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?

8. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this story.

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Chapter Seven

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Westchester Country Club

Tennis Court A

11:09 A.M.

Saturday, September 7th

Madeleine sucked in a deep breath and tossed the fuzzy yellow tennis ball high into the air. With a powerful swing, she slammed the ball over the net, watching as it ricocheted off the metal chain-link fence on the other side. Smoothing her pleated white Tory Sport tennis skirt, Madeleine noticed the sun's glare reflecting in her emerald eyes. Squinting against the brightness, she stepped back as another ball whizzed towards her.

Pivoting left, Madeleine pulled back her white Wilson racket and swung, watching as the ball glided effortlessly over the net, her follow-through graceful. With a contented sigh, she glanced across the courts, where middle-aged women in pristine tennis attire were engaged in a spirited match with their spouses.

"Brilliant shot!" Madeleine's tennis instructor, Marco, called from the other side of the tennis court.

Madeleine gazed up at the cloudless, azure sky, momentarily distracted as wispy clouds drifted across the sun's glare. Shifting her focus, she noticed Marco sprinting erratically across the court. "Thank you, Marco," she chirped, aware that her parents hoped she would excel at tennis. "But you know I'm a skilled player, right?"

"Of course, Miss Madeleine," Marco replied, sitting down on the weathered wooden bench near the tennis courts. He carefully placed his racket inside his leather tennis bag. "Unfortunately, we'll need to end the lesson early today."

Madeleine cocked her perfectly waxed, honey-blonde eyebrow and asked Marco in a snarky tone. "Why?"

Slinging his bag over his toned left shoulder, Marco glanced at Madeleine. "I'm afraid I must visit my wife at the hospital, Miss Madeleine," he said, his deep voice turning somber. "I'll see you next Saturday for our lesson."

Madeleine approached the bench, sipping her Smartwater. "Alright, Marco," she said with a slight smile.

As Marco strode through the metal gate of the tennis courts, he called over his toned right shoulder. "Bye, Miss Madeleine."

After noticing her tennis instructor had departed, Madeleine plopped down on the bench and let her racket fall onto her lap. She rummaged through her striped canvas bag and retrieved a plush, lavender Ralph Lauren face towel. Madeleine patted her damp face for a moment, tossed the towel back into the bag, and discreetly gave herself a quick sniff.

Relieved that she didn't have an unpleasant odor, Madeleine carefully placed her tennis racket in her tennis bag. After packing her water bottle and towel, she strolled through the metal gate and recalled her standing brunch reservation at the country club's dining room. Crossing her arms, Madeleine walked across the well-kept lawns toward the club's rear entrance.

As Madeline entered the bustling country club lobby, she scanned the room. Minutes later, she entered the dining room foyer and joined the queue behind five waiting golfers, their turn to be checked in by the host. Tapping her white Chloe low-top sneakers-clad foot against the polished marble, Madeline crossed her arms and stood patiently as the host assisted the others ahead of her.

Madeleine stared intently at the massive, glittery chandelier in the dining room, pausing for a moment before glancing down at the host stand. Realizing the golfers had followed the host into the dining room, she stepped forward, tossing her tennis bag over her shoulder. After a ten minute wait, Madeleine noticed the host was ready to check her in for her weekly brunch reservation.

The host greeted Madeleine with a stoic expression. "Hello, Miss Stein. Are you here for the reservation you booked last Thursday afternoon?" he asked.

"Yes, just here for my reservation," Madeleine replied, watching as the host typed her information into the iPad.

"Right this way, Miss Stein," the host said, grabbing a black leather menu from the host stand. He then led Madeleine through the crowded but quiet dining room.

Madeleine silently trailed the host, glancing around the dining room as she was led to her regular table at the back. Noticing the other members enjoying brunch and conversing with their companions, she faced forward and sighed lightly, crossing her arms.

The host placed the menu on the table before pulling out a plush white leather chair for Madeleine. "I hope this table is suitable, Miss Stein," he said, gesturing for her to sit.

Madeleine set her bag on the adjacent seat and settled into the chair the host had prepared. "It's alright," she replied sweetly. "Thank you."

"Of course, Miss Stein," the host nodded, his expression stoic. "One of your usual waiters will be here in ten minutes."

"Okay," Madeleine acknowledged, watching as the host returned to the host stand.

Madeleine gazed through the gridlocked dining room windows at a group of golfers strolling across the course, their clubs in hand. Leaning back, she watched as they headed towards the thirteenth hole. With a sigh, Madeleine closed her eyes and began some meditative breathing, hoping to find a moment of relaxation.

Ten minutes later, the waiter approached the table, waiting for Madeleine to open her eyes.

Madeleine opened her eyes and recognized one of her favorite servers from the country club approaching her table. "Hey, it's been a while," she said with a smile before picking up the menu.

"Actually, Miss Stein, you were just here last Friday for brunch," the attentive waiter replied, aware that Madeleine was a generous tipper. Shifting the conversation, the server pulled a pen from her apron and hovered it over her notepad. "What can I get for you today?"

"One Eggs Benedict, please," Madeleine responded after a quick scan of the menu. "And some freshly squeezed orange juice as well."

The waiter finished jotting down Madeleine's order in her notepad and smiled. "Of course, Miss Stein. I'll return shortly with your food and drink."

Madeleine nodded at the waiter, then turned her gaze out the dining room's windows. There, she watched a group of golfers make their way through the 13th hole. "All right," she replied, her eyes fixed on the golfers.

Without a word to the waiter, Madeleine averted her gaze from the golfers and retrieved her iPhone from her bag. She unlocked the device and opened the Instagram app. Scrolling through her feed, Madeleine saw that her cousins had posted several solo selfies, which she promptly liked.

Letting her phone go dark, Madeleine decided she wanted a quiet brunch alone. Surveying the dining room, she noticed the country club staff had adorned it with vases of long-stemmed yellow roses. Glancing at the neighboring table, she observed the other members paying their brunch bills.

Checking the time on her phone, Madeleine saw that thirteen minutes had already passed. Just as she was about to signal another waiter, she heard a loud throat clearing. Looking over, she found the original waiter standing there with Madeleine's plate of food in one hand and her iced drink in the other.

The waiter carefully placed Madeleine's meal on the table but accidentally spilled the iced drink a bit. "Here are your food and drink, Miss Stein," she said with an apologetic smile.

Madeleine set aside her iPhone and pulled her meal closer. "Thank you," she replied flatly.

Enjoy your meal, Miss Stein," the waiter said, turning to tend to her other tables.

Madeleine was just about to pick up her dinner fork and knife when her cell phone suddenly buzzed on the table, causing her heart to race. Biting her lower lip, she glanced at the iPhone screen and saw that her mom was calling. Madeleine had been hoping to enjoy her brunch without distractions, but she knew she had to answer the call, as her mom would likely follow up with texts and video calls if she didn't. Taking a deep breath, Madeleine accepted the call and prepared to hear what her mom had to say.

Margaret greeted her daughter warmly."Hello, sweetie. Have you finished your tennis lessons yet?"

Yeah, Mom," Madeleine replied, balancing her phone on her right shoulder. "I just checked into the country club for my weekly brunch. And, I'm about to eat."

Okay, sweetie," Margaret said flatly. "My friends are picking me up in ten minutes to go into the city for the next seven hours, so I won't be home when you get back from the club."

Madeleine gripped her silver dinner fork and knife as she held her cell phone against her cheek with her right shoulder. "Oh, Mom, that means you're going out with my friends' moms who are also your friends," she said cheerfully.

"Absolutely," Margaret replied confidently. "Carol, Catherine, Emily, Courtney, and I are planning to enjoy a lunch and spa day together."

Madeleine smiled brightly at her mom. "Alright, Mom," she said, using her knife to cut a medium-sized piece of her egg benedict before forking it into her mouth. She was delighted that her mom would be out of the house for a few hours, allowing her to rest before having to pick up Scarlett, Mackenzie, and Kayla later. "I need to finish my food before it gets cold. I'll see you when I get back from Addie's birthday party."

"Sounds good, dear," Margaret said, ending the call.

Realizing the call had ended, Madeleine dropped her iPhone on the table and took several sips of orange juice. She then resumed eating her eggs benedict, abandoning her utensils on the tablecloth. Sighing, Madeleine unlocked her phone and opened the Instagram app.

Scrolling through her feed, she saw that her morning lesson selfie had received around two thousand likes from her schoolmates. Grinning, Madeleine continued eating as she browsed. Next, she noticed her cousin Aimee had posted group photos from their brunch at Ladurée. Madeleine tapped the heart icon to like the pictures, then commented: Mimi, these pictures are stunning! As she drank more orange juice, Madeleine admired her cousin and friends' stylish outfits in the photos.

Madeleine quietly snickered to herself as she scrolled through her social media feed. She observed the table next to her, noting that the diners had already paid their bill. Glancing back down at her phone, Madeleine saw that her cousin Esmée had posted several group photos with friends Caitlyn and Gabi, seemingly at a house party.

Tapping the heart icon to like the photos, Madeleine took a bite of her eggs benedict and sipped her orange juice. She shifted her attention back to her cell phone, tapping the screen to keep it from going to sleep. Inhaling, Madeleine commented on Esmée's photos: Um, Ez, I hope you have a great time at this party.

Madeleine turned off her iPhone, unzipped her bag, and dropped her cell phone inside. Zipping her bag back up, she shoved the last bite of eggs benedict into her mouth and washed it down with the rest of her orange juice. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she tossed it on the table beside her empty plate and picked up the silver dinner spoon.

Checking her reflection, Madeleine inspected the ends of her honey-blonde curls and noticed split ends. Sighing, she knew she needed to make an appointment at Maxwell's Salon. She placed the spoon back on the table and raised her arm to signal the waiter over.

A moment later, the waiter approached, wondering why Madeleine had called her over.

"Miss Stein, why did you signal me over?" The waiter asked excitedly.

Madeleine smiled broadly and squared her shoulders. She then retrieved her Amex card from her unzipped bag and held it close to her chest. "I need the check, please," she said firmly, handing the card to the waiter. "I need to leave now."

"Okay, Miss Stein," the waiter replied, turning on her heel with Madeleine's credit card in hand.

Madeleine sighed and leaned back in her seat, gazing out the dining room windows. Her eyes settled on the country club's pool, where a brunette mother and daughter swam, wearing matching cute bathing suits and playing together in the water. Suddenly, Madeleine heard a loud throat-clearing and looked up to see Yuki standing before her, a black portfolio in hand.

The waiter handed Madeleine the portfolio. "Miss Stein, I need you to sign this receipt."

Madeleine opened the portfolio, finding her American Express card, a printed receipt, and a pen inside. Without glancing at the receipt, she signed on the dotted line. Retrieving her credit card, she tossed her Amex back into her bag and zipped it up. "I'll be back next week for my usual brunch reservation," she told the waiter.

"Alright, Miss Stein," the waiter replied, then moved on to attend to her other tables.

Madeleine stood up, tossing her bag over her right shoulder. Hoping Nick had followed her instructions to wait after her tennis lesson and brunch, she pushed in her chair and wove through the dining room tables, careful to avoid bumping into waiters carrying trays. Mindful of not staining her Tory Sport outfit, she sauntered out of the dining room and towards the country club's front entrance.

Scanning the bustling parking lot, Madeleine spotted the Range Rover parked by the curb and saw Nick inside. She opened the rear door and gracefully slid into the backseat, tossing her bag aside. Buckling herself in, Madeleine closed her eyes as the car pulled away, eager to relax for a couple hours before meeting her friends at Aphrodite's.

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Westchester, NY

Spa Trinity

12:07 P.M.

Saturday, September 7th

As soon as Audrey left Madeleine's house, she immediately booked an emergency deep-tissue massage, grateful they could fit her in that afternoon. Sashaying into the spa's changing room, she perched on the wooden bench and changed out of her clothes. Wrapping herself in a monogrammed Egyptian cotton spa robe, Audrey slipped on silk thong slippers and gathered her long, platinum-blonde curls into a ballerina bun.

Folding her clothes, Audrey placed her navy blue Tory Burch crossbody bag on top and grabbed her AirPods from their charging case. Shoving the earbuds in, she dropped the case into the robe's pocket before retrieving her iPhone from her handbag and stashing it in the other pocket.

Dragging her slippers on the heated stone floor, Audrey headed towards the massage rooms, her manicured hands in her pockets. Pausing at the closed door to massage room #1, she pressed her ear against it and heard her usual therapist was ready.

Closing her cerulean eyes, Audrey rolled her shoulders and entered with confidence. The room was ambient, lit by ten glowing candles that filled the air with jasmine. Unwrapping her robe, she laid face down on the massage table, unconcerned if her therapist saw her naked.

"Hello, Miss Webster," the massage therapist said as she approached the massage table and draped a fluffy white Spa Trinity-monogrammed towel over Audrey's back. "It's been a while since your last massage."

Audrey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I've just returned from a two-month summer vacation in Paris," she informed the therapist. "And I started school again this past Thursday, so I haven't had time for a massage."

The therapist opened her lavender-scented massage oil and began applying it to Audrey's bare back. "Alright, Miss Webster," she said calmly. "Relax and enjoy your massage."

Audrey kept her eyes closed, saying nothing to her usual massage therapist. Quietly, she asked Siri to play the newest Kristina album. As the first song began, Audrey bobbed her head to the music, feeling the therapist's hands pressing firmly into her back. Asking Siri to lower the volume, Audrey continued listening without straining her ears.

Relaxing further, Audrey felt the therapist's fingertips kneading deeper into her back. The second song started playing, and Audrey sighed deeply, the stress of hosting her birthday party melting away. The therapist now massaged Audrey's shoulders, gentle enough not to disturb her zen state.

Thirty minutes later, the therapist woke Audrey, having completed the deep tissue massage. Audrey rubbed the sleep from her eyes, realizing she had listened to the entire Kristina album. She turned her attention to the therapist.

The massage therapist smiled brightly and said, "Okay, Miss Webster, I've finished your massage. You can put your robe back on now."

Audrey nodded in acknowledgment. She grabbed her robe from the ottoman and wrapped it around herself, tying it closed. "Alright."

Audrey walked out of the massage room without saying anything further to her massage therapist. She headed straight down the same hallway, checking her ears to ensure her AirPods were still in place. As Audrey approached the spa's changing room, her iPhone buzzed silently in her robe's pocket, interrupting the music playing through her AirPods. Without checking her phone, Audrey double-tapped her left AirPod to accept the incoming call.

"Who's this?" Audrey asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice, wondering who was calling her.

"Um, hi, Audrey. It's me, Aiden," came the response through the iPhone's microphone.

Audrey's eyes widened at the sound of Aiden's voice, her heartbeat quickening. "Hey, Aiden," she replied, striving to conceal the nervousness in her tone. "What prompted this call?"

Aiden grinned nervously and asked. "Audrey, would you go to the dance with me this Friday night?"

"I accept your invitation to the dance," Audrey replied honestly. She realized that she, Madeleine, and Kayla were the only ones who had secured dates to the Back-to-School dance. "But what prompted you to finally work up the nerve to ask me?"

It was James who gathered us all together," Aiden said enthusiastically, speaking candidly with Audrey. "He told us to stop hesitating and ask you and the others to the dance. James made us realize that someone else might ask you first if we didn't act."

Audrey smiled to herself as Aiden shared his opinion with her. "I'm certain James would have told you all to ask us out soon," she explained. "But I think Kay may have put that idea in his head earlier."

"No way!" Aiden exclaimed, surprised by Audrey's statement. "That must be why James was so eager - he didn't want to be the only one at the dance."

"So, Aiden, are you coming to my birthday party today?" Audrey asked her crush, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, I am!" Aiden replied excitedly. "I just got your text invite this morning. I can't believe you included a QR code - that's so clever. It'll make checking in a breeze."

Audrey smiled brightly and pushed open the changing room door, her petite frame slipping inside. She sat down carefully on the wooden bench and crossed her slender legs. "Vanessa came up with the idea," she replied. "no one would crash my party."

"Of course, Audrey," Aiden agreed. "But I need to go - my mom needs me. Text me when you're ready, and happy birthday!"

Audrey grinned as she realized Aiden had ended the call on his end. "Thanks, Aiden," she said.

Audrey made a mental note to tell her friends about Aiden asking her to the dance. She then moved away from the bench and approached her assigned locker, her iPhone in her manicured right hand. Opening the locker, she dropped her cell phone inside and shrugged off her robe, revealing her creamy shoulders.

Pulling on her sleeveless navy Vince ruffle-neck blouse, Audrey then tugged her light-wash Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans over her hips and buttoned them up. Flattening her blouse, she grabbed her navy blue Anne Klein wedges from the locker and slipped them over her bare, pedicured feet, buckling them securely. Audrey then put on her flawless fifteen-karat diamond stud earrings.

Checking her reflection, Audrey saw that her natural makeup was still intact before fluffing her curls. Shutting her compact, she placed it back in her medium white Aphrodite makeup bag and put the bag into her purse. Taking a deep breath, Audrey slung her designer handbag over her right shoulder and closed her empty locker.

She retrieved her iPhone and case from the robe's pocket and tossed them into her purse. Squaring her shoulders, Audrey discarded the robe and thong slippers into a nearby laundry cart before leaving the changing room and walking down the hallway.

Turning left, Audrey gazed up at the spa's twenty-floor ceiling, the sunlight beaming through the massive skylight. Scanning the lobby, she noted the spa staff and customers moving about. Deciding not to use her platinum Mastercard credit card, Audrey headed towards the receptionist's desk, intending to charge the massage to her mom's card on file. She waited patiently behind a group of customers, her arms crossed, until the receptionist greeted her with a bright smile.

The receptionist placed her hands on the desk and greeted Audrey cheerfully, "Hi, Miss Webster. Did you have a nice massage?"

Audrey's lips curled into a half-smile. "The massage helped me relax, but the stress of hosting my birthday party is still there," she said, uncrossing her arms. Audrey could tell the receptionist's concern was feigned.

"Of course, Miss Webster," The receptionist chuckled. "Are you checking out now?"

Audrey adjusted the strap of her heavy purse on her shoulder and gathered her curls. "Yes, my mom's credit card is on file, so please charge it to her account."

The receptionist scanned the spa's register, found Audrey's mom's name, and immediately charged the deep-tissue massage to her credit card. "We've taken care of the massage payment on your mom's card, so you're all set to leave," she said.

Audrey smirked and called back over her shoulder as she walked away, "Great, I'll be back next week for my weekly mani-pedi."

Hearing that the receptionist said they would be waiting for her return, Audrey sashayed over to the spa's front entrance, where the doorman had opened the left-side frosted glass door for her. She stepped outside, scanning the parking lot for Arthur. Not seeing him, Audrey retrieved her iPhone from her purse and checked her ears, confirming her AirPods were still in place. She then asked Siri to call Arthur. After three rings, he answered.

Arthur's deep voice greeted his bosses' daughter. "Good afternoon, Miss Audrey."

As Audrey approached the cement curb, she questioned her driver."Arthur, where are you? Didn't I tell you to wait in the parking lot for me?"

"Well, Miss Audrey," Arthur said in a stoic tone. "Your father called me two hours ago and asked me to drop him off in the city. I'm afraid I have to wait here until your father's meeting is finished, so I won't be able to pick you up anytime soon. You'll need to request an Uber ride to get home."

Audrey rolled her eyes, irritated that her father had summoned Arthur away. "Fine, Arthur," she scoffed, well aware that she only resorted to Uber when her driver was occupied ferrying her parents around.

Ending the call with Arthur, Audrey quickly tapped the Uber app and entered her pickup location. She then typed in her family's house address as the destination. With a tap, Audrey selected the 100.89 UberX option from the available rides.

Confirming the ride, Audrey could see the driver's details and that the car would arrive in eight minutes. While she waited, she switched to Instagram and scrolled through her feed. Audrey noticed that her classmates were liking the solo selfie she had posted from Spa Trinity earlier that day.

Grinning to herself, Audrey looked up and saw the Uber driver turning into the spa's parking lot. Without glancing down, she switched off her cell phone and stepped gracefully into the car, plopping down in the backseat. Buckling her seatbelt, she dropped her phone into her designer handbag and abandoned the purse on the adjacent seat.

The driver followed the navigation's voice to Audrey's home address. She pulled her AirPods out of her ears, shoved them into their case, and closed her eyes, remaining silent for the rest of the ride. Audrey hoped her birthday party would go well as the car carried her toward her destination.

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Westchester, NY

Aphrodite

2:00 P.M.

Saturday, September 7th

The bells jingled as Mackenzie pushed through the store's front door, holding it open for Madeleine, Kayla, and Scarlett. Observing her friends had entered, she released the door and faced forward. Mackenzie's favorite boutique, Aphrodite, had been booked for the next three hours after she called ahead Thursday afternoon. She and her friends wanted to shop privately, without judgmental eyes. Mackenzie looked around, noticing the salesgirls standing by the registers. Crossing her arms, she turned her attention to the girls.

Mackenzie looked around at her friends, gesturing to the rack of new Aphrodite dresses. "Where should we even start?" she questioned

Madeleine sighed and crossed her arms. "We should start at the back of the store," she answered. "And then work our way through the rest of the shop."

Kayla moved over to a dress rack, whining, "I think we should focus on the dresses first."

Scarlett stretched her neck and turned to the group. "We should just go with everyone's suggestions," she said with a snicker.

Mackenzie rolled her aquamarine eyes at her friends' comments and scoffed dismissively, "Fine then."

Kayla pawed through a rack, pulling out a scalloped, orange Aphrodite high-neck shift dress. "What do you guys think?" she eagerly asked her friends.

"Oh, Kay, that color would look amazing with your skin tone," Scarlett commented, running her delicate fingers over the dresses. "Are you wearing this to Addie's birthday party tonight?"

"No, not this dress," Kayla quickly answered, draping it over her arm and ensuring the hanger didn't ruin her dark beige Saint Laurent leather shopping tote. "But I'm thinking I should wear it to Cora Lewis's party on September eighteen."

Scarlett glanced over her right shoulder and noticed Mackenzie browsing through a rack of dresses. Moments later, she shifted her gaze to Kayla. "Now, that's an occasion to wear this dress," she snickered, knowing they would outshine the birthday girl.

"Has anyone called Drey to wish her a 'Happy Birthday' today?" Madeleine asked, changing the subject. She then looked at Mackenzie, who was examining another rack of dresses.

"I FaceTimed Addy this morning when I woke up," Mackenzie told the group as she held a navy-blue Aphrodite trapeze-print halter dress against herself, wondering if she could wear it to Audrey's party. Realizing it wouldn't work, she returned the dress and smoothed the front of her black Free People floral bubble dress. "Addy booked an emergency deep tissue massage at Spa Trinity this afternoon because Vanessa is setting up for Audrey's circus-themed party at her house."

Kayla sighed, admitting she had forgotten to call Audrey and wish her a 'Happy Birthday.' "I've been so busy the last three days looking for her present, which finally arrived this morning. I still need to wrap it."

"Me too," Scarlett agreed with Kayla, flipping her long, silky icy-blonde waves over her left shoulder. "Except I already found and wrapped her gift. It's sitting on my chaise lounge."

Madeleine dropped some hangers on the store's freshly waxed marble floor before gesturing toward Kayla and Scarlett. "Come on, you two," she said in a regal tone, sounding surprised. "Addie's probably upset that you didn't wish her a happy birthday."

"When we get inside the dressing room, we'll call Drey and wish her a happy birthday," Kayla and Scarlett said in unison. "What about you, Maddie? Didn't you wish Addy a happy birthday?"

"While Nick was driving the usual route to the country club, I FaceTimed Addie and wished her a happy birthday right after she finished talking to Kenzie," Madeleine said casually, her tone easygoing. She then held up a crimson-red Aphrodite collared dress. "So, girls, do you think I should wear this dress to Addy's birthday party?"

Mackenzie examined the dress with a laser-like focus. "It could be an option for Drey's party," she replied instantly.

"I think you should wear that dress to our friend's party," Kayla mused, draping another Aphrodite dress over the one on her right arm.

Scarlett sipped her Evian water, mindful of the dresses draped over her right arm. "It's perfect, Maddie," she said with a smile. "The dress would match those BCBG heels you bought two months ago."

Madeleine nodded in agreement, then crossed her arms. "Let's grab a bunch of dresses from the racks and head to the dressing room," she suggested with a grin, shifting the conversation.

In response to Madeleine's suggestion, Mackenzie, Kayla, and Scarlett grab large piles of dresses from various racks and simultaneously agree. "Okay, Maddie."

Mackenzie, Madeleine, Scarlett, and Kayla silently carried armfuls of dresses into the store's dressing rooms, dropping the piles on the floor before stepping back outside. The four women then settled cross-legged on the plush carpet, iPhones in hand.

Kayla unlocked her cell phone, hoping Madeleine and Mackenzie would remain silent as she and Scarlett wished their friend Addie a happy birthday. "Um, beauties, I'm gonna call Addie now," Kayla said, asking Siri to place the call on speakerphone. After three rings, Addie answered. "Happy birthday, Drey! I completely forgot to text or video-call this morning."

Scarlett observed Madeleine and Mackenzie exchanging side glances before resting her head on Kayla's left shoulder. "Happy birthday, Addie," she added after Kayla's statement. "How's Vanessa setting the party up?"

Audrey beamed with excitement. "The party planner has already set up the massive circus tent and is about to have the team start helping with the tables and chairs," she announced.

Kayla smiled and rolled her shoulders back, careful not to disturb Scarlett's resting head. "Oh, it sounds like everything is coming together," she said breathlessly.

Sitting up straighter, Scarlett smiled at her friends and set down her phone. "Yeah, Addy, I think you should head downstairs and start supervising," she suggested, crossing her arms.

Madeleine and Mackenzie sprawled across the carpet in the dressing area, resting their elbows in front of them as they dropped their cell phones beside their arms. "Well, yeah, obviously," they said in unison.

"Um, I don't think I can go downstairs right now," Audrey said cheerfully. "My hairstylist and makeup artist will be here in an hour, so I want to relax in my room as long as I can while my parents are out."

"Okay, Addie," Kayla said, nodding in understanding as she exchanged a glance with Scarlett and kept her iPhone in the group. "We'll let you relax, and then we'll start looking for dresses for the next five parties we have to go to soon."

Audrey ended the call, saying excitedly. "Okay, girlies."

Madeleine clapped her manicured hands together. "So, pretties, let's start selecting the dresses for the next five parties we have to attend over the next two months," she stated, switching the topic.

Kayla nodded and rose from her seat. She walked back into her dressing room and peeled off her clothes. "I'm going first," she volunteered, needing to find a dress for Addie's birthday party.

Madeleine glanced over at Mackenzie and Scarlett, who were now leaning against the walls by their dressing rooms. "I forgot to mention it yesterday," she said with a soft giggle. "Lindsey, Avery, and I are throwing a house party on September twenty-first."

Mackenzie stepped back into her dressing room, retrieving a Perrier from her designer handbag. Rejoining the group, she settled in her spot and placed the lukewarm drink between her legs. Turning to Madeleine, she said in disbelief, "A party with Lindsey and Avery? I'm surprised you didn't have to wait months before bringing that up to them."

"I think the three of you hosting it together would be an amazing time," Scarlett commented, her eyes sparkling with excitement for Madeleine.

Kayla emerged from her dressing room, showcasing a cobalt-blue Aphrodite V-necked asymmetrical dress to her friends. "What do you guys think?" she asked. "Is it worth wearing this to Drey's party tonight?"

Scarlett's icy-blue eyes scrutinized the dress, and she moved her iPhone closer. "It looks stunning on you," she complimented. "You have to wear this to Addy's birthday party."

"Oh, Kay, the dress looks fabulous! " Madeleine chimed in, resting her chin on her hand. "Ten out of ten!"

Mackenzie let out a snicker. "Gorgeous," she assessed. "9.5."

Kayla's amber eyes drifted between her friends. She knew their advice would help her look better than their classmates. "Yeah, I'll go with your suggestions," she announced with a chuckle, settling back into her seat. "So, who's up next?"

Madeleine rose and headed to the dressing room. "Me," she told the group, already changing out of her clothes. "Did you see Molly's Instagram post this morning? She was ugly crying in the photo."

Mackenzie arched a perfectly waxed strawberry-blonde eyebrow. "Wait, Molly posted something on Instagram?" she interrupted. "I haven't even checked my account today."

"Yeah, Mack," Kayla nodded. Kayla unlocked her phone and instantly tapped the Instagram app. She quickly typed her account handle into the search bar and clicked on the first post as soon as her page appeared. Zooming in on the picture, Kayla wondered how the girl could have posted it without realizing people would insult her. Concerned about getting her dress dirty, Kayla sat down on her legs.

Scarlett looked on in shock, her delicate fingers combing through her icy-blonde, pin-straight hair. "I can't believe she had the audacity to post that on her page," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. Peering over Kayla's shoulder, Scarlett studied the picture Kayla had zoomed in on. She winced, unsympathetic towards the girl in the image. "I'm guessing she's crying because she wasn't invited to Addy's party. Serves her right."

Madeleine emerged from the dressing room, striding out like a queen in a stunning midnight-blue, beaded sheath dress. "Thoughts, ladies?" she asked, fishing for compliments.

Kayla lightly touched the nape of her neck, ensuring her wheat-blonde hair remained in a loose chignon. "Adorable," she instantly replied.

"Awesome dress, Mads," Mackenzie snickered. She twirled the diamond bracelet on her thin right wrist before sipping her Perrier. "Ten out of ten!"

Scarlett played with her pearl charm bracelet. "It looks so classy on you," she said softly.

Madeleine gracefully resettled onto the couch, smoothing the back of her dress. "Alright, besties," she said confidently, knowing she would wear this dress to Audrey's party tonight. "I heard Sofia is regretting going against me."

Mackenzie entered her dressing room, peeling off her clothes. "Well, Maddie, it's her own fault," she said. "She shouldn't have plotted with her friends to take your throne."

"Sofia will feel left out," Scarlett noted, folding her hands in her lap. "She'll hear the juicy party details from others."

Kayla rolled her shoulders, casually flicking imaginary lint off her dress. "Oh, yeah," she said nonchalantly.

"Whatever!" Mackenzie muttered, unbothered by Sofia's plight. Moments later, she barged out sporting a fuschia Aphrodite off-the-shoulder crepe dress and wondered what her friends would think of the bold ensemble. "So, what do you all think?"

"Fabulous!" Madeleine exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Mackenzie's Perrier. She hovered the bottle above her lips, taking a long sip without touching the top. "I think you should wear this dress to Addie's party."

Scarlett nodded and snatched the drink from Madeleine's hand, taking a generous gulp while keeping her lips away. "Adorable," she offered, closing the Perrier and placing it next to Mackenzie's iPhone. "You should wear it to Drey's party too."

Kayla studied the dress intently, her brow furrowed. "It looks amazing on you," she sighed. "Kenzie, I think you should definitely wear this dress."

Mackenzie nodded eagerly, sitting carefully to avoid damaging the dress. "Okay," she said calmly, understanding her friends had already decided the dress was perfect for Audrey's birthday.

Scarlett entered her dressing room, changing out of her clothes. Tapping her manicured finger against her chin, she wondered what she should try on now and mused. "I've heard Jacqueline fainted in fifth period after Madeleine delivered judgment on her and her friends."

Madeleine arched a perfectly waxed honey-blonde eyebrow at Scarlett's revelation. "Oh, really?" she asked in a melodramatic tone. "I thought she would have maintained her composure throughout the school day."

"Um, Maddie, people were openly laughing at her," Kayla added, chuckling at Jacqueline's misfortune.

"Everyone in school was gossiping about her," Mackenzie said, blinking and snickering. She opened her Perrier and drank eight long gulps before noting that she was nearly finished with the bottle.

Scarlett gracefully sauntered out of her dressing room, sighing contentedly. The champagne Aphrodite foil embroidery midi dress she wore accentuated her figure beautifully as she twirled for her friends. "Fabulous or not?" she asked, feeling perfectly confident.

"Oh, Lett, it looks absolutely fabulous on you!" Madeleine replied, cocking her head to the side and scrutinizing the dress for any flaws. "Please tell me you're wearing this to Drey's birthday party."

Without looking up from her phone, Mackenzie was disappointed to see no new messages from Declan and chimed in. "Uh, Scar, it looks so elegant on you."

Kayla glanced at Madeleine, who was now inspecting her manicured nails. "Me too," she agreed with Mackenzie, letting out a resigned sigh.

"I've decided this is the dress I'm wearing to Yvonne Phillips's party," Scarlett declared, her tone casual yet confident. She then rested her head on Kayla's shoulder.

Madeleine strode back into the dressing room, swiftly changing out of the previous dress and tossing it to the floor. She yanked another garment off a hanger. "So Kenzie, how's the plan to take down Nikki Reeds going?" she asked eagerly.

Kayla leaned in, her eyes gleaming with interest. "Mack, share the details," she said. Crossing her ankles, Kayla subtly adjusted her party dress to ensure her black La Perla lace thong remained hidden.

Mackenzie spoke in a measured tone. "Nikki texted the fake Instagram account as soon as I woke up. She's thrilled someone's showing interest in her."

Scarlett glanced at her iPhone. "Five-fifteen already," she said coolly. "Well, Nikki's getting what she deserves."

"Kenzie, you have to make sure she doesn't discover you're behind the fake account," Madeleine said ominously, emerging from her dressing room in a stunning mulberry Aphrodite one-shoulder sheath dress. She paused in front of the three-way mirror, giving herself an appraising once-over. "So, girls, what's the verdict?"

Kayla chuckled softly and uncrossed her ankles. "A solid ten, Maddie!" she declared with a giggle.

"Absolutely stunning, Mads," Scarlett practically whispered, her gaze fixed on Madeleine.

Lying on her back, Mackenzie stared up at the dressing room ceiling and let out a sigh before sitting upright. "Maddy, you look beautiful," she said quickly.

Madeleine's friends provided her with sensible fashion advice, but she abruptly shifted the conversation. Madeleine explained. "During our Queen council meeting, Lindsey, Avery, and I were interrupted by Maisy, who needed to use the bathroom. Maisy appeared startled to find us still occupying the space. To make matters worse, she directly called us bitches, though her insult had no impact on us."

"No way," Kayla said, sounding very surprised that Maisy had the balls to confront Madeleine, Avery, and Lindsey. Seconds later, she strutted back inside her dressing room and peeled the dress she was wearing off her petite body. Without saying anything else to her friends, Kayla glanced at the dress options hanging from silver hooks in the dressing room, thinking about what to try next. "She shouldn't have said that to you guys."

Scarlett's eyes narrowed and spitefully exclaimed. "Oh my god, I can't believe we're talking about this loser who dared to defy us. You should have put her in her place. That way, she'll think twice before interrupting Maddie, Avery, and Lindsey in the bathroom again."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "I get that seeing her would've been painful, but Maisy has no one to blame but herself. If she'd just read the sign on the bathroom door, she'd know not to defy you guys. Her defiance is only going to make other students wonder why they should be afraid of you in the first place."

Madeleine straightened up and stretched her arms. "Right before Maisy left the bathroom, she had this confused look on her face, probably wondering about the consequences of uninviting us to her party," she murmured.

Kayla glided out of her dressing room, feeling fabulous in a coral Aphrodite bow-neck Halter dress. Showcasing the dress to her friends, she moved closer to the mirror and admired her flawless reflection. "How do I look?" she asked her friends a bit worriedly.

"Um, Kay, you look fabulous," Scarlett told her friend as she crawled towards the wall next to her dressing room and leaned against it. A few minutes later, Scarlett

Mackenzie squeezed her triple-strand white pearl bracelet for dear life, knowing that she couldn't be mean to her friend's party dress option. "9.7," she beamed happily. Mackenzie then tossed her glossy strawberry-blonde curls over her left shoulder.

"9.6," Madeleine added after Mackenzie's statement as she uncrossed her arms from her chest.

Kayla had already made it clear that she planned to wear a specific dress to Lacey Montgomery's garden party. After sharing this detail, she turned her attention back to her friends. "Um, we should go back to what we were talking about before," she said, reminding the girls of their previous discussion.

"I know a secret about Maisy," Mackenzie said as she hurried into her dressing room to change out of her current dress. Surveying her other party attire options, she pondered which one she should try on next.

Madeleine blinked a few times and then laughed loudly. "Um, Manzie, you need to share this secret with everyone!" she exclaimed, gesturing excitedly towards Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Kayla.

Scarlett pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell us everything," she demanded, staring down at her bare, pedicured feet.

Kayla discreetly adjusted her chignon, tucking back any stray hairs. "I'd like to hear this secret," she sighed.

Mackenzie emerged from the dressing room, gracefully slipping into a blush-colored Aphrodite midi dress with a knot-neck and tulip hem. She twirled before the mirror, then turned to the others. "Well, what do you think?" she asked with a chuckle, changing topics.

Scarlett admired the flawless eighteen-karat diamond studs in her ears. "Mack, you look wonderful," she said.

Madeleine eyed Mackenzie's party dress, her arms folded across her chest. "Kenzie, the dress is stunning on you," she said, fiddling with her necklace.

Kayla was pleased that Madeleine looked so wonderful in the dress. "I think you've found the perfect dress for Cora Lewis's party," she replied.

Mackenzie casually flashed a wry smile at her friends as she finished the last sip of her Perrier and tossed the empty bottle onto the nearby carpet. "I know, besties," she said. "I can't keep Maisy's secret any longer. One of my spies told me that one of Maisy's ex-friends had caught Maisy stealing from the ex-friend's mom's closet. This incident had earned Maisy a reputation as a thief around her old elementary school and made people distrust her with their belongings."

Madeleine rose from her seat and stepped into her dressing room, changing out of the dress she had been wearing. As she looked through the dress options hanging on the silver hooks, she shook her head. "I can't believe it," she responded. "I overheard Maisy lying to her new friends yesterday about why she transferred schools."

Scarlett shifted in her seat and glanced down at her manicured hands. "I guess she didn't want people to know about her terrible reputation at her old school," she said briskly, snickering at Maisy's misfortune.

We should spread this secret around school," Kayla suggested, feeling that Maisy deserved the consequences of her actions toward Lindsey, Avery, and Madeleine.

Mackenzie nodded in agreement. "We should see how people treat her after the rumor comes out," she insisted.

Madeleine slowly emerged from the dressing room, showcasing a white Aphrodite caped sheath dress to her friends. She checked her reflection in the mirror and let out a sigh. "Do I look pretty?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

Kayla's eyes widened with delight. "Of course, Maddie," she immediately agreed, taking a sharp breath. "I think you should wear that dress to one of the parties we're invited to."

"Oh yeah," Scarlett replied, her eyes lit up. Stretching her neck, she observed that Madeleine was cocking her head to the side. "It's gorgeous on you."

Mackenzie glanced at her iPhone and grimaced. "Um, Maddie, our booking is almost over, so we need to head to the registers and check out now."

Alright, girls, let's collect our things and finalize our dress selections before the boutique gets crowded," Madeleine said, disliking that their private appointment was nearing its end.

Without a word, the girls returned to their dressing rooms, phones in hand. They quickly changed out of the dresses they had been trying on, tossing them onto piles they had already approved. Redressed in their clothes, the girls slung their purses over their shoulders and exited the dressing area, arms full of Aphrodite gowns.

A short while later, the girls sauntered up to the cash registers, which doubled as iPads. The salesgirls promptly rang up their purchases and held out the credit card receipts. The girls signed the receipts, then grabbed their twenty-five large shopping bags and headed for the exit, stepping out onto the sidewalk and into the humid air as they waited outside the store.

Kayla scanned the block and spotted her family's driver, Dean, waiting at the end as instructed. "My driver is here," she told her friends.

Scarlett and Madeleine grabbed Kayla's arms, stopping her. "Can you drop us off too?" they asked in unison.

Kayla nodded, juggling her shopping bags. "Of course," she answered, heading towards the Mercedes GLE Coupe.

"Bye, Kenzie," Madeleine and Scarlett called over their shoulders to Mackenzie as they followed Kayla.

Mackenzie returned the wave to her friends, then peeked out of the corner of her eye. She observed that the girls had already climbed into Kayla's family car. Sighing, Mackenzie watched as the car navigated down the driveway. Noticing the Mercedes had disappeared, she reached into her designer handbag and removed her AirPods from the wireless charging case. Mackenzie placed the earbuds in her ears and asked Siri to call her family's driver, Dimitri. After three rings, Dimitri answered on the other end of the line.

Dimitri's deep voice answered the call on Mackenzie's cell phone. "Hello?"

Mackenzie greeted her driver. "Hey, Dimitri. It's me."

"Hello, Miss Mackenzie," Dimitri responded. "Do you need a pickup now?"

"Yes, Dimitri," Mackenzie replied.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Dimitri said before ending the call.

As soon as Mackenzie could no longer hear her driver's voice, she returned her AirPods to their case and tapped her phone screen to wake it up. She instantly opened the Messages app, hoping for a text from Declan, but was disappointed to find none. Trying to stay calm, Mackenzie turned off her iPhone and dropped it into her purse.

Twenty minutes later, Mackenzie glanced down the street and saw Dimitri turning the Mercedes onto the road. When the car pulled up to the curb, she promptly walked over, opened the right rear door, and gracefully climbed inside. Settling into the plush leather backseat, she buckled her seatbelt and sighed. Without a word to the driver, Mackenzie closed her eyes, feeling the car pull away from the curb. All she wanted now was to relax a bit before attending Audrey's birthday party.

---

The Webster Estate

Audrey's Bedroom

6:30 P.M.

Saturday, September 7th

Humming the tune to Veronica Brown's new song, Audrey sent a text to Aiden: See you when I make a big entrance into my party. After swiping up to exit the Messages app, she stared at her fully charged iPhone screen. Audrey then tossed the phone onto her bed before stepping in front of her three-way mirror.

Giving herself a once-over, Audrey admired her ensemble - a blush Teri Jon by Rickie Freeman jacquard A-line dress, paired with black suede Jimmy Choo open-toe platform sandals, a custom heart-shaped diamond pendant necklace, and matching stud earrings. Her perfectly curled hair was pushed away from her face by an embellished blush Jennifer Behr headband, and the professional makeup artist had given her a flawlessly natural look. Satisfied with her birthday outfit, Audrey wondered if Aiden would compliment her on how beautiful she looked.

Silvana, the family's maid, spoke calmly through the intercom, interrupting Audrey's thoughts. "Miss Audrey, your friends are here. They want to see you before the party starts."

Audrey placed her manicured hand on her hip. "Send them up, Silvana," she replied, feeling a surge of excitement to see her friends in person for the first time that day.

As the intercom went silent, Audrey bit her lip in anticipation. Moments later, the sound of her bedroom door opening drew her gaze to her friends, who had arrived looking stunning in their outfits for her birthday party.

In unison, Madeleine, Kayla, Scarlett, and Mackenzie exclaimed with palpable excitement. "Happy Birthday, Drey!"

"Thanks, guys," Audrey replied, graciously accepting their birthday wishes. She then twirled, inviting her friends to admire her perfectly curled hair, altered dress, and stylish heels. "So, what do you think?"

"Oh my god, you look perfect!" Scarlett exclaimed, perching on Audrey's bed.

Madeleine settled beside Scarlett, crossing her slender legs. "Beautiful, Addie," she said happily.

Mackenzie leaned against the wall near Audrey's bedroom door. "Uh, Addy, you look so cute," she complimented her friend.

Kayla's eyes lit up with delight. "Drey, stunning," she beamed.

Audrey sighed and rolled her shoulders back. "Besties, I have some news to share with you," she said mysteriously.

Mackenzie arched a perfectly waxed strawberry-blonde eyebrow at Audrey's enigmatic statement. "About what?" she asked eagerly, curious to hear what her friend would say.

Scarlett leaned forward, eager to hear Audrey's latest gossip while feeling Madeleine's gaze on her right shoulder. "Tell me everything," she said, smiling.

"For real?" Kayla and Madeleine exclaimed in unison, sounding shocked.

Audrey clapped her manicured hands and bounced in her sandals. "Aiden called and asked me to be his date to the Back-to-School dance!" she squealed excitedly.

"Oh my god!" Mackenzie exclaimed loudly, aware that Audrey's parents were not home and her mom was in the city with friends. "How do you feel about Aiden asking you to the dance?"

Scarlett let out a sigh. "Or the fact that he's attending your birthday party now?" she added after Mackenzie's statement.

Kayla's eyes widened at Audrey's message. "Was Scott cool when he asked you?" she inquired, her voice laced with anticipation.

Madeleine grinned and sat up straighter. "Please tell me you didn't say anything embarrassing," she begged, sounding worried for Audrey.

Audrey took a deep breath, knowing her friends were eager to hear the details. "Well, Aiden was very pleasant to me," she told the girls. "He was also excited that he just received his party invitation."

Scarlett bounced excitedly on Audrey's bed, feeling the soft comforter. "That's great news," she said brightly, though internally she resented the fact that Scott hadn't asked her to the dance.

Madeleine couldn't hide her smugness as she revealed in a hushed tone. "Only three of us have been asked by the boys to be their dates to the dance."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes, envious that Audrey, Kayla, and Madeleine already had dates. "When is Declan going to ask me to the dance?" she asked her friends impatiently. "He never even responded to my text last Thursday."

Kayla moved to the window, spotted guests arriving at the circus tent, and reassured Mackenzie."You shouldn't worry. Declan will call you soon."

Audrey reassured Mackenzie, who was calming herself down after Kayla's earlier encouragement. "Everything's gonna be okay," she said. Audrey heard music playing through her bedroom walls, signaling that her birthday party was about to begin. "You could gain the courage to ask Declan to the dance. He's attending the party with the other Crestview boys."

"No," Mackenzie answered honestly, knowing she didn't want prying eyes watching as she tried to speak to Declan. "I'll just wait for him to come to me."

Madeleine rolled her eyes at Mackenzie, thinking her friend was being a coward. But Madeleine kept that thought to herself, not wanting their friendship to suffer. "Anyway, girls, we should rate each other's outfits for Addie's party," she proposed. "But let's exclude Addy since we've already complimented how fabulous she looks."

Scarlett nodded in understanding as the DJ started playing a song by Leo Granger. "So, who's going first?" she asked.

Kayla looked away from the windows and raised her hand. "Me first!" she chirped, breaking into a smile. Moments later, she slowly twirled around, letting her friends examine her ensemble. "I'm wearing a cobalt-blue Aphrodite V-necked asymmetrical dress, metallic-silver Jimmy Choo embellished heels, and a silver Judith Leiber beaded clutch. For jewelry, I have on silver Alexis Bittar crystal drop earrings and a matching necklace. What do you guys think?"

Mackenzie looked Kayla up and down. "9.9," she said dramatically.

Audrey examined Kayla with the laser focus of a judge. "9.7," she replied.

Scarlett scanned Kayla's outfit for any flaws. "9.8," she finally declared.

Madeleine tapped an imaginary gavel. "9.9 - that's Kayla's final rating!"

"Yes!" Kayla squealed with delight, thrilled with her fabulous look for Audrey's birthday party. The scent of her Aphrodite perfume filled the air around her.

Mackenzie stepped away from the wall, her excitement palpable as she showcased her outfit to her friends. "Look at me!" she said eagerly. "I'm wearing a fuchsia Aphrodite off-the-shoulder crepe dress, beige Saint Laurent patent-leather platform heels, and a beige Whiting & Davis flower crystal-embellished clutch. And for jewelry, I have on gold Ross & Simmons crystal linear earrings and a matching bracelet. What do you think?"

Madeleine bounced happily in her seat. "9.9," she said with a smile.

"A ten," Audrey commented, cocking her head to the side.

Kayla squealed and straightened her dress. "I agree," she chimed in.

Scarlett eyed Mackenzie's ensemble approvingly. "9.8," she said, her gaze briefly flicking down to her chest.

Mackenzie jumped up and down, careful not to lose her balance in the towering heels. "Perfect," she replied, her mood now buoyant.

Scarlett sat up straighter and presented her outfit to her friends. "I'm wearing a champagne Aphrodite foil embroidery midi dress, paired with champagne Badgley Mischka jeweled slingback heels and a champagne Judith Leiber beaded-and-crystal clutch. As accessories, I have on gold Kendra Scott crystal stud earrings and a gold Madewell herringbone chain necklace. What do you all think?"

Audrey smoothed the front of her dress, ensuring there was no lint. "9.7," she said thoughtfully.

"9.8," Kayla gushed with a grin, flattening her dress.

"9.9," Mackenzie chimed in breezily. "I still adore the dress."

"Same," Madeleine agreed with Mackenzie. Once they finished rating Scarlett's ensemble, she released a sigh and presented her outfit. "Well then, besties. It's my turn. I'm sporting a mulberry Aphrodite one-shoulder sheath dress, nude Christian Louboutin ankle-strap heels, and a nude-and-silver Christian Louboutin patent-leather clutch. For jewelry, I'm wearing cultured sterling-silver Crislu pearl stud earrings and a triple-strand Saint Moran pearl necklace. Verdict?"

Audrey plopped down on her sofa without hesitation. "Gorgeous," she said emphatically. "Ten."

Mackenzie sat down on Audrey's bed, crossing her arms. "9.9," she said smoothly.

Kayla joined Mackenzie on the bed, sounding nonchalant as she replied, "9.9."

Scarlett ran her delicate fingers along Audrey's duvet. "Ten," she announced.

Madeleine felt proud that she had earned the most tens that night. She giggled softly, "Oh, yes!"

Audrey leaned back in her seat, crossing her slender legs. "So, besties, did you get me anything for my birthday?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh, Drey, I'm not telling you what I got you," Mackenzie replied, not wanting to spoil the surprise. "I saw the maid put it with the other presents when we arrived."

"I got you something you'll like, Addie," Kayla said, resting her head on Mackenzie's shoulder. "I'd like you to open it when you wake up tomorrow morning."

"Same here," Madeleine and Scarlett chimed in, nodding in agreement. They then shifted the conversation. "Someone needs to go claim a spot for us downstairs. We can't sit with the losers."

Audrey leaned back in her seat, uncrossed her legs, and interrupted sharply. "Don't worry, girlies. I'm sure you've picked out wonderful presents for me," she announced. "I've created a VIP section for A-listers only."

Mackenzie and Kayla linked elbows and nodded in agreement. "Uh, Addie, that sounds cool," they said in unison before heading towards Audrey's bedroom door. The two then turned and walked back downstairs, intending to sit at their table and make their classmates feel envious.

Scarlett peeked out from the corner of her eye and saw that Mackenzie and Kayla had already left Audrey's room. "Now, we know it's Addy's important day," she said without looking away from the open doorway, "But we can also relish the envious stares of our classmates."

Madeleine crossed Audrey's room and stopped near the bedroom door. "Of course, Scar," she nodded in understanding. "We should leave Audrey alone now. She still needs to make a grand entrance at her party."

Scarlett stood up and adjusted the hem of her dress. "Mads, I just remembered that some people are waiting downstairs for Addie," she said.

Audrey sighed heavily and rose to her feet. She sauntered over to Madeleine and Scarlett, pulling them into an embrace. "I completely forgot that guests were waiting for me downstairs," she said breathlessly. "I'll catch up with you both after I've made my grand entrance."

Audrey broke away from the hug and watched as Madeleine and Scarlett left the room, then turned to the mirror to check her appearance. After a few moments, she shuffled out of the bedroom, racing downstairs to fix her dress's neckline and take a deep breath. As she approached the sunroom doors where the guests were waiting, Audrey's thoughts raced. Would she be able to interact with Aiden without looking foolish? Could she make a confident, graceful entrance at her party without embarrassing herself? And would she and her friends be able to make their less-popular classmates understand their superiority?

---

The Webster Estate

Backyard

7:07 P.M.

Saturday, September 7th

As Madeleine and Scarlett stepped into the massive red-and-white circus tent, they were struck by the meticulous details Audrey had poured into her 'Circus Palooza-themed' birthday party. Sparkling Swarovski-trimmed crystal chandeliers cast a dazzling glow over the vibrant silk fabrics - red, blue, white, and yellow - that draped across the tent's ceiling. Massive circus-themed banners adorning the walls proclaimed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUDREY" in grand fashion.

Waiters in whimsical white wigs and red unitards maneuvered unicycles, serving up milkshakes, root beer floats, and lemon shake-ups to the guests. At the tent's entrance, the master of ceremonies cracked his whip, while twenty-five costumed performers on towering stilts stalked the grounds, puffing clouds of flame over the awestruck crowd.

Numerous self-operating photo booths allowed guests to capture selfies while roaming photographers immortalized their delighted reactions. By the entrance, the family's butler Alfred and maid Silvana, in full uniform, scanned QR codes to check guests against the party's registry.

Mimes entertained with their routines, while a variety of classic carnival games - ring toss, ping pong, balloon shoot, and more - were set up throughout the backyard. In the center of the tent, a large dance floor pulsed with the latest music from the DJ booth. Popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cone stations kept the guests indulging.

Vibrant red, yellow, and blue balloons dotted the tent's floor, surrounding tables laden with tempting treats - caramel apples, funnel cakes, corn dog bites, churros, and an array of other circus-themed desserts. Finally, a VIP section in the back of the tent, guarded by a bouncer with a guest list, offered a more exclusive experience.

Madeleine shifted the clutch to her other hand. "Oh my god, Scar!" she exclaimed. "Everything looks gorgeous."

"It does, Maddie," Scarlett agreed, plucking a chocolate milkshake from a passing tray and taking a long, refreshing gulp. "Addie went all out for her birthday party."

"Can we head to the VIP section now?" Madeleine asked, grabbing a root beer float from a passing tray and taking a sip. "I don't want my heels sinking into the grass."

Scarlett linked elbows with Madeleine and started leading her friend toward the VIP area. "C'mon, Mads," she said with a chuckle. "Addie's about to make her entrance."

Madeleine trailed behind her friend, disregarding the attempts of the less popular students to engage her. "Yes!" she murmured, taking a long sip of her root beer float while carefully avoiding leaving a mustache on her upper lip.

Madeleine and Scarlett hurried straight to the VIP section, stepping lightly to prevent their high heels from sinking into the grass. Wanting to keep their shoes clean, they paused in front of the bodyguard, who was waiting for them to provide their names.

"Excuse me," the bodyguard said, holding the clipboard closer to his face. "May I have your names, please?"

Madeleine took a sharp breath, dreading the prospect of being denied entry in front of her less popular classmates. "Madeleine Stein."

"Scarlett Wilson," Scarlett answered. She then glanced over the bodyguard's shoulder and spotted Lachlan's older brothers conversing with their friends.

The bodyguard checked the list, and then removed the ropes, allowing the girls to enter the VIP section. "Okay, you guys are on the list," he immediately said. "So, come on in."

Scarlett and Madeleine entered the VIP section without further interaction with the bodyguard. They approached Mackenzie and Kayla, noticing their friends were already engaged in conversation with Deliah and Chloe. Scarlett and Madeleine then took the seats beside Mackenzie and Kayla, crossing their legs as they settled in and turned their attention to their friends.

Madeleine and Scarlett interrupted their friends' conversation with Delilah and Chloe, asking. "Mack and Kay, what are you guys talking to Delilah and Chloe about?"

Mackenzie exchanged a sidelong glance with Chloe and Delilah. "Well, Scar and Maddy, Chloe was telling me a funny story about some loser who tried to talk to her at Red Mango. She wasn't getting the hint to leave her alone until Chloe insulted the person to the point that they finally understood she wanted to be left alone."

Kayla, grinning at Madeleine and Scarlett as she sipped her strawberry milkshake, replied, "Delilah was sharing her comments about a particular person at Addie's party."

Delilah smiled at Madeleine and Scarlett. "We were having a very nice discussion."

Chloe took a long sip of her lemon shake-up and added. "I was talking about Madison Cooperstein to Kayla."

Before Madeleine and Scarlett could respond, they were pulled into a group hug by Lindsey, Avery, Tiffany, and Ivy. After a few moments, Madeleine and Scarlett broke away, taking a sharp breath.

"Hey, M," Lindsey greeted Madeleine warmly, pausing to allow her to take another sip of her root beer float. "Your friend's party is about to be epic!"

Avery quickly glanced at Maddox, noticing he was engrossed in conversation with his friends. "Hi, Madeleine," she said cheerfully, her eyes still on her boyfriend. "I haven't heard from you since our Queen Council meeting yesterday morning."

Madeleine flashed a dazzling smile at Lindsey and Avery. "Sorry, queenies, I didn't have time to text after the meeting yesterday," she replied. A moment later, she discreetly looked at Mackenzie and Kayla, who were talking to Chloe and Delilah separately. "I was hosting my weekly Friday slumber party that day. And I wanted to relax after my tennis lessons and shopping with the girls today."

Ivy and Tiffany interrupted the ongoing conversation between Madeleine, Lindsey, and Avery to ask Scarlett, "Oh, Scar, are we still on for meeting at Scoops tomorrow afternoon at five-thirty?"

Scarlett leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. "Yeah, Tiffany and Ivy, we're still on for hanging out at Scoops tomorrow."

Ivy and Tiffany took another sip of their drinks. "Awesome!"

Madeleine and Scarlett were about to speak with Lindsey, Avery, Tiffany, and Ivy when they noticed the four of them were now conversing with Lachlan's older brothers and their friends. Madeleine and Scarlett let out a sigh and glanced over to see Mackenzie talking to Emily and Danielle. Reluctantly, they made their way towards Lachlan and Scott, pausing in front of them.

"Hey, Lachlan and Scott," Madeleine and Scarlett greeted their crushes in unison, warmly pulling them into a hug. The boys wrapped their toned arms around the girls.

Lachlan and Scott smiled as they pulled away from the embrace. "Hey, Madeleine and Scarlett," they said, aware of the girls' affections. "Are you two having fun?"

Madeleine and Scarlett blushed deeply, noticing the boys were dressed nicely for the party. "Yeah, Lachlan and Scott," they nodded. "Addie still has to make her grand entrance."

Lachlan and Scott held their root beer float away from their designer tops, and spoke in unison, "Of course, Madeleine and Scarlett should hurry up. Aiden wants to talk to her."

"Aiden should calm down," Madeleine and Scarlett said nonchalantly, peeking from the corner of their eyes as they observed James pulling Kayla away from her conversation with Mackenzie, Emily, and Danielle. The girls' eyes followed the two of them as they spoke privately in the corner near the VIP section snack table. "Addy's coming soon."

Lachlan and Scott looked at each other for a moment before addressing Madeleine and Scarlett directly. "Besides hanging out with each other on this upcoming Monday, we were thinking we should go on an official date." They smiled at the girls. "We'll call you when we've decided the date and time."

Madeleine and Scarlett rolled their shoulders back, trying to remain calm in front of their crushes. "Yeah, we can go on a date," they said excitedly.

Lachlan and Scott nodded, drinking several gulps of their drinks and speaking over the loud music. Moments later, they lightly kissed the girls' cheeks, seeing the blush on their faces. "We'll call you when we've decided the date and time for our official first date."

As soon as Madeleine and Scarlett heard the boys' statements, they found themselves internally wondering where the boys were taking them. However, the girls knew they couldn't make a fool of themselves in public, aware that their less-than-stellar classmates would likely try to use the situation to their advantage.

Shaking off their thoughts, Scarlett and Madeleine glanced over at Lachlan and Scott, noticing they were now chatting with Declan and Aiden. Realizing they needed to discuss this news with their friends away from prying ears, the girls looked around and saw that Mackenzie wasn't talking to anyone. Heading straight for their friend, they grabbed the seats next to her and hung their bags on the backs of their chairs.

Madeleine peered at Mackenzie curiously. "Oh, Kenzie, do you know why James pulled Kay aside?" she inquired.

"I'm not sure why he pulled Kalia aside," Mackenzie replied, looking perplexed. She fidgeted with her earrings before taking a sip of her root beer float.

Scarlett blinked rapidly at Mackenzie's response as she finished her chocolate milkshake. "Well, let's just eavesdrop on Lala and James," she suggested, not wanting Nova and Maia to overhear.

"Oh, Lett, that's a great idea!" Madeleine exclaimed, her voice laced with mischief.

"But how can we get close enough to listen without James and Kay realizing?" Scarlett fretted, concerned about being caught by their friend.

Mackenzie's half-smirk drew Madeleine and Scarlett's attention. "Let's grab some snacks and eavesdrop on their conversation," she suggested.

"Brilliant idea, Mack!" Madeleine and Scarlett chimed in unison, linking arms as they headed for the snack table.

Without a word, Madeleine, Mackenzie, and Scarlett strolled over to the snack table and grabbed circus-themed plastic plates. They heaped their plates with mini corn dog bites and caramel popcorn. As soon as the girls had finished filling their plates, they eavesdropped on Kayla and James's conversation while discreetly checking out Hannah's outfit.

Kayla took several sips of her milkshake. "I can't believe Declan and Scott haven't asked Manzie and Scar to the dance yet," she said angrily, unaware that the girls were listening. "My friends are seriously getting tired of waiting for them to ask."

"It'll be fine, Kayla," James said quickly, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Scott and Declan are going to ask your friends in the next few days. So your friends can relax now."

"I'm pissed it took them so long to decide," Kayla spat at James, her friends still listening. "My friends were worried they'd look like losers going to the dance without dates."

James flashed Kayla a smile, his pearly whites on full display. "So Kayla, I wanted to ask you something," he said, changing the subject.

Kayla arched a perfectly waxed, wheat-blonde eyebrow as she touched her Alexis Bittar necklace, her gaze fixed on James. "About what?" she asked eagerly, her heart racing in her chest.

James rubbed the back of his neck, raising his voice to be heard over the music. "Well, I was wondering if you'd go on a date with me?"

Kayla's fingers trembled as she ran them along her clutch. "I-I accept," she stammered, trying to contain her excitement as Madeleine, Scarlett, and Mackenzie stifled their squeals, not wanting to draw attention. "When are you picking me up?"

James leaned in and placed a light kiss on Kayla's blushing cheek. "After the Back-to-School dance, on Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock."

Fanning her flushed face, Kayla simply replied. "Okay, James."

Before Kayla realized her friends were listening, Mackenzie, Madeleine, and Scarlett quickly returned to their seats, plates of snacks in hand, after moving away from the snack table. They knew Kayla needed to tell them about her date with James, and they had to pretend they didn't know about her outing with her crush. Meanwhile, Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Madeleine had just learned that Kayla was the one who advised James to ask his friends to the dance before someone else asked them.

The DJ's voice boomed from the booth as he lowered the music's volume. "And now, let's give a big welcome to the reason we're all here - the birthday girl herself, Audrey Webster!"

All eyes turned to the tent's entrance as two people pulled back the flaps. Audrey was carried in on an extravagant litter, borne by six men. The crowd erupted in cheers as their friend waved gracefully, making the other guests envious of her stunning appearance. The men gently set Audrey down in the center of the dance floor.

Madeleine, Kayla, Scarlett, and Mackenzie focused intently, eager to see the birthday girl's grand entrance.

Audrey rose from her seat and was handed a microphone by one of the toned men. "Hello, everybody," she addressed the crowd, aware that this was her night. "Welcome to my party. The only thing I ask is that you have fun, party, and take plenty of photos for Instagram."

Audrey returned the microphone to the men beside her. Mackenzie, Madeleine, and Scarlett watched as their friend approached the VIP section, greeted with "Happy Birthday" wishes from the crowd. Glancing away, they noticed Kayla had finished speaking with James and was heading in their direction. Taking a deep breath, the girls peered over their shoulders to see Lindsey and Avery socializing with their friends.

Kayla's friends jumped from their thoughts as she announced, "Girlies, I have some news to share with you guys."

"Uh, what happened, Kayla?" Mackenzie, Madeleine, and Scarlett asked in unison, trying to maintain an innocent facade as they had been secretly spying on Kayla's conversation with James.

Kayla felt someone's arm around her shoulders and turned to see Audrey had joined their group of friends, waiting for Kayla to share the news. "So, besties, James is taking me on a date," Kayla expressed, her eyes shining brightly.

"Oh my god!" Audrey gasped in shock, covering her mouth with her manicured hand. She couldn't believe Kayla had scored her first date with James. "When did this happen?"

"Well, it happened before you made your entrance to the party," Kayla told Audrey. She then ate a corn dog bite.

Madeleine carefully nibbled a caramel popcorn, mindful not to let any crumbs fall on her dress. "Honestly," she said, maintaining the pretense that she was unaware of Kayla's date with James. "I thought he would have asked you out within the next six months."

Scarlett tilted her head and gracefully popped a mini corn dog bite into her mouth. "Yeah," she agreed with Madeleine, "I'm happy that you and James are going on your first date."

Mackenzie snorted dismissively. "I seriously believe James wants to ensure no one else dates you," she remarked nonchalantly.

Hearing that Mackenzie was done speaking with Kayla, Madeleine and Scarlett interrupted the ongoing mini-conversation. "Um, Addie, you need to talk to Aiden now," they informed Audrey in unison, remembering their crushes had passed along a message that Aiden wished to speak with Audrey privately.

Seeing that Audrey had already left, Mackenzie, Kayla, and Scarlett watched as their friend made her way over to Aiden. They witnessed Audrey pull her crush toward the same corner where Kayla had been asked on her first date by James. Turning their attention to each other, the girls squared their shoulders and tried to look away.

Scarlett dropped her clutch on the table, resting her elbows beside it. "I want to know what Aiden is saying to Audrey," she chimed, knowing she couldn't tell Kayla about eavesdropping on her chat with James.

"No, we should let Audrey and Aiden talk without us listening in," Madeleine said, grabbing a lemon shake-up from a passing waiter's tray. Seeing the others agree, she looked toward the dance floor. "But you should see Olivia Crawford - her dance moves are terible."

Scarlett giggled softly as she followed Madeleine's gaze and observed Olivia's poor dancing. "I can't believe her friends aren't embarrassed by her," she remarked.

Mackenzie fidgeted with her Ross & Simmons bracelet while looking at the same scene. "Seriously?" she snickered meanly at Olivia. "I don't think anyone tells her the truth about her dancing."

Kayla openly snickered at Olivia's embarrassment. "I just understand that her friends are the ones encouraging her to be this way," she added spitefully.

Madeleine scanned the tent, noting the absence of Sofia Addison, Molly Nolan, Tia Scott, and Jacqueline Everstone. "So, girls, want to show Olivia we're better dancers?" she asked her friends without taking her eyes off the party.

"Of course, Maddie!" Mackenzie, Kayla, and Scarlett replied in unison as they watched Madeleine ensure her clutch hung properly from the back of her chair.

Madeleine, Kayla, Scarlett, and Mackenzie rose and, linking elbows, marched directly to the ropes cordoning off the VIP area. The bodyguard allowed them to pass, and they sauntered onto the dance floor. As they swayed to the rhythm, the DJ's speakers pulsed with one of Kristina's songs.

As Kayla, Madeleine, Mackenzie, and Scarlett danced freely, they subtly noticed people trying to approach them. Swaying in sync to the Kristina song blaring from the speakers, the girls suddenly felt themselves being pulled apart. Glancing up, they saw Lachlan, Declan, James, and Scott grasping them against their muscular chests.

The girls - Madeleine, Scarlett, Kayla, and Mackenzie - started dancing with the boys, their arms raised in the air. Keeping the rhythm in their hips, they pulled Lachlan, Scott, James, and Declan closer as they danced around the boys. Sneaking peeks over their right shoulders, the girls noticed people shooting them envious stares as they continued dancing.

After thirty minutes of dancing to their favorite artists, Madeleine, Kayla, Scarlett, and Mackenzie noticed jealous glances from the crowd. Undeterred, they boldly led their crushes by the hand toward the VIP section, eager to continue their evening.

Madeleine, Mackenzie, Kayla, and Scarlett observed from the back of the tent that Audrey was still talking to her crush, Aiden. As soon as they reached the VIP section, their crushes following behind them, the bodyguard allowed them to pass through the ropes separating the VIP area from the rest of the party. The girls returned to their seats, ensuring the boys sat beside them.

Madeleine was surprised when Lachlan approached her to dance. "Um, Lachlan, I was surprised that you came to dance with me," she told him. She was completely astonished that her crush had made such a bold move.

"Well, I was waiting for you to head to the dance floor," Lachlan said to Madeleine, aware that his actions had left her stunned. He had taken the advice of his older brothers, Leif and Maddox, who had told him that Madeleine had a crush on him and he should find a way to express his feelings for her. Lachlan realized he needed to make it clear that Madeleine was off-limits. "So, I just decided to join you."

Madeleine blushed at Lachlan's confession, feeling too self-conscious to eat in front of him. "Alright," she finally said, noticing that Declan was pulling Mackenzie away from their group.

Scarlett crossed her slender legs and placed Scott's hand on her thigh. "Scott, it seems you like me," she said, noticing the longing in his winter grey eyes. Across the room, Scarlett saw Lachlan pulling Madeleine into a hug. "Is something on your mind?" she asked.

"Since we're going on a date, I was thinking we could go to the Back-to-School dance together," Scott replied, kissing Scarlett's nose. He then plucked a caramel popcorn from her plate and popped it into his mouth.

"I'd love to go to the dance with you," Scarlett smiled, relieved she wouldn't be the only one without a date. She made a mental note to squeal about it later when she was alone. Seconds later, Scarlett inspected her Kendra Scott earrings and smoothed her dress.

Kayla smiled as Scott finally mustered the courage to ask her friend to the dance. She then shifted her attention to James. "So, I'm guessing you just wanted to dance with me," she said coyly, batting her eyelashes at her crush.

"Yeah, Kayla," James nodded, his dark-brown eyes conveying the truth. Moments later, he wrapped his right arm around her shoulders. "I thought it might come across as creepy to just come onto you, so I waited for you to make the first move on the dance floor with your friends."

Audrey approached the flirtatious conversation happening between her friends and their crushes. "Well, well, well," she said, drawing the attention of Madeleine, Mackenzie, Lachlan, Scott, Kayla, and James. "What's going on here?"

"Audrey, my friends are talking to your friends," Aiden laughed, as the DJ announced the final song of the night. He gestured between himself and his own crush. "But we have some news to share with you all."

"Like what?" Lachlan, Madeleine, Scott, Scarlett, Kayla, and James asked in unison, exchanging curious glances and wondering what their friends wanted to reveal.

Aiden proudly announced to his friends. "Audrey agreed to go on a first date with me."

After Aiden finished speaking, Audrey popped a mini corndog bite into her mouth and remarked. "It was easy for him to convince me to be his date to the dance."

Madeleine, Scarlett, and Kayla were about to respond to Audrey's statement when they noticed Mackenzie approaching the table with Declan's arm draped around her shoulders. They exchanged knowing glances, turning their attention to their friend.

"Guess what, besties? Declan just asked me to the school dance!" Mackenzie announced excitedly to the group. She made a mental note to tell her friends about her crush asking her out on their first official date, away from prying ears.

Declan met his friends' eyes directly, without hesitation. "I was being an idiot," he admitted, his voice laced with regret. "So I finally worked up the courage to ask Mackenzie to the dance as my date."

"Thank goodness," Kayla said tersely, glancing away from James. "I was getting sick of you cowards not asking my friends to the dance. I was about to suggest they find other dates."

Madeleine stared at the tent's front entrance, watching as people began to leave the seemingly lifeless party. "But, wouldn't that have caused us to lose our popularity?" she asked Kayla.

Audrey and Scarlett answered honestly on Kayla's behalf. "Yeah, Maddie. At least we would have dates to the school dance."

Mackenzie politely covered a yawn with her right manicured hand. "Does anyone know what the time is?" she asked, shifting the conversation to a new topic.

Lachlan checked his iPhone, which was in the front pocket of his slim-fit Levi's jeans. "It's almost 11:15 pm," he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

"Yo, Lachlan, we gotta go now," Scott said, locking eyes with his friend. "Our parents want us home by midnight."

James, Declan, and Aiden's eyes widened at Scott's words. "We'll call our parents from Lachlan's and say we're staying over tonight," they said together.

"Alright, let's go," Lachlan said, standing up and kissing Madeleine's cheek. "See you Monday, Madeleine."

The boys - James, Scott, Aiden, and Scott - bid the girls farewell. "Bye, Ladies," they said. They then turned and headed for the tent's front entrance, Lachlan in tow.

The moment the boys were out of sight, Madeleine, Scarlett, Kayla, Mackenzie, and Audrey relaxed their posture and shifted their focus inward.

Madeleine stretched her arms overhead, wincing. "My shoes are giving me blisters," she complained, lowering her arms. "And I'm exhausted. So, who wants a ride home?"

"Meeeee!" Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Kayla chorused in unison, eager to retreat to the comfort of their beds.

"Let's go then," Madeleine said, rising and enveloping Audrey in a warm hug. "I'll probably text you tomorrow, Addy!"

"Bye, Addie," Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Kayla chimed in harmony, following Madeleine's lead and wrapping their friend in a group embrace.

"Okay, besties," Audrey nodded, watching as the girls departed the VIP area.

Audrey scanned the VIP section and noticed that Lindsey and Avery had already left with their friends. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her friends had exited the tent. Sitting down, Audrey kicked off her heels, relieved to be more comfortable.

Looking around, she saw the bodyguard had departed. Audrey surveyed the tent as the hired staff began packing up. Carefully, she made her way to the front entrance, mindful not to stain her dress.

Stepping outside, Audrey took a deep breath of the cool, damp air, hearing voices in the distance near her home. Crossing the well-tended backyard lawn, she went inside barefoot. Checking the sunroom door, Audrey realized she had locked it behind her and headed upstairs. All she wanted now was a hot shower and sleep, wondering if her parents would be home soon.

---

A/N:

Here's chapter seven for you.

Enjoy,

FashionLeMode