Free It's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison Page A

bag of Munchkins. “Skye likes mini things, remember?”
    Massie caught the bag, saluted her girls, and then headed out.

W ESTCHESTER , NY T HE H AMILTON H OME
    Tuesday, April 6th
    4:36 P.M.
    The clouds darkened to an eerie greenish gray as Massie marched across the street, moving through varying pockets of humid and cold air. Wind rustled the leaves on nearby trees, which at first sounded like someone whispering, “Shhhh.” Was nature urging her to keep her mouth closed? She stopped walking and listened again. This time it sounded like applause, an obvious message to forge ahead.
    The Hamilton home had a cheery vibe. The porch was surrounded by charmingly rusted wagons filled with wild-flowers and smooth round rocks. Smoke puffed from the chimney, filling the neighborhood with the spicy warm smell of firewood. It reminded Massie of the ah-dorable Shire scene in
Lord of the Rings
(the only decent part of the whole snoozer of a movie). But truth be told, the whole thing was no bigger than her guesthouse—something Massie hoped Skye had noticed when she and her mysteriously hot, yellow-Porsche-driving friend were at the Block estate two days earlier.
    At the top of the driveway, Skye and Liam were beside the Vespa, touching palms to see whose was bigger. Feeling like an LBR stalker, Massie reminded herself that the only real difference between her and Skye was age. If they were in the same grade, they would be BFFs. So why let something as silly as a birthday intimidate her? After all, Skye would probably be psyched she'd stopped by.
    “Hey, Skye.” Massie charged up the driveway.
    “Hey!” Skye removed her hand from Liam's and waved. Her crackly voice gave Massie the sudden urge for Rice Krispy Treats.
    “I need to talk to you for a second.” She paused. “In private.”
    Liam shrugged, then flicked a silver Hershey's Kiss wrapper onto the driveway. His wide hazel eyes were droopy with what Massie assumed was exhaustion.
    “Let's go round back.” Skye held up a finger, letting Liam know she'd only be a minute.
    He adjusted his tan knit cap and shrugged again.
    Massie beamed, thrilled with herself for trusting her instincts.
    Skye, who walked with her feet out in first position, led the way in metallic green ballet flats that matched the storm clouds overhead. Massie tried to imitate her but instantly felt like a duck.
    “So, what's up?” Skye touched the ivy-covered stone on the side of her house. Her left arm glided gracefully across her torso, skimming the neighbor's hedges, then drifted over her head like an arched feather. She plied twice, then rested in third position.
    “Doughnut?” Massie held out Dylan's bag. “They're mini.”
    “Yummers!” Skye dug in and pulled out a sugarcoated ball. “I love mini things.”
    “Same!” Massie forced herself to bite into a Munchkin. The sugar rush made her jaw tighten.
    After Skye swallowed, her smile faded. Her Tiffany-box-colored eyes darkened as she glared at Massie, like she had on the CD-ROM. “Why. Are. You. Here?”
    A gust of cool wind blew through the shrubs like a 3,000-watt hair dryer over a Mohawk.
    “Um, I, uh…” Massie's palms itched. The hedges felt like they were closing in on her.
    “Well?”
    “It's an alpha thing,” Massie tried.
    Skye reached into pocket of her jean jacket and pulled out a tiny heart-shaped mirror. Holding it up to her face, she said, “I only see one alpha.” Then she held it up to Massie. “And one cheater. And you know what that means.”
    A clap of thunder interrupted her, and then the rain began to fall. First one drop, then another, and within seconds it sounded like hundreds of acrylic nail tips tapping nervously on a desk.
    “Actually,” Massie shouted above the rain, “I'm, uh, here to find out what you want for graduation.”
    “Really?” Skye tilted her head and folded her arms across her chest.
    “Really,” she stalled, desperate for a lightbulb moment.
    “And why do
you
want to get me a