Best Friends for Never by Lisi Harrison

hearing about,” he said. Cam turned away from the gorilla to steal a look at her.
    “You've
heard
of me?” Claire asked. But Massie pulled Claire away before they had a chance to answer.
    “Look,” she hissed. “There's no point in both of us standing in the same spot. Why don't you hang by the DJ booth in case people want to request a song or something? I'll stay here by the front and take care of the welcome thing.”
    Massie was relieved beyond belief when Claire left with-out putting up a fight. Now that
she
was out of the way, Massie was free to focus on Cam. He was heading toward the treats table, and Massie tried to look casual by chatting and mingling while she followed closely behind. She was suddenly overcome by a strong craving for sugar.
    CURRENT STATE OF THE UNION
IN
OUT
Dylan and Derrington
Kristen and Derrington
Massie and Cam Fisher
Massie and Chris Abeley
The “old Block”
The “new girl”

THE BLOCK ESTATE
WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER PARTY
    7:40 PM
    October 31st
    Claire made her way past the moaning zombie waitresses who were offering up “horror d'oeuvres.” She got the hint that Massie wanted her to disappear, but she certainly wasn't going to spend the night standing beside the DJ booth. This was her party too.
    “Hey, Blossom.”
    Claire turned to see Layne lumbering toward her. People cleared the way to let her pass, not so much because they were polite, but because they were scared they'd get knocked to the ground if they didn't.
    “Wow, you really went for the whole couch potato thing, didn't you?” Claire said to her friend before snapping her picture. Layne was stuffed inside a horizontal refrigerator box. The pea green cushions from her basement sofa lined the top and her face was painted brown, like a potato.
    “I love this holiday,” Layne sighed.
    Just then Alicia and Dylan walked by, twirling their tails and strutting their stuff.
    “Oh, look, a couch poo,” Alicia said to Dylan.
    “I'm a couch POTATO.” Layne adjusted her pillows. She looked at Claire and rolled her eyes.
    “I'm glad you told me,” Alicia said. “I was about to compliment you on your new dress.”
    “Yeah,” Dylan said. “Anything's better than those janitor friendly man pants you've been wearing lately.”
    “At least I
wore
a costume. You look the same as you always do,” Layne said. “Identical to Massie.”
    Claire was so impressed by Layne's courage and quick wit she wanted to throw her arms around her friend and give her a hug. But that would have to wait until the box was gone.
    “Yeah? Well, you look the same as
you
always do,” Dylan said. “Stupid!”
    Claire and Layne knew their comeback was much better and hurried over to greet their friends before a major fight broke out.
    They made a few laps around the yard with Meena and Heather, who were dressed as dead versions of Paris and Nicky Hilton. They both wore blond wigs, barely there dresses, and green face paint. It looked like all seventy-five people showed up, and Claire couldn't help wondering if anyone would have come had it just been her name on the invitation.
    For the most part, the boys were lingering around the treats table and the girls were hovering around the edges of the dance floor. Everyone seemed to be laughing and having a good time, but no one was mingling.
    “This DJ is so Wal-Mart,” Meena said. “When is he going to stop playing those cheesy Halloween songs and start playing something cool?”
    “Now,” Claire said. She led the way to the DJ booth.
    “Excuse me.” Claire used her most polite voice. “Hi. Um, do you think you could start playing some real songs soon?”
    The DJ looked down at Claire from his booth and smiled so big the bottom of his goatee spread across his chin.
    “I thought you'd never ask,” he said. “That Landon Dorsey chick forced me to play this crap.”
    Seconds later Britney Spears's “Toxic” was blasting out of the speakers and everyone rushed the dance floor. Meena and Heather