"I'm going out," I tell her. Isn't it obvious? I'm wearing my new Birkin jeans and Juicy sweater.

"You have to be on set tomorrow morning at seven!" Nadine reminds me. "And the SATs are in three weeks. You should be studying. You should be getting beauty rest so you look refreshed for your meetings and shoots. What's going on, Kaitlin?"

"Nothing," I say calmly.

Well, nothing may be pushing it.

I have been a teensy bit off my game lately. Nothing major, I swear. Just um, late back from lunch a few times, the first time being the day after the Vanity Fair party when I skipped out to go shopping with Lauren and Ava. When I got back to the studio late, Nadine was waiting outside, red-faced and looking like her head was about to explode. Not only did I leave without telling her and ignore her text, but I was late, something I never am for anything FA-related. Even though Nadine was mad, she still covered for me with Tom -- she told him I had a dermatologist appointment I had forgotten about -- and promised I would shoot my retrospective interview in the next few days.

I didn't. I've, um, kind of made excuses ever since.

And that's not the only thing I've put off. I know I need to call Liz back after what happened when we last talked. I'm just so embarrassed that I don't know how to start the conversation. Lauren and Ava think I'm crazy to even make up with Liz. Not that I completely trust their opinion after what I saw them pull that afternoon at Belladonna and with those fans. I actually talked to them about what happened and Ava said she was having a rough day and didn't mean to be so rude. That made me feel a little better, but I still can't push the stealing out of my mind. I've turned down all their offers to go shopping ever since. I can't seem to get out of our dinners, though. I already promised I'd go to events with them this week before that all happened and now I'm so busy that I've had to turn down a few work appointments. Seth has been trying to set up a meeting with the people for that TV pilot set in Alaska -- one I actually like -- but I've been putting him off too.

I know I should feel bad about avoiding everyone, but you know what?

I've liked playing hooky.

Yep, that's right. I'll admit it. The girl who plays practically perfect Samantha, the one who pretty much does everything her parents, manager, assistant, and publicist tell her to do, who stops to sign every autograph that is asked of her, has actually enjoyed being out from under everyone's thumb for once.

"This is not nothing," Nadine tells me, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be this irresponsible."