"That is is a great idea," Alicia said. "You can call the piece 'Santa's Little h.e.l.l-pers.'" a great idea," Alicia said. "You can call the piece 'Santa's Little h.e.l.l-pers.'"

"That's perfect, perfect, Leesh," Ma.s.sie said. Leesh," Ma.s.sie said.

Alicia felt warm and happy inside. Ma.s.sie hadn't called her Leesh in weeks.

"I heart it," Lucinda said.

"Well, you should." Ma.s.sie's eyes sparkled. "It was your idea."

"It was?" Lucinda said.

"I thought I heard you suggest that, but maybe I was wrong." Ma.s.sie glared at Alicia, silently begging her to play along.

"I thought I heard that too," Alicia said.

"You did," Lucinda said, twisting an oversized emerald ring around her index finger. "You did."

"Thought so," Ma.s.sie said with a satisfied smile.

"I need all stagehands, models, elves, and Paolo to meet over by Santa for a quick meeting," Lucinda shouted. "The show will go on!"

Everyone cheered.

"What was that all about?" Alicia asked Ma.s.sie once Lucinda left.

"How to Win Friends and Influence People. Principle number seven," Ma.s.sie said. "Let others think the idea is theirs."

"Spoken like a true alpha." Alicia nodded with sincere admiration.

Ma.s.sie clipped the crown back on her bracelet.

"It's hard doing what you do," Alicia said, wiping her eyes.

"Why do you think I'm so moody?"

"Ma.s.sie." Alicia heard her voice quiver. "I'm really sorry for everything I did to you. I promise I will never do anything to hurt you guys ever again." She offered her pinky. "Friends?"

"On three conditions," Ma.s.sie said, holding her pinky slightly out of Alicia's reach.

"Anything."

"One: Claire is the only new addition to the Pretty Committee this year. That means Olivia can't sit with us during lunch anymore, but you can still be friends with her."

"Fine," Alicia said. "Next."

"Two: you have to get rid of those knockoffs."

"But my my scarf was real." Alicia winked. She untied it from her belt loop and held it out for Ma.s.sie to feel. scarf was real." Alicia winked. She untied it from her belt loop and held it out for Ma.s.sie to feel.

"Not that," that," Ma.s.sie said. "I'm talking about Strawberry and Kori. Those girls have Ma.s.sie said. "I'm talking about Strawberry and Kori. Those girls have no no soul." soul."

"Done," Alicia said. "And third?"

"Third is do it NOW," Ma.s.sie said.

"Done." Alicia quickly pulled out her cell phone and used her family account to order a Town Car before Ma.s.sie changed her mind.

Alicia found Kori and Strawberry standing in the far corner of the studio by the food table while Lucinda met with the rest of the group in a private huddle thirty feet away.

"Why are you all the way over here?" Alicia asked.

"She doesn't want us to listen." Strawberry sneered at Lucinda. "We're not models."

"I'm so canceling my Teen Vogue Teen Vogue subscription," Kori said. She dropped her shoulders and shot her pelvis forward. subscription," Kori said. She dropped her shoulders and shot her pelvis forward.

Alicia checked her watch. "Wanna go outside for a minute?"

"Sure," Kori said.

"You may want to grab your stuff."

"You mean you're letting us go home early?" Strawberry asked hopefully.

"Yeah." Alicia sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry-we've been dying to go home. This has been the worst weekend ever," Strawberry said.

"It has, hasn't it?" Alicia agreed.

"Beyond," Kori said.

When they pushed open the heavy studio door and stepped outside, all three girls squinted while their eyes adjusted to the light. The sun had burst through a break in the clouds and the air smelled like clean sheets. The falling snow had started to acc.u.mulate and the hectic city was silent and peaceful.

The burgundy Lincoln Town Car pulled up in front of the studio door fifteen minutes later. The driver rolled down his window and held out a sign that said Kori, Strawberry.

"Here's your ride," Alicia said.

"Thanks." The girls hugged Alicia good-bye and practically dove into the car when the driver opened the back door. They waved as they rode away and didn't stop until they were far down the street. Alicia couldn't help smiling as she waved back. It was the perfect end to a perfectly awful day.

Alicia rubbed her cold hands, then glided back into the studio. She was ready to apologize to the others and start making up for lost time.

"Brilliant," she heard Lucinda say when she got back upstairs. "That's a wrap." Everyone started clapping and cheering.

Alicia froze. They had finished the shoot without her.

When Ma.s.sie saw Alicia, she marched straight up to her and looked her directly in the eye. "Now we're even," she said with a c.o.c.ky half smile. we're even," she said with a c.o.c.ky half smile.

Alicia opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. There was nothing left to say.

OCTAVIAN C COUNTRY D DAY S SCHOOL T THE C CAFe.

12:39 PM PM.

December 19th Ever since the Teen Vogue Teen Vogue shoot, Ma.s.sie had given Claire permission to eat at number 18. But most days Claire chose to sit at number 2 with Layne, Meena, and Heather. It was the only time she got to spend with Layne now that she carpooled with the Pretty Committee. But this was a special occasion and Claire didn't want to be late. shoot, Ma.s.sie had given Claire permission to eat at number 18. But most days Claire chose to sit at number 2 with Layne, Meena, and Heather. It was the only time she got to spend with Layne now that she carpooled with the Pretty Committee. But this was a special occasion and Claire didn't want to be late.

"Layne, if you don't hurry up and finish your chicken fingers, I'm going to Ma.s.sie's table without you," Claire said, feeling extra-springy in her new Keds. They had a cl.u.s.ter of star and moon charms dangling off the tongue, which was probably why Ma.s.sie said, "They're a little better than the old ones," when she saw them.

"I'm coming," Layne said, taking one last bite of her lunch before dumping the rest of her chicken in a Ziploc. She zipped it up and dropped the leftovers in her Sunshine Tours bag. Meena and Heather shrieked.

"Happy?" Layne asked Claire, pulling the fake Louis Vuitton scarf out of her pocket and wiping her hands.

"I thought you left that in the parking lot," Claire said.

"I went back and got it when you guys drove off." Layne shrugged. "It's surprisingly absorbent."

Claire, Meena, and Heather laughed. Layne shook the crumbs off the scarf and stuffed it back in her bag.

"Can we go go now?" Claire hardly ever reacted to Layne's weird eating habits anymore. She accepted them along with the rest of the quirks that made her best friend so much fun to be around. now?" Claire hardly ever reacted to Layne's weird eating habits anymore. She accepted them along with the rest of the quirks that made her best friend so much fun to be around.

"What's the big hurry?" Meena asked. She lowered her wide hazel eyes and admired the henna tattoo on her own hand.

"I told you," Claire said, half knowing the girls were just giving her a hard time. "Lucinda sent copies of the pictures she's putting in the magazine and Ma.s.sie is showing them to all of the models at 12:40 PM PM."

"Who's Lucinda again?" Heather smiled, flashing her new multicolored braces.

"Shut up." Claire threw her napkin at Heather and they all laughed.

"When do the lowly non-models get to see the pictures?" Meena raised the back of her hand to her forehead and turned her head to the side.

"They are open to the public at 12:50 PM PM sharp; that's why I have to go sharp; that's why I have to go now," now," Claire said, checking her pink Baby G-Shock watch. "I would have invited you, but I'm only allowed to bring one Claire said, checking her pink Baby G-Shock watch. "I would have invited you, but I'm only allowed to bring one non-model non-model." Claire made air quotes when she used Meena's word.

"Eat your hearts out." Layne wrapped her nubby h.e.l.lo Kitty scarf around her neck and flicked the tip of her nose before she turned to leave. "Let's go, Claire."

Meena and Heather shouted, "Sellout," and threw napkins at Layne's back.

A line of curious students was already forming behind Ma.s.sie's table when Claire and Layne showed up. Ma.s.sie's expression was one of pure joy.

"It looks like you're selling Justin Timberlake tickets or something," Claire said to her.

"I know, they've been lined up since the beginning of lunch," Ma.s.sie said.

"Come on, let's see 'em already," Dylan said, reaching for the white cardboard envelope in Ma.s.sie's hand. But Ma.s.sie quickly pulled it away.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" she asked.

"YES!" Kristen, Dylan, and Olivia said.

Everyone leaned in toward the center of the table except Alicia.

"What's wrong?" Ma.s.sie asked her.

"It's not like I'm in any of them," Alicia said lightly.

"Not true," Ma.s.sie said. "You're in one."

"You already looked?" Kristen said. "I thought this was the first first showing." showing."

Ma.s.sie opened her mouth to protest but let out a laugh instead. "Busted," she admitted.

She opened the envelope and started pa.s.sing out the photos. Every single shot showed the girls fighting.

"These are hilarious." Dylan was looking at an image of herself with an elf on her back. His little finger was hooking the side of her mouth and pulling it back toward her ear.

"What about this one?" Kristen laughed and pa.s.sed the picture to Olivia.

"Oh nooo," Olivia said. "I'm so sorry." It was a shot of her stuffing Santa's fake beard in Kristen's eyes while Claire tried to pry them apart.

By now the entire cafeteria was watching table 18-even some of the teachers were hovering. Claire finally lifted her head. "No way. The general public line goes all the way out the door."

"Yes!" Ma.s.sie threw her fists in the air when she noticed the hordes of people that were waiting to see her pictures.

"They've been standing for almost an hour." Layne shook her head in disbelief as she glanced at the line, where several girls were eating their sandwiches. "They'll do anything for a peek into the fabulous life of Ma.s.sie Block. It's shocking."

"You're here, aren't you?" Kristen said to Layne.

"I'm supporting Claire." She lifted her chin. "That's the only reason."

"Yeah, right." Claire snapped a picture of the crowd with her digital camera.

"Lemme guess," Layne said. "Another picture for Cam, right?"

Claire shrugged and smiled shyly.

"This is awesome," Olivia said, looking around the Cafe.

Everyone at number 18 nodded in agreement and Claire felt like the natural order of the universe had been finally been restored. Kristen, Dylan, and Alicia surrounded Ma.s.sie like the planets...o...b..ting the sun, while Claire, Layne, and Olivia were like the stars, standing over them and twinkling with pride.

"I say we open to the public now," Ma.s.sie announced.

"But it's not twelve-fifty yet," Alicia said.

"Doesn't matter." Ma.s.sie surveyed the restless crowd. "I don't want them to lose interest."

"Good point. Step right up," Alicia called.

And for the next forty-five minutes they did.