Free Revenge of the Wannabes by Lisi Harrison Page B

said.
    Claire couldn’t help laughing.
    “What is it? Come on, I won’t tell anyone.”
    “Yeah, right,” Claire said, enjoying the moment. Finally Massie Block wanted to know something about her.
    “I promise.” Massie held out her pinky. Claire held out hers. They looked each other in the eye and then locked fingers.
    “Fine,” Claire said, letting go. She paused and took a deep breath. “I hang those pictures up to keep track of my outfits. You know, so I don’t wear the same thing twice.”
    Massie widened her amber eyes. Claire instantly regretted confessing.
    “That’s brilliant,” Massie said.
    “Seriously?”
    “Yeah. Mind if I copy you?”
    “Not at all,” Claire replied, sweeping her bangs to the side of her forehead. She couldn’t believe how well things were going and decided
this
was the perfect time to show Massie the note Cam sent her the night of the OCD Fashion Week Uniform Contest.
    Claire reached for the mesh pocket inside her backpack and pinched the worn paper between her fingers.
    “Kuh-laire, we have to talk,” Massie said.
    Claire released the paper and watched it fall to the bottom of her bag.
    “It’s go time.” Massie pushed on the bedroom door to make sure it was completely shut.
    “Huh?”
    Massie went into a detailed description of Alicia’s sleep-over party, the phone call she got while she was spray tanning, the candy cane tan that she blamed on that phone call, and the
Teen Vogue
modeling job.
    “What are you going to do?” Claire felt just as cheated by Alicia as Massie did but wasn’t quite as bloodthirsty. Maybe because she knew how awful Massie made
her
life when she moved to Westchester and refused to wish that on anyone, even Alicia.
    “Let’s destroy her,” Massie said, looking deep into Claire’s eyes.
    Claire felt paralyzed, like the breath just got sucked out of her body.
    Massie dived stomach first onto the middle of Claire’s unmade bed. The mattress squeaked under her weight. “Here’s the plan.”
    Claire stayed on the very edge with her feet planted firmly on the ground while Massie explained.
    “So are you in?” Massie asked when she had finished.
    Claire thought about it.
    “Well?” Massie pressed.
    Claire nodded, deciding a little guilt was better than making Massie angry.
    “Good.”
    Massie lifted the olive green rotary phone off the dark wood night table and handed it to Claire. “This is so heavy, I don’t know how Grammy used to lift it.”
    “I know, my arm gets stiff after one phone call,” Claire said, trying to lighten the mood.
    “You
have
to get a cell phone.”
    “Four more years,” Claire said, remembering her parents’ rule.
    “Brutal,” Massie responded as she flipped open her cell phone, pulled up a number, and hit Send. She hit Speaker Phone before anyone answered.
    “Can you hear it ringing?” Massie whispered.
    Claire nodded.
    Massie covered the mouthpiece. “We’ll probably have to leave a message because it’s late—”
    “Lucinda Hill’s office,” a voice answered.
    Claire gasped and Massie raised a finger to her lips.
    “Sorry,” Claire mouthed. She dug into her back pocket and popped a yellow sour in her mouth.
    “Uh, yeah, uh, is Lucinda Hill there, please?”
    “Who’s speaking?”
    Massie stood up and started pacing. “It’s Ma—It’s Alicia Rivera and Olivia Ryan.”
    “Hold.”
    “Hey, gorgeous, make my day and tell me you got permission to do the holiday shoot,” a different voice then said. Claire assumed it was Lucinda.
    “Mmmm, not yet,” Massie replied.
    Claire sat perfectly still on the edge of the bed, trying not to make a sound. She didn’t want to miss a single word.
    “That’s not why I’m calling.” Massie faced the window, reminding Claire of a high-powered executive on an important business call.
    “What, then?” Lucinda sounded annoyed.
    “I have a confession to make and I can’t handle the guilt anymore.”
    “Yup,” Lucida said, hurrying her