"She's really nice," I tell her even though I'm completely rattled by what just happened. How could Lauren and Ava have been so rude? Signing autographs is part of being a celebrity. Sure, I don't want someone to stick a pen and paper under the bathroom stall, but when I'm out shopping, I don't mind.

"She doesn't look it," complains another girl.

Ava honks her horn and I can see that her candy apple- colored BMW convertible is idling. "Come on! You said you had to go!" Ava's right. I apologize to those I didn't get to and rush to the car. Gary and Larry take a few parting shots of us as we drive off.

"Let's hit Fred Segal in Santa Monica," Lauren pleads as Ava peels away. "I need to get a jacket to match this cute skirt I lifted." She unzips her slouchy bag and pulls out a plaid pencil skirt. Several more items are crammed inside. "What?" Lauren asks me when she sees my freaked-out expression. "What was I supposed to do? She wouldn't give us the discount."

"They won't even know it's missing," Ava adds. "We do it all the time and no one cares. I got stuff for you too. Show her, Lau."

Lauren pulls out a black fitted top I really liked. "This is for you," Lauren says and holds the shirt out to me.

I stare at it and try not to freak out. "I can't take it," I blurt out and clutch my bag of actual purchases to my chest. "I don't feel right. You guys keep it."

I see Ava roll her eyes in the rearview mirror. "Suit yourself. You're lucky you and I are the same size."

I don't get it. Ava and Lauren have boatloads of money. Why would they steal stuff? Wouldn't they be mortified if they were caught and the story was all over the news? I know I would be. I'd even be embarrassed if I was with them when they were caught. I don't want to be associated with this sort of thing. I picture my young fans. I've done some irresponsible things over the years, but I've never broken the law. Between this, the way Lauren reacted when I was on the phone with Liz, and the way they treated those fans, I'm starting to see Ava and Lauren in a new light. And I don't mean the bright, shiny, happy one I saw before. I hate to say this, but maybe Sky was right.

"So what do you say, Kaitlin?" Lauren asks again. "Want to go to Santa Monica?"

"This was a lot of fun, but I don't want to get myself fired. I have to get back," I tell them.

"You're not wimping out on us because we took that stuff, are you?" Ava asks. "Because it's nothing. We just do it for kicks. That stuff is way overpriced."

"We don't do it that much," Lauren adds. I nod.