"By the way, why do they call you Vader?" Ma.s.sie asked, trying to delay the kissing. She hated that Alicia was an expert on something she had never even tried. She didn't want to be called a prude at her own party.

"Have you ever heard him breathe?" Cam said.

Ma.s.sie laughed harder than she needed to.

"Anyone else want to play?" Alicia asked. But no one answered. "Come on, you guys, it'll be fun."

"I'll play."

Everyone turned around to see where the mysterious voice came from.

A gorgeous girl stood alone by the pit. The dancing orange light from the fire lit her blue eyes beautifully. Her blond wavy hair touched the middle of her back. She looked like the kind of girl that belonged on a beach in California-the fact that she was dressed as a surfer girl (in a super-tight wet suit, of course) probably had something to do with that.

"Yeah, me too," Derrington said suddenly. "I'll play."

"Count me in," Cam added.

"Oh, now now they want to play," Dylan said to Ma.s.sie under her breath. they want to play," Dylan said to Ma.s.sie under her breath.

"Cool," the girl said, her eyes flickering in the flames. "It's great to see you guys, by the way."

"Yeah, great to see you too," Ma.s.sie said. She turned to Dylan and shrugged. She had no idea who the stranger was.

"EhmaG.o.d," Alicia said. "Olivia Ryan! I didn't recognize you. Where have you been all semester?"

"I was super sick," Olivia said. "But I'm much better now." It sounded like she was whispering, but she wasn't. Her voice had always been incredibly soft.

Dylan coughed, "Nose job!" "Nose job!"

"Totally!" Ma.s.sie coughed back. Ma.s.sie coughed back.

"You look ah-mazing," Alicia said.

"Yeah, different different somehow." Ma.s.sie was trying to figure out who Olivia reminded her of. somehow." Ma.s.sie was trying to figure out who Olivia reminded her of.

Dylan gently elbowed Ma.s.sie in the ribs and giggled. They looked at Alicia to see if she had noticed Olivia's surgically enhanced face, but if she did, she wasn't showing it.

"All right, who's ready to play?" Alicia asked the group. She seemed more into having having fun with Olivia than fun with Olivia than making making fun of her, which Ma.s.sie found utterly puzzling. fun of her, which Ma.s.sie found utterly puzzling.

"I am." Olivia raised her hand.

"I'm going to round up more people," Alicia said.

"Yay!" Olivia clapped. "I'll help."

The two girls linked arms and headed off toward the dance floor.

"Who does she remind me of?" Dylan asked Ma.s.sie.

"No idea," she said. "I was wondering the same thing."

But Ma.s.sie had bigger issues on her mind. If word got out that Olivia Ryan had more boy experience than Ma.s.sie, she'd never live it down. She was minutes away from facing a swarm of lip-hungry seventh graders and a spinning bottle, and she was desperate to stop the game.

She pulled out her cell phone.

Ma.s.sIE: LKS LIKE DERRINGTON WANTZ 2 KISS OLIVIA. LKS LIKE DERRINGTON WANTZ 2 KISS OLIVIA.

DYLAN:[image] HLP! HLP!

Ma.s.sIE: U GOT 2 STOP THE GAME. U GOT 2 STOP THE GAME.

DYLAN: ???? ????.

Ma.s.sIE: OLIVIA'S GERMS. OLIVIA'S GERMS.[image]

DYLAN: GOT IT. GOT IT.[image]

Dylan slipped her cell phone back in its Louis Vuitton case and then leaned in to Derrington and Cam and said, "I'm not so sure it's a good idea to play spin the bottle with someone who's been out for half a semester with a mysterious, face-altering sickness."

"EhmaG.o.d," Ma.s.sie said. "Ah-mazing point."

"Yeah, but her sickness made her look better than she did before," Vader said.

"For now," Ma.s.sie said. "Who knows what kind of long-term effects this thing may have?" Ma.s.sie watched Olivia swipe an empty Perrier bottle off the treats table and knew time was running out.

"I vote for health," Dylan said to Derrington. She lifted her palm in the air.

"Me too," Ma.s.sie said. "I say we make a run for the out-of-order bathroom and hide there. It's way more private." She raised her eyebrows like a s.e.xy seductress from the movies when she said "private." Ma.s.sie had no idea how she'd keep kissing off the agenda, but she had another minute or so to figure it out.

"I'm game," Cam said with a devious smile. Ma.s.sie could smell the grape Big League Chew he was chomping on and leaned in closer to get another whiff.

"What about you?" Dylan asked Derrington.

"Sure," he mumbled. "Let's go."

Derrington always mumbled, so it was hard for Ma.s.sie to figure out if he was bored or excited. Either way, he went.

"Oh, so you're just going to leave me here to inhale Olivia's germs?" Vader shouted after them. "That's great. Thanks."

"Do you think Vader's really mad?" Dylan whispered to Derrington.

"Nah, he has Alicia and Olivia all to himself now," Derrington said. "He'll probably thank us."

Dylan, unhappy with Derrington's response, ate three Chunky chocolate squares on their short walk across the lawn. It was the first time Ma.s.sie had seen her break her raw food diet all week.

"Where do you think you're you're going, gorgeous?" going, gorgeous?"

Ma.s.sie stopped walking and looked over her shoulder. Two boys in dresses were standing behind her. The one wearing the black wig was so tiny and frail he reminded Ma.s.sie of the porcelain dolls she used to collect.

"We heard there was a spin-the-bottle game over at the pit," Todd said. "Care for an escort?" He offered Ma.s.sie his elbow.

His tiny friend giggled. But it sounded more like a squeak.

"Shouldn't you nice ladies be looking for some boys boys to kiss?" Ma.s.sie said. to kiss?" Ma.s.sie said.

Cam and Derrington cracked up.

"Excuse us, miss," Dylan said. She pulled Ma.s.sie away and they made a run for the cabana.

They slipped into the bathroom and Cam shut the door behind them. His Drakkar Noir cologne hung in the air and Ma.s.sie fought the urge to hug him. She casually waved her wrist around, hoping he'd find her Chanel No.19 just as enchanting.

"I wonder how dark it gets in here with the lights off?" Cam said. His soft, sweet voice made him sound curious instead of perverted.

He flicked the switch and the tiny bathroom turned pitch black. Ma.s.sie could feel herself starting to panic. Her heart raced and her hands got clammy.

OMG! What if he makes a move?

"Check this out," Ma.s.sie said. She turned a dial on the wall. A bulb in the ceiling lit up and the whole room glowed red. "Isn't that cool? It's a heat lamp. Now it really looks like h.e.l.l in here."

There was a chorus of "ooh's" and "whoa's" followed by an awkward moment of silence. Dylan decided to make it worse.

"Is it true you have a crush on someone in our grade?" Dylan asked Derrington. She nervously turned the faucet on and off while she waited for his answer.

"What?"

"I heard you've had a crush on Kristen ever since the OCD benefit last month," she asked. "Is it true?"

Dylan's strategy was risque. Ma.s.sie was impressed.

"Well, I-," Derrington started to say. But he was interrupted.

"DIE, MORTALS! DIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" Alicia and Olivia burst through the bathroom door, making scary faces.

Dylan, Derrington, Ma.s.sie, and Cam grabbed on to each other and screamed louder than any of them ever thought they could.

"Get 'em!" Cam shouted. He pushed his way past Ma.s.sie and ran after Alicia and Olivia, who took off screaming and laughing. Derrington followed.

Dylan was speechless. She watched Olivia sprint across the lawn in her super-tight wet suit, turning heads with every stride she took.

"Well, someone someone likes getting chased by boys," Ma.s.sie said to Dylan as they watched the sultry brunette and her new blond sidekick make off with their crushes. likes getting chased by boys," Ma.s.sie said to Dylan as they watched the sultry brunette and her new blond sidekick make off with their crushes.

"Who does she remind me of?" Dylan asked. does she remind me of?" Dylan asked.

"I know," Ma.s.sie said. "One of those Steve Madden models. You know, with the big heads and the skinny bodies."

"That's it!"

"Oh, and something else."

"What?"

"Dead meat."

WHEN h.e.l.l FREEZES OVER PARTY.

TREATS TABLE.

9:25 PM PM.

October 31st Claire stood at the edge of the ice rink, watching Layne skate and flirt with a guy dressed as a rock. She was so over standing on the sidelines, watching other people have fun.

It wasn't until Layne skated over a Reese's peanut b.u.t.ter cup and went flying through the air that Claire actually cracked a smile. She felt guilty right away for finding mild pleasure in her friend's accident, but she couldn't help it. Layne didn't even want want to meet a boy, to meet a boy, she she did, and it wasn't fair! Somehow Layne's embarra.s.sing wipeout made everything feel right again. Besides, the cushions around her neck broke the fall, so she wasn't hurt, just humiliated. did, and it wasn't fair! Somehow Layne's embarra.s.sing wipeout made everything feel right again. Besides, the cushions around her neck broke the fall, so she wasn't hurt, just humiliated.

Eli tried helping Layne up. But their costumes kept colliding, so he couldn't get a strong grip on her arm. After several failed attempts Layne crawled toward land.

"Hey there, Blossom."

Claire heard the tiny voice and turned to find Nathan looking up at her, his green dress covered in chocolate stains.

"Hi, b.u.t.tercup," she said softly. There was something about being around such a pet.i.te guy that made everyone use their small voice when they spoke to him. "Where's Bubbles?"

"He's hiding in the bushes, throwing Smarties at Ma.s.sie."

Claire slowly shook her head.

"Wanna go get drawn by the caricature guy?" Nathan asked.

"Sure. Why not?"

Claire knew her social life had reached an all-time low as she strolled across the lawn with her brother's midgety friend.

They found the artist on the stone porch beside the side entrance of the house.

When he saw Blossom and b.u.t.tercup approach, he slapped his hand against his heart and smiled.

"Now, aren't you two precious," he said. "Come. Sit, sit, sit."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she mumbled to Nathan.

"Yes," he squeaked.

"Howdy," the artist said. "I'm Jules Denver."

Claire noticed his dry, chalky hands as he extended his arm to greet her. She shook it politely, then wiped her palm on the side of her dress when he wasn't looking.

Jules had gray feathered hair that Claire a.s.sumed had been blown dry by a professional. His nose was big and bulbous and his deep set eyes were tiny slits. Claire thought Jules's extreme features looked like one of the sample caricatures wrapped in plastic, tacked to the side of his easel.