The Beauty Queens

by FashionLeMode

Madeleine had already been chosen by the popular girls at school to be the Queen of the entire Sixth Grade. Now the question was, would the other girls - Scarlett, Kayla, Mackenzie, and Audrey - grow into their designated roles in Madeleine's court? And could Madeleine successfully reign over an entire grade, or would the uniqueness of the girls prove too much for her to handle?

7. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this story.

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Chapter Six

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Prescott Preparatory School for Girls

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Kiosk

7:43 A.M.

Friday, September 6th

Scarlett hummed softly, pausing to sip her iced white chocolate mocha. Feeling her classmates' eyes on her, she knew they had all seen the loser list on Madeleine's Instagram page. Hoping her classmates wouldn't gather the courage to approach her, Scarlett took a calming breath and crossed her slender legs. As she waited for her friends, she blew strands of her icy-blonde, straightened hair from her icy-blue eyes, and stared at the table. Relieved that she had already ordered her friends' coffee drinks, Scarlett felt better about claiming a table near the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf kiosk, sighing deeply. Moments later, she looked up and saw her friends heading her way. Straightening her posture and squaring her shoulders, Scarlett greeted them with a smile. "Hey, girlies!"

Madeleine slid into the head seat and hung her white leather Aphrodite hobo bag on the back of her chair. "Hey, Scar," she greeted her friend.

Kayla settled into the seat beside Scarlett, taking several sips of her iced vanilla chai latte. "Hi, Lett," she said warmly.

A wide grin spread across Mackenzie's face as she plopped down on the empty chair beside Madeleine. "Hello, Lottie," she said.

Audrey's signature Valentino perfume wafted through the air as she grabbed the seat beside Mackenzie, taking a long sip of her iced hazelnut latte. "Hey, Lele, what's up?" she asked.

Scarlett smoothed the front of her cream Alice + Olivia crochet shift dress. "Nothing much," she responded with a chuckle, "Except I've been feeling the eyes of our classmates on me. They must have seen the 'loser list' on Maddie's Instagram page."

Kayla arched a perfectly waxed wheat-blonde eyebrow in Scarlett's direction. "After all, they should know their place on the sixth-grade social ladder," she added condescendingly.

Scarlett rolled her eyes at Kayla's statement. "Whatever."

"When I was entering the school, Olivia approached me," Mackenzie finally said, keeping the subject going. She checked the backs of her flawless diamond stud earrings. "She's hysterical about her ranking on the 'loser list', especially since she believes she should have been rated higher."

Audrey shot her friends a sardonic half-smile before taking another long sip of her latte. "Oh, that's so pitiful," she said mockingly, reveling in Olivia's misfortune. "But she has to understand that I have the right to make the list however I want."

Scarlett nodded and discreetly scanned the cafeteria. Students sat at the surrounding tables, sipping iced coffee and clutching notebooks. "Oh, yeah," she agreed, smoothly changing the subject. "I spotted Jacqueline Everstone wearing the same Miu Miu wedges Mads had on yesterday."

Madeleine snorted loudly, rolling her emerald eyes. She then smoothed the front of her purple Shoshanna frill-trimmed minidress before resting her arms on the table. "Ugh, she's such a loser. But now I have to worry about Jacqueline copying my style."

Kayla reassured Maddie, brushing imaginary lint off her monogrammed Balmain staight-leg jeans. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Audrey spoke sweetly, flashing a mischievous smile. "We all know Jacqueline is getting her comeuppance today." She leaned back, crossing her arms.

Mackenzie nodded in agreement, sipping her iced caramel macchiato. "Her friends will be joining her soon," she added, her voice laced with malice.

Scarlett pulled her iPhone from her bright-red Kate Spade satchel. "Besties, I have some blackmail to share," she replied, dropping her phone on the table. "It's about Molly Nolan."

Madeleine eyed her black-and-white Sam Edelman ballet flats momentarily before speaking to Scarlett. "Scar, I thought you would have kept that to yourself," she said, raising a perfectly waxed honey-blonde eyebrow. "It'll make it easier for her to do what you want."

Scarlett rolled her eyes before taking dainty sips of her caffè mocha. "Maddy, you can use this information against Molly and her friends," she told her friend, noting that Kayla, Mackenzie, and Audrey eagerly listened to the gossip.

Madeleine leaned back in her chair, her manicured hands folded on the table. Sensing that Scarlett was ready to share some information, she said. "Alright then, Lett. Go ahead and share the information with us."

Scarlett leaned back, resting her chin on her laced fingers, relaying the news one of her spies had uncovered. "Apparently, Molly used to snack on dog biscuits over the summer. But that ended when one of her old friends posted a video of her indulging on TikTok. The clip went viral, and Molly faced intense public backlash for the next three weeks."

Madeleine's wicked smile accompanied by her shoulders rolling back and proclaimed. "Now, Lottie, that's some good information to use against them."

Audrey's cerulean-blue gaze shifted to Scarlett, who was intently focused on her phone. "Maddie, you can use this against her," she said with a cruel laugh, reveling in the misfortune of Molly.

Kayla retrieved her medium baby-green Milly makeup bag from her hunter-green Marc Jacobs suede backpack. She opened the bag, grabbed a black Red Bliss waterproof mascara, and applied several coats to her lashes. "Molly tried to sweet-talk me when I was alone in the bathroom," she admitted, noticing her friends were watching. "I think she's trying to get me to understand her perspective."

Mackenzie sipped her macchiato, wondering what Molly had told Kayla when they weren't present. "Kay, what did she say to you?" she asked.

Kayla straightened the collar of her hunter-green Balmain double-breasted blazer before taking a few sips of her latte. "She said I should cut my friendship with you guys. But, I agree Lindsey, Mads, and Avery should include scholarship kids to the Prescott Queen system."

Madeleine set down her iced vanilla latte and rested her elbow on the chair, trying to calm down. "That's never going to happen in this school," she said firmly. "Not even if pigs started falling from the sky."

Scarlett snickered and crossed her arms defensively. "Yeah, Mads," she said, absentmindedly touching her signature pearl charm bracelet. "Molly needs to understand that she can't tell Kaila what to do."

Audrey smoothed the hem of her multicolored St. John tweed skirt and exclaimed. "I can't believe she has the nerve to talk to Kalia."

After Audrey's statement, Mackenzie giggled softly and smoothed her light-yellow Splendid eyelet halter dress. "Or the fact that she tried to get her to end her friendship with us," she added.

Kayla fidgeted with her pearl bracelet, her friends stunned by Molly's behavior. "After her comments, I told her to leave and made it clear the Prescott Queen system doesn't accept scholarship students," she said angrily. "I also told Molly that Maddie knows she and her friends are trying to take her place. Molly just laughed and said nothing would happen to her."

Madeleine's eyes narrowed with fury when she learned that Molly showed no fear of her. "Oh, really," she replied flatly, determined to make an example of Molly and her friends. "That just gives me more reason to ensure Molly, Tia Scott, Sofia Addison, and Jacqueline Everstone never rise through the sixth-grade social hierarchy."

Scarlett's wicked smirk betrayed her delight, responding. "Of course, Maddie."

Mackenzie and Kayla eagerly sipped their iced coffees, their faces lit with anticipation. "We can't wait for Maddy to humiliate them!" they exclaimed.

After taking a sip of her latte, Audrey brushed some lint off her matching St. John tweed top. "Everything's going to stay the same," she assured Madeleine, swiftly changing the subject before the group could continue ranting about Molly and her friends. "Lacey Montgomery invited me to her garden party on September 22nd - she gave me five invites. I've already decided we're going because we need more content for our Instagram pages now that the entire seventh and eighth grades are following us."

Madeleine nodded at Addie, her long, silky honey-blonde waves catching her eye. Noticing her oily hair, she made a mental note to schedule an appointment at Maxwell's salon soon. Madeleine sipped half her latte, feeling the caffeine kick in. "I can't wait for the party," she said.

Kayla took several sips of her latte before leaning back in her chair. "Me too," she replied cheerfully, agreeing with Madeleine. Kayla glanced at Mackenzie and Kayla, noting that they also planned to attend Lacey's party. "By the way, did you hear about Lachlan and his friends? Their first lacrosse game is next Wednesday afternoon after school. Are we going to support them at the game?"

With a proud smile, Mackenzie gulped down her macchiato. "Yeah, I wanted to see Declan," she admitted unapologetically. "I planned to go to the game and find a way for him to ask me to the dance."

Audrey finished her latte and cooed. "I've already put the time in my iPhone's calendar," she added. "Now I'm just waiting for Aiden to ask me to the dance."

Between sips of her mocha, Scarlett toyed with her gold Tory Burch pearl drop earrings. "Yeah," she said quickly, "Molly and her friends are after the boys. They need to understand those guys are off-limits to her."

Madeleine shot her friends a half-smirk as she eyed them over her latte. "Scar, I get what you're saying," she mused.

The bell's ring interrupted Scarlett's response to Madeleine, signaling that first period would start in ten minutes. Turning her attention back to the group, Scarlett noticed Mackenzie was about to address the others.

Mackenzie gulped down the last of her macchiato, then rose from her seat, pushing her chair back with a scrape. "I've got to get to my English class now," she told her friends, giving them a quick hug before slinging her large, classic white lambskin Chanel handbag over her shoulder and heading toward the cafeteria doors. "So, I'll probably text you guys later," she said.

Audrey stood as Mackenzie left, grabbing her mini leather white Rebecca Minkoff tote. Idly swirling the ice cubes in her latte, she strutted after Mackenzie toward the cafeteria doors. "Gotta go," she said. "I have to use the bathroom before heading to class."

Kayla carelessly slung her large brown monogrammed Fendi tote over her elbow. "See you guys later," she said.

As Kayla left, Madeleine quickly rose from her seat, grabbed her hobo bag, and gave Scarlett a brief hug. "Later, Lett!" she added.

Scarlett watched as Madeleine simply strolled out of the cafeteria, accepting her friend's departure. Lowering her gaze, Scarlett slipped her iPhone into her designer handbag and stood up, leaving her half-finished coffee for the staff to clear. Throwing her purse over her shoulder, she headed toward the exit.

Sashaying into the crowded first-floor hallway, Scarlett quickened her pace, her face set in a stony expression. All that mattered was avoiding tardiness and the deduction of points in her first-period class. Around her, students shuffled to their classes.

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Prescott Preparatory School for Girls

Art Class

8:39 A.M.

Friday, September 6th

Audrey hurried into the classroom, nine minutes late for her first-period class. She had stopped to use the bathroom, and now she downed the last of her latte. Tossing the empty coffee cup into the trash, she sensed the class watching her enviously. Audrey met the gaze of her teacher, Mr. Jerome, who was checking his watch. Squaring her shoulders, Audrey prepared to hear what Mr. Jerome had to say.

With a stoic expression, Mr. Jerome crossed his skinny arms over his paint-splattered smock and addressed Audrey. "Hello, Miss Webster. May I ask why you're late to class?"

"Sorry, Mr. Jerome," Audrey said truthfully, adjusting her tote on her right arm. "I had to use the bathroom."

With a stoic expression, Mr. Jerome warned. "Miss Webster, if you have another tardy on your attendance, I will call your parents and schedule a meeting with them."

Audrey rolled her eyes dismissively, unconcerned that her teacher might witness her disregard. She muttered. "Whatever."

Mr. Jerome gestured to the back of the room. "Audrey, would you please take your regular seat by the window?" he requested. "I'd be most grateful."

Audrey silently weaved through the maze of easels and stools, noticing her fellow sixth-graders moving aside. Reaching her usual spot, she dropped her designer handbag on the classroom's window sill and turned to the easel before her. Grabbing a paintbrush, Audrey watched as her teacher, Mr. Jerome, prepared to address the class. She listened intently as he began speaking.

Mr. Jerome approached the central podium, whisking off its white sheet to unveil a bowl of sliced avocados. "Alright, class, your materials are ready," he announced, spraying the avocados to preserve their freshness. "You have thirty minutes to paint this still life. Begin now."

Audrey let out a heavy sigh as she watched Mr. Jerome stride toward his desk at the front of the class. Turning her attention back to her easel, she dipped her brush into some green paint and meticulously captured the shapes of the bowl and avocados on her small canvas. Determined to ace this painting assignment, which would significantly impact her grade, Audrey began filling in the bowl.

Reaching for a cleaning dish nearby, she mixed yellow and green paints, then carefully filled in the pear-like forms of the avocados. Admiring her ability to recreate the golden-green hues of the avocado flesh, Audrey continued layering the colors to refine the shapes. Just as she was about to add the avocado pits, her purse suddenly buzzed, causing her to accidentally drop her paintbrush onto the easel's crossbar.

Quickly shielding her iPhone with her petite frame, Audrey discreetly retrieved it from her tote. Scrolling through her notifications, she saw a text from her friend Mackenzie and immediately unlocked her phone to read the message. Audrey took a deep breath before checking the content of the text.

Mackenzie: Addie, I urgently need your assistance to address this crisis.

Audrey's fingers trembled over her phone's keyboard as she processed the shocking message from her friend Mackenzie. After a moment's hesitation, Audrey composed a swift reply.

Audrey: Mack, what's going on?

Audrey discreetly glanced over her shoulder, catching her teacher assisting a student with their incomplete work. Redirecting her focus, Audrey checked her iPhone and found a brief response from Mackenzie to her previous message.

Mackenzie: According to one of my informants, Nikki Reeds has been secretly blackmailing people, coercing them to comply with her demands.

Audrey's eyes widened in disbelief as she read Mackenzie's text message. After a moment of contemplation, the words she wanted to say came to her, and she quickly typed out a reply to send back.

Audrey: Kenzie, how is this happening? Aren't you the one who usually collects all the gossip and secrets around here?

Audrey bit her lower lip as she glanced over her shoulder, noticing Mr. Jerome gently polishing one of the model avocados with his sleeve. With a sigh, she looked down at her phone and read her friend's message.

Mackenzie: Yeah. My territory has been encroached upon, and I have a strategy to address the situation. However, I would appreciate your input on my plan before finalizing it and involving our friends.

Audrey tapped her baby-pink nails against her Versace phone case as she glanced up at the classroom ceiling for several moments before texting her friend back.

Audrey: Manzie, please explain your plan to me.

Audrey grinned to herself, intrigued by Mackenzie's seemingly brilliant plan to handle Nikki Reeds. Struggling to contain her excitement, Audrey hunched over her iPhone, shielding the screen from the view of Mr. Jerome with her petite frame.

Mackenzie: I'll create a fake Instagram account and talk to her for a few weeks. As soon as I know her deepest secrets, I'll post them on the internet for the world to see.

Audrey gleefully imagined Nikki's spectacular downfall after learning of Mackenzie's scheme. Chuckling to herself, she quickly replied to her friend's text message.

Audrey: Kenzie, that's an excellent idea. Be sure to fill in Maddie, Scar, and Kay so they're all on the same page and don't feel excluded. I need to get back to working on my painting for class credit, but I'll catch up with you at lunch later.

Mackenzie: Addie, I'll fill in the others on my plan. Let's meet at lunch later.

Feeling delighted that Mackenzie had informed their friends of her scheme, Audrey glanced at the time on her iPhone and realized she had been texting Mackenzie for the past 18 minutes. Recognizing she had only 11 minutes left to finish her painting, she quickly stashed her phone in her designer handbag and grabbed her paintbrush. Dipping it into the nearby cleaning dish, she swirled the brush and knocked it against the sides.

Picking up the brown paint, Audrey realistically painted the pits of the avocados in the still-life. By the time she finished filling in the bowl shape, she stepped back and examined the painting intently. Satisfied she had completed the work, she finally rinsed her brush in the cleaning dish and leaned against the window sill.

Careful not to press her body against her purse, Audrey tapped her white Reiss espadrille-clad foot on the waxed floor as she glanced at the classroom clock. Seeing there were 15 minutes left in the period, she sighed, retrieved her iPhone, and reviewed the text conversation with Mackenzie. Amused by her friend's devious scheme to deal with Nikki Reeds, Audrey smirked and turned off her phone, returning it to her purse.

Gathering her long, silky platinum-blonde waves, Audrey pulled out the latest issue of French Elle from her tote. She became equally engrossed in the glossy pages - the French models and an interview with the up-and-coming fashion designer Colette Dyer. Flipping through, she paused on an article about Hope Logan's struggle to break into the modeling industry, then folded the corner of page 65, deciding to finish reading later. Closing the magazine, she returned it to her purse and glanced back at the classroom clock.

Perceiving that the bell would ring in four minutes, Audrey glanced at her teacher, Mr. Jerome, and noticed he wanted to address the class. Focusing her attention, she listened as he spoke from the front of the room.

"Okay, students, leave your paintings on the easels," Mr. Jerome instructed. "I'll grade them after school ends today. I also require you to write a two-page essay about still life and email it to me."

Nodding, Audrey made a mental note to start the essay on Sunday before hearing the bell. Knowing her first period was over, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, keeping her face neutral as her classmates moved aside. Without making eye contact, Audrey proceeded directly to her next class.

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Prescott Preparatory School for Girls

Third-Floor Bathroom

10:35 A.M.

Friday, September 6th

Madeleine glided down the silent third-floor hallway, her heart racing with excitement at the prospect of speaking with Lindsey and Avery. Turning left, she paused in front of the bathroom door, rolling her shoulders back to compose herself. Sucking in a deep breath, Madeleine tried to calm her nerves as she was about to approach her fellow Prescott Queens soon.

With her breathing under control, Madeleine triple-checked her flawless ensemble in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she plucked her compact from her purse, ensuring her natural makeup remained pristine. Dropping the compact back into her designer handbag, Madeleine strutted into the bathroom with confidence. However, her self-assurance quickly faded as she realized Lindsey and Avery were simply chatting about the solo selfies they had posted on Instagram.

"Hey, guys," Madeleine said, grinning from ear to ear as she dropped her purse on the bathroom counter.

Lindsey glanced over her shoulder, adjusting her grey leather Aphrodite headband. "Hi, M," she replied.

Perched on the counter, Avery crossed her slender legs, then ran her manicured fingers through her perfectly blow-dried dirty blonde hair. "Hey, Madeleine," she chirped.

Madeleine admired her dress in the bathroom mirror. "Um, why are we meeting in the bathroom?" she asked a bit snarkily, not looking away from her reflection.

Lindsey's tone suddenly turned serious. "We need to have a queen council meeting now. A, it's time the losers of our school understand this bathroom is off-limits to them."

Avery nodded and jumped off the counter. She pulled a blank sheet of lined paper from her quilted burgundy Chanel leather shoulder bag and scribbled "Out of Order" on it. Avery then stuck the paper outside the bathroom door before returning to the other girls. "I'm pretty sure the losers got the message," she said.

Lindsey nodded in acknowledgment of Avery's statement before crossing her slender legs. "This meeting is now in session," she declared, punctuating her words with an imaginary gavel. "A, you may begin."

Avery swept her hair to the side, planting manicured hands on her hips. "It seems Devan Burke has been flirting with Maddox," she spat angrily, clearly irritated at the thought. "I need a strategy to deal with her."

Madeleine's tone carried a malicious edge. "I might have an idea to handle Devan," she suggested, noticing Lindsey and Avery's attention was now on her. "You should post a humiliating Instagram post about Devan. That would make it clear that Maddox is off-limits. This would effectively relegate her to the bottom of the seventh-grade social ladder."

Avery gazed at Madeleine with a look of approval. "I can see now why Lindsey and I selected you," she said.

Madeleine bowed graciously in response to Avery's praise, then paused to admire her freshly painted deep purple nails - a change from her previous lilac and white manicure. "Thank you, I really appreciate it," she said, smiling.

Lindsey cleared her throat loudly. "Well, A, isn't there anything else you wish to report to the council?" she stated, punctuating her words with an imaginary gavel bang.

Avery's sea-green eyes shifted from Madeleine to Lindsey. "I was wondering if you all would like to throw a party together," she proposed, subtly adjusting her fitted white Ralph Lauren polo to accentuate her cleavage.

"Awesome idea, Avery!" Madeleine exclaimed, squaring her shoulders. "We can hire Vanessa to plan the party for us."

Lindsey retrieved her wide, monarch-orange Ralph Lauren leather satchel from the bathroom's black-and-white-checkered floor, plucked her iPhone from her purse, and dropped the designer bag on the counter. "Oh, we should throw a house party next Friday," she laughed.

Avery leaned against the bathroom wall, informing Lindsey. "The Back to School dance is scheduled for that day. We still need to finalize some details with our friends. After all, they're the only members of the social club."

Madeleine paused to comb her fingers through her curls while studying her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Wait a minute," she interrupted. "Isn't Lindsey the president of the social club?"

Avery chewed on her lip. "Yeah, Maddie. Lindsey developed this idea since she wanted to exclude the unpopular students from joining."

Madeleine nodded in understanding before sitting on the counter and crossing her legs. "Alright then, can I join the club?"

Lindsey grinned at Madeleine. "Um, M, you're already part of the club, especially since you're our successor. And your friends are members too."

Madeleine crossed her arms. "Great, so can we get back to choosing a date for the party?"

Avery tapped her burgundy-painted nails on the counter. "We could have a killer party on September 14th," she recommended.

Lindsey quickly entered the details into the calendar on her iPhone. "Oh, that would be a perfect date," she agreed.

Madeleine leaned against the mirror and spoke softly, "That's a little too close for me. I have a prior commitment this coming weekend. On September 15th, Scar and I are attending our ex-best friend's pool party with our friends. And we know the school dance is on September 13th. I'd like a little break between those days."

Lindsey updated the party details in her phone's calendar app and declared. "We'll change the party date to September twenty-first. And we'll host it at my place."

Avery stepped back from the wall, her face lighting up with a bright smile. "Perfect," she declared.

Lindsey examined her grey-painted nails. "Is there anything else you all need to report to the council?" she asked the group, her tone turning serious.

Madeleine suddenly remembered the group chat with her friends and raised her left arm. "I have an important report for the council," she announced. "Nikki Reeds is trying to usurp Mackenzie's title as the Queen of Gossip and Secrets, which is bothering my friend."

Lindsey tossed her glossy, cocoa-colored curls over her shoulder. "How's your friend going to handle that?" she asked, dropping her iPhone on her lap.

Madeleine's tone was light and breezy. "Kenzie has been gathering gossip and secrets from her school spies. This girl has been using the information to blackmail people into doing her bidding. Meanwhile, Mack has a plan to deal with Nikki, but she's concerned about getting in trouble with the headmistress."

Avery glanced at Madeleine and said reassuringly. "Don't worry. The headmistress won't try anything since our parents recommended hiring her. Plus, our parents are major contributors to the volunteer boards and committees, so she'll do whatever it takes to keep her job, especially when they could make life miserable for her in Westchester."

Lindsey ran her nails over her cropped, light-wash AG straight jeans, then added triumphantly, "So, M, you just need to manage the balance of being loved and feared at the same time. Our classmates gave us cruel nicknames, but they knew they were at the bottom of the social ladder. I've been called the Queen of Mean behind my back, but it doesn't bother me."

Avery carefully sat on the counter and rested her manicured left hand on Madeleine's right shoulder. "Yeah, everyone at school calls me the She-devil," she said after Lindsey's statement. "But that lets people know I'm not someone to mess with."

Madeleine nodded, understanding that a nickname would eventually arise for her. "All right," she replied flatly, staring down at her flats for a few seconds before shifting into a more comfortable position on the counter.

Lindsey suddenly spoke up, touching the collar of her grey leather IRO biker jacket. "So, is there anything else you wish to broadcast to the council?"

Madeleine raised an amused, honey-blonde eyebrow at Avery and Lindsey. "As a matter of fact, I was waiting to report something else to the council," she said breezily. "I'd like to invite you all over to my house next Thursday. Linds and Aves, please tell your friends, your boyfriends, and your boyfriends' friends to come as well, since I'm inviting Lachlan and his friends too."

Lindsey fidgeted with the dainty pearl rings on her left, manicured hand. "Wow, that's awesome," she added. "I'll be sure to come over to your house with the other A-listers."

Avery agreed with a snicker as she sipped some Fiji water she had bought. "Same," she said.

Madeleine grinned widely and clapped her manicured hands together. "Cool," she said. "So, you guys should just bring a bathing suit and a change of clothes."

Lindsey tugged at the strap of her white, ruched camisole top, replying. "Can do."

Avery offered Lindsey and Madeleine a half-hearted smile. "Understood," she replied. Moments later, Avery heard the bathroom door open and shifted her gaze away from the girls. As a nerdy sixth-grader entered her line of sight, Avery muttered to her fellow queens. "Loser alert!"

Madeleine glared at the girl, who had failed to notice the "Occupied" sign on the bathroom door. She marched over and confronted the intruder. "Excuse me," Madeleine said icily. "The bathroom is still in use by the Queens of the school."

Trembling under Madeleine's gaze, the girl apologized. "I'm so sorry. I had to use the restroom and couldn't wait for you all to finish."

Madeleine tossed her wavy hair over her shoulders, her imposing demeanor unsettling the girl. "What's your name?" she demanded.

"I'm Maisy Martin," the girl replied hastily, puzzled by the sixth-grade Queen's interest in her name.

Madeleine spoke harshly, glaring at Maisy. "You need to go somewhere else to use the bathroom," she said bluntly. A few moments later, Madeleine recalled that Maisy had invited her and her friends to her birthday party. "In other words, get out!"

Lindsey studied Maisy intently, noticing her unfashionable outfit and bare face. "Maisy, this incident could spread through the school," she chimed in, her piercing grey eyes radiating disdain. "People might start to wonder why they should be afraid of us. Then the unpopular students could try to rebel."

Avery approached Madeleine, placing her manicured left hand on her fellow Queen's shoulder. "Maisy, do us a favor and leave the bathroom right now," she said sternly.

Maisy's eyes widened for a few seconds before she responded. "Fine," she said, recalling that she had invited Madeleine and her court to her birthday party. Maisy wondered if she could uninvite them, but then realized that doing so would likely mean she'd never be invited to their parties again. "But you don't have to be rude to everyone at school."

Madeleine rolled her eyes at Maisy's comment. "Whatever," she muttered, noticing that Avery and Lindsey were still glaring at Maisy. "They should realize the hierarchy is there for a reason."

"I understand," Maisy responded quietly. She then headed straight for the bedroom door.

Avery heard the bathroom door close behind Maisy. "Did you guys smell her disgusting body odor?" she questioned with a sneer. "It's revolting."

Lindsey smiled wickedly at Madeleine. "Well, yeah, obviously. I heard you're going to judge some losers in your grade, anyway."

Madeleine arched her perfectly waxed honey-blonde eyebrows and responded icily. "They want you to strip me of my title as the sixth-grade Queen and include scholarship kids in the Prescott Queen system."

Lindsey shot Madeleine a sympathetic smile and said in a regal tone. "M, you needn't worry. We would never strip you of your title as the sixth-grade Queen. However, you should make them understand that they'll face social stigma for challenging your reign."

Avery observed Madeleine beaming with praise from Lindsey and chimed in eagerly. "Madeleine, this is going to be perfect!"

Madeleine cocked her perfectly waxed honey-blonde eyebrows at Avery and Lindsey. "I think–" she stopped mid-sentence.

The piercing bell's shrill ring signaled the end of third period, prompting the girls to gather their belongings and spill into the empty third-floor hallway as their classroom doors opened.

"Well, M, I can't wait for the major humiliation at lunch today," Lindsey said excitedly, dropping her iPhone into her purse. She gave her fellow "Queens" goodbye hugs and headed out of the bathroom. "Bye, guys."

Audrey blew a kiss at Madeleine, grabbed her designer handbag, and sauntered out of the bathroom. "Later, Madeleine!" she called over her shoulder.

As the bathroom door swung shut, Madeleine stepped towards the mirror, admiring her carefully curated outfit. Fluffing her curls, she wondered if she could maintain a stoic expression as she delivered judgment on the girls trying to usurp her social throne. Deciding they deserved whatever was coming, she let out a sigh of relief and applied another coat of raspberry-flavored Pretty & Perfect lip gloss. Shoulders back, Madeleine sashayed out of the bathroom and towards her fourth-period class.

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Prescott Preparatory School for Girls

Cafeteria

12:31 P.M.

Friday, September 6th

Madeleine's voice rang out across the cafeteria, commanding attention. She punctuated her words with a firm stomp of her flats on the tabletop, ensuring the entire room was focused on her. "Tia Scott, Sofia Addison, Molly Nolan, and Jacqueline Everstone - I need you to come stand before me."

Madeleine scanned the crowd, her eyes narrowing at the group of girls who had provoked her anger. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her friends' faces etched with the same fury. Smiling wickedly, she turned to face the girls now standing before her and her friends.

With a regal air, Madeleine stepped down from the table, her manicured hands coming to rest firmly on her hips. "I have a few questions for you," she declared, her tone brooking no argument. "And I expect prompt answers."

"What questions?" Tia asked, feeling the weight of everyone's stares. She knew that Madeleine had uncovered their plans to usurp her throne before exchanging furtive glances with Jacqueline, Molly, and Sofia.

Madeleine's voice dripped with derision, sneering. "Did you really think I wouldn't discover your plans to usurp my throne? And do you take me for a fool to leave my throne unguarded for a bunch of incompetents?"

Molly's voice trembled, realizing Kayla had likely told her friends about their bathroom confrontation. "N-No," she said. Molly knew laughing in Kayla's face would come back to haunt her, but seeing the other girls stand tall bolstered her confidence. "It's time for scholarship students to overthrow the current Queen system. That way, someone new could rise to the top of the sixth-grade social hierarchy."

Madeleine rolled her eyes at Molly's asinine comment, scoffing at the notion that scholarship students could be considered for the title of Queen. "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard," she cackled loudly. Moments later, Madeleine glanced over her shoulder, noting Lindsey and Avery's devilish smirks as they observed the fools' agenda. She then refocused her attention on the girls before her, ready to pass judgment.

Sofia pushed her imitation pearl bracelets up her arms, scowling. "Why were you chosen as Queen? I should have been the scholarship Queen, but Lindsey and Avery picked someone from their own social circle instead."

Madeleine glared back at Sofia, her tone icy. "Maybe it's because I'm a legacy," she retorted.

Scarlett abruptly rose from her chair and stood beside Madeleine. "I received this video from one of my informants earlier today," she interjected sharply, crossing her arms. "It's about Molly. It shows her eating dog biscuits and then being relentlessly mocked online. I plan to send this video to everyone in Westchester."

Molly swallowed hard, striving to maintain her composure. "How wonderful," she replied halfheartedly, dreading the prospect of being humiliated by the video once again. "We simply want someone who won't exploit our private information."

Kayla shouted dismissively, not caring if the girls standing before Madeleine heard her ridicule. "What a bunch of losers. You're going after Maddie because her family has more wealth and connections than you. You're also seething with jealousy, wishing you had the same advantages as her."

Tia and Jacqueline answered honestly in unison, their voices wavering under the heated glares from the self-proclaimed elite of their grade. "We're angry about getting the short end of the stick," they admitted.

Mackenzie rolled her aquamarine eyes at Tia and Jacqueline's pathetic expressions, shifting into a more comfortable position. "This should be a lesson for you morons," she said coldly, remaining seated. "Popular girls always have it easier."

Molly and Sofia realized they were losing to Madeleine's clique. "Whatever," they muttered. "But why won't Lindsey let scholarship students join the exclusive club?"

Audrey glanced down at her white Reiss espadrilles, thinking she should cross Tia, Jacqueline, Sofia, and Molly off the guest list for her birthday party. "Maybe Lindsey doesn't want losers in her club," she said breathlessly, noting Madeleine's fury.

Madeleine peeked over at Lindsey and Avery, who seemed entertained by the dressing down of Sofia, Tia, Molly, and Jacqueline. With a sigh, she faced the girls and crossed her arms. "No matter how hard you try to take my throne, I'll rise like a phoenix and make your lives hell," she said icily, arching a perfectly waxed honey-blonde brow.

Tia gulped loudly and knew that Madeleine would make her life miserable. "But, why can't you guys just invite everyone to your parties?" she asked Madeleine and her court, switching the topic.

Kayla snickered meanly at Tia's stupid question and wondered if this girl was dumb. "The real reason why we want to make everything exclusive," she responded to this loser's question. "It allows us to see how far people would go to get an invitation to our parties."

Jacqueline winced and immediately understood that she had made the wrong decision to go against the self-proclaimed royalty of her grade. "Fine then," she stated, trying to disappear into the peter-pan collar of her Marc Jacobs top.

"Only losers suddenly get the idea that they can go against the Queen of their grade," Scarlett responded evilly, laughing at their misfortune. She sneakily exchanged a side glance with Madeleine, silently discovering that her friend's eyes were filled with a malicious glint.

Determined not to abandon her dream, Sofia resented that Lindsey and Avery hadn't responded to her messages on Instagram and declared. "But I still want to be the first scholarship Queen."

Audrey crushed Sofia's hopes with a malicious tone. "That's never happening here, Sofia," she said dismissively, flattening the ruffles on her bright-white Ganni cotton poplin blouse. "Not even when the sky falls."

Molly stared down at her Puma sneakers, deadpanning. "We know these are just dreams that will never come true."

Mackenzie adjusted the hem of her dress and coldly remarked. "It's good that you finally understand you weren't even close to taking Maddie's throne from her."

"It's time to deliver judgment on these girls, anyway," Madeleine said icily, getting tired of listening to Tia, Molly, Jacqueline, and Sofia. A couple of seconds later, she straightened her posture and stared directly into their eyes. "You're hereby banished to the bottom of the sixth-grade social ladder forever. None of you guys will ever receive an invitation to our parties. And, will have to remain out of our sight till we graduate from school. Do you guys understand your punishment?"

The four girls - Tia, Sofia, Molly, and Jacqueline - stammered in unison. "Y-yes, Madeleine."

Madeleine dismissed the undesirables with a flick of her perfectly manicured hand, then pivoted to face her friends. But before she could speak, the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Madeleine glanced at the girls and began addressing them.

Madeleine smiled brightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Um, girls, I'll see you later," she told her friends calmly.

Audrey nodded and tossed her purse over her right shoulder. "Yeah, Maddie," she said, waving goodbye to her friends. "I need to fix my makeup before heading to my fifth-period class."

Mackenzie glanced sideways and saw that Audrey had already left the cafeteria. "Me too," she agreed, grabbing her designer handbag from the back of her chair. "My teacher takes off points for being late, so I'll text you later."

Scarlett noticed Mackenzie had walked out before turning to Madeleine and Kayla. She cocked her head, smiling at them. "Um, Mads and Kay, I'll text you later," she said flatly.

"Got it, Scar!" Kayla nodded, then looked to Madeleine, waiting for her friend to speak. "Um, Maddie, I need to get to my fifth-period class. See you later."

The moment Kayla departed the cafeteria, Madeleine noticed her friends had abandoned their empty trays for the staff to clean up. Shaking her head in disapproval, Madeleine grabbed her purse and strode towards the exit, her expression purposefully blank. As she sauntered outside, Madeleine observed some girls making way for her. Maintaining her aloof demeanor, she ignored them and proceeded directly to her fifth-period class.

---

Prescott Preparatory School for Girls

Math Class

2:42 P.M.

Friday, September 6th

Kayla dropped her head onto her desk, fanning her glossy wheat-blonde curls attractively around her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down after the confrontation with Molly, Tia, Jacqueline, and Sofia. Raising her head, Kayla looked directly at the smartboard as her teacher, Mrs. Perez, moved on to the next slide, lecturing on how decimals are used in numbers.

Leaning back in her seat, Kayla sighed deeply and grabbed her iPhone from her designer handbag. Scrolling through her notifications, she saw that James had texted her during the lunchroom incident. Silently panicking, Kayla positioned her cell phone under the table and read James's message.

James: Kayla, what are you up to at the moment?

Kayla: I'm in my math class at the moment. What about you - what class are you in right now?

James: I'm currently in my social studies class. And I wanted to ask you something if you have a moment.

Kayla's mind went blank as she dropped her iPhone, realizing James was about to ask her to the dance. Taking a deep breath, she knew she had to stay calm, not wanting him to discover she had been eavesdropping on his conversation with the guys behind the Crestview school sign. With a roll of her shoulders, Kayla quickly texted James back.

Kayla: What would you like to inquire about?

Kayla carefully sipped her Perrier, hoping James would detect her coy tone in the text message. She placed the half-filled bottle on the table next to her open notebook and fuzzy green pen, then returned her attention to the conversation with James.

James: Kayla, do you want to go to the Back-to-School dance with me?

Kayla: Of course, James. Are your friends planning to invite my friends to the dance?

James: Let's keep this private. Lachlan, Scott, Aiden, and Declan intend to ask Madeleine, Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Audrey to the dance, but they're still figuring out how to do it.

Kayla's amber eyes gleamed with excitement as James confided in her about his friends' actions. Glancing up from her iPhone, she placed the device in her lap and picked up her pen. While copying decimal problems into her notebook, Kayla left the pen there, slid her cell phone under the table, and returned to her text exchange with James.

Kayla: I have an idea that might help your friends, but please don't tell them it came from me.

James: Why not? Knowing the idea came from you would motivate them to act on it faster.

Kayla: Won't they find it odd if I'm the one making suggestions to them?

Kayla sat up straight, tossing her curly hair over her shoulders. After taking a few sips of Perrier, she grabbed her iPhone from her lap and refocused on her text exchange with James.

James: No, they would consider the idea to be brilliant.

Kayla: James, I believe the boys should speak directly and honestly with my friends.

James: Kayla, could you please provide more details about this idea?

Kayla's gaze was fixed on the classroom clock, counting down the minutes until the bell rang. Glancing furtively, she noticed several students stealing discreet looks in her direction. Pretending not to see them, she shifted her attention to the front of the room, where Mrs. Perez had moved on to the next slide.

Reaching into her designer bag, Kayla retrieved a Lemon Zest Luna bar and unwrapped it, taking delicate bites until the snack was gone. Carelessly, she tossed the wrapper on the floor, unconcerned about the potential hazard. Inhaling deeply, she composed a reply to James' text message.

Kayla: The boys should muster the courage to privately invite my friends to the school dance.

Kayla made a mental note to tell her friends about James asking her to the Back-to-School dance at Madeleine's slumber party. She knew James would consider her suggestion, as he had likely thought about her idea. Squaring her shoulders, Kayla whipped her curls over her right shoulder and read James' text message.

James: Alright, Kayla. I'll be sure to share your idea with my friends.

Kayla: James, what are your plans for after school today?

James: After the school day ends, I'll be going over to Scott's place to play the latest Call of Duty game together.

Kayla already knew that James was hanging out with his friends at Scott's house since she'd spied on the boys yesterday with her friends. Before she could respond to his text, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Kayla looked around the classroom and saw her classmates turning their attention to Mrs. Perez at the front of the room.

Mrs. Perez called for the class's attention. "Okay, class," she said loudly over the rustling of backpacks. "I'm assigning pages 1-6 to be handed in by Monday afternoon. And I'll be giving a pop quiz that day as well. You're all dismissed now."

As soon as class ended, Kayla glanced back down at her phone and sent James a text saying she'd talk to him later. She then quickly gathered her things and headed for the door, maintaining a neutral expression as she made her way to the school parking lot, where her friends were likely waiting. Kayla was eager to get home and rest up before Madeleine's slumber party that night.

---

The Frost Estate

Home Theater

4:58 P.M.

Friday, September 6th

Mackenzie sat transfixed, eyes glued to the projector screen as she savored the final moments of the latest Erica Newman film. Shoveling the last few kernels of buttery popcorn into her mouth, she sank deeper into the plush leather recliner, reluctant for the movie to end. The instant the credits began to roll, she rose from her seat and carelessly tossed the empty glass bowl onto the recliner.

Mackenzie grabbed the egg-shaped remote from the recliner's cup holder and pressed her manicured thumbnail into a button, turning off the projector. Moments later, she pressed another button, causing the projector screen to retract into the ceiling. She placed the remote back on the recliner and raised an empty glass bowl to her eyes.

Realizing only kennels remained, Mackenzie set the bowl next to the remote for Svetlana to clean up, then headed towards the home theater's doorway. Crossing the hallway that connected to the rest of the house, she glanced at her mom's landscape paintings as she made her way to her dad's study. Reaching the study door, she knocked loudly and waited to be let in.

When no one answered, Mackenzie sighed and decided to check if her mom was home. Hurrying up the winding staircase, she nearly collided with Svetlana, who was carrying the family's dry cleaning. Reaching the second-floor hallway, Mackenzie paused in front of her parents' bedroom door.

Mackenzie peeked her blonde head into the master bedroom, scanning the room and realizing her mother wasn't home. Disliking being alone with the household staff, she quickly shut the bedroom door and hurried to her bedroom. Once inside, Mackenzie closed the door behind her petite frame and faced forward. She smoothed the front of her ivory Aqua linen dress, glancing around and delighting in the redecorated space her parents had permitted her to refresh that summer.

The entire room was a harmonious blend of yellow, navy blue, and white. Three walls were painted a deep navy blue, while the wall behind the white upholstered, diamond-tufted headboard was covered in white damask wallpaper. The bedding continued the color scheme - the microfiber sheets were white, and a fluffy, oversized yellow-and-navy-blue-striped duvet covered the king-size bed. Five floral throw pillows in yellow and navy blue rested against the white satin pillows on the headboard, with a long white satin bolster pillow placed in front.

Between the walk-in closet and private bathroom stood a massive, modern vanity. The white table neatly housed the owner's makeup in yellow Kate Spade bags, with bottles of Aphrodite perfume on top. Beyond the French closet doors lay a cavernous, two-story walk-in closet in yellow and white, filled with designer clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. A large navy-blue, diamond-tufted velvet ottoman sat at the center. A full-length, white-framed mirror stood in the corner.

On the white two-drawer nightstands were white modern lamps, an intercom speaker, an alarm clock, an iPad Pro, and a wireless charging case for AirPods. Above the trophy case filled with ballet and academic awards hung a 75-inch flat-screen TV. The room was lined with eight white bookcases overflowing with fashion magazines, reading books, and textbooks.

A yellow-and-navy abstract painting by Abigail Overstone hung above the bed. On the white oak coffee table stood a glass vase filled with marigolds. Behind it sat a navy-blue velvet chaise lounge adorned with yellow satin pillows and a white cashmere throw, flanked by matching side tables. More abstract art by Overstone decorated the walls.

Next to the desk was a modern white wastebasket. Automated thermal curtains covered the windows, and a crystal-trimmed chandelier cast a soft glow. Three large navy-and-yellow-striped rugs accented the gleaming white marble floor.

Through French doors lay the en-suite bathroom with skincare products neatly lining the marble vanity. An oversized walk-in shower and a freestanding double-ended tub faced a flat-screen TV, with fluffy bathrobes hanging nearby. A white oak side table held monogrammed hand towels. The heated Turkish marble floor completed the luxurious space.

Finally, the modern white oak desk held a MacBook Pro, a pen holder with yellow faux-fur pens, a stack of notebooks, and framed photos. A navy blue pinboard behind the desk displayed old party invitations and photos of her old friends.

Mackenzie walked over to her nightstand, unplugged her iPhone from the charger, and dropped the phone on the nightstand. She then unplugged the charger from the outlet behind the nightstand and left it on the floor beside her bed. Just as Mackenzie was about to sit on her chaise lounge, a ding came from her computer.

Settling into her desk chair, Mackenzie took a deep breath and pressed her wireless mouse, waking her computer from sleep. She noticed her cousin Madelyn had sent her a text message before clicking on the Messages app to read it.

Madelyn: Hey, Mackenzie. How have you been?

Mackenzie: I'm doing well, Madelyn. School just ended a couple of hours ago. And I'm resting at home before I have to go to my friend's slumber party.

Madelyn: That sounds awesome, Kenzie. But school has been a nightmare for me.

Leaning back in her seat, Mackenzie clicked on Chrome and instantly went on the Instagram website. Entering her account details, she scrolled through her feed and noticed that the selfie she'd posted this morning had over a thousand likes. Smiling to herself, Mackenzie switched over to Messages and sent a swift reply to her cousin's text message.

Mackenzie: Why? What happened?

While scrolling through her Instagram feed, Mackenzie switched to her Messages and saw that her cousin Madelyn had sent her a text. Mackenzie read the message and quickly replied.

Madelyn: After my AP classes were unexpectedly switched to regular classes, it took the school about two days to rearrange my schedule and enroll me in my appropriate advanced-level courses. The abrupt change felt peculiar to me.

Madeleine: When did that happen?

Madelyn: The main office secretary made a mistake entering the class code for my schedule, resulting in me being placed in lower-level courses instead of the more advanced classes my friends were taking. This led to me being grouped with students of lower academic ability, which was a frustrating situation.

Overcome with sympathy for her cousin, Mackenzie navigated to her own Instagram profile. As she scrolled through the numerous likes from her schoolmates on every photo she had shared, Mackenzie couldn't help but smirk, realizing these girls were living vicariously through her curated online life. After logging out, Mackenzie returned to her Messages and composed a text for her cousin.

Mackenzie: That sounds absolutely wild. How did your friends react when they heard about the mix-up?

Madelyn: Kenzie, they were determined to make this lady pay for nearly ruining my high school transcript. We were trying to convince her parents, who were all on the school board, to make her life miserable.

Mackenzie: While I believe they have the power to make an adult's life miserable, I'm curious to know what steps my aunt and uncle took in response.

Engrossed in her lively text exchange with cousin Madelyn, Mackenzie paused to rummage through a desk drawer and retrieved a strawberry Nutri-Grain bar. She unwrapped it, consumed it in three quick bites, and discarded the wrapper. Refocusing on the conversation, Mackenzie saw that Madelyn had responded before swiftly typing a reply.

Madelyn: My parents demanded a meeting with the principal. They threatened to sue the school district over the secretary's negligence and insisted the principal terminate the employee immediately.

Mackenzie: Harsh, much?

Madelyn: Kenzie, she should not have made that mistake in the first place.

Chuckling at the text exchange, Mackenzie glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly 6 PM. She quickly typed a reply on her brightly lit computer screen, responding to her cousin's message.

Mackenzie: The secretary may regret entering the incorrect class code. However, Madelyn, we should continue this conversation later, as I still need to prepare for my friend's sleepover.

Mackenzie pulled her long, silky strawberry-blonde curls into a messy bun atop her head. She glanced over at her custom-made mannequin, realizing she still hadn't found an outfit for Audrey's birthday party. Suddenly, she remembered she had privately booked Aphrodite's boutique store for that Saturday afternoon. Sighing, Mackenzie turned to her computer and discovered her cousin had replied to her earlier text.

Madelyn: I'm afraid I need to end this conversation, Kenzie, as my friends are arriving to spend time with me.

Mackenzie: Please convey my greetings to your friends, Madelyn.

Mackenzie noticed her cousin had stopped texting her, so she decided to pack for Madeleine's slumber party. She crossed her spacious walk-in closet, clapping to turn on the lights. Scanning the shelves, Mackenzie grabbed her medium brown-and-acorn Michael Kors weekender bag.

Dropping the bag on a navy-blue velvet chair, she carefully folded a black floral bubble dress from Free People and placed it inside. Mackenzie then selected a light-pink Ralph Lauren cashmere cardigan and light-pink Aphrodite flats, adding them to the bag. She also packed a pair of black Aphrodite leggings.

Gathering her toiletry bag, iPad, iPhone, and makeup bag, Mackenzie consolidated everything into the weekender bag. Feeling prepared, she left her closet, shutting the doors behind her. After dropping the bag by her bedroom door, Mackenzie collapsed onto her bed, deciding a quick nap was in order before heading to Madeleine's sleepover.

---

The Stein Estate

Madeleine's Bedroom

8:54 P.M.

Friday, September 6th

Madeleine smoothed her silky, purple Versace orchid-print chemise and looked around her room, smiling triumphantly. Everything was in place for her weekly slumber party. Five trundle beds were arranged in a flower-petal formation, with Coco's velour doggie bed near Madeleine's own. In the center of the beds sat giant glass bowls filled with buttered popcorn, cheese curls, and low-fat brownies. Her Sub-Zero mini-fridge was fully stocked with Perrier, Diet Coke, and Diet Mountain Dew.

Across Madeleine's desk, Mountains of Bliss face masks and O.P.I nail essentials were scattered. Around her room, ten glowing lavender and chamomile-scented candles had been positioned, filling the air with a sweet, warm aroma. The trundle beds were dressed in silky ivory sheets, and five fluffed goose-down pillows were covered in satin pillowcases. To complete the ambiance, Madeleine had added more songs to her slumber-party playlist on Spotify, ready for the girls to dance along. Everything looked perfect, except for one thing - her guests had not yet arrived.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Madeleine wrapped her arms around Coco, who was curled up in a tiny white ball beside her. She smothered Coco with kisses, then ran her manicured hand over her dog's clean fur before lifting Coco into the air, meeting the pup's eyes.

Madeleine let out a heavy sigh and rubbed noses with Coco. "What's taking them so long? she asked, her frustration evident. "They should have been here twenty-five minutes ago."

Coco barked twice.

"I hate being alone," Madeleine muttered, gently placing her dog on her lap. "It's one of my worst fears."

Scarlett swept into Madeleine's bedroom, her scarlet-red La Perla silk camisole and matching shorts giving her a slumber party-ready look, her pin-straight hair braided into French pigtails. "Who are you talking to?" she asked.

Madeleine avoided the question, dropping Coco onto the duvet before rising from the bed. "Hey, Scar!" she exclaimed, wrapping Scarlett in a bear hug.

"Hey, Maddie," Scarlett cooed, breaking away from the embrace. She then dropped her oversized Michael Kors monogrammed overnight bag on the floor and pulled out her iPhone from the snap pocket. "Where's everyone else?"

Madeleine flopped down on her familiar trundle bed, feeling the plush goose-down comforter against her thighs. "They're probably on their way here," she said between mouthfuls of popcorn.

Scarlett sat cross-legged on her trundle bed next to Madeleine, snacking on buttered popcorn. "Anyway, my parents are complaining that I'm spending too much time with you all. They want to have a family day together."

"Don't they want you to be enjoying yourself?" Madeleine asked, popping another handful of the salty, buttery snack into her mouth.

Scarlett rose from her bed and retrieved a chilled bottle of Perrier from Madeleine's mini-fridge. "Yeah, but they want me to embrace my independence even more," she said calmly, twisting open the bottle and taking a long, refreshing sip. Closing the Perrier, she placed the bottle on Madeleine's desk before striding through the open closet doors.

Moments later, Madeleine heard someone clear their throat. She looked up to see Mackenzie standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Delighted, Madeleine welcomed her friend's arrival, which had broken the brief silence.

Mackenzie hurried to the spot beside Scarlett's bed, dropped her Michael Kors bag on the floor next to Madeleine's coffee table, and plopped down on the trundle bed. "Hi, Mads!" she greeted with a bright smile, her curly hair braided into double-knot pigtails. She wore a cream La Perla camisole and matching shorts.

Madeleine smoothed her pajama top before nodding toward Scarlett's bag. "Um, no. You might want to check my closet - Scar's in there right now."

"Okay," Mackenzie acknowledged before calling out. "Scar!"

"Yes, Mack!" Scarlett answered from the closet.

Mackenzie helped herself to a few fudge cookies. "What are you doing in Maddy's closet?" she questioned.

Scarlett's muffled voice emerged from Madeleine's closet. "I'm looking through your clothes. Um, Maddie, when did you buy this Ella Moss top? I just saw it on the Shopbop website this afternoon."

Madeleine laughed at Scarlett's antics. "It arrived today. Didn't I show you this top last Saturday?"

"Oops, my bad, Maddie," Scarlett giggled from inside the closet. "I must have forgotten that I helped you pick it out."

Mackenzie exchanged a sly glance with Madeleine and smirked. "Scar, why don't you just come out of the closet? I've got some juicy gossip to share with everyone."

"What gossip?" Scarlett inquired from within the closet.

Mackenzie rose, retrieved a chilled can of Diet Mountain Dew from Madeleine's mini-fridge, and cracked it open. After a brief pause, she took a long, satisfying sip of the cold soda. "Not sharing till you come out of the closet," she declared.

Scarlett emerged from Madeleine's closet, snatched her Perrier from the desk, and settled cross-legged on her trundle bed. "Mack, aren't you going to share the tea with us?" she asked.

Mackenzie's gaze shifted from Scarlett to Madeleine, aware that she wanted Audrey and Kayla to hear the same gossip. "Scar and Maddy, I want our other friends here too," she said, sitting back down on her bed and placing her drink beside her. "I only want to share the news once."

Scarlett left her Perrier on the floor and crossed her arms. "Fine, Manzie!" she huffed.

Madeleine tuned out her friends' conversation and got up from her bed. She slowly made her way over to her desk, snatching a rose gold face mask packet. Ripping it open with her teeth, she applied the mask to her clean face, carefully adjusting the eye, nose, and mouth openings. Once the mask was in place, Madeleine dropped her manicured hands and sat back down on her trundle bed. Glancing over, she noticed her friends, Scarlett and Mackenzie, were still talking, so she joined their conversation.

Kayla entered Madeleine's bedroom a few minutes later, looking radiant in emerald-green Ralph Lauren silk pajamas. "Hey, besties," she said excitedly, tightening her messy bun. "I have some personal news to share with you guys tonight."

Madeleine nodded in understanding as she looked directly at Mackenzie. "All right," she said. "Where's Addie?"

"I just got off the phone with Addy," Kayla said nonchalantly, lowering her light-green Tory Burch duffle bag on the floor and sitting down elegantly on the trundle bed beside Scarlett. "She's gonna be here in twenty minutes."

Madeleine's mouth curved into a quick smirk before shifting her attention from Kayla to the bowl of snacks in the middle of the trundle beds. "Good," she said.

"Hey, Lala," Scarlett greeted her friend warmly, interrupting the conversation between Kayla and Madeleine.

Kayla crossed her arms and glanced at Scarlett. "Hello, Lett," she responded.

"What's up, Kalia?" Mackenzie asked, sitting up straighter in her seat.

Kayla observed Madeleine carefully examining her face mask, ensuring she did not touch it with her fingertips. "I'm good," she cooed.

Madeleine cracked her neck from side to side without a word to her friends, sprawling across her trundle bed. Relishing the feel of the silk sheets, she popped some cheese curls into her mouth and licked the dust from her fingers. Leaving the bed, she grabbed her iPhone from the nightstand.

Sitting back down, Madeleine tapped the screen and scrolled her notifications, preoccupied by worries about sounding like a loser in front of Lachlan and his friends. Shaking her head, she resolved to replace those negative thoughts with positivity. With a sigh, Madeleine turned off her phone and dropped it beside the bed, then laid her head on the pillow and tuned out her friends once more.

Audrey entered Madeleine's bedroom, closing the door behind her with her foot. She smoothed the front of her baby-pink Aphrodite pajamas adorned with heart prints. "Hey, girls," she cooed, dropping her pink overnight bag near Madeleine's king-size bed.

Madeleine picked up her iPhone and opened the Spotify app, pressing play on her slumber-party playlist. The soothing tones of a Mikayla Benson song soon filled the room. "Hi, Addie," she greeted cheerfully.

Mackenzie glanced over at Audrey, nibbling on a cheese curl. "Hello, Audrey," she replied, enjoying the music.

Scarlett lay across the silk sheets, hands folded on her pillow. "Hi, everyone," she said, smirking at her friends.

Kayla noticed Audrey taking a seat beside her before popping a cheese curl into her mouth. "Hi, Audrey."

Madeleine felt Coco jump into her lap, scratching the Pomeranian behind the ears. "Kenzie, I believe you have some gossip to share with us," she said without looking up.

After a brief pause, Mackenzie collected her thoughts before addressing her friends. "Uh-huh, Mads," she responded. "One of my sources at school overheard Tia Scott sobbing in the bathroom after Madeleine criticized her and her friends. Tia now regrets going after Maddie and is trying to find a way to regain Maddie's favor."

Kayla fixed her messy bun and propped up her pedicured bare feet. "Mack, that's never happening," she snickered at Tia's misfortune, tilting her head toward Madeleine. "Maddie's never going to forget her transgression."

"I think Tia should stay at the bottom of the sixth-grade hierarchy," Audrey added wickedly after Kayla's statement. "And it's a good thing I left her and her friends off the guest list for my birthday party."

Scarlett chewed thoughtfully on three brownies, nodding in agreement. "Addy made a good decision uninviting her and her friends. At least we don't have to see their traitorous faces now."

Madeleine dropped Coco onto its bed and replied icily. "Tia thinks I'd accept some half-assed apology and make her social life easier. This loser should understand there's a reason she scored so low on the loser list - she was caught trying to steal my throne and title. She remains banished from the sixth-grade social scene."

After Madeleine's statement, Audrey turned to Kayla and said, "You mentioned you have some news to share with us."

"Okay, girls," Kayla said, suddenly remembering what she wanted to tell her friends. "After talking with Tia and her group in the cafeteria, James texted me and asked me to the Back-to-School dance. So now I don't have to worry about not having a date for the dance."

Scarlett flashed Kayla a half-smile. "Oh my gosh, Lala!" she exclaimed loudly, unconcerned if Madeleine's parents heard her. "I can't believe you don't have to stress anymore about finding a date for the dance."

Adjusting her camisole, Mackenzie sipped her Diet Mountain Dew. "Kay, you're so lucky," she told her friend. "I'm still waiting for Declan to ask me to the dance."

Audrey giggled between bites of cheese curls. "At least Kalia has a date," she said flatly. "I'm worried about when Aiden will ask me to the dance."

Madeleine looked directly at Mackenzie and adjusted her chemise's neckline. "Um, Manzie, how's the operation to take down Nikki Reeds going?" she asked with a grin, shifting the conversation to something more upbeat.

Bursting with excitement, Mackenzie recounted her devious plan. "As soon as Nick dropped me off, I rushed to my room. I quickly created a fake Instagram account, using photos of random boys I found online. I then located Nikki's profile and messaged her from the burner account. She responded, and we began an extended text exchange."

Scarlett reclined on her trundle bed, her lips curling into a smug smirk. "I can't fathom how she fell for that bogus account," she scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Lounging on her trundle bed, Kayla savored a brownie and sneered. "Nikki Leeds is so stupid. Hasn't she heard of stranger danger?"

Without breaking eye contact with her friends, Scarlett brought the chilled Perrier to her lips and took several refreshing sips of the carbonated mineral water. "Well, yeah, obviously," she replied to Audrey's question.

"Let's play 'would you rather,'" Kayla suggested, locking eyes with her friends. Moments later, she rose from her bed and crossed the room to Madeleine's desk. Snatching a bottle of OPI's 'Yoga-ta Get This Blue' nail polish, Kayla hurried back to her bed, the nail polish gripped in her manicured hand. Sitting down, she placed the bottle on her pillow and turned her attention to the group. "So, who's going first?"

Audrey stood up from her chair and grabbed one of the green tea Bliss face mask packets from Madeleine's desk. Returning to her trundle bed, she sat cross-legged in the middle and ripped the packet open with her teeth. Audrey positioned the face mask carefully on her clean face and volunteered. "I wanna go first," adjusting the eye, mouth, and nose openings to fit.

Madeleine peeled the dry face mask off her face and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it into the wastebasket. Staring at her friends, she asserted. "Um, Drey. My house. Me first."

"Okay, Mads," Audrey said, keeping the conversation going. She then ate three mouth-watering brownies, mindful not to let the face mask stretch. "Would you rather? Have the ability to see ten minutes into the future or one hundred fifty years into the future?"

Madeleine reached for the buttered popcorn, popping a handful into her mouth. "I wish I could see ten minutes into the future," she said between chews. "That way I'd know when people are plotting against me."

Scarlett reclined on her pillow, sipping Perrier. "I'd rather see a hundred years into the future," she replied mysteriously. "I want to know if my family's fortune keeps growing."

Kayla inspected her bare nails while opening a bottle of polish. "I'd love to see ten minutes ahead," she said excitedly, carefully painting her nails. "That would let me glimpse the torment I inflict on losers."

Mackenzie grabbed more popcorn. "Count me in for that first option!" she said through a mouthful. "I need to know if I'm still popular."

Audrey unzipped her overnight bag and retrieved her iPhone. "I'll go for seeing 150 years ahead," she murmured, settling back on her bed.

Madeleine turned to find her Pomeranian, Coco, curled up in her doggie bed. "Would you rather be chronically underdressed or overdressed?" she asked the girls, her gaze still fixed on her dog.

As Kayla painted her nails a deep, dark blue, she told her friends. "I've decided to be a bit overdressed. My mom always says you should make the best first impression by being the best dressed."

Scarlett's face broke into a wide grin. "I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed, don't you agree, Maddie?" she said, popping another low-fat brownie into her mouth. "People are so quick to judge based on appearances, aren't they?"

After devouring several handfuls of cheese curls, Mackenzie washed them down with three long gulps of her Diet Mountain Dew. "Same," she added, implying that she too preferred to be overdressed and prepared for any occasion.

"Uh, I'm choosing the action of being overdressed," Audrey replied, chewing thoughtfully on five brownies. Dropping her iPhone on her pillow, she moved away from her trundle bed and headed straight for Madeleine's mini-fridge. Opening the fridge, Audrey snatched a chilled can of Diet Coke and popped the top of her cold soda drink. She drank ten long gulps of her Diet Coke while sauntering toward her friends. Laying across her bed, Audrey positioned her cold drink on the floor beside her trundle bed. "You could always meet people that would help you in the future."

Sitting up straight in her trundle bed, Madeleine turned to her friends and declared,=. "I'm choosing the second option. My cousins Esmée and Aimee say you could meet a boy you really like, so you should dress impeccably for them."

Mackenzie twirled a pigtail around her finger as she posed the question to her friends. "Would you rather have telekinesis or telepathy?"

Kayla closed the bottle of nail polish with her dominant hand while waiting for her other hand's nails to dry. "I want to have the power of telekinesis," she exclaimed. "It'll be cool to move things with my mind."

Audrey unlocked her phone and opened the Instagram app. She scanned the feed and noticed her recent solo selfie had received several likes. "Telepathy," she muttered, eyes fixed on the screen. "I wish I could read people's minds."

Scarlett trailed her fingers along the silky bedsheets. "Telepathy's the way to go," she declared. "Being able to hear people's thoughts would be so interesting."

Madeleine stretched her neck from side to side. "Telekinesis is what I want," she said eagerly. "With that power, I could make people disappear."

Mackenzie examined her neatly trimmed nails. "Telekinesis would be great, Maddie," she agreed. "Then I could pry into people's thoughts."

Kayla posed a thought-provoking question to her friends. "Would you rather have universal respect or unlimited power?"

Madeleine paused and popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth. "Unlimited power," she replied. "Being feared is easier than being loved."

Audrey continued scrolling through her Instagram feed, eyes glued to the screen. "Unlimited power," she muttered absently.

Scarlett rubbed her left, manicured hand around her thin right wrist and replied. "Unlimited power."

"Unlimited power," Mackenzie agreed, adjusting her shorts. "The concept of power allows me to make people afraid."

After nodding in agreement with Mackenzie's statement, Kayla munched on popcorn. She then rose from her seat, crossed the room, and retrieved a chilled can of Diet Coke from her friend Madeleine's mini-fridge. "I'll go with the second option too," she replied, plopping down on her trundle bed and placing the cold drink on the floor next to her.

Scarlett drained the last of her Perrier and reached for another low-fat brownie. "Would you all prefer lounging by the pool or on the beach?" she asked her friends.

Madeleine rested her folded arms on her pillow. "I'd rather lounge by the pool. I like the beach too, but I don't go in the ocean - too many sharks for my liking," she said.

Audrey kicked her pedicured feet into the air. "Lounging by the pool for me," she said, shoving popcorn into her mouth and washing it down with long gulps of Diet Coke.

Mackenzie smiled brightly at Scarlett as she sprawled across her trundle bed, nibbling on a brownie. "I'd choose lounging by the pool," she marveled.

"Pool lounging for me," Kayla agreed as she popped the top of her soda drink and drank some measured sips of her Diet Coke. Dropping her cold drink on the floor in front of her bed near the giant bowls of snacks, Kayla touched her painted nail beds and discovered that her nails were completely dry. Grabbing the same nail polish bottle, Kayla opened it and started painting her dominant hand's nails with her non-dominant hand while paying attention to the conversation that was happening with her friends.

Scarlett pushed her pigtails off her shoulders and mused. "I'd rather lounge by the pool."

Madeleine's iPhone buzzed on the floor, chiming through her bedroom before she could ask her friends a question. She made eye contact with them, noticing their excited expressions. Grabbing her cell phone, Madeleine checked the bright screen and saw that Lachlan was calling. Taking a deep breath, she accepted the call and turned on the speakerphone so her friends could listen in.

Lachlan's voice came through Madeleine's iPhone. "Hey, Madeleine," he greeted her.

Madeleine exchanged furtive glances with her friends. "Hey, Lachlan," she greeted him warmly, striving to keep her tone casual. "What are you up to?"

"I just got home," Lachlan replied. "I'm about to go look for my brothers."

Madeleine nodded in understanding, silently signaling her friends to stay quiet. She didn't want Lachlan to realize they had been spying on him and his friends.

With a cool yet sweet tone, Lachlan asked, "Madeleine, I'm calling to see if you and your friends would like to hang out at Scott's house."

Madeleine lay across her trundle bed, deadpanning to Lachlan, "I could say for the girls that we accept the invitation to Scott's house.

Lachlan's tone grew nervous. "So, Madeleine, I wanted to ask you to be my date for the Back-to-School dance," he said.

Madeleine inhaled, glancing over at her friends. She knew they were about to start squealing loudly, so she looked away and wondered how she would respond to Lachlan's question. "Um, Lachlan, I'll go to the dance with you," she beamed happily, feeling glad that she and Kayla were the only ones with dates. "But you need to dress nicely for this dance."

"Fine, Maddie," Lachlan replied warmly. "What are you up to right now?"

Madeleine answered Lachlan's question while glancing at her friends, Scar, Kenzie, Addie, and Kay, who were listening to her conversation. "I'm talking to you on my cell phone. They're here for my weekly Friday night slumber party."

Lachlan's response was surprised. "Oh, shit! I didn't know your friends were over."

Madeleine glanced sideways at her friends, noticing their shocked expressions. "You should greet them," she said to Lachlan without taking her eyes off the girls.

Hey, girls," Lachlan greeted them cheerfully.

"Hey, Lachlan," Kayla, Mackenzie, Audrey, and Scarlett welcomed his greetings.

"So, Lachlan, I'm gonna need to return to my slumber party," Madeleine interrupted sharply, not waiting for her friends to get in a word with Lachlan as she got up and started pacing back and forth on the floor. "So, I'll see you next Monday afternoon."

"Okay, Madeleine," Lachlan said before ending the call on the other line.

Madeleine ended her phone call, turning off her iPhone and dropping it beside her bed. Refocusing on her friends, she noticed the girls were ready to speak while chewing cheese curls.

Scarlett arched her amused, icy-blonde eyebrows at Madeleine and changed the subject. "Maddy, I can't believe Lachlan asked you to the dance," she exclaimed loudly, unconcerned if her friend's parents overheard. "It's not fair."

Kayla nodded in agreement. "Looks like we're the only ones with dates to the Back-to-School dance," she said, examining her dry nail polish.

"Oh my god, Mads!" Mackenzie gasped, clutching her chest as she tried to calm her pounding heart. "It sucks that you have a date, while I'm still waiting for Declan to realize I want to go with him."

Audrey moved closer to Mackenzie and Scarlett, gently rubbing their shoulders to comfort them. She envied that Kayla and Mackenzie had already secured dates for the dance, while the three of them anxiously awaited invitations from their crushes. "Don't worry, Kay and Mack," Audrey reassured them. "I'm sure Declan, Scott, and Aiden will ask us to the dance soon."

Madeleine glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand and saw it was nearly 11 PM. "Girls, it's getting late," she told her friends. "I have a tennis lesson with Marco at 10 AM tomorrow, so we should head to bed now."

"I'm sleepy too, Maddy," Kayla replied, rubbing her eyes. She surveyed the nearly empty snack bowls, then downed the last of her Diet Coke, feeling the caffeine kick in.

Mackenzie laid her head on the pillow, her pigtails falling to the sides of her face. "Uh, besties, I'm tired," she said, yawning.

"Me too," Audrey agreed, pushing her open soda can off her bed to prevent it from spilling on her silky sheets. A moment later, she adjusted the collar of her pajama top.

"All right," Scarlett nodded in understanding. She got up, sauntered over to her Micheal Kors bag, and pulled her sleep mask from inside her bag. Scarlett slipped her sleep mask over her blonde head while keeping it on her forehead. She then laid back across her trundle bed and rested her head on her pillow.

Without saying a word, Madeleine glanced over as Mackenzie, Kayla, and Audrey retrieved their sleep masks from their bags and put them on. Tossing her straightened ponytail over her shoulder, Madeleine pulled her silky purple Blissy sleep mask from under her pillow and placed it over her eyes. Looking over, she saw her friends' heads drooping as they started to drift off to sleep.

Quietly, Madeleine stacked the large snack bowls, trying not to make any noise that might wake her friends. She opened her bedroom door and left the stacked bowls outside for Ingrid to clean up. Stepping back in, Madeleine collected her friends' drinks, carefully carrying them to avoid spilling on her chemise. She dropped the drinks into the bowls, then closed the door behind her with her foot. With a quiet sigh, Madeleine laid down on her trundle bed and clapped to turn off the lights. Slipping her sleep mask over her eyes, she burrowed into the covers and quickly fell asleep.

---

Here's chapter six for you.

Happy Reading,

FashionLeMode