Part 24 (1/2)

”Read these.” She dumped them on Ma.s.sie's bed and smiled with great satisfaction. ”When's the last time you ever saw me mess up a bed like that?”

”Never,” Ma.s.sie said.

”I know, isn't it great?” Kendra clapped. ”These books have really helped me let go.”

Ma.s.sie looked at the pile of schoolbooks on her desk and sighed.

”Don't worry, I highlighted them,” Kendra said. ”It won't take you long. But if you only have time for one, I suggest How to Win Friends and Influence People, How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. It's a lifesaver.” She handed the purple-and-green book to her daughter. by Dale Carnegie. It's a lifesaver.” She handed the purple-and-green book to her daughter.

”'Kay.” Ma.s.sie flipped through the coffee-stained pages. ”Thanks.”

”Don't thank me.” Kendra turned to leave. ”Thank Dale.” She winked and gently closed the door behind her.

Ma.s.sie sat on her bed for the next hour reading about Dale's twelve principles on ”how to win people to your way of thinking.” Numbers 3, 4, and 8 appealed to her the most.

CURRENT STATE OF THE UNION.

IN.

OUT.

Principle #3 If you are wrong, admit it.

Blaming others, especially when you are guilty.

Principle #4 Begin in a friendly way.

Making hate murals to show how hurt you are.

Principle #8 Try to see things from the other person's point of view.

All my friends are lame female dogs!

Advice from Dale Carnegie.

Advice from Bean.

When she was done, she opened her e-mail and began drafting her apology letters.

DEAR K & D,HI. THOUGHT I'D DROP YOU A ”FRIENDLY” E-MAIL. I'M SORRY I WALKED AWAY WHEN KRISTEN GOT STOPPED FOR SHOPLIFTING FROM BCBG. (BTWARRESTED? HOPE NOT[image] .) I WAS JUST UPSET THAT YOU THOUGHT I TOLD ALICIA YOUR SECRETS. BUT IF I HAVE TO SEE THINGS FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THOUGHT THAT. I WOULD HAVE TOO. ANYWAY, I KNOW WHO TOLD HER. CALL ME IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT. .) I WAS JUST UPSET THAT YOU THOUGHT I TOLD ALICIA YOUR SECRETS. BUT IF I HAVE TO SEE THINGS FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THOUGHT THAT. I WOULD HAVE TOO. ANYWAY, I KNOW WHO TOLD HER. CALL ME IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT.XOXO Ma.s.sie hit save, then wrote another one.

DEAR CLAIRE,HI. THOUGHT I'D DROP YOU A ”FRIENDLY” E-MAIL. IF YOU ARE STILL SICK, I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER. IF YOU ARE UPSET ABOUT CAM OR MAD AT ME FOR SOME REASON, PLEASE CALL ME. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THINGS FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW SO I CAN ADMIT I'M SORRY. PLUS I'M GOING TO FAIL GEOMETRY IF YOU KEEP THIS UP[image] . .XOXO Ma.s.sie hit save again, then wrote one last e-mail.

DEAR ALICIA,HI. THOUGHT I'D DROP YOU A ”FRIENDLY” E-MAIL. ALICIA, I ADMIT WE'RE EVEN, OKAY? LET'S END THIS WAR BEFORE SOMEONE (YOU) GETS HURT.XOXO When Ma.s.sie was done, she dragged her e-mails into her drafts folder. She wanted to give her friends a little more time to apologize first.

Ma.s.sie grabbed her cell phone and ran at top speed out to the horse barn. ”I must be filled with apology power,” she said to Bean, who was trying her hardest to keep up. The dog's tongue was hanging out of her mouth and she was starting to wheeze.

”Sorry,” Ma.s.sie panted. ”I'll slow down.” Right as Ma.s.sie stopped, Bean took off. ”Hey, that's not fair, you cheater!”

But Ma.s.sie became concerned when Bean started barking.

”Chill out,” Ma.s.sie called after her.

Bean ran around the side of the barn to the sliding door. From a distance Ma.s.sie could see the dog jump up on her hind legs and scratch the gla.s.s. Maybe some workmen were inside?

”Quiet, Bean.” Ma.s.sie picked up her pace. ”No one's in there.”

But when Ma.s.sie got to the gla.s.s door, she saw that she was wrong.

All of her ex-friends were sitting on the floor, surrounded by bowls of snacks, CDs, and scattered Polaroid pictures. Even Claire was there, sucking on a lollipop and laughing. She didn't look the least bit sick or depressed.

Ma.s.sie felt her heart leap. Were they throwing her a surprise party? Was her mom sent to lure her there? No wonder everyone had been acting so weird. But the happy feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Her birthday wasn't until July.

Ma.s.sie yanked the handle on the gla.s.s door and slid it open. Beyonce was blasting from the stereo. No one heard her come in.

”What's going on?” Ma.s.sie asked. She turned down the music and asked again. ”What's up?” She felt like a stranger in her own home.

Claire, Kristen, Dylan, Olivia, and two girls who looked like Kristen and Dylan were sitting on her her yoga mats surrounded by makeup and hair accessories. They wore Alicia's knockoff scarves around their wrists. yoga mats surrounded by makeup and hair accessories. They wore Alicia's knockoff scarves around their wrists.

”What are you you doing here?” Alicia said. ”No one invited you.” doing here?” Alicia said. ”No one invited you.”

”I LIVE HERE!” Ma.s.sie shouted.

”So does Claire Claire. And she she invited us.” invited us.”

Ma.s.sie looked at Claire, expecting her to look scared and ashamed. But she didn't fidget or bite a single fingernail. Instead Claire met Ma.s.sie's eyes and stared straight into them. It was Ma.s.sie who finally had to look away. She searched her mind for some of Dale's words of wisdom, but the only thing that came to mind was, ”Kuh-laire invited you?”

”We're practicing our poses for the Teen Vogue Teen Vogue shoot.” Alicia peeled off a shoot.” Alicia peeled off a maybe maybe sticker and stuck it on a Polaroid picture of herself. sticker and stuck it on a Polaroid picture of herself.

Ma.s.sie glared at Kristen and Dylan, then raised her eyebrows, wondering why they sabotaged the revenge plan. Alicia wasn't supposed to know know they were booked for the photo shoot. They were going to shock her by just showing up. It was all about stealing her spotlight, just like she had done to them. ... And now all of that was ruined. they were booked for the photo shoot. They were going to shock her by just showing up. It was all about stealing her spotlight, just like she had done to them. ... And now all of that was ruined.

Kristen and Dylan looked away, not offering a single word of explanation.

Alicia opened her new phone and turned her back to Ma.s.sie. ”Now, if you don't mind, we have a phone call to make.”

Everyone surrounded Alicia while she placed the call, using the speakerphone.

Ma.s.sie stood at the back of the barn and watched. She reached into the pocket of her black Juicy hoodie and ran her fingers along her Motorola, feeling the empty s.p.a.ces from the missing rhinestones.