**Chapter 2: A New Friendship**

The days that followed were a blur of classes, homework, and trying to navigate the complex social hierarchy of middle school. Tracy couldn't help but think about Evie Zamora, the most popular girl in school, and the way she had seemed to effortlessly command attention. She found herself wondering what it would be like to be friends with Evie, to be part of her inner circle. One day, as Tracy was walking home from school, she saw Evie and her friends, including Astrid and Ariah, hanging out on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Evie caught her eye and smiled, and Tracy felt a surge of excitement. "Hey, you're that girl from school, right?" Evie said, as Tracy approached them. "I'm Evie, and these are my friends Astrid and Ariah." Tracy nodded, feeling a little shy. "I'm Tracy. Nice to meet you guys." Evie looked her up and down, her eyes lingering on Tracy's outfit. "I love your style, Tracy. You're so... eclectic. But I think I can help you upgrade your wardrobe." Astrid and Ariah snickered, and Tracy felt a little self-conscious. But Evie's infectious energy drew her in, and she found herself wanting to spend more time with these girls. Evie pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down a phone number. "Hey, I want to take you shopping with us this weekend. We're going to have so much fun. Just call me at this number, okay?" Tracy took the paper, feeling a little excited. But as she looked at the number, she realized it was fake. Evie was just messing with her. Undeterred, Tracy decided to take a chance. She showed up on Melrose Avenue the next day, hoping to run into Evie and her friends. As she walked down the sidewalk, she saw Evie and Astrid outside a trendy clothing store. Evie grinned when she saw Tracy. "Hey, you're actually here. I didn't think you'd show up." Tracy shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I figured, why not?" Evie nodded, and the three of them went into the store. Inside, Tracy was bombarded with the latest fashion trends, and Evie and Astrid encouraged her to try on different outfits. As they shopped, Tracy felt a sense of freedom she had never experienced before. She was finally part of the "in crowd," and it felt amazing. But as they walked out of the store, Tracy noticed that Evie and Astrid were shoplifting. She felt a pang of discomfort, but Evie just laughed it off. "Don't worry about it, Tracy. It's no big deal. We're just having a little fun." Tracy hesitated, unsure of what to do. But Evie's enthusiasm was contagious, and she found herself getting caught up in the excitement. As they walked to the next store, a distracted woman sat down next to Tracy on a bench. In a split second, Evie snatched the woman's wallet and handed it to Astrid. Tracy was shocked, but Evie just grinned. "Thanks for being a part of this, Tracy. You're officially one of us now." Tracy felt a rush of adrenaline as they went on a shopping spree with the stolen money. She was in a new world, one that was full of excitement and danger. And she was loving every minute of it. As they walked to the next store, Ariah fell back a little, watching Tracy with a concerned expression. She had seen the way Tracy had looked when Evie stole the wallet, a mix of shock and excitement. Ariah knew that Tracy was in over her head, but she wasn't sure how to intervene. For now, she just smiled and nodded, trying to be a good friend. But as they continued their shopping spree, Ariah couldn't shake the feeling that Tracy was in trouble, and that she was powerless to stop it.