"It just got better, my pet," he said. "How was yours?"

"Wasn't that Cam Fisher?" Ma.s.sie quickly glanced at Todd's knapsack, hoping to get a look inside, but it was zipped up.

"Yeah." Todd started walking toward the guesthouse and Ma.s.sie followed.

"Why was he he here?" Ma.s.sie thought if she sounded annoyed, Todd wouldn't pick up on her crush. here?" Ma.s.sie thought if she sounded annoyed, Todd wouldn't pick up on her crush.

"No reason," Todd said. "Hey, wanna come over and play Tony Hawk's Underground?"

"I would love to, but I have to give Bean a bath." Ma.s.sie put the dog on the ground and fanned the air. "It's been a while and she's starting to smell like feet."

"Let me help." Todd reached down to pat Bean, but the dog ran and hid behind Ma.s.sie's legs.

Ma.s.sie couldn't play this game for one more second. She knew Cam had dropped something off for her and she wanted it. Todd was probably holding Cam's love gift hostage because he was jealous.

"Todd, darling." Ma.s.sie put her hand on his shoulder and they stopped walking. She glared at him with her amber eyes until a bead of sweat formed above his upper lip. "I know what's in the bag and I want it."

"What?" Todd grabbed onto the straps of his backpack with both hands.

"Just give it to me," Ma.s.sie said.

"You want it?" Todd asked.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"YES!"

"Ohh-kayyy." He slid the bag off his shoulders and stepped closer to Ma.s.sie.

She could feel her hands getting clammy.

"Ready?" Todd asked.

"READY!" she said.

Todd stood on his toes, sprang forward, and planted his lips right on Ma.s.sie's.

"Eeewww!" she screamed.

Bean barked.

Ma.s.sie wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her gold satin bomber jacket. She held Bean and watched the bratty ten-year-old get away.

"Get back here," Ma.s.sie shouted.

"You want more? more?" He looked back at Ma.s.sie and winked.

"No, I want what Cam gave you," Ma.s.sie said.

"Medal of Honor?" Todd asked. "Since when are you into video games?"

"Cam gave you a video game? video game?" Ma.s.sie didn't believe him.

"Yup, I gotta go. I'll call you later." Todd waved. "We'll pick up where we left off."

"Don't count on it."

Seconds later he was gone. And he made off with a lot more than Cam's gift. Because on November 6, at exactly 4:17 PM PM, Todd Lyons had stolen Ma.s.sie Block's first kiss. And unfortunately, she'd never get it back.

THE WESTCHESTER MALL.

LEVEL I.

5:17 PM PM.

November 7th The waxy rope handles on the shopping bags were digging into Ma.s.sie's hands, yet she found the pain exhilarating. The reddish purple grooves in the middle of her palms were like hard-earned badges of honor, proof of a shopping mission accomplished, a reminder that she was back on the scene after a grueling fifteen-day ban.

Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan had their arms full of an over-whelming amount of Coach, Lacoste, and Guess? bags, but Ma.s.sie still had more.

"I wish they had shopping carts at malls," Dylan whined. "Think of how much more we could buy if we didn't have to carry it all."

"We should hire a shopping Sherpa." Ma.s.sie put her foot on a bench and rested her bags on her knee. "You know, some strong little guy that would follow us around all day while we shopped so he could carry everything we bought."

"That's a boyfriend," Alicia said. "And I'm working on it."

Everyone giggled, but Ma.s.sie cracked up. She had missed Alicia's playful divalike att.i.tude and was overjoyed that for the moment Leesh was Olivia-free and back where she belonged.

"Where is Olivia tonight?" Ma.s.sie asked, trying to sound genuinely interested.

"She has dance on Fridays," Alicia said.

"And she went? went? The night before the fashion show? Gawd, you must be p.i.s.sed. I'm sure you wanted to rehea.r.s.e, right?" The night before the fashion show? Gawd, you must be p.i.s.sed. I'm sure you wanted to rehea.r.s.e, right?"

"No, it's fine. She's sleeping over," Alicia said.

"Oh." Ma.s.sie didn't know where to look.

"Can we go into A&F?" Kristen sped up and led the way.

"You're not going to find anything in Abercrombie that's cute enough to wear to the contest tomorrow night," Alicia said.

"I know, but I need their latest shopping bag for my bed-room wall." Kristen pointed to the poster of the chiseled half-man, half-airbrushed model in the store window and cooed, "And he he better be on it." better be on it."

"So you're not sleeping at my place tonight?" Ma.s.sie asked Alicia. She was sifting through the racks of wool cardigans and denim jackets, trying to sound casual.

"I totally forgot it's Friday," Alicia said. She completely managed to avoid Ma.s.sie's eyes. She turned toward Kristen and Dylan, who were standing on opposite sides of the T-shirt display table. "Are you guys going?"

"Given," Dylan said.

Kristen nodded.

"Don't you have to finish your uniforms?" Alicia asked.

"We were going to finish them at Ma.s.sie's," Kristen said.

Alicia slid a bunch of hangers back and forth on the rack.

"Kristen, I thought you were going to practice your soccer kicks with Derrington tonight," Alicia said.

"No, on Monday." Kristen frowned. "What's with the advertis.e.m.e.nt?" She stole a glance at Dylan, who turned red with anger, then green with jealousy. Her face matched her hair.

"You're playing soccer with Derrington on Monday?" Dylan unfolded a T-shirt and held it in front of her as if she were checking the size but then threw it on the table without ever looking at it.

"Yeah, I told him I'd take him to a major league soccer game when the season starts if he helps me practice my kicks."

"Sounds more like you're trying to score," Dylan said.

Their constant fighting was starting to bore Ma.s.sie to tears. At least if they'd been in Louis Vuitton or Sephora, Ma.s.sie could wander off and shop, but Abercrombie? Ugh! The only fashionable thing in the entire store was her her.

"I'm sure he'll tell me all about it on our long drive into the city next Wednesday night," Dylan said.

"What do you mean?" Kristen asked. "You're not really going to the city with Derrington on a school night. Are you?"

"Yup. It's Tommy Hilfiger's birthday party at the Four Seasons. My mom and my sisters are all bringing dates, so I invited Derrington and he said yes," Dylan said. "That reminds me, I should buy him a pair of long pants while we're here."

"Sounds to me like he's using both of you." Ma.s.sie ran her fingers across a pair of baggy cargos. "Ew! This place is so Gap. Now, can we get out of here before I start thinking these clothes are actually cute?"

"Wait, Ma.s.sie, what do you mean, using using us?" Dylan said. "She's right," Alicia jumped in. "He's getting more stuff than a kid whose parents just got divorced. Kristen, you've practically done all of his homework for the last week, and Dylan, you've been giving him all of the DVDs and video games your mom brings home from work. What has he done for you?" us?" Dylan said. "She's right," Alicia jumped in. "He's getting more stuff than a kid whose parents just got divorced. Kristen, you've practically done all of his homework for the last week, and Dylan, you've been giving him all of the DVDs and video games your mom brings home from work. What has he done for you?"

"Well, he's not using me! me!" Kristen stormed off toward the back of the store.

"Great, now I'll never get out of here." Ma.s.sie lifted a white lace cami off the shelf. "I might as well try this on."

Alicia yanked a denim mini off a hanger and followed Ma.s.sie to the dressing rooms.

Kristen was sifting through the sale rack but slowed down when she came to the pleated cord mini in chocolate brown.

"How cute is this?" Kristen said. "And it's on sale!"

"No, it's not." Dylan was standing in front of Kristen, holding the same skirt. "Someone must have hung it there by mistake, because there's a bunch of them at the front of the store."

Kristen looked at the skirt in Dylan's hand, then straight into her green eyes. "You're not getting it, are you?"

"I'm seriously considering it," Dylan said.

"Well, I'm wearing it to the fashion show tomorrow night."

"No, you're not-I am," Dylan said.

Ma.s.sie walked out of the changing room in a huff and buried the unwanted white cami under a stack of fleece pants.

"I have an idea. One of you can have the skirt and the other can have Derrington," Ma.s.sie said. "Now can we leave? I want to get to Versace Jeans before the mall closes."

"While we're on the subject, Kristen copied my idea to design reversible uniforms," Dylan said. "How will you decide who gets that one?"

"Puh-lease," Kristen said. "It wasn't your your idea, and by the way, your mother's wardrobe stylist is making your entry and we all know it." idea, and by the way, your mother's wardrobe stylist is making your entry and we all know it."

"That's cheating! You can't hire a professional," Alicia said as she came out of the changing room. She handed the denim skirt and her credit card to the first salesperson who strolled by. "Can you ring this up? I'll wait here."

The salesgirl s.n.a.t.c.hed the card out of Alicia's hand and swished away in a huff.

"If you ask me, neither of you should get that idea," Ma.s.sie said.

"Why?" Kristen and Dylan asked at the same time.

"Because it's stupid and if one of you wins, I'll have to spend the rest of my life in a reversible uniform."

The salesgirl returned with Alicia's credit card and her skirt. "Sign here, please, Mr. Antonio Rivera," she said with a grimace.

"Finally." Ma.s.sie sighed. "I have an idea." Ma.s.sie was looking at the silk tops but speaking to Kristen and Dylan. "Why don't you guys call it quits on the whole reversible uniform thing and come model for me."

"Fine with me," Kristen said. "I sewed the skirt to my pajama bottoms last night by mistake. At least this way I have a chance to be on a winning team."

"So why don't you do that and I'll take Derrington?" Dylan said.

"OH MY G.o.d!" Alicia said. "Will you get over him? He's using you guys."

"He may be using Kristen, but he likes me," Dylan said.

"He's using both both of you. I'll prove it." Alicia plopped her-self down on the white leather couch in front of the changing rooms and pulled out her cell phone. "Come sit down." of you. I'll prove it." Alicia plopped her-self down on the white leather couch in front of the changing rooms and pulled out her cell phone. "Come sit down."

Kristen and Dylan did as they were told and sat on either side of Alicia.

"Talk loud." Ma.s.sie's arms were filled with clothes and she headed into the dressing room. "I don't want to miss this."

"Watch," Alicia said. "Kris, you have plans with him on Monday, right?"

"Yup."

Alicia sat forward and sent Derrington a message on her phone. The girls crowded around her, trying to see what she was doing.

ALICIA: ? R U DOING MONDAY AFTER SCHOOL? ? R U DOING MONDAY AFTER SCHOOL?.

DERRICK: PLAYING SOCCER. Y? PLAYING SOCCER. Y?.