Claire by Lisi Harrison Read Free Book Online Page B

richer, her textures more pronounced.
    The whole thing seemed unnatural. Massie holding Bean against a backdrop of faded Hello Kitty stickers and girly home furnishings? It was like she was standing against one of those special-effects green screens, her edges more defined than the corny background’s.
    “Ohmygawsh, there she is!” Sarah speed-waved, then raced across the white shag toward Massie. “What an incredible surprise!”
    Bean barked twice and Massie lowered her to the ground. She hurried under the bed to avoid getting trampled.
    Claire forced herself to stand but couldn’t move beyond that.
    “You look exactly like you do in your pictures, except you’re taller, obviously, and three-dimensional and totally nice and generous,” Sari shouted, approaching from the left. “It’s so nice to meet you. Gosh.” Sari turned to Amandy. “Doesn’t she look just like her pictures?”
    “Better! I love your blond highlights. And that edgy purple streak behind your ear.” Amandy hug-lifted the alpha.
    Massie’s arms clung stiffly to her sides. Her expression was cold and rigid.
    “I
knew
it was a Westchester thang!” Sari declared as they wobble-placed her back down on the rug. “No one hugs up there, do they?”
    Without a word, Massie quickly pulled a tube of Mango-MaGawd Glossip Girl out of her shorts and applied with life-and-death urgency. Her amber eyes darted back and forth, in synch with the lip wand, silently surveying the damage.
    Why won’t you speak?
What are you thinking? Are you mad? How mad? If mad was a ten and not mad was a one, what would you be? Wait!
Why are you even HERE????
Claire wanted to ask these questions and a billion more. But her tonsils held back the words like thick, protective arms, urging her to stand back and assess the danger before jumping in.
    “You’re shocked, right?” Sarah playfully knocked Massie on the arm. Her tanned skin flashed white for a second where Sarah had hit her. “You didn’t think we’d like the EW clothes you sent us, did you?” She unzipped a lavender cashmere hoodie, revealing the black sheer blouse she’d stuffed underneath. “But we dooooo!” Tossing the hoodie on the floor like a used tissue, Sarah spun, lost her balance, then crashed onto the bed, creasing the front of the delicate black blouse.
    SAS cracked up. Claire bit her thumbnail.
    “It was super supportive of you to send clothes for Miss Kiss.” Sari smiled, her top lip curling inward toward her gums.
    SAS nodded in agreement. Claire gripped her stomach.
    “I can’t believe we ever thought you were
mean
.” Amandy shimmied out of a True Religion miniskirt, revealing a pair of Massie’s red and orange Cosabella boy shorts.
    “I dunno if Claire told you this.” Sari put her arm on Amandy’s shoulder. “But
her
name used to be
Mandy
before she changed it to Ah-mandy. And Mandy sounds like Massie, which is kind of funny because you both have the same best friend and the same taste in clothes. I bet she could totally change it back if you wanted. So you could be more the same. Right?”
    Amandy eagerly nodded yes.
    SAS beam-grinned at Massie.
    Slowly, Massie parted her high-glossed lips. Then she inhaled with a long, deep rattle that sounded like she was having an asthma attack. Unwittingly, Claire lifted her shoulders toward her ears. She clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself against the force that was building inside of Massie. Preparing herself to face the eye of the storm. Hoping to—
    “KUUUUHHHH-LAAAAAIRE!” Massie bellowed.
    The pictures on the headboard fluttered. A Hello Kitty pencil rolled off the desk. SAS piled onto the bed and covered themselves with Claire’s collection of DIY T-shirt pillows. Bean whimpered.
    “So, um.” Claire fanned her burning face and tried to smile. “What brings you to Orlando?” She giggled nervously.
    “There’s a cold front in the Hamptons.” Massie sneered.
    Suddenly, Claire remembered hearing