"What?" Claire said, biting her thumbnail.

"Give me the note," Ma.s.sie said, wiggling her fingers.

"Why?" Claire felt her stomach lock.

"Prove that you are done with him and give me the note," Ma.s.sie said.

Claire felt like the room was spinning. She wished she could think of something that would convince Ma.s.sie to let her keep the note. But nothing came.

Claire grabbed her backpack off the floor and reached inside slowly. She moved her hand around the bottom of the bag like she couldn't find it.

"I think it's at home." Claire's head was throbbing.

"Let me look," Ma.s.sie ordered, coming closer.

"Oh, here it is," Claire said. She was relieved Ma.s.sie didn't know about the three mix CDs Cam had burned for her. "It got stuck in the mesh cell phone pocket."

"Hurry up," Ma.s.sie said, snapping her fingers. "Alicia is going to be here soon and we have a lot to do."

Claire felt like she was watching herself in a dream when she placed the note in Ma.s.sie's open palm. It was covered in tiny rips and smudges from being read so many times. The familiar cherry Blow Pop stain in the bottom-right corner triggered a hot feeling behind Claire's eyes that always came right before her tears. Cam had given her that Blow Pop and written, Have a sweet day Have a sweet day, in tiny letters along the stick.

Ma.s.sie crumpled up the note and walked toward the cans of paint. Claire quickly looked at Kristen and Dylan for help, but their heads were down.

"Say good-bye," Ma.s.sie said. She held her fist above the green paint, then opened her hand. The note bobbed on the surface, refusing to sink. Everyone ran over and stood above the can with their mouths open, except Ma.s.sie. She reached for the nearest paintbrush and stabbed the stubborn note until it sank.

Claire took a deep breath, hoping the rush of air would suck back her tears. She would never get to look at Cam's perfectly neat, all-caps handwriting again.

"There," Ma.s.sie said with a warm smile. "That should help." She tossed the paintbrush on the floor. "When I dump a guy, I like to destroy everything he ever gave me. I find it really cleansing."

"... ks," Claire said. She tried to say, "Thanks," but it wouldn't come out.

All Claire could think about while they finished painting in silence was how to keep herself from sobbing. She told herself that Cam was a lame wannabe and that Ma.s.sie was only looking out for her, but that didn't get rid of the feeling in the pit of her stomach or the stinging behind her eyes. And it especially didn't erase the mental image she had of Cam's note, sitting all alone at the bottom of the can, covered in green paint.

A knock on the door startled them all. It was the first sound they had heard since Ma.s.sie's Maroon 5 CD ended.

"It's showtime," Ma.s.sie whispered to her friends. "We'll be right there!" she shouted.

The girls scurried around the barn, straightening and tidying. They knew Ma.s.sie wanted this to be perfect. Once everything was in its place, Ma.s.sie yanked opened the door.

"Oh," she said when she saw who was on the other side. "I was expecting someone else."

"Who could possibly be better than me?" Todd said.

"What do you want, Todd?" Claire asked her brother. She prayed he wouldn't do anything to embarra.s.s her.

"I just thought you ladies would be hurting for a little male companionship."

"This is GLU headquarters," Dylan said.

"What does that mean?" Todd said, poking his head inside to have a look around.

"It means Girls Like Us," Ma.s.sie said, closing the door. "No boys allowed!"

But Todd stopped the door with his foot. "Whoa, what did you do to the walls?"

"Get out," Ma.s.sie said, smacking his foot away. Todd lost his balance and fell on the gra.s.s. Ma.s.sie slammed the door shut and leaned against it to make sure he couldn't force his way back in.

His incessant banging filled Claire with sadness. Todd was just lonely. Her friends in Florida didn't mind having him around and he was obviously missing that. Claire missed it too. But she didn't dare ask Ma.s.sie to make an exception to her "girls only" rule. Claire didn't want to give Ma.s.sie any reason to kick her out, especially when she had to work so hard to get in.

"Leave us alone," Ma.s.sie shouted.

The knocking continued.

"Go away," Kristen and Dylan shouted.

"It's me," a voice said. "Alicia."

"Oh," Ma.s.sie mouthed.

The girls smoothed their hair and got into position. Ma.s.sie looked at them to make sure they were ready. When she decided they were, Ma.s.sie threw open the door.

Showtime!

THE B BLOCK E ESTATE GLU H GLU HEADQUARTERS.

8:10 PM PM.

November 17th "If this is a bad time, I can leave," Alicia said.

"Why would you say that?" Ma.s.sie had one of her infamous I'm-about-to-take-great-pleasure-in-destroying-you smiles on her face. Her lips were shut, the corners of her mouth were curled up, and her eyes sparkled with a devious glint.

Alicia recognized the look on Ma.s.sie's face and wanted to turn around and chase Dean and the limo down the street. But she'd watched him back out of the Blocks' driveway. He'd be long gone by now.

"Welcome to GLU headquarters," Ma.s.sie said, giving Alicia a once-over. Alicia stuffed her sweaty palms in the back pockets of her pants.

"Don't you look faaan-cy," Ma.s.sie added.

Alicia was wearing a blue satin cap-sleeve blouse, gray velvet pants, and square-toed boots, her Dixon stretched across her shoulders like a shrug. She felt ridiculously over-dressed compared to Ma.s.sie, who was in Splatter Sweats and sheepskin slippers. When did she buy those anyway? It felt weird seeing Ma.s.sie in something new. They usually shopped for everything together.

"Uh, I was just out for dinner with my parents," Alicia said, avoiding Ma.s.sie's suspicious glare.

It smelled like paint inside the horse barn and Alicia stuck her head in to see what was going on. But Ma.s.sie shifted her body and blocked Alicia's view.

"We're glad you decided to come."

We? Alicia had a.s.sumed it would just be the two of them. But she should have known. Ma.s.sie was never by herself. Alicia had a.s.sumed it would just be the two of them. But she should have known. Ma.s.sie was never by herself.

"Well, you e-mailed me saying you made a tribute to our friendship. How could I not come for that? that?" Alicia rolled her shoulders back, showing off her perfect jazz posture.

Ma.s.sie smiled sweetly. "Thanks."

"I'm glad you're ready to apologize," Alicia said. "I totally miss-"

"Who said anything about apologizing?" Ma.s.sie stepped back to reveal Kristen, Dylan, and Claire.

"Oh, hey." Alicia waved at Kristen and Dylan. It felt weird not hugging them. "Claire, hi, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Claire smiled uncomfortably and looked down at her cuticles.

"We had some extra room this week," Ma.s.sie said, practically spitting the word extra extra at Alicia. at Alicia.

"Yeah, I guess," Alicia said, unsure of what to say next. She had left her coat in the limo and was starting to feel a chill. "Can I at least come in?"

Ma.s.sie stepped aside.

The place was a mess. The floors were covered in newspaper, and paint cans and dirty brushes were lined up against the wall. Four Dr. Juice cups had been stacked on the rungs of a gray stepladder, and CDs and empty jewel cases were scattered everywhere. "Has your mother seen this place?" Alicia asked. She remembered the time Ma.s.sie got grounded and couldn't go to Six Flags because she didn't pick Bean's chew toys off the floor of her bedroom.

"Yup, she's fine with it," Ma.s.sie said.

Alicia felt like a stranger. So much had changed in the few days. It was like she didn't know Ma.s.sie at all anymore.

"Don't you want to know what this tribute is?" Dylan asked, ripping open a bag of baked Doritos.

"Given." Alicia tried to steady her voice.

Ma.s.sie snapped her fingers and Claire shut out the lights. The room was completely black and Alicia's heart started racing. She wanted to scream but kept telling herself they were only trying to scare her.

Someone had flicked on a floor lamp. "Thank you," Alicia heard herself say. Long shadows were cast against the walls and Alicia could hear the wind howling through the open window. Suddenly a cold hand brushed against her face.

Alicia jumped and whipped her head around. "Who's that?"

Kristen giggled.

"Ehmagawd, Kristen, you scared me." Alicia slapped her hand over her heart.

But Kristen didn't say a word. She just stood there twirling a purple satin blindfold around her index finger. The front said DIVA AT REST in white rhinestones.

Kristen pulled back the thin black elastic and slipped the blindfold over Alicia's eyes. Everything went dark again.

"You guys, this is so stupid." Alicia heard the panic in her voice. They probably did too.

"We want this to be a surprise," Kristen said.

Everyone started whispering.

"What's happening?" Alicia stomped her foot. "What is this?"

She felt Kristen's clammy hand on her arm. "Just follow me," Kristen said. She started pulling Alicia across the barn.

Alicia's mouth went dry and she was desperate for a fresh coat of gloss. She tried to stay calm by imagining herself telling this story to Harris Fisher while they were at the Strokes concert. But that only made her more anxious. She still had no idea what shoes to wear.

What would the other girls do if they were in her place? Would they go along with it like she was? Would they resist? Dylan would probably burp or do something disgusting to make them all laugh. Or she'd threaten them, saying her famous mother would expose them on her morning talk show. Kristen would come up with some fact about how blindfolding people could lead to an untimely death and they would apologize immediately. Claire would keep her cool, never letting on that they were scaring her. Ma.s.sie would outsmart them all and escape.

The smell of paint fumes was making her nauseous. "Okay, enough," Alicia said. "What is this?"

"The writing is on the wall," Dylan said.

"Huh?" Alicia said.

"The writing writing is on the is on the wall wall," Dylan repeated.

"See?" Kristen yanked the blindfold off Alicia's head.

"Ouch, watch the elastic." Alicia rubbed the back of her head.

"Sorry."

Alicia looked at her boots while her eyes adjusted to the light. Finally she looked up. She felt like she had on her fifth-grade field trip to the Museum of Modern Art, trying to make sense of the abstract shapes and colors painted on the wall in front of her.

"This mural represents our friendship over the past few weeks." Ma.s.sie sounded like a museum tour guide.

Alicia's mouth hung open.

Ma.s.sie grabbed Kristen's lacrosse stick and pointed to the drawing of a catwalk. "Over here on the far left, we have the OCD Fashion Week Uniform Contest."

Alicia looked at a painting of two girls. One had dark hair and enormous b.o.o.bs; the other had wavy blonde hair and a bandage across her nose. Alicia knew they were meant to be her and Olivia. They each had bubbles over their heads like in comic books. Olivia's said, We're losers beyond repair. How R we going 2 win? We're losers beyond repair. How R we going 2 win? Alicia's said, Alicia's said, Cheat Cheat.

"That's crazy," Alicia said. "You can't prove that!" She lifted her chin and tried to look cool. But her mind was screaming with panic. They knew! When did they find out? How long had they secretly hated her?

"What's that?" She pointed to a ma.s.sive purple blob.

"That's our proof," Ma.s.sie said.

"What?" Alicia screeched.

"Remember how we voted by putting a thimble in the box of the team we thought should win?"

Alicia nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the wall. Where could this possibly be going?

Ma.s.sie continued. "I painted mine purple for good luck."

"So?" Alicia hissed, getting impatient. This next part had nothing to do with her.

"So your your box had a purple thimble in it." Ma.s.sie's face turned dark red. box had a purple thimble in it." Ma.s.sie's face turned dark red.

"You voted for me?" Alicia shook her head in disbelief. "Why?"