was a light tapping at the front door and Scarlett took it as an excuse to leave the room. She wiped her avocado-clad face off before unlocking the door, suddenly face to face with Kendall. The rest of BTR was behind him.

"Hey…" he began tentatively.

"What do you guys want now?" Scarlett asked bluntly. She put her hands on her hips sassily. "We told you, this is a girls' get-together. As in females only."

"Then I guess you should let James in," Carlos piped up from behind. Scarlett heard James smack Carlos behind the head.

Kendall shoved his hands into his pockets, peering into Stephanie's apartment. The girls were still dancing like idiots and dodging the pieces of popcorn Lucy was launching at them. Scarlett huffed and started to shut the door on Kendall, but he stuck his foot in the crack before she had the chance to slam.

"We have an industrial-sized bag of Sour Patch Kids now," Logan pointed out, finally speaking. Scarlett weakened at the sight of the candy. It was her favorite pig-out food and he knew very well.

Scarlett bit her lip. "Hold on," she ordered, "Let me see what the others think about this." She closed the door a tiny bit and turned towards the living room.

"The guys are here," Scarlett hollered, "They've come bearing gifts. Should I let them in?"

"Not by the hairs on our chinny-chin-chins!" Lucy joked.

Mercedes nearly tripped over the popcorn bowl to get to the other end of the room. "No, no, let them in! Those guys are delicious."

The color mounted in Scarlett's cheeks. "They can hear you!" she hissed, waving her friend away. Reluctantly, Scarlett swung the door open. The guys charged in like cattle in a stampede. Logan lagged behind, falling into step with Scarlett.

"I'm sorry about the other day," Logan whispered. He looked solemn. "And I'm sorry about everything else." Scarlett wasn't going to admit it, but she could tell he meant it.

Scarlett grabbed the bag of Sour Patch Kids. "We'll see how I feel about you when I get to the bottom of this bag." She smiled good-naturedly, tossing a handful of sugary candy into her mouth.

James, who was sprawled out on the carpeting, beamed when Scarlett settled next to him.

"So what are we watching tonight?" Carlos asked, looking through Stephanie's vast movie collection.

Lucy raised her hand, waving her butter-stained fingers. "Ha abah Wha Chks?" she suggested, her cheeks full of popcorn

"What?" Stephanie asked in a confused tone. Kendall wore the same confounded expression on his face.

Scarlett shook her head, her sleek strands brushing her shoulders. "I think she said 'how about White Chicks'?"

Lucy swallowed and pointed straight at the blonde. "Exactamundo!"

"Omigod, I love that movie!" Mercedes squealed. "I love that part when they sing—"

"A Thousand Miles?" Stephanie finished, grinning. Mercedes nodded and selected the movie from the pile.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Scarlett asked. "Pop that sucker in!"

The movie was put into the DVD player and soon, the living room was shaking with hysterical laughter. Lucy and Mercedes took the chance to quote every line they knew as the characters uttered them. Camille joined them near the end of the film, gratefully accepting the arm her boyfriend wrapped around her.

"So was this sleepover what you expected?" Scarlett asked the guys, treading across the carpet to retrieve the DVD. "Surprised there wasn't any making out or pillow fights in our underwear?"

"Says the one in her underwear," James scoffed. Scarlett glanced down, reanalyzing her outfit. She was wearing a flirty pink camisole made mostly of flimsy lace and an old pair of volleyball shorts.

Scarlett pulled her knees to her chest self-consciously. "I wasn't aware you guys would be joining our little get-together earlier," she muttered, staring into her now-empty bag of candy.

"And who said there wasn't any making out?" Kendall added. "Camille and Logan had their lips locked the whole time." Camille smiled, pressing her lips to Logan's neck.

Stephanie yawned and covered her mouth. "It's after midnight," she announced drearily. "Let's hit the hay."

"Yeah, we're gonna head back," Carlos agreed, helping Stephanie stand up. The guys filed out door, thanking the girls for the invitation. The girls had practically had to pry Camille away from Logan before closing the door. A few hours later, every girl was tucked safely into a sleeping bag, snoring softly…except Scarlett.

Scarlett looked around the darkness helplessly. Lately, her insomnia had been worsening. If she didn't get some sleep soon, she was going to go crazy.

Retrieving her cell phone from inside her pillow, she shined the tiny light around the room and tiptoed out into the hallway. As quietly as possible, Scarlett snuck into her bedroom, slipped into her bathing suit, and crept down into the lobby.

Scarlett cringed as she turned the pool lights, partly because she feared someone would catch her and partly because the brightness was burning her eyeballs. She walked slowly across the cool tile and inhaled the brisk night air. The cold nipped at her bare skin.

Something in the water moved and Scarlett breathed in sharply. She yelped when a person emerged from the pool.

"Guess someone had the same idea as me," he chuckled. Scarlett sighed in relief, clutching her heart dramatically. It was only Logan. "Scarlett, is that you?"

"Yeah," Scarlett mumbled, pulling at one of her bikini straps.

"Are you sure you're not stalking me?" he asked in an amused tone.

Scarlett snorted obnoxiously, sitting down on the pool ledge. "Trust me, if I were to stalk someone, it certainly wouldn't be you." Logan pulled himself out of the water, his eyes adjusting to the fluorescentness. He squinted to get a good look at the nighttime intruder.

Scarlett was wearing a strapless pearlescent Eres bikini, staring at the moon thoughtfully. Her feet were completely submerged in the refreshingly freezing water.

"So, uh," Logan began, grabbing his towel, "What are you doing out here? It's nearly four A.M."

Scarlett licked her lips absently. "I, um"—she paused in hesitation—"I couldn't sleep."

Logan's face changed and Scarlett could tell he understood. "Neither could I." Scarlett looked over as Logan sat down beside her. "So how long has it been?"

"Months," Scarlett admitted, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders, "I used to be able to get through the day without feel tired at all, but now, all I can feel is exhaustion. It's horrible."

"You don't even have to explain it to me," Logan insisted, shaking his head. "I get it. Have you tried any medication?"

"Of course," Scarlett groaned, "Have you tried Ambien? I did, but it made me nauseous and shaky."

Logan nodded vigorously in a way that said I know, right? "Ugh, Rozerem is even worse. It knocks you right out, but then"—

"You're tired as hell in the morning," Scarlett finished knowingly. "I'm pretty sure I ate breakfast while I was asleep." She leaned back and rested her head on the tile floor, closing her electric green eyes. Logan looked around consciously before doing the same. While still being close, the two teenagers kept their distance from each other.

For a while, they just laid there in silence, blending into the night. Scarlett was surprised when she heard Logan leap to his feet. Her eyes popped open and he was standing on the diving board. A smile slowly spread across her face as Logan bounced tentatively.

"You wanna see something cool?" he asked. The giddy grin he was wearing was making Scarlett tingle all over.

"What—you can dive?" Scarlett asked incredulously.

Logan reached his muscle-ridden arms above his head. I guess I'm about to find out, Scarlett thought.

Logan's stomach muscles rippled as he gathered momentum. He then dove into the water, cutting through the still surface with his perfect form.

Scarlett brought her hands together and started clapping wildly. Here eyes were aglitter when Logan surfaced. He swam over to the edge and wrapped his hands around Scarlett's slim, alabaster ankles. She jumped away, squeaking.

"What?" Logan asked, laughing. "You're in your bathing suit. You obviously wanted to get wet."

"Yeah, well, I'd assumed I'd be alone." Scarlett walked around the pool's edge, teetering precariously as if on a balance beam. She spread her arms out on either side of her body to steady herself.

Logan took the chance to try again, lunging for the girl's arm. Scarlett squealed as she took a tumble into the pool. Her lanky arms flailed animatedly while she fell through the air. She crashed into the water, disturbing the quiet of the night.

Scarlett came up from the water with a flurry of giggles bubbling out of her. "You're horrible!" she exclaimed playfully. She slapped the surface of the water with her palms, sending a tiny wave in Logan direction.

"Is that the best you can do?" he challenged, splashing Scarlett back. Scarlett closed her eyes and shielded herself by crossing her arms.

"You're so going down!" Scarlett scooped up as much water as she could to launch at Logan, but he latched onto her wrists and lifted them over her head. Scarlett struggled to escape, pulling towards the pool ledge.

"Let go!" Scarlett shrieked, yanking her arms backwards and inadvertently yanking Logan into her. The two of them stared at each other in a sweet silence for a full three seconds. Logan's chest was pressed against Scarlett's in a more-than-friendly way…

Scarlett yanked away in alarm, her heart beating like a hammer. "Holy crap," she thought aloud, "I didn't mean to—"

"I know," Logan breathed, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It's fine, really."

"I should go," Scarlett muttered in embarrassment. Scarlett stood up and speed-walked back into the Palm Woods. She didn't bother saying goodnight.

Logan groaned dramatically and pulled his entire body underwater. That girl was a troublemaker…and he kind of liked it.

A/N: Sorry, I guess I lied. I had meant for this chapter to be the "party" chappie, but I needed a filler before I got to that part. It'll be the next one, I promise :)

Music Mentioned:

- Queen Bee by Rochelle Diamante