It's Not Easy Being Mean

It's Not Easy Being Mean came out on March 7, 2007. It is the seventh episode of The Clique series.

Summary
The Pretty Committee is back at OCD and they've got a new goal: finding a key that unlocks the school's legendary secret room. Alpha eleventh grader Skye Hamilton has stashed the key in the bedroom of a mystery Briarwood boy- but which one? Looks like the Pretty Committee will have to search them all!

It's Not Easy Being Mean came out in March 2007. It is the seventh episode of The Clique series.

Massie and the Pretty Committee return to OCD to find that eighth grade alpha Skye Hamilton is holding a competition for a key. This key is apparently the key to being the guaranteed alphas of the eighth grade after Skye and her clique, the DSL Daters, leave OCD.

Plot
The book starts with the Pretty Committee hanging out in Massie Block's room. Tons of people are gathering around Claire Lyons' house while Todd Lyons and Tiny Nathan sell Claire's things. It's the day before their first day back at OCD, and eleven grade alpha Skye Hamilton turns up with a CD that tells them about a legendary key that unlocks an amazing, forgotten about room located in OCD. Whoever gains access to this key automatically becomes the eleven grade alpha, and usually the seventh grade alpha is automatically handed over the key. But it was the fifth anniversary of the secret room, so Skye decides to hold a competition to allow LBRS a chance to become alpha. If the Pretty Committee doesn't find the key, they'll live eighth grade in misery. Skye hides the key under one of the Briarwood Boys' mattresses, and she wrote a poem as a clue to where to find the key:

''The boy who sleeps atop the key is into the exact same things as me. He loves all creatures, big and small so his age doesn't matter, not at all. I try not to think about his glamour-don't style by focusing on his kick-butt smile. Note to self: I've kissed this guy, but I've kissed them all - how bad am I? We've already rode off in the sunset together but next time we do, it'll be forever.Holla!''

At their first day back at OCD the Pretty Committee is warmly welcomed by fans of Claire Lyons (Dial L for Loser movie-star), and Massie Block and Alicia Rivera (reporting in on the movie). Massie becomes jealous of Claire for getting more attention than her, and Kristen Gregory becomes jealous of all of them for not getting any attention. Claire also considers moving to California, where she can experience a movie star career at full blast.

Alicia creates a list of Briarwood Boys that Skye kissed but won't reveal her source to Massie. Kristen finds out things that Skye likes, and Dylan Marvil finds out who else got the CD ROM.

The girls go to the chapel to discuss tactics to get their hands on the key. Massie makes Claire call her boyfriend Cam Fisher so that they can go to his house and check for the key. Claire really wants to see Cam, but due to clashing events, Claire lies to Massie about Cam having his uncle over so that she can go see him on a later day.

The Pretty Committee go to the required soccer practice to find an angry coach make them strip their "improved" uniforms and they have to wear towels. Kristen didn't wear the uniform so she didn't get in trouble, and Claire didn't go to the soccer practice because she had a meeting with her agent.

Claire goes to Manhattan to meet with her agent about auditioning for a movie. Her agent, Miles offers her a part in a movie about a run-a-way girl who falls in love with a prince and becomes a princess. If she does accept, she'll co-star with Cole Sprouse from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Claire's reluctant to accept the part because she'll have to chop up her hair and dye it black, plus enlarge her eyebrows with sewed on goat hair.

Claire goes to Massie's meeting at the GLU's headquarters, wearing a knockoff hat and sun glasses. Everybody ignores her and they don't even ask her how the interview with Miles went. At the end of the chapter, Claire whips of her hat and glasses to reveal her choppy black hair and huge eyebrows.

The next day, the PC splits up to find the key. Massie goes to Derrington's house to find that his room is a disaster and dumps him. Alicia goes to Josh Hotz's house to find that he is a neat freak. Massie kicks Claire out of the Pretty Committee when she hears that she lied about Cam's uncle, and they go to Cam's house with out her.

Layne Abeley and Claire figure out that the key is under Layne's brother, Chris Abeley's mattress. They call what remained of the PC and appoint a conference to discuss the key with them at Alicia's house. Massie apologizes to Claire and they get the key and Claire back.

The story closes up when the PC are watching Kristen win a soccer game for her team. The DSL Daters show the Pretty Committee where the room is. The last few sentences is a cliff hanger, Lisi Harrison writes the girl's reaction to the room, but they don't say what's inside the room, which leaves you wondering. Skye opens the door and the Pretty Committee gasp, and ends with a cliffhanger.