This is the LIFE! 2
This is what everyonewantsfromme!3
This is the LIFE!4
And this is the way to liiiive!5
The life. . . 6
WAKEY WAKEY! Wake up!7
Alicia looked around her. Seven people were lying on the floor while she lay on a “sleepover queen” bed. Tarra and Camille were the closest on her left, while Anna lay on her right. Justin and Cameron were lying near her feet. Karla and Monty were sleeping in the basement, which was where Alicia and everyone else were supposed to be sleeping too. Instead, Karla and Monty had fallen asleep first and then gotten the classic shaving cream on their face and hot-water=bed-wetter tricks. Plus, they also got the face painting and the five o’clock wake up.8
This was why Alicia was up at five in the morning. But she was not going to be the only one up.9
“Uhhhn,” Alicia yawned and hit Anna and Camille in the face. The two shot up and in the process, Camille hit Tarra, who then rolled over on her side and scooted downwards to avoid being woken up again. She ended up kicking Justin. And Justin being Justin laughed and playfully punched Cameron.10
“Great! Everyone’s up. Let’s go see how KIM is doing!” All six people got out of bed, including Tarra, and headed over to wear Karla and Monty were doing. KIM (Karla and Monty, but it sounded better as KIM instead of KM) were sound asleep. Karla was snoring softly while Monty drooled.11
“They are so not coming back to my exclusive sleepovers!” Alicia whispered loudly enough for every one to hear. The girls giggled and whispered while the boys high-fived each other. 12
Alicia nodded. Everyone was happy. Except KIM, but they didn’t matter. 13
“Kah-hem!” Alicia whisper-coughed. The three girls and two boys stopped to follow the popular girl’s instructions. 14
“Okay, Cameron, you’re coming with me and. . .” Camille pointed to Anna, “Anna to drag Karla down to the pond. And Camille, you, Tarra, and Justin drag Monty to the pond. First, since we don’t want them to drown, let’s put them my air beds.” Everyone’s smiles began the process. 15
Around ten minutes later, Karla and Monty were positioned on two air beds. 16
“Okay, ready? Setty? Go,” Alicia whisper shouted. The two boys pushed KIM off into the sunrise. 17
“How far do you think they’ll go?” Tarra asked. 18
“I don’t know. The pond is five miles long. I doubt they will wake up before that though.” Alicia said. 19
“I like the way you think, babe.” Cameron put his arm around his girlfriend. 20
“Yeah, me too,” Justin put his arm around his girlfriend.21
Alicia’s stomach fluttered. Cameron was so hot! He was wearing long grey sweat pants. His sweat-soaked abs glittered in the rising sun. 22
Camille felt the same way, except Justin didn’t have the dark-blond hair and blue eyes that Cameron had. Instead, Justin had black hair and brown eyes. But he was totally cute. 23
“Ah!” An echo sounded. Birds fluttered around through the trees. 24
“Ehmigod! She’s awake!” Camille cried. All of the girls giggled and screamed. Cameron pulled off of Alicia’s shoulders. 25
Alicia didn’t move. Her shoulders felt so cold without Cameron.26
“Let’s go inside. It’s freezing out here!” Alicia said and tilted her head towards the door. Justin pushed Cameron toward Alicia. 27
“Um, I’ll warm you up?” Cameron turned to Justin who was turning red in the face from not laughing. Then he turned back to Alicia, who giggled nervously. Alicia moved in front of Cameron and he wrapped his arms around her. 28
Alicia took a deep breath. Her stomach was in her throat and her mouth went dry. This never happened to her. 29
“So, what are we going to do now?” Cameron asked as he put his head on top of Alicia’s. 30
“I don’t know! How ‘bout we. . .” Tarra stopped. No one knew what to do. Alicia wanted to talk, but she didn’t now what do say. On top of that, she didn’t want her party to be boring. 31
“So,” Alicia said, throat dry. “Let’s go play truth or dare.” Every one nodded.32
“Totally!” Anna agreed.33
“Let’s!” Tarra said excitedly. Even if they didn’t want to, they had to. Anything Alicia said had to be done. Or risk social death.34
Cameron pulled away from Alicia’s body and walked with Justin back to the house. Once inside, everyone sat down on a “T&D” pillow-a pillow that was a really big circle for everyone to sit on. 35
“Okay, I get to start!” Alicia sang once everyone sat down. “Okay, Tarra, truth or dare?”36
“Truth!” Tarra cried.37
“If Cameron and I broke up, would you get together with Cameron?” Tarra’s smile remained. 38
“No! No offense Cameron, but your not my type.” Tarra said happily. 39
“Good, I . . . never mind.” No one commented on what Cameron was going to say.40
“My turn!” Tarra shut her eyes and pointed to someone. “Truth or dare?” She asked with her eyes still closed.41
“Dare!” Justin said. Tarra opened her eyes and smiled.42
“Okaaay! I dare you to kiss Camille!” Camille shrieked happily as Tyler kissed her. When he pulled away, she laughed. 43
“I pick Cameron,” Justin said. 44
“Truth,” he said quietly.45
“Do you really like Alicia?” Justin asked seriously. Cameron laughed.46
“Yes, I do.” Cameron replied honestly. Alicia got the feeling again. She felt like she was going to throw up. 47
“Anna!” Cameron pointed excitedly. 48
“Dare,” Anna whispered back. 49
“I dare you to tell Alicia a secret she doesn’t know about you.” Alicia winked at Cameron. He was always trying to help.50
“Okay!” Anna leaned over to Alicia. “I secretly liked Tyler while you liked him- but only for a while!” She whispered. Alicia played a shocked face, but she already knew that. Alicia didn’t say anything while Anna took her turn.51
“Alicia, truth or dare?”52
“Dare!”53
“I dare you to . . . break up with Cameron right now.” Anna laughed. Alicia never broke a dare. But she liked her hot boyfriend. 54
“O’a! Cameron, we’re done.” Cameron’s mouth slowly opened. He looked down to avoid Alicia’s eyes. Then he lit back up.55
“Alicia, do you wanna get together?” Alicia nodded and he kissed her on the cheek.56
“Aww! That’s so adorable!” Anna said and pointed at Alicia, signaling it was her turn. 57
“Um, Justin?” 58
“Tru-dare.” Alicia smiled.59
“Okay, I dare you to go into that closet with Camille for five minutes. You can’t talk, and the lights will be off!” Alicia held in a rising giggle. “Go!” Camille’s waxed eyebrows formed together. 60
“What?” she asked as Justin grabbed her hand and whispered something in her ear. Camille nodded and the two of them walked into a closet.61
“Do you think they’re kissing?” Tarra whispered once they shut the door. 62
“No, Justin probably whispered to Camille that they’d whisper or something like that.” Cameron said as he patted the area in between his spread out legs. He had moved off the T&D pillow. Alicia climbed off the pillow too, and sat in between his legs. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. 63
“You two are so cute together!” Tarra cooed. 64
“Yeah!” Anna whispered. 65
“Your breath reeks!” Camille shouted from the closet.66
“Maybe he is trying to do something,” Cameron said. Alicia smiled. She loved that her boyfriend wasn’t perfect.67
“Alicia!” Anna waved to her. “C’mere.” Alicia leaned over Cameron’s legs and nodded. “Are you going to ask Cameron to the dance?” 68
“When is the dance?” Alicia asked, slowly pulling away.69
“Next Friday!” Anna said before Alicia pulled back all the way.70
“No, I’ll wait for my hair to dry.” Anna said, which meant “No, I’ll wait for him.”71
“Five minutes!” Camille came out of the closet. She had a hickey on her neck that she put her hand over to cover up. 72
“My turn,” Justin said and pointed to Tarra.73
“Dare! Duh!” she said. 74
“Okay! I dare you to kiss Cameron. On the lips.” Justin cackled. Tarra smiled. She leaned over to Cameron and planted a kiss on Alicia’s boyfriend’s lips. 75
Then, she simply pulled away and called out the next person’s name.76
How could she do that and not care? Alicia had only kissed Cameron on the lips once! She turned around to look at his face. If it was scared, he felt like Alicia (
if it was smiling he liked it (, if he felt nothing, then that was bad ( !!77Cameron looked like none of the feelings. He looked shocked. That was scared, right? It better, or else Tarra was about to get her butt kicked, again. 78
CHAPTER 279
“Do you think she likes him?” Alicia asked, throwing her hair into a bun. 80
“No, I doubt it.” Camille whispered.81
“But she kissed him on the lips! And didn’t care!” Alicia exclaimed loudly. 82
“She did too, but I bet that. . .” Anna started. She couldn’t finish. There was no reason that should’ve happened. 83
“Ok! Enoaff! I don’t care.” Alicia declared. Tarra walked out from the bathroom.84
“So, tell me!” Tarra threw herself on Alicia’s bed. 85
“Tell you what?” Alicia posed in front of the computer for a picture. She sent it to Cameron while she listened for Tarra’s answer.86
“Tell me who you like!” Tarra said as if it was obvious.87
“I like Cameron, duh!” 88
“I saw the way you looked at him. You don’t like him. You like someone else. Someone’s whose name is. . .” Alicia turned around to face Tarra. 89
“I do to like Cameron! It’s just, never mind.” Alicia looked back at the computer. Tarra didn’t push further.90
“Well, who do you like?” Camille piped up. 91
“I like. . .” Tarra paused and put her finger to her chin. “I think I like Brad.” 92
“Like Brad Pit?” Alicia asked from the computer. 93
“No, silly. Like Brad as in Brad Nelson. Isn’t he like the captain of the football team?” 94
“Nope. That’s my Cameron!” Alicia said happily, trying not to sound jealous. 95
“Okay, but I think Brad is totally cute!” 96
“What about hot? Is he hot, or is he cute?” Anna looked down at her nails.97
“Like, is he hot as in ‘smoking’, cute as in ‘not quite hot, but close’, or cute like ‘puppy-dog cute, but not actually liking quality cute?’” Camille asked, leaning in for emphasis. 98
“You guys have seen him. What do you think?” Tarra turned away.99
“Well, he’s your crush, what do you think?” Alicia asked nonchalantly. Inside though, she loathed Tarra. She now liked her own crush, plus Alicia’s boyfriend. That foolhardy girl!100
“I think he’s the first definition of cute. I mean, he doesn’t look as good as Cameron, but he’s not like Justin either.” After seeing Camille’s face, Tarra added, “JK!” Alicia was still shocked though. Tarra had just said Cameron was hot! Her boyfriend was hot! That was horrible! It was like admitting that she liked Cameron! 101
Alicia turned around. “So do you like Cameron?” she asked. 102
“No! I just told you I liked Brad!” 103
“Liked? As in past tense? So in ten seconds you-”104
“No! I like Brad!” Tarra shouted. Alicia didn’t move. Tarra had cut her off and then yelled at her. 105
“Ehmigod! I’m so sorry!” Tarra blushed and then turned away. 106
Alicia turned back to her computer. She pushed up her ample inadequate cleavage, and then typed random things under Microsoft Word. 107
“Lalalalala! I’m bored!”108
“Do you think Tarra likes Cameron?”109
“No!!!”110
“I like pie!” 111
The last one wasn’t true. There were waaay too many calories in pie. 112
The silence became overwhelming. 113
“Remember at the T&D session. I said I didn’t like Cameron, he’s not my type.” Tarra said just above a whisper. Alicia still didn’t turn around. 114
“Well, you kissed him,” Alicia sighed. No one took notice of what she said. 115
“I have a ton of gossip to tell you!” Camille called out blissfully, as if the battle wasn’t being fought. 116
“First, remember Lauryn? Well she totally said she was going to take us down.”117
“Yeah right!” Alicia called from the computer.118
“I know, seriously!” Camille added. “Anyway, um, let’s see, oh and Lauryn is dating . . .” Camille whispered something.119
“What?!” Alicia shouted as loud as she could. Everyone snickered.120
“Tell-er,” Camille said. Alicia pulled away.121
“Tell me what?” 122
“What?” Camille scrunched her eyebrows together. 123
“You said ‘tell-er,’ that either means ‘tell her’ or ‘teller.’ I’m sure its not teller.” 124
“I actually said Tyler, but I like what-”125
“Say what?” Alicia asked and turned back around to face the Chic Hits.126
“Ooh, I like that!” Camille exclaimed and stood up. “And I really have to pee. Brb!” Alicia held up her hand, but Camille didn’t stop. She ran out of the bedroom.127
Alicia turned back to the computer. 128
“Do you think Lauryn really likes Tyler?” She wrote.129
“No!!”130
“I hate pie!” 131
“Whaz up?”132
“IDK, my bff Jill? IDK my bff Rose?” 133
“Do you think Lauryn really likes him?” Anna asked, breaking the silence. 134
“Doubt it!” Alicia sang as Camille walked in. 135
“Ok, I have more gossip!”136
“Spill,” Tarra shouted, and then remembered that she was in trouble. Tarra looked back at the ground. 137
“Ok! Jack is dating Emily, and-”138
“The red haired girl with the flat chest,” Anna added.139
“And the crazy zits all over her face!” Alicia added.140
“No, just below her chin and on her forehead!” Anna shook her head.141
“Yeah, that girl,” Camille bit her bottom lip, “and Emily is going to break up with him!” Alicia smiled as she faced her computer. 142
“Anything else?” Alicia asked sweetly. 143
“Oh, yeah, there is something else. It’s about you, Alicia.” Alicia didn’t turn around.144
“What is she talking about?” Alicia typed. 145
“Really, I really want to know. But I can’t sound jealous or whatever it’s called. Um. . . it’s called, too ask-y. I have to act like I don’t care.” Alicia bit her lip. She didn’t comment.146
“I guess you don’t want to know.” Camille sighed. 147
“Should I turn around? YES!” Alicia turned around. “Sorry, really important IM. Continue.” Alicia moved her hands in a circular motion. 148
“Well, who wants pie?” She stood up. 149
“Cah-meal, what are you doing?” Alicia asked. 150
“Getting pie,” Anna stood up and so did Tarra. 151
“Yum, yum,” Tarra moved her hand around her stomach. 152
Ring! Wha-oh! 153
Ring! Yeah, yeah!154
Ring! Su-155
“Yello?” Tarra smiled once she listened to who had called. “Brad! Really . . . yes!” She squealed. “Uh-hun . . . no! Seriously? Thanks, babe! Yeah . . . okay. Bye!”156
“Babe? Are you two, like,” Alicia leaned forward.157
“Yes!” Tarra jumped up and down. 158
“Wow!” Alicia hugged Tarra. She was instantly forgiven.159
CHAPTER 3160
“Oh. My. God!” Alicia screamed as loud as she could. All three girls ran over to her. 161
“What’s wrong?” Tarra huffed. 162
“Did you see a…” Camille began. Alicia sucked in her lips and squinted her eyes together. 163
“Yes,” Alicia took a deep breath and held in the tears. She pointed to a red bump on her forehead in between her perfectly waxed eyebrows.164
“That thing’s huge!” Anna whispered. 165
“I know!” Alicia put her hand over it and turned away from the mirror. “How did I get it?”166
“I don’t know, but give me a minute.” Anna pulled out her Blackberry and searched for “zit.”167
“Okay, it can be caused by dirty pores,” Alicia coughed.168
“Yeah, right!” 169
“I’m here!” Justin ran in with a jacket over his arm. “What’d I miss?” He sat down next to Justin on the suede couch.170
“Alicia has a-rash. On her cheek. Really bad,” Tarra said. Justin nodded and pulled Camille onto his lap.171
Alicia looked at Anna to tell her to continue. 172
“Junk food, lack of water,” Alicia shook her head. 173
“Anything else?”174
“Lack of sleep?” Anna shrugged.175
“No, I get eleven hours a sleep a night.” Alicia put her head back on the pillow and shut her eyes. Cameron was so going to break up with her.176
“And stress,” Anna looked at Alicia. Alicia looked up. 177
“Stress?” Alicia bit the inside of her mouth. She was so stressed. Keeping up with a boyfriend and a boyfriend stealer were a lot of work. 178
Anna and Camille both knew the culprit. 179
“How do you get rid of stress?” Alicia asked anxiously. 180
“I’m looking, I’m looking,” Anna mumbled. “Here’s one called the StressEraser. It . . . sounds good.”181
“How much?” Alicia put her head back down on the pillow. 182
“What?” Anna scrolled down.183
“How much is the ‘stress eraser?’” Alicia looked at Anna. 184
“300,” Anna hit some buttons. 185
“Too cheap. How ‘bout we just find a- um, rash taker away-er.” 186
“Okay!” Anna hit some more buttons. “Here, it’s called Zeno. It is 257 dollars, but is electronic and will ‘get rid of your pimple in less than 24 hours.’” Alicia screamed. 187
“Rash! I meant rash!” 188
“You have a pimple?” Justin asked, standing up. “Ew, no one gets pimples, no one popular that is.” 189
“Shut up Justin! It’s Friday. That means I have three days left ‘till it has to be gone. On Monday, there will be no zit. Swear.” Justin shook his head. 190
“Cameron, my man, are you gonna take this? Are you going to watch your woman pop zits?” 191
Cameron looked deep in thought. “I’d rather not. Sorry, Alicia, I’m going to head home.” 192
“Okay,” Alicia watched Cameron stand up and go over to his girlfriend. 193
“Bye, babe.” Cameron kissed Alicia on the lips. 194
“’Bye,” Alicia sighed. She hugged Cameron and gazed at Cameron as he walked out the door. 195
“Okay, buy me both.” She said. 196
“Both the Stress Eraser and Leno?” Camille asked. 197
“Zeno! Yes, buy them. Now, and also buy that stuff. Proactiv, is it called? Buy anything. I’m on a $1,000 limit. So buy now! Select one day shipping, and make sure it gets here Ay-sap. I can’t have this thing on my forehead on Monday. Not with Justin and Cameron here.” 198
“Agreed.” Camille, Anna, and Tarra all declared. 199
CHAPTER 4200
Boxes and stuffing filled Alicia’s room. 201
“Okay, so this one is the,” Camille walked around the corner from the bathroom and into Alicia’s room, “Wow! That thing is huge!” Alicia looked toward the sky. 202
“I know,” She squeaked. 203
All of the girls crowded around her. 204
“Which one are you going to try first?” Anna asked. 205
“This one,” Alicia pulled out a green and red striped one. “Ahl-vah-raz? Here help me, Anna.” Anna pulled some wrapping paper off of the bottle, squirted some on Alicia’s hand, and helped her hind the zit. 206
“Okay, it says ‘Apply 1-3 times daily. Do not wash off for desired affects. Blah, blah, blah. It says that it should start working within five to seven days. What?’” Alicia sighed. 207
“Next. . .” She pointed to another box. “Open that one!” Camille reached in the box. Stuffing peanuts went flying as Camille pulled out a small, handheld electronic device. 208
“This looks high-tech.” Alicia cried and pushed the instructions into Tarra’s hands. 209
“Um. . . Espanol, Français, English. Okay, press the green tip to the pimple.” Alicia nodded. “Press the red button.” Alicia pushed the button, “Now turn the device and press the blue tip to the pimple.” Alicia pressed the blue tip to her pimple. Her skin felt tingly and it burned. 210
“Ow!” Alicia accidentally threw the device across the room. “Oops! It burned me!” Alicia said in a childish tone. “Let’s try, hmm, that one!” Alicia pointed to another box.211
“That one,” Alicia grabbed a silver bottle. 212
“Ugh! Alicia, this is number thirty three. Can we pleeeease stop?” Camille asked and threw herself onto Alicia’s bottle-and-electronic-covered bed. 213
“No!” Alicia screamed. “This stupid zit has to be gone by Monday!” 214
“But it’s still Saturday! And it’s almost midnight!” Camille stood up. “I’m leaving!” With that, Camille marched out of the room.215
“Cah-meal!” Alicia cried. Anna stood up.216
“Yeah, really Alicia. Can we please do something fun?” 217
“Please?” Tarra asked. 218
“Okay, I guess.” Alicia walked out of the room with Anna and Tarra following her. 219
Camille was already in Alicia’s living room watching TV. 220
“Next up on ‘Pimp My House,’ Susiana gets her fifties home updated.” 221
“Oh, hi! You finally came out of that pit?” Camille giggled. “J-K!” Alicia sat down. 222
“Seriously, Camille, this is no laughing matter. Our popularity is on stake here.” Alicia placed her hands on her hips. 223
“Puh-lease Alicia! No one cares! That’s why they have such thing as ‘concealer!’” Camille yelled while facing the screen. She turned it up to seventy two. The noise screamed throughout the whole room. 224
“Cah-meal! Turn it down!” Alicia, Anna, and Tarra covered their ears. 225
Seventy one. Seventy. Sixty four. 226
“Thank you!” Anna shouted, but kept her ears covered. “I’m tired!” 227
“What?” Alicia flipped around. “Tired?”228
“Tired? I meant bathroom. I’m, I have to go to the bathroom!” Anna ran down the hall.229
“And my hair is a mess! G-to-g!” Tarra followed Anna. Alicia glared at the back of Camille’s head. 230
Don’t get mad, don’t get mad, don’t get, I’m MAD! Alicia picked up a pillow and threw it at Camille. 231
“Ah-leesha!” Camille laughed and picked up the pillow and threw it back at Alicia playfully. 232
“Camille! Stop! It isn’t funny!”233
“So you threw a pillow to hurt me?” Camille put on a puppy-dog face to be funny, but then got serious. “I can’t believe you’d hurt a bff! Look,” Camille picked up her jacket. “I have to go. My mom’s taking me to Target.” She held up her hand. “Don’t say anything. ’Bye Alicia.” Camille ran out the window-door. 234
Alicia stared after her. 235
“What happened?” Anna ran out of the hall. She pulled off a shoe and threw it against the wall. 236
“What was that?” Tarra laughed. Anna giggled. Alicia stared. 237
“What-” Alicia held up her hand. Anna sat down. 238
“Shush! Look, Camille and I had a teensy-weenie fight. Big whoop. You two say nothing and it will be ‘big whoop.’ Got it? Good,” Alicia sighed. “No big deal,” she murmured.239
No one commented.240
Hot, hot, hot like that.241
But it’s not, not-242
“What?” Alicia growled.243
“Bad time?” A sweet voice asked. Alicia gasped.244
“Cameron?” Tarra asked.245
“I’m sorry babe,” Alicia turned her back on her friends. 246
Tarra and Anna nodded. 247
“Justin and Camille wanted to know if we wanted to go to the movies.”248
“Camille?” Alicia asked hopefully.249
“Not really, just Justin.”250
“Well, I’m gonna call Camille. Bye!” Alicia hung up on Cameron. 251
“778,”252
“432,” Tarra sang.253
“339,” Anna smiled.254
“Six!” They all shouted and Alicia hit “send.”255
“Ello?” Camille sang. 256
“Hi Camille, it’s,”257
“Alicia, yeah, I have caller ID. What?” Really. What?258
“Um, well, remember before you went and got pie, you said that there was gossip about me. What was it?” Alicia coughed. 259
“You, yeah. . . duh!” 260
“What?” Alicia pulled away from the two girls that were pressed up against the phone. “Duh? What?” 261
“Yeeeesah!” Camille yelled. 262
“What are you talking about?” Alicia yelled. 263
“Bye-bye!” Camille hung up. Issues much?264
“What did she say?” GO AWAY!265
“Really, what did she say?” NOTHING!266
“Did she diss you?” NO!267
“What did she say?” 268
“OCD much?” Alicia shouted. Anna and Tarra sulked away. “Look, all she did was say stuff to her boyfriend. She apologized and then said bye! K? Now go away!”269
“Ok,” Anna whispered and looked at her nails. Tarra swallowed and looked to her new Coach shoes. 270
“Ehmigod, Alicia, your butt’s vibrating!” Alicia shot Tarra a look and pulled out the phone. Camille. . . 271
“Yes Ms. I’ll-hang-up-on-you?” Alicia bit the inside of her mouth. No fighting. 272
“Stop it!” Camille giggled.273
“Camille! What the,” Alicia gripped herself. “Flip are you doing?” 274
“Justin, stop!” 275
“JUSTIN STOP!” Alicia shouted through the phone. The giggling on the other end stopped. 276
“Alicia, see look at you. Obsessed much?” That was her thing! Camille couldn’t copy it!277
“Yeah, what did they say?” Alicia pushed Anna away. Anna smiled and tried for another go at the phone. But Anna and Tarra both knew to stay quiet. 278
“They said-”279
“Wait, who’s ‘they’?” 280
“Alicia, I thought you knew?”281
“No, tell me!!”282
“The 7th graders, 8th graders, and 6th graders,” Alicia swallowed. That many people saying bad stuff about her?283
“Oh, k. Ok. Yeah. Okay. Just tell me!” Alicia sat down on the couch and buried her head so Tarra and Anna couldn’t hear. 284
“They all said that you were,” Beep! Beep! “-suh.” 285
“What? Can you repeat that?” Alicia pressed her ear against the phone.286
“God! I said that you were l-” Beep! Beep! Beeeep! “-uh.” Alicia threw off the pillow and ran into the bathroom.287
“Look, I have to go,” Camille sounded annoyed, “Bye.” The line went dead. NO! What had the world said about her?288
Alicia looked at her phone289
Incoming call from. . .290
(778) 432-3748291
“Cameron”292
Alicia’s heart jumped to her stomach. 293
“He-he-hello?” Alicia sat on the toilet lid. 294
“Hey, why did you hang up on me?” His voice sounded hurt. 295
“Camille is mad at me. I had to call her. Sorry.” 296
“So are you coming?” There was a huff. 297
“Cameron? Babe? Are you okay?” A beep sounded over the line. 298
He was gone. Alicia hung up and took a deep breath. 299
“Ehmigod! Alicia are you okay?” Tarra pounded on the door.300
“Alicia! Please let us in!” Anna’s voice sounded distance, but Alicia opened the door anyway. She threw her cell phone against the wall. It crashed with a Bang! and splattered into pieces. 301
“Alicia!” Anna whispered, fearing her parents would hear. 302
“Oh get over it Anna! You’ll deal, and I will too. Without a phone.” Alicia walked into her room and slapped the door.303
“What was that?” She heard Tarra ask. 304
“Camille and Cameron,” someone sighed. Alicia screamed into her pillow. When she pulled her head out, she took deep breaths. Biting her now-chapping lips, she opened up her computer’s IM screen. 305
For the first time in years, no one instantly IM’ed her. For over ten minutes. Alicia actually had to IM someone because no one (even though 98 out of 200 of the 7th graders at her school were on) IM’ed her!306
Hotgurl- Hi Jack307
jackid- I thought u were never talking 2 me again308
Hotgurl- Well, I just decided to cuz I was bored309
Hotgurl- Hey Lauryn310
Hottaaa!- What do you want?311
Hotgurl- I said hi!312
Hotgurl- Hi Tyler313
Ty-Tyler- G2g, bi314
Hotgurl- You are a loser!315
Ty-Tyler- Yeah, and that’s why you are left IMing me cuz no one wants to talk to you. Yeah, ok, whatever. 316
Alicia’s throat burned and her eyes watered. She put her hands over her face and turned away from the computer. She bit the inside of her lip and tried no to cry. Important people were in the other room, the important people being people who looked up to her and-317
“Hey, since you’re not coming out, I’m leaving. Bye,” Anna’s hand pounded on the door once and then stopped. Alicia heard Tarra say “bye” and then a door slam. 318
“Get your lazy butt out of that room, Alicia.” Tarra pounded on the door. 319
“Excuse me? You do not talk to me like that!” Alicia opened the door. Tarra had her hands on her hips. Alicia rubbed her red eyes and looked at Tarra. 320
“No, I do talk to you like that. You are just a girl, who goes to my school, and who is my friend. You are losing your popularity faster than you can blink, and no one cares about you anymore. That’s why no one would talk to you on IM. That’s right I saw the IM. Even Tyler knew the truth.”321
“But-”322
“No! Think about it. No one talks to you, and when they do, it is only the people who hate you. So, I’m going to leave and let you think.”323
“Tarra-”324
“Bye Alicia.”325
“Tarra, wait,” Tarra shook her head. 326
“Bye Alicia,” She turned on her heel and marched away. The door slammed loudly. 327
Alicia slammed her own door and threw a pillow across the room. She took a book off of her bookcase and threw it at the door.328
“No! No! That’s not true! NO!!” The blonde teenager jumped onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. She cried herself slowly asleep. 329
CHAPTER 5330
It had gotten bigger. Much bigger. Way too much bigger. It was going to be nearly impossible to get rid of before Monday. 331
“How do you get rid of a zit?” Alicia asked her mom Saturday morning. 332
“Pop it!” She answered and then left for work. 333
“Pop it?” Alicia went upstairs and looked in the mirror. It was bigger than a pea. “Pop it,” Alicia chuckled to herself. She picked up her home phone and dialed her mom’s cell phone. 334
“Ya!” Her mom answered sweetly.335
“Hey mom, it’s,” 336
“Alicia, hurry up. I have a meeting in two minutes,” The sweet voice got harsh. 337
“How do you ‘pop it’?” Alicia asked, trying to sound bored, like she was looking at her nails. 338
“Alicia! I have to go!” 339
“Raven! Answer the question!” Alicia shouted, leaning forwards toward the mirror. 340
“Okay, just squeeze it. I have to go Alicia. Good bye, I will see you tonight.”341
“Bye mom.” Alicia pressed END. Looking in the mirror, Alicia squeezed the pimple until it turned red. Eventually, pus started coming out. Alicia screamed and put a towel on it. She washed off her hands and ran into her room. She flipped on her IM screen and then changed into a light blue tank top and light blue Sofies. 342
17 New Instant Messages343
Yes! People were talking to her again. 344
2 Camille345
1 Anna346
1 Tarra347
5 Jack348
2 Lauryn 349
1 Meg350
2 Tyler 351
3 Cameron352
No wannabes? No one new? Only haters and friends? Maybe her life was really over!353
Camille-354
Hey, what is up with you? You have changed so much. And you stood Cameron, Justin, and I up last night! Thanks a lot. You aren’t that popular, just snobby and selfish. 355
-Camille356
Anna-357
What was up with you and Tarra yesterday? And then you and Camille? And you didn’t answer the door? G2G, ttyl. 358
-Anna359
Alicia stopped reading. She closed out and then sat down on her bed. She leaned backwards and let herself drift to sleep. 360
Chapter 6361
Meg taped at the window again. What was her problem? Anna opened the window. 362
“What the . . . heck is your problem, Meg?”363
“You!” Meg ran away. So, after tapping on the window for sixteen minutes (and twenty seven seconds), Meg had run away. What the heck?364
A paper fluttered into the air. Anna grabbed the paper. On it, there was tiny handwriting. Alicia’s handwriting. 365
Dear Anna, 366
Look, it wasn’t my fault. Why are you even mad at me? Go yell at Camille or something because I didn’t do anything. You are the only one still mad at me. If you want to apologize, then email, text, call, or whatever. If you don’t before seven PM, then you will officially be out of the Chic Hits. Later. 367
Alicia Sliv368
Anna stared at the paper. She read it over and over again until she had memorized the whole thing. 369
Out of the Chic Hits?370
Out of the Chic Hits?371
Out of the Chic Hits?372
Laughing softly, she checked the clock. 373
Six forty five. Fifteen minutes to make a decision. All by herself, or with the Chic Hits. They were her friends. 374
But she could make new ones. 375
Anna walked back and forth pacing for almost ten minutes.376
She didn’t care. She’d see Alicia again tomorrow to tell her or “call or whatever”. Eventually she’d find out. 377
She would find out eventually if everyone still had apologized. She would also find out if she would still be in the Chic Hits because she had decided not to call or text or “whatever” Alicia. Whatever happened would happen tomorrow. 378
“OK, I did it.” Meg smiled as she pulled up to Alicia’s curb. Her pink little bike still had a horn from when she was twelve.379
“Thanks.” Alicia handed Meg a box, which upon receiving, Meg smiled slyly. 380
She peeked inside. Seventy two bottles of lip gloss. “Is it all here?”381
“Yep,” Meg dropped her bike. Spreading her arms wide, she prepared for a hug. But it never came.382
“Later. P-S, I hope you don’t trip on the drive way. It’s really-” SLAM! The door shut and Meg turned around. 383
“Sure, but. . . No! Please don’t! Anna isn’t. . . Really? . . . That’s great.” Alicia’s voice echoed out around the house. Meg set down the box, and she ran toward the door. 384
“Ew! She’s dating who? Josef? Ugh! He is so ugly. And . . . yeah. I can’t believe she’s . . . moving. That sucks.” Meg backed up. She tripped over the bump on the driveway and fell on her butt. 385
“Hey, are you ok?” Alicia opened the screen door leading to Meg. Meg’s face turned bright, and she felt it heat up even hotter. It burned as she stood up and spoke.386
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Grabbing her bike and the lip gloss, Meg peddled as fast as she could home to spread the news that Anna was moving. 387
Moving? The Chic Hits were over? Meg could now definitely be a part of the Chic Hits. Finally. 388
Had Meg overheard her or something? Maybe she had just wanted attention.389
Either way, here she was, on her butt after having tripped over the bump that Alicia had specifically warned her about. 390
Sighing, she watched Meg run over and grab her bike and box, and then peddle away. The blond teenager walked up to the curb. She was wearing a Calvin Klein t shirt, with Ralph Lauren casual trousers. There was a pause in her breath as she realized that it was true. Anna was moving. 391
Or was she? That was what Grace had said, and Grace used to be the most popular girl in school, so she was good at gossip.392
But gossip was also rumors. It may not be true, and that was why Grace was the loser now; also because she had gained thirty pounds, gained glasses, and braces over the 2007 summer break. But still . . . 393
The door slammed shut as Alicia ran inside. She opened up the door to her room and checked out her mirror. 394
It was getting smaller! It was still noticeable, but much less noticeable than before. 395
Alicia took her yoga breath, pushed back her hair, and picked up her phone. 396
“Hey, it’s Alicia. Is Grace there?”397
“Um, this is Grace.” 398
“Oh, hi Grace,” talking to a loser made Alicia feel weird. Almost like she needed to curl up in a corner to make sure no one finds out. Unhappily, she remained in the same position with her stomach curdling from the other person’s voice. 399
“You lied! She is so not leaving.” An angry voice took over although it was a total lie. It was working well, too. From the deep breath on the other side and the lack of words, Alicia guessed that it was true. 400
At the top of her voice, Alicia shouted and hung up. It was true. She had lied!401
Oh my gosh! That was so mean! She had, she had, LIED! Why had she lied? Why? She didn’t even have a reason! That was horrible! Worse than for gossip! That was brutal gossip, but it wasn’t even real!402
Alicia set the big telephone down. She wished she hadn’t thrown her phone. 403
It was now Saturday, late Saturday. She only had two days to get rid of her zit. Added stress was not going to help. But if she sat around and didn’t strive for truths, then that would add more stress and more things she would have to do on Monday. But the zit would be gone. 404
So, Alicia set off to try to relax. Yeah right. 405
“That is so funny!” Tarra picked up a book and hit Adam on the arm playfully. They both laughed and Tarra took another swig of water. When she put it down, Adam grabbed her water and drank it. He gurgled the water and sang the alphabet. Tarra laughed, and Adam coughed up the water.406
“Tarra!” He laughed. Tarra looked at him, as he took some more of her water. His features were chiseled and soft. His brown eyes, blond hair, and beautiful lips were all amazing. 407
But they were only friends. Tarra couldn’t make a move like she’d normally do. She couldn’t do anything she’d normally do. He thought of her as a friend, and nothing more. Secretly, though, she loved him. 408
“Ello?” Adam waved his hand in front of her face. Tarra stopped thinking and looked at him. 409
“Oh, hi. Sorry, I was thinking. Are you coming to Vegas with us?”410
“Us who?” Adam screwed the lid off of the water bottle. 411
“Us as in me and my parents; hopefully you too.” Tarra pretended like it wasn’t a big deal. But it was. She wanted him to come so badly. 412
“When are we going? ‘Cause I’m kind of busy.” Tarra looked at him again. 413
“Next Friday, and we get back the following Saturday, as in December 12th as the leave date, and we get back the 20th.” Adam nodded as if considering. 414
“Yeah, I’m not busy.”415
“Really? Yeah, that’s great,” Tarra wanted to cheer. Her insides flipped over themselves, but she remained calm. “We’re staying at The Palms, and we’re staying in this room called like the Two Story Sty Villa or Sky Villa or something like that. It’s pretty cool.” Tarra was so excited though. It was the most expensive hotel in the US. She had remembered the Forbes article. 416
Stay in the 9,000-square-foot, three-bedroom Two Story Sky Villa at The Palms, and you'll receive the royal treatment, including access to a cantilevered Jacuzzi with clear views of the Strip, a butler, poker table, private gym and media room. The princely per-night price? $25,000, landing it atop our list of the world's costliest suites. 417
And on the site it had included all of the features:418
■ Terrace with Outdoor Pool Sunbathing Area419
■ Indoor Water Features420
■ Glass Elevator421
■ Cantilevered Jacuzzi® Tub422
■ Steam Room 423
■ Sauna424
■ Exercise Room425
■ Dining Room426
■ Media Room427
■ Massage Room428
■ Poker Table429
■ Pantry430
■ Full Wet Bar431
■ Espresso Machine432
■ Fireplace433
■ Three Bedrooms434
■ Rotating Bed435
■ Pop-Up Plasma TVs436
■ iPod® Hi-Fi437
■ Creston Controlled TVs and Drapes438
■ Over 9,000 Sq. Feet439
It was so cool. No, it was hot! And Adam was there too. What could make it better? If it was December 12th already. 440
But, no, she would have to wait six more days.441
Camille pushed Justin away. 442
“And take your bag, and your picture! You…ugh,” Camille shoved him out and then slammed the door and leaned against it. Her silky hair was plastered to her head. Gloomy tears dripped down her face. 443
“Baby, this is all a misunderstanding. I don’t like anyone else! Really!” Camille opened the door. 444
“Oh really? Explain the picture? Another girl at Chuck-E-Cheeses with you! Explain,” Justin’s face softened as though it would be easy. 445
“This was last year. Her name is Stephanie. We saw each other briefly.” Justin looked to Camille to see if it had solved the problem. 446
“Then Chuck-E has some date errors.”447
“Wha—”448
“It says here that this was taken December 2nd, 2008. Explain!” 449
“Yeah, ‘date errors.’”450
“Justin! Vous fils d’une chienne!” She had picked up some French from Alicia. It really helped in times like this, especially since she couldn’t say the word aloud. “That is such a lie! God. I knew you were too good to be true. Just do me a favor.” 451
“What?” 452
Camille kissed him. She leaned back slowly. Shutting her eyes, she sucked in her lips and rolled them around. Then she licked them. Biting down on her lower lip, she asked, “Do you taste her? Do you feel her? Do you think of her when you kiss me?” Camille put her hand on Justin’s shoulder. “Do you really like this Stephanie?” Camille looked at the picture. The smiling girl had long, brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had full lips and a small nose. Her boobs were huge. 453
“No!” Justin yelled.454
“Then you’re an idiot.” Camille dropped the picture, slammed the door, and locked it again. She ran up the curving stairs up to her room. Every picture of her ex and her together had been shredded within five seconds. And then she sat down on her bed. 455
By herself. All alone. 456
Chapter 7457
The wind whistled through the empty tree branches, and the branches cast a long shadow over Alicia’s face. She couldn’t stand to consider being a loser. She had worked so hard for her position as “most popular girl in school” and she couldn’t even think about it getting taken away all because of one, stupid, retarded zit. 458
Puh-lease. 459
Alicia turned to the Jacuzzi that sat in her backyard. The water bubbled over the edge, asking Alicia to come in. Turning in the opposite direction, Alicia saw the trees around her: bare and lifeless. She could not be like that in two days. 460
Alicia stripped down to her pink poka-dot bathing suit and rubbed her shoulder. After crying, she had gone to the gym in Juicy sweats. Then, she had spent the rest of the day working out. It seemed to have worked, too. She now had tone-r abs, and thinner arms and face. But her shoulder had begun aching as soon as she had done fifty pull ups, fallen, and then hit her shoulder on the rock-hard ground.461
After stepping in, her skin seemed to melt away. The bubbled smashed up against her chin gently, and the warm jet pushed against her back. 462
“Hi,” a voice called. Veronica stepped out of the bushes. 463
Veronica was her perfect sister. She had the perfect body, perfect grades, perfect boyfriend, perfect life, and the (cough) perfect little sister.464
“Hey,” Alicia turned around to face the “perfect” woman. She was wearing a light blue bathing suit that was lined with black lace. Her dark hair cascaded around her light face, and her tanned body was outlined in the black of the night. Alicia wanted to puke. 465
“Are you still dating that guy, Casey?” Veronica climbed into the Jacuzzi, and turned her head to the side away from Alicia. 466
“Cameron? Yeah,” how did Veronica do that? She acted like she didn’t care (even though she did), and had a way of convincing people just that. “And you’re dating… Brad?” ‘Nope, Chad’ was what Veronica was going to say. But she didn’t say anything. 467
“Von?” Veronica turned her head slightly to look at Alicia. “Are you still dating Chad?” Veronica nodded slightly, and then grabbed the wine glass that was half-filled with Rosemary Red Wine. 468
“Yes,” Alicia nodded too, like she understood. Veronica smiled her four thousand dollar smile, with full blood-red lips. Alicia smiled her own thin-lipped smile. 469
“So, Von, how are you and Chad?” Veronica took a drink of the wine, and then set it back down. 470
“Great, you?”471
“Good, I guess,” Veronica wasn’t even listening. She had turned back to their woodsy backyard. “And her head disappeared!” Alicia added, to see if her sister was even listening. 472
“That’s great,” Veronica looked back at Alicia, who smiled graciously. “I’m going to get out. It’s getting pretty hot in here, and Chad’s moving into the guest house. He’ll be here any minute, and I’d rather not be pruning in a hot tub when he arrives. Bye, ‘Lesha.” Veronica climbed out, with balmy water dripping from her toned abs and thighs. 473
“Bye,” Alicia looked to the sky as, out of the corner of her eye, Veronica grabbed her mini tote and cover-up and then walked away. Alicia looked down. The wine glass sat in front of her. She’d tasted wine before, but she had never tasted the one hundred dollar a bottle Rosemary Red Wine. Alicia scooted over and picked up the wine glass. She could see her sister’s lip marks on the glass, but Alicia didn’t care. She took a light sip. 474
It tasted like heaven. Sweetness and blandness mixed together. It was cool, and tasted amazing. Alicia took another sip. 475
“Mind if I have a taste?” A male voice startled Alicia, but she swallowed the Rosemary Red Wine. 476
“Um, yeah, yeah,” Alicia set the glass down and turned around. 477
It was Chad. His chiseled features, and masculine abs, not to mention is soft hair, made Alicia want to fall for him. 478
I have a boyfriend; Alicia kept reminding herself, a nice boyfriend, boyfriend! Don’t do it! I have a boyfriend! Alicia wanted to yell at Chad, make him go away before she did something she would regret. But she could control herself. After taking a deep breath, she looked back at Chad. 479
“Do you mind if I join you? Veronica’s looking for me, but I don’t want to see her quite yet,” Alicia nodded calmly as Chad stepped in. 480
He’s your sister’s boyfriend. You have a boyfriend! Alicia rubbed her sore shoulder blade. 481
“Ooh, what happened? You have a huge bruise!” Chad’s face was sympathetic. He has to be nice because he is my sister’s boyfriend! She reminded herself. It didn’t work. 482
Alicia turned away. “I fell at the…” she let her voice drift, hoping not to attract too much attention to herself. 483
“At the…” Chad laughed. 484
“Sorry, at the gym.” Bring! Bring! “God, sorry, Chad, I have to get my phone. It’s really important,” Alicia jumped out of the hot tub, thanking god for the distraction. Chad turned to look at Alicia.485
“Alicia,” she stopped. What did he want? 486
“Yeah,” turning around slowly, Alicia sighed. 487
“I have a medical degree in physical therapy. I’m not actually into it, but my mom made me get it. I really want to be a teacher, but whatever.” He waved his hand away. “But, I could get rid of that. And if I can’t, I’ll tell you what muscle it is so you can go to a doctor. It’s really swollen.” The phone had stopped ringing. 488
“Fine,” Alicia sighed, trying to make it sound like a big deal, but she wanted him to touch her so badly…489
He’s your sister’s boyfriend. You have a boyfriend! Slowly, she climbed into the Jacuzzi. Chad gripped Alicia’s shoulder lightly and pulled her toward him. Then he carefully massaged the shoulder blade. 490
“Wow,” her breaths were heavy.491
“Okay, your infraspinatus and your,” his thumbs shoved right into the tender muscle.492
“Ouch!” Alicia pulled away and turned back to Chad, who was laughing. “What?”493
“That is definitely your teres minor. Man, that baby is puffed up!” Alicia’s heart disappeared. “baby”? Oh, god. 494
“Do you like Veronica?” Shut-up! 495
“Yeah, I do. Why?” Chad’s face was happy. Suddenly it got serious. “Do you like me?” Alicia didn’t say anything. “Oh, god, seriously? Alicia, you like me? You don’t even know me!” Chad jumped out of the mini-pool and grabbed his shorts.496
“Just so you know, I was going to ask her to marry me. Hope that’s okay with you,” Chad’s grim face looked towards the guest house. “I can’t believe you. Don’t talk to me! All I did was touch your infraspinatus muscle, and you love me?”497
“I didn’t say anything!” 498
“But you did, with your face. Alicia, don’t say anything.” Chad walked to the guest house. 499
“I didn’t say anything!” Alicia shouted, “I didn’t say anything with my face either!” Grumbling, Alicia stood. She sucked down the last little bit of the Rosemary Red Wine and picked up her clothes. Alicia dried herself with the Hollister baby-tee, then marched up the stairs. 500
God. “I didn’t say anything,” Alicia looked back at the guest house. The lights were on, and she saw Chad kiss Veronica through the window. 501
“I didn’t even say anything.” Alicia said one last time, but who to she was not sure. 502
Chad? Veronica? Herself? No doubt she was convincing herself something she really needed convincing.503
“I don’t like you!” She shouted one last time before running up the steps to patio just outside her room, throwing the clothes on the floor, and then grabbing her iPhone to see who had called. 504
It had been important. It had been someone really important. It had been someone that would never have called her unless it had been very important. 505
She only had his number because her father had met him once. 506
Oh, god, she had missed a call from the President of the United States of America. 507
CHAPTER __508
“Wait, what?” Anna yelled into the phone. The President?509
“I know, right? Yeah, I was…talking to someone and he called. By the time I got to my phone, he was gone.” Alicia tripped over her words, spilling them out. 510
“What did he want?” Anna jumped onto her bed and sprawled back.511
Alicia gasped on the other end. “Don’t say that. For god’s sake, it’s the President! You make it sound like Justin or Tyler called.” 512
“Well, why did the President call? What did he want from you?” Anna didn’t try to sound mean, but Alicia gasped even louder.513
“Me? He called me! Isn’t that enough? I’m going to call him back right now. Just so you know-”514
“What?-”515
“-I’m hanging up on you now.”516
“Alicia-”517
“-Bye.” A loud beep buzzed, signaling the end of the conversation. 518
Alicia had told Anna everything. But, every time, she had skipped the part about who she had been talking to that had been too important to answer the call from the president.519
Alicia pressed end on the phone. Pressing it carefully and cautiously, Alicia pressed the call button and reviewed her previous calls. 520
And there it was, “President of the United States”. Alicia took a deep breath and pressed the call button again. There was a single ring, before someone answered. 521
“President’s office, this is Vicky. If you need the president, please leave you name and number, and message. If you have a reason, you will be called. If you do not, please do not leave a message. The president is very busy. Thank you, and have a nice day.” 522
“H-hi, my name is Alicia Silv, um, and the president called me and I was returning his call. I-I, um, missed the call, so he, I-I guess, knows my, uh, number, and yeah, so bye?” 523
“Wait!” A voice said as Alicia pulled the phone away from her ear. 524
“Uh, yes?” Alicia put the iPhone back to her ear. 525
“This is Vicky, and the president has been waiting for your call. You will be put through momentarily.”526
“Oh, okay,” there was a few moments of pausing, before a deep voice spoke. 527
“Hello, Alicia. This is the President of the United States. I was wondering if your father was around. He seems to have his phone off-” Alicia bit her bottom lip. She was talking to the leader of the free world! But she wanted to sound cool. 528
“I’m sorry, Alicia is not available, this is her secretary, would you like to speak to her,” Alicia faked a falsetto, “sir?” 529
“Oh, I thought this was Alicia, can you tell her I called?”530
“I can get her for you, sir.” Alicia picked at her thumbnail. Why wasn’t he requesting her yet?531
“Can you get her father? Mr. Chase Silv?” Alicia worked her eyebrows together. 532
“Hello?” Alicia spoke in her regular voice, hoping he’d believe that her “secretary” had gotten her. 533
“Oh, hello, Alicia is your father there?”534
“Yes, but may I ask why you called?” 535
There was a hesitation. “Yes, I was hoping your father could, um, join me in the White House.” Alicia stopped breathing. Live at the White House?536
“Okay, one second.” Alicia ran to her father and gave him her phone.537
“Who is it?” Her father pushed down his thin-rimmed glasses and glanced at Alicia, and sighing he said, “Is it one of your little- Mr. President?” The awe in his voice made Alicia want to laugh. But she was being serious. Nodding, she walked out of his office. 538
Jonathan, her new limo driver, walked by Alicia. “Hey, can you take me to the mall?” Alicia sat down on the bench seat. She spun it from side to side, and then looked at Mari. “And can you get me a Robskin yogurt? Did my mom get any more?”539
Mari nodded, but Jonathan sat down. “Why?” Jonathan sat down next to her. He was only in his twenties, so he was like an Abercrombie and Fitch model. But with more clothes. 540
“I have to pick out an outfit. Hasn’t daddy told you? We’re moving to the White House.” Alicia nonchalantly scooped out her yogurt. So maybe it wasn’t official. Big whoop. Jonathan didn’t need to know that. 541
“Oh really?” He laughed. “Okay, well then let’s go, Alicia.” Jonathan stood up. Although he was creepily hot, they were like siblings. He was like her big brother. 542
“Okay, Jonathan.” Together, they walked out to the limo. “Wait, I need to call some friends to tell them my plans. Go to Tarra’s house, then-”543
“Camille, and then Anna. I know. Ready?” 544
“Yes,” The girl smiled and shoved her purse between the two forward-facing seats. She pressed a button and the driver/passenger screen fell down. “Did you put any more Diet Coke in here?” 545
Jonathan looked through the rear view mirror. “Yeah, but save some, will ‘ya?” Alicia nodded. As he pulled up to each house, her friends climbed in. 546
Ding547
Ding548
Ding549
Ding550
“Hello?” Jonathan answered his phone. He held it to his chest. “Alicia, it’s for you.” Alicia hesitantly took the phone. 551
“Hello?”552
“Alicia?”553
“Daddy?”554
“Alicia, hi, I wanted to let you know that we are moving in a few days. The President offered me a job and-”555
“But, Daddy-”556
“Please, I hoped you understand. I guess not. I am getting two mill to go there. Does that make sense?”557
“Yeah, but Daddy, we have two million dollars. We have seven million dollars. Why do we need two more?”558
“Honey,” his voice was now commanding instead of asking, “we’re moving. I’ve…just wired two thousand dollars to your credit card. Go buy some clothes and shoes or whatever. Buy stuff for your friends, and be home before seven. Put me on speaker,” she pressed the speaker button, “Jonathan, get them back before seven.” 559
“Daddy! I don’t want to leave!” 560
“Have fun.” The dial tone rang out for everyone and Alicia hit the red end key and handed it back to Jonathan. 561
“Wait, you’re leaving? Like moving-leaving?” Camille’s mouth dropped. 562
“Since when?” Tarra cried. 563
Alicia shrugged. “Since, like, today, I guess. I don’t know.” She leaned her head back. “I don’t want to leave!” 564
“Hollister has that adorable new shirt there. It’s like forty dollars.” Tarra looked at the shirt longingly. 565
“But BeBe has its twin for twenty.” Camille smiled while Tarra looked down. 566
“I’m going to Hollister,” She said finally, and Camille looked away from the catalog. 567
“Why do you want to spend twenty dollars more for the same thing?” 568
“’Cause then I can say I bought it for twenty dollars more.”569
“But-”570
“You get it? Thought so,” Tarra smiled. Camille laughed. 571
“Okay… Alicia-are you coming?” Anna turned around. “Alicia, oh, come on! Do you seriously think that you’re going to leave? Puh-lease!” 572
Alicia frowned. “Nuh-uh! I bet we are going to! Ugh! I don’t know what to do!”573
Tarra gasped. Alicia not knowing what to do? That’s like Tarra not wanting to shop! She shuddered. Erase the thought, erase the thought! “Alicia, how ‘bout we just get some stuff. Let’s buy some clothes or whatever. Come on!” Tarra walked over to DKNY. 574
“Guys, I really want to come. But, I-I just can’t. I mean, like, I’m going to leave. I would so rather just talk. Shopping’s fun and all, but I don’t want to…”575
“Bite your tongue!” Tarra yelled and grabbed Alicia’s wrist.576
“Hey! Don’t touch me! Tarra, people are staring!” Tarra immediately let go. Alicia took a yoga-breath. 577
“Look, let’s go to Bebe, DKNY, and then maybe Abercrombie or Hollister. But let’s hurry. We’re leaving Saturday. I think. But really. Is our life only about shopping?”578
“Uh, yeah!” Anna shouted from in front of Abercrombie. 579
“Duh!” Tarra said, too. 580
“Really?” Alicia asked. Anna looked at Camille, and then they both shook their heads. 581
Tarra looked at them both. “Okay, maybe not, but seriously. What else are we going to do?”582
There was an eerie silence between the girls. Anna slowly crept toward Abercrombie’s girl section. 583
“Fine, let’s go.” Alicia walked ahead of the others who were staring. Today was getting pretty weird…584
“Your total comes to one thousand, two hundred and seventy four dollars and thirty one cents.” Alicia took a breath. The cashier should not be working for BCBG. She had lip stick on her front teeth. Her eye brows needed some serious waxing, and her outfit? Ew! Plaid baggy shorts and a grey poka dot tee do not match! He socks were almost knee length and her hair…disgusting! Split ends and poor make-up ruined her. 585
“Wow.” Alicia uttered, staring at the woman’s flat chest. 586
“Yeah, where’d you get all of the money? Steal it?” The woman said, taking Alicia’s credit card and swiping it through the credit card-swiper. Alicia typed in her pin (kiss!—AKA 43881)587
“Sure…” The woman stared. Slowly, the woman handed Alicia her receipt.588
“You’re spoiled aren’t you?” The woman’s raspy voice made Alicia stare back at the woman. 589
“You’re poor aren’t you?” Alicia took her receipt and walked away. The girls laughed with Alicia as they exited their final store. 590
“Alicia, that was evil!” Camille laughed. 591
“So was she!” Alicia said, and started laughing again. 592
After they stopped laughing, Alicia pulled out her iPhone. “Picture time!” She shouted, and all the girls huddled together. “Smile!” 593
Hey! Hey! Pick up! Hey! Hey! H-594
“Hello?” Alicia answered grumpily. Whoever had interrupted picture time was so going to pay.595
“Alicia, listen. Tarra texted me and told me you’re moving. Why, and where to?” Cameron. His soothing voice calmed Alicia’s nerves. 596
“Hi, Cameron. I’m moving to the White House ‘cause of my dad. He got a job as the President’s financial advisor.”597
“Oh. So you really are moving?” Cameron’s voice was hurt and that hurt Alicia. 598
“Yeah, but I’ll try to convince him otherwise. I always get my way.” Cameron laughed. 599
“Am I your way?” He questioned, still laughing. 600
“Yeah, yeah you are.” Alicia’s voice was blissful, and Cameron didn’t seem to notice. 601
“Okay, well we’ll have to meet up before you leave on—”602
“Saturday,” Alicia continued. Cameron sighed. 603
“Four days. Wow. I’ll call you later. You sounded in a hurry earlier. Bye, Alicia.” 604
“I wasn’t in a—” The dial tone hummed out from the speakers. “Bye Cameron.” She hit the end button. 605
Tarra, Camille, and Anna had all separated. 606
So much for picture time, Alicia thought grumpily. 607
“Alicia! Ovah heah!” A teenager shouted, waving her arms above her head.608
“Oh, hi Meg!” Alicia walked over to her. 609
“So, I heard someone was moving. Is there an opening in the Chic Hits?” Meg stuffed her hands in her pockets. 610
Alicia bit her lip. “No, that is so not true. Who told you that?” Liar! Alicia thought to herself. 611
“Seriously, though. I’m always open. Call me sometime.” Meg smiled and turned on her heel. 612
“Are you a les? That is such an old pick up line!” Meg stopped. Alicia watched Meg’s cheeks turning red. She watched as Meg tucked a blond hair behind her ear.613
“That is so gr-groh-gross. Um-uh, I am s-so not les! Uh, no…that’s di-dee-”614
“Save it. You are so les. I’ve got to catch up with my friends.” Alicia started walking, but stopped and turned around. Her face had a large smile. “Who aren’t bis or lesbians.” Alicia walked into Bebe.615
She grabbed a tan shirt and a tight skirt, both in size 1. “Room one.” Alicia picked up a card and walked into dressing room number one. 616
The phone rang. After two rings, Tarra picked up her phone. Alicia sighed. 617
“Where’d you guys go? I had to deal with Meg the lesbian. Ugh.” Tarra giggled. 618
“Sorry. I’ll meet you at the limo with all the shopping bags.” Tarra laughed again.619
“Why did you leave?” Alicia asked, her voice sounding more hurt than she meant to. “J-K. I’ll talk to you later.” She ended the conversation. 620
“Bye.” Her veins surged with energy. She kissed Cameron one more time, this one lasting only three seconds. “I’m going to miss you.” She said. Cameron looked into Alicia’s eyes. 621
“I’ve liked you for a long time. And when I finally get together with you, you move.” Cameron grasped the back of her head. “I’m going to miss you, Tarra.” Cameron kissed her again, but she pulled away. 622
“It’s Alicia, you-” Alicia backed up. “You don’t like me? What the… Cameron. Why did you just say that? Tarra…?” 623
“I-I didn’t mean it! Alicia! I didn’t mean it!” Cameron shouted as Alicia walked up to her house. The light flickered on, and Alicia realized it was over. No more kissing in the dark. They were over. 624
“So you were just thinking about Tarra as we kissed. That’s really reasonable.” Cameron grabbed her wrist. 625
“I’m sorry.” His eyes looked into hers, and Alicia took a breath. 626
“I’m sorry,” Alicia looked at the moon, “that you were such an idiot. Bye, Cameron.” Alicia stormed up the steps in her new dress from DKNY. Good bye Cameron. Good bye Chic Hits. Good bye New York.627
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