It's Not Easy Being Mean Part 5

Kemp Hurley Kemp Hurley

Doug Landsman Doug Landsman

Jake Shapiro Jake Shapiro 8th Grade .

Grier Biggs Grier Biggs

Lowell Katz Lowell Katz

Andy Walden Andy Walden

Oliver Smalls Oliver Smalls

Ezra Rosenberg Ezra Rosenberg

Cody Hill Cody Hill

Geoff Michaels Geoff Michaels

Luis Ruiz Luis Ruiz

P.J. Jeffries P.J. Jeffries

Billy Williams Billy Williams

Lee Chan Lee Chan High School .

Harris Fisher Harris Fisher

Liam Barrett Liam Barrett

Yuri b.u.t.terman (aka Yuri b.u.t.t-man) Yuri b.u.t.terman (aka Yuri b.u.t.t-man)

After an initial scan-to make sure Cam wasn't on it-Claire took a closer look. She couldn't believe how many boys Skye had kissed. And that Derrington was one of them.

But if it bothered Ma.s.sie, she didn't show it. She calmly folded her copy and placed it in her red leather Miu Miu bag and reached for her phone.

Ma.s.sIE: A, where did u get those names? A, where did u get those names?

ALICIA: Can't reveal. I want 2 b a reporter. Sources r sacred. Can't reveal. I want 2 b a reporter. Sources r sacred.

Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes.

ALICIA: Trust me. It's legit. Trust me. It's legit.

Ma.s.sIE: C, did Todd say anything? C, did Todd say anything?

CLAIRE: Swears Skye is in love with him. That's it. Swears Skye is in love with him. That's it.

Ma.s.sIE: Did you look under his mattress last night? Did you look under his mattress last night?

Claire felt her cheeks burn. How could she have forgotten?

CLAIRE: Yeah. Not there. Yeah. Not there.

She pulled a thin blue Paper Mate pen out of her back pocket and wrote a big T T on the back of her hand so she'd remember to check the minute she got home. on the back of her hand so she'd remember to check the minute she got home.

KRISTEN: Where should we start? Where should we start?

Claire typed quickly.

CLAIRE: Harris Fisher. Harris Fisher.

After spending three long weeks in Los Angeles-without Cam-Claire found herself searching for excuses to see him.

CLAIRE: I can get us in cuz he's Cam's brother. I can get us in cuz he's Cam's brother.

Ma.s.sIE: 2nite? 2nite?

Claire hesitated, knowing she should probably ask Cam before making plans on his behalf. But Ma.s.sie was anxious to start looking for the key. And Claire was anxious to help. Getting the Pretty Committee into Harris's bedroom would stop all the Claire's-more-into-the-West-Coast-than-Westchester comments they'd been making behind her back. Plus, it would get her a school-night lip kiss from the cutest boy she'd ever known-the perfect end to a not-so-perfect day.

OCTAVIAN C COUNTRY D DAY S SCHOOL B BEHIND T THE N NONDENOMINATIONAL C CHAPEL.

Monday, April 5th 4:04 P.M. P.M.

"Ew! What was was that?" Alicia screeched, after accidentally grazing the back of Claire's light blue puffy jacket with her hand. "Can't we puh-lease turn on the lights? I'm scared." that?" Alicia screeched, after accidentally grazing the back of Claire's light blue puffy jacket with her hand. "Can't we puh-lease turn on the lights? I'm scared."

"Shhhhh," Ma.s.sie hissed. "No lights."

"What are we doing back here?" Dylan insisted.

"Waiting to die." Alicia sounded on the verge of tears.

Claire was relieved to know she wasn't the only one freaking out. For the last twenty minutes, she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that they were being watched. Not by Princ.i.p.al Burns or even Skye-more like by G.o.d or a serial killer.

The back of the chapel was creepy as it was, with the choir's black robes hanging on hooks and the row of narrow, windowless rooms used for meditation and silent prayer. But now, in the dark, with just the bluish glow from their open cell phones to guide them, it was horror-film creepy. It smelled like stale carpet and dusty old books. And all Claire could hear was Ma.s.sie rattling doork.n.o.bs and knocking lightly on walls, obviously searching for the one thing thing they were forbidden to discuss. they were forbidden to discuss.

"Kuh-laire, did you hear back from Cam yet?" Ma.s.sie jiggled the last handle.

"I left three messages and still no-"

Distant footsteps distracted her.

"What was that? that?" Alicia grabbed the back of Claire's jacket.

"Sounded like ballet flats on the chapel floor," whispered Kristen.

"More like cheap Steve Maddens," Ma.s.sie corrected. "Come on." She held her cell phone in front of her and hurried toward the noise. Claire was in awe of Ma.s.sie's fearlessness, especially since Alicia, Dylan, Kristen, and her were clutching one another's palms, even though they were sweaty.

"Who's here?" Ma.s.sie pushed through the blue velvet wings on the side of the stage like a fed-up Broadway actress and flicked on the lights.

Kaya and Penelope ducked behind a pew.

Ma.s.sie glanced at Dylan and air-scribbled, letting her know to add Kaya and Penelope to the list of girls who got Skye's CD-ROM.

Dylan flashed her the thumbs-up.

"I see you."