Free Revenge of the Wannabes by Lisi Harrison Page A

heart and slowly shook her head. “Massie, you scared us.”
    “Sorry.” Massie pulled her black cable-knit poncho over her head and draped it over the back of the corduroy couch. She was wearing a red velour sweat suit and sheepskin slippers. “Sometimes I forget I have to knock. I guess I’m still used to walking into this house whenever I feel like it.”
    “That’s totally understandable,” Judi said with a nervous chuckle. “Did you need something?”
    Before Massie could answer, Todd barged through the kitchen door wearing an apron and yellow rubber gloves. “Massie, want a root beer float? I can make you one.”
    “No thanks, I ate already,” Massie said. “But thanks for offering.”
    Claire knew Massie was just being nice to Todd because her mother was in the room. Normally Massie would have said something about too many fat grams or not wanting his booger-stained hands touching her food.
    “I just got
The Sims 2
. Wanna start a family together?” Todd asked, his brown eyes flickering with hope.
    Massie looked at Claire and tilted her head toward the staircase. “Normally I’d be all over that, but I have to talk to your sister.” She turned away from Todd and looked straight into Claire’s eyes. “Now,” she mouthed.
    “’Kay.” Claire couldn’t help feeling like she was about to get in trouble for something and wondered if anyone could hear her heart pounding. “Let’s go to my room,” she said, avoiding her mother’s suspicious glare.
    “Perf,” Massie said as she walked toward the staircase.
    Claire followed Massie up the stairs. While they were walking, Claire reached into the back pocket of her orange pants and pulled a sour out of the plastic bag as quietly as she could. She popped it in her mouth while Massie’s back was to her.
    “Why do you eat those?” Massie asked, without turning around. She sounded disgusted. “They’re all sugar.”
    “I know.” Claire was ashamed and tried to swallow the red worm as quickly as she could. “I’m over them. That was my last one.”
    When they entered Claire’s bedroom, Massie closed the door.
    Claire was so uncomfortable she walked over to her window and looked outside, hoping the spacious lawn below might make her feel less trapped.
    “What’s going on down there?” Claire pointed to the woodpile outside the old horse barn that hadn’t been there in the morning.
    “My parents are turning the barn into a state-of-the-art home gym,” Massie said, sounding utterly unimpressed.
    “Phew,” Claire said with a smile. “I thought another family was moving in.”
    “No, you guys are more than enough,” Massie said. “By the way, when are you leaving? I thought this situation was quote ‘temporary,’ end quote.”
    Claire looked at her pink-and-white-striped socks, suddenly aware of how ridiculous they looked with her orange pants.
    “It
is
temporary,” Claire explained. “My parents look at houses every day.” She actually had no idea how much longer they’d be staying and had stopped asking her parents when she and Massie had started getting along, barely a month ago.
    “Relax, Kuh-laire. I was joking. I actually don’t mind having you here anymore.”
    “Oh,” Claire said, lifting her eyes to meet Massie’s. “Sorry.”
    “It’s okay.” Massie smiled.
    Claire was desperate to ask Massie why she was there but thought it might be better to act as though the surprise visit was normal. Maybe that way it would happen more often.
    “What’s
this?
”
    Claire hoped Massie was talking about the e-mail on her computer screen from Cam. She had been dying to share the details of her secret crush with Massie but could never catch her alone. Maybe tonight …
    But Massie was pointing to the digital pictures on her wall. Every shot was of Claire standing in front of her closet wearing a different outfit.
    Claire felt her face getting hot. “Oh, that’s nothing.”
    “It looks like you’re stalking yourself,” Massie