The Clique Read Online Free PDF Page B

adventures.
    “Shut up,” Dylan said. “At least I didn’t get felt up by the bra lady.”
    Alicia gave Dylan a wide-eyed look that was one part surprise and two parts amusement. “You promised you weren’t going to tell anyone.”
    “I didn’t think you meant
Massie,
” Dylan said. “Hey, Massie, don’t you think that was worth at least two gossip points?”
    “Sorry,” Massie said. “I wasn’t even listening.”
    Claire could tell by Massie’s sudden change in mood that she didn’t like feeling left out, almost like she took it personally when people had fun without her.
    “Didn’t you get something at the cosmetics counter?” Alicia added.
    Dylan shot her a “thanks a lot!” look that Claire noticed all the way from the backseat.
    “Oh yeah, I also got an Yves St. Laurent lip marker,” Dylan confessed.
    “Oh, like the one I said I wanted?” Massie said coolly. “Be careful, I read they cause cold sores.”
    “Come on! Where did you read that?” Dylan said with a tinge of fear in her voice.
    “I think it was
YM,
” Massie said.
    Dylan held the back of her silver brush up to her face and tried to catch her reflection. She pressed her tongue against the inside of her top lip so she could get a closer look.
    “I don’t see anything,” Dylan said.
    “I smell airplane food. Does anyone else smell that?” Massie asked.
    “It’s me,” Dylan said. “There’s a Zone lunch in my backpack.”
    “When did you start the Zone diet?” Alicia asked. She sounded genuinely interested.
    “Today. My mom and my sisters are doing it too. We all want to lose fifteen pounds by Halloween,” Dylan said.
    “The smell alone will keep you from eating,” Massie said.
    “Seriously,” Alicia agreed.
    The last stop before school was the Montdor to pick up Kristen. She sat hunched over in the dimly lit lobby of the luxury building, working on a crossword puzzle. Her long dirty blond hair covered her face. Isaac had to honk twice before she finally jumped up and pushed her whole body against the heavy revolving door in order to get outside.
    Kristen Gregory was one of those people who bounced when she walked. Her tiny frame was made up entirely of muscle, just like Claire’s. Finally, someone she could relate to. Claire decided she liked Kristen the best so far. Like the others, she was dressed head to toe in designer wear. But her choices were pure comfort food. Orange Puma sneakers and chocolate brown velour sweats and a matching hoodie with the sleeves pushed up.
    “Heyyy,” she said as she jumped into the car and hugged each girl. “We missed you yesterday, Mass.”
    When the Range Rover was in motion, Kristen slid off her sweats to reveal a short jean mini and a belly shirt.
    “My gawd,” Massie said as she watched Kristen struggle. “When is your mom going to let you wear what you want?”
    “Puh-lease, I stopped asking that question years ago. At this point it’s much easier for me to live a double life,” Kristen said. She stuffed her sweats under the seat.
    “Let’s give Massie her prezzy,” Alicia said. She searched the inside of her bottomless Prada bag.
    “Wait, before we do, I have two questions,” Kristen said. “One, why does the car smell like American Airlines, and two, who is that in the backseat?”
    Dylan looked over her shoulder and screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw Claire.
    “Ohmygod, who is
that?
” She paused to catch her breath before she continued. “Massie, has she been here the whole time?” Dylan asked.
    Massie rolled her eyes and nodded.
    “Her name is Claire. Her family is living with Massie until her dad can make enough money to get his own house. She’s in our grade at OCD,” Alicia said with a proud smile.
    Claire could tell by the way Alicia sat up and raised her voice when she explained Claire’s “situation” that she loved being the first person Massie picked up in the morning. It meant she got updated before anyone else, and that