Part 1 (1/2)

The Clique_ Charmed and Dangerous_ The Clique Prequel.

by Lisi Harrison.

For the Clique fans who supported me along the way, even when I had type-os. I ah-dore you all.

WESTCHESTER, NYTHE BLOCK ESTATEFriday, December 31st6:01 P.M. P.M.

”Bonne anneeeeeee!” Kendra Block trilled into the phone with gus.h.i.+ng enthusiasm. Kendra Block trilled into the phone with gus.h.i.+ng enthusiasm.

”Happy New Year, darling!” Ma.s.sie's father added over swirling laughter, clinking champagne flutes, and strains of ”Auld Lang Syne.” ”We love you!”

”I love you tooooo!” Ma.s.sie shouted back. But from the stillness of her crisp navy blue and white bedroom those words sounded hollow, lonely, forced; like whoo-hooing on a private riding trail after a blanketing snowfall.

She eyed the swamp green screen on her Motorola flip phone.

Was it really midnight in Paris?

It was like her mom and dad had ridden a time machine six hours into the future. Even though they were parents, Ma.s.sie envied them. They already knew whether their night was magical: whether their outfits would inspire copycats... whether their jokes were LOL-worthy... whether their conversation topics were charming... whether their New Year's Eve story had a happy ending... whether- ”Where are you?” Kendra asked, oozing giddiness.

”M'room.” Ma.s.sie plopped onto the edge of her navy duvet and flexed her toes. Was silver polish fun or done? Cla.s.s or cra.s.s? Mature or manure? Gawd, if only there was some kind of list that told girls what was in and what was out.... Was silver polish fun or done? Cla.s.s or cra.s.s? Mature or manure? Gawd, if only there was some kind of list that told girls what was in and what was out....

”Open your door.” Kendra giggled.

”Huh? Why?”

”Go!” Kendra insisted with mock frustration.

Ma.s.sie slid off the edge of her bed, her gold silk kimono sparking and snapping with static electricity.

”Does she like it?” William asked in the background.

”Shhhhh,” Kendra hissed. ”She hasn't seen it yet.”

Ma.s.sie squeaked with burst-at-the-seams impatience.

”Is the door open? Are you there yet?” Kendra asked.

”Almost.” Ma.s.sie padded across the white wool rug, heart revving. Was it the tiny black pug she had been begging for? Oh, puh-leaase make it the tiny black pug she had been begging for! With a big red bow atop her mini head and a diamond anklet with a bone charm. Was it the tiny black pug she had been begging for? Oh, puh-leaase make it the tiny black pug she had been begging for! With a big red bow atop her mini head and a diamond anklet with a bone charm. That would semi-make up for her mother's holiday ”surprise” where she'd transformed Ma.s.sie's three-shades-of-pink boudoir into a showroom for Tommy Hilfiger. Blue, red, and white everything. It put the That would semi-make up for her mother's holiday ”surprise” where she'd transformed Ma.s.sie's three-shades-of-pink boudoir into a showroom for Tommy Hilfiger. Blue, red, and white everything. It put the nawt nawt in nautical. But she decided to put up with it because the decorator a.s.sured her it was ”fresh” and Ma.s.sie's best friends agreed. in nautical. But she decided to put up with it because the decorator a.s.sured her it was ”fresh” and Ma.s.sie's best friends agreed.

”Okay, I'm here.” She gripped the bra.s.s anchorshaped doork.n.o.b.

”Yayyyyyyyyy!” screeched Kendra. ”Openit! Openit! Openit!”

Turning the anchor slowly, so as not to startle the pup, Ma.s.sie cracked the door and peered out. Expecting a nose full of new-puppy smell, she inhaled deeply. All she got was the sharp floral scent of Crabtree & Evelyn's Spring Rain home spray, her mom's favorite.

Ma.s.sie lowered her gaze, ready to make contact with a pair of moist black eyes. Eyes that would pulsate hearts for her new master and- ”Ew!” she blurted at the sudden appearance of a woman's bare feet. Size nine. Calloused. Dry. Neglected. she blurted at the sudden appearance of a woman's bare feet. Size nine. Calloused. Dry. Neglected.

A plaid flannel nightgown skimmed the woman's ankles and tented her stocky body. Strands of long black hair, freed from their tight bun but contorted from hours of captivity, clung to the glistening Pond's cold cream slathered on the side of her face.

”Inez?”

”Happy New Year.” She held a Tiffany box in her palm and smiled warmly.

Ignoring the housekeeper, Ma.s.sie peered left, then right. Was the pug hiding? Was she part two of her parents' guilt gift? Was the blue box a red herring?

But, as usual, nothing in the hallway seemed out of place. The only panting came from Inez, who must have been instructed to run up the winding staircase before Ma.s.sie opened the door.

”Do you love it?” her mother asked.

”Does she love it?” her father echoed.

Sensing Ma.s.sie's paralyzing disappointment, Inez opened the box for her. ”Beauuuutiful.” The housekeeper dangled the glistening gold charm bracelet under Ma.s.sie's jutting chin.

”It has all of your favorite things on it,” Kendra explained. ”A high-heeled shoe, a dollar sign, a horse, a diamond-encrusted bell-for the diamonds, obviously, not the bell-and a pig.”

”A pig pig?”

”Yes, you wanted one for Christmas, only we've had the hardest time finding housebroken breeds so we-”

”Mohhhm, I wanted a pug pug, nawt a pig pig.”

Kendra gasped in horror. ”William,” she called into the party noise. ”She wanted a pug pug, not a pig pig!... I know... huge huge relief!” Her lips returned to the mouthpiece. ”Those are so much easier to find, darling. We'll get one as soon as we return to the relief!” Her lips returned to the mouthpiece. ”Those are so much easier to find, darling. We'll get one as soon as we return to the etats-Unis etats-Unis.”

”Yay!” Ma.s.sie pinched the bracelet off Inez's finger and slid it on. It was a little loose, but nothing she couldn't have Mr. Novick, the family jeweler, fix after the holidays. She examined her wrist from all angles, studying the way the light reflected off the chain. Aside from the mistaken-bacon it was actually kinda cute. And no one else had one... yet.

Fireworks soared and popped on the other end of the call. Ma.s.sie felt like exploding right along with them. She was finally going to get a puppy! A confidant. A real best friend. A sibling.

”Oh, and we got you a tiny gold Eiffel Tower. It's ab-so-lutely chaaarming.” Kendra giggled at her corny pun.

Ma.s.sie's phone beeped.

The swamp green screen flashed AHNNA.

Her palms began to sweat.

One last firecracker whistled in the background, then fizzled out.

The phone beeped again.

Ignoring the call would mean violating Ahnna's strict ”talk or walk” policy, an offense that would put Ma.s.sie in social solitary for an entire weekend. No phone calls, e-mails, IMs, or gossip alerts. She had to act.

Now.

”SoundsgreatMomIcan'twaitHappyNewYearIloveyouseeyoutomorrownightbyeee.”