Best Friends Forever
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from The Clique, by Lisi Harrison.
Massie Block raced up the glossy hardwood stairs as soon as she got home from school, her knee-high Manolo Blahnik boots click-clacking against them. Click. Clack. Click. Clack. As soon as she entered her room, the iPad as her friends like to call it, she kicked off her shoes and dove onto her snow-white circular bed. Massie's black pug, Bean, who was snoozing in her bed, a miniature of Massie's, lifted her head when she heard Massie. She hopped onto Massie's bed excitedly and cozied up against Massie.
"Hi, Bean," Massie cooed. Yes, she talked to her dog. "I missed you today, pumpkin." Massie let out a happy sigh. She'd had another great day of school, another great day of ninth grade, freshman year. She couldn't believe she was in high school, but she was extremely relieved. Eighth grade was by far the worst year of her life; having to share Octavian Country Day School with the Briarwood boys was absolute torture. Last February, Massie had begged her father to donate to Briarwood fund. And he donated, a lot. Over the summer, Briarwood was rebuilt and this year the Briarwood boys were free to return to their former school, which Massie and her friends were ecstatic about. The rest of the school? Not so much, but then again, they didn't really matter. Over the summer, Massie had gotten back together with her ex, Derrick Harrington, more commonly known as Derrington. She just couldn't resist his shaggy blonde hair, chocolate brown eyes, or always-present shorts. He was ah-mazing, and he couldn't resist her either. Massie breathed another hearty sigh. She loved having Derrington to herself again. She loved being queen bee of OCD's ninth grade class. She loved having friends who always had her back. She loved her life. People often say that nobody, and nothing, is perfect, but she knew for a fact that her life was.
Massie sat up on her bed and slid her flamingo pink-pedicured feet into a pair of lavendar UGG slippers. She padded across the carpet to her Macbook, which sat on her desk, and booted it up. She typed in the password to her computer- Bean. Once it had powered up, Massie opened Entourage; she had two unread emails. One was from Juicy Couture, notifying her that their winter items would be in stock soon. She had to remember to check that out later. But, the email that caught her eye was from her very own boyfriend. It was titled, "Important". Massie double-clicked it immediately, not expecting what she saw.
Subject: Important
From: DHarrington
Sent: Today, 3:46 PM
To: MBlock
Massie, I can't see you anymore. We can't be together. You're too high-maintenance for me. Sorry.
- Derrick
"WHAT?!" Massie cried. How could he do this to me? And over an email?! He can't be serious! She thought, but knew he was, for he addressed her by her first name, instead of her last. She didn't know what she'd done to make him mad, didn't know what she'd done to deserve this. Massie never let anyone see her looking bad or feeling down, not even her best friends. But, this? This was an exception. She needed someone to talk to, someone to make her feel better, though she knew that wasn't possible. She called up one of her best friends, Claire Lyons, who lived in Massie's very own guest house. Clair had been living there since seventh grade, and Massie didn't know why she hadn't gotten her own house yet, but she didn't mind Claire living next door.
"Helloo?" Claire answered her BlackBerry that Massie had given her for Christmas, after she'd decided that iPhones were so overrated.
"Claire," Massie sniffed into her own custom-made purple BlackBerry.
"Massie, what's wrong?!" Claire asked, worried.
"D-Derrick," Massie stuttered. She couldn't bring herself to use his nickname, "He...he broke up with me. Over an email."
"ARE YOU KIDDING?!" Claire shrieked, "He's a freaking ass. Why?!"
"He said I'm too high-maintenance for him," Massie gulped.
"Mass," Claire spoke softly, "I'm going to call Alicia, Dylan and Kristen and tell them. Tomorrow, we'll have a Girl's Day Out. We'll go shopping, get FroYo, get mani-pedis, and have a sleepover afterwards. Until then, just relax. Okay?"
"K-Kay," Massie whispered and hung up. She was going to take a bubble bath. A steaming hot bubblebath.
--
Claire Lyons pressed speed-dial 3 as soon as she got off the phone with Massie. Alicia Rivera picked up on the first ring.
"Claireee, haven't heard from you in a long time," Alicia giggled, joking. They had seen each other just a couple of hours ago at school.
"Hey," Claire said, not laughing, "Hold on, let me get Kristen and Dylan."
"What about Massie...?" Alicia started, but Claire ignored her.
"Yo," Dylan Marvil answered her phone.
"Hi!" Kristen Gregory said loudly into the phone.
"Guys," Claire started, "Massie needs our help. Derrick broke up with her today, over an email."
"WHAT?!" All three girls shouted simultaneously.
"Yeah, so here's the deal," Claire continued, "Clear all of your plans for tomorrow. We're going to dedicate tomorrow to Massie."
"Okay," they all agreed immediately.
"Okay, so, we'll go shopping, get FroYo, get mani-pedis, and then sleepover at Massie's afterwards," Claire repeated what she'd told Massie, "Anything to get her mind off that ass we call Derrington. Got it?"
"Got it," Kristen replied.
"Sames," Alicia said.
"I'm in," Dylan confirmed.
"Okay, good. Meet at Massie's tomorrow at 9:15 sharp. See you then." They all hung up. Mission accomplished, Claire thought, Chicks before dicks.
--
Massie was awakened the next morning at 9 o'clock by Claire.
"What?" Massie groaned.
"C'mon, Mass, it's time to get up. Alicia, Dylan and Kristen will be here soon," Claire said quietly.
"Okay," Massie sighed and got out of bed, "Be right back." She pulled on an old pair of Juicy sweats and a Michael Stars camisole. She pulled her tangled hair into a messy bun and didn't bother applying any makeup. Really, who was she trying to impress?
Massie reappeared beside Claire, "Ready." She slipped on her orange Prada flip flops.
"O-Okay," Claire replied, not wanting to argue about Massie's ensemble. She hadn't seen Massie looking this down since, well, ever. Massie and Claire walked down the stairs and out onto the front lawn where Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen were just arriving.
"Hey guys," Claire called.
"Heeey," they walked over to her and Massie.
"Hi, Massie," they said sympathetically, each giving Massie a hug.
"Hi..." Massie replied softly.
"Ready to go, girls?" Isaac, Massie's chauffeur asked. The girls nodded and stepped into the Block family's black Range Rover. They stepped out a few minutes later when they arrived at the mall.
"Call me when you want to be picked up," Isaac instructed.
"We will," Alicia answered for Massie. The girls walked together into the mall and decided where to go first.
--
After a day full of shopping, manicures and pedicures, and plenty of frozen yogurt, all five girls were exhausted. At first, Massie moped around, but eventually she lightened up and forgot all about stupid Derrington. She couldn't deny that she'd had a great day. Nor could she deny that she officially had the best friends in the world.
That's when Massie knew, they were best friends forever.