Highlight, Copy, and PASTE
So, I was wondering what it'd be like if Claire was a highlight/copy/paste of Massie… times 10? I know there was another author out there who had this story, and I give her a shout out, because every time I think of a story idea-bam! I find another author out there who ALREADY HAS THAT STORY. So I'm making the story anyway, and I hope that author doesn't get offended that I didn't ask, because I can't find him/her anymore.
Massie Block: With her glossy brunette bob and Whitestrip smile, Massie is the uncontested ruler of The Clique and the rest of the social scene at Octavian Country Day, an exclusive private school in Westchester, New York.
Dylan Marvil: Massie's second in command who divides her time between sucking up to Massie and sucking down Atkins shakes.
Alicia Rivera: As sneaky as she is beautiful, Alicia floats easily under the adult radar because she seems so "sweet." Would love to take Massie's throne one day. Just might.
Kristen Gregory: She's smart, hardworking, and will insult you to tears faster than you can say "my haircut isn't ugly!"
Enter Claire Lyons, the new girl from Orlando, Florida, dressed in head-to-toe designer wear and a gold charm bracelet on her stick-thin arm. She's come prepared with gummies and her comebacks, which she is never found without. Will Claire Lyons be able to take down current alpha, Massie Block, and take control of the school? Or will this alpha from Florida be smushed into a three-letter-word -LBR- that she never wants to be?
The Block Estate
The Kitchen
10:49 pm, August 31st
Massie's POV3
"Massie, wipe that confused look off your face," Massie's mom, Kendra, said. "It's really very simple—you're not going."
Massie Block fiddled with her gold watch. The light clicks were the only sounds she could make without being accused of interrupting her annoyingly polite mother, which she didn't. She just wanted to win the argument.
"But I have plans, and it would be rude if I broke them," Massie said. "Right? Haven't you always told me to 'honor my engagements'?" She made air quotes to remind her mother that the rule was hers in the first place.
Kendra looked to her husband, William, for backup, but he just sipped his tea and continued to read the paper.
"I told you about them weeks ago," Kendra said. She spoke very slowly and enunciated every word; much in the same way she talked to Inez, their live-in housekeeper. "Your father has been good friends with Mr. Lyons since college. They are moving to Westchester all the way from Florida so that Mr. Lyons can work for him. And while they are looking for a home of their own, they will be living in our guesthouse. And as our daughter, it is important that you're here to greet them when they arrive."
"Why?" Massie narrowed her amber eyes. "They're Dad's freeloading friends, not mine."
Kendra shot her husband a desperate look across the table. William stayed focused on the newspaper.
"Well, they'll be your friends soon enough," Kendra said. "Claire is starting seventh grade on Tuesday too, so you should have plenty to talk about."
"What? Like math?" Massie snapped.
"You can always invite her to join in on your plans," Kendra suggested. "Then you won't miss out on anything."
"Impossible," Massie said. "We've had these plans for weeks, and we can't just-"
"Then it's settled," Kendra interrupted her daughter's pointless rambling. "Inez will have brunch on the dining room table at 1:15 tomorrow. Don't be late."
Massie turned and stomped out of the kitchen. Her small black pug, Bean, tottled behind her, trying to keep up without getting too close to Massie's Prada heels. Normally she took off her shoes before climbing the steps because of the "delicate high-gloss finish on the wood." But considering the circumstances, she chose to leave them on. Every floor-scuffing step would pay her mother back for destroying the Labor Day plans she had with her three best friends.
When she got to the second floor, Massie kicked off her shoes and padded across the plush carpet straight to her room, Bean following behind. And slammed the door behind her.
"Don't slam!" Kendra's voice came over the intercom. Massie looked at the white speaker by the bed and rolled her eyes.
Everything in her room was white. The leather chaise by the bay window, the shaggy 60s carpet, the painted brick walls, the while glass coffee table, the "C" shaped couch on the far side of the wall, her large, 40" plasma screen TV across from her bed, and her flat screen Mac on her white polished wood desk. She'd designed it that way after she stayed in a presidential suite in Los Angeles.
But the other day she'd read in a magazine that purple was the official color of royalty, which explained the new purple sheets on her bed. She'd been hoping to buy more and redo her room during her Labor Day shopping spree, but that was no longer an option.
Massie laid down on her bed, with Bean's head resting on her stomach.
"Bean, tell me this isn't happening."
Bean blinked.
"Missing out on tomorrow could stunt my social growth for the rest of the year," Massie said. Bean licked Massie's wrist in sympathy.
"Everyone's gonna have a fresh batch of inside jokes that I won't even get. I'll have to smile like a good sport while everyone laughs and says 'Oh, you just had to be there to get it'." Massie shook her head vigorously, her glossy brown hair now in a messy disarray.
"And you know Dylan's going to buy those YSL Lip Markers I put a YES sticker on in Lucky magazine," she said. "And you know why this is happening?" Massie continued. "So I can meet some geek from Orlando who's going to be living here for a year. I mean, what's the urgency? She's not going anywhere." Massie paused to punch her pillow and search her head for a reasonable explanation. "Unless of course she had a life-threatening illness."
Bean yelped.
"And if she does..." Massie let out a long sigh, "why should I get attached?" She let out another sigh and collapsed on her bed. She reached for her purple Razr cell phone and hit "1" on the speed dial. It rang only once before the girl on the other end picked up.
"Hey," Alicia said.
"Hold on, I'm getting Dylan," Massie said.
"Kay."
Massie punched in "2" and pressed Send.
"Dylan?"
"Yeah."
"Hold on, I'll get Kristen."
Massie pressed "3."
"Hey, D," Kristen said.
"Yo, Alicia and Dylan are here too," Massie said.
"What's up?" Kristen asked. She sounded nervous, like she was about to get blamed for something she didn't do.
"I can't go with you guys tomorrow," Massie blurted.
"Yeah, right," Dylan snorted.
"No, I'm serious. You're not gonna believe this, but I have to—" Massie paused and reconsidered her next words. "I have the flu." Which came out sounding like, "I hab da flu."
"Gawd, you sound awful," Kristen said.
"Yeah, maybe we shouldn't go," Dylan offered. "We can come over and take care of you instead."
"What? Not go?" Alicia snapped. "I mean, Massie, what exactly is wrong with you? Maybe we can help."
"Feber. Headache. Stuffed up doze, you doh, duh usual." Massie added a sniff and a "uuuggghhhh" for effect.
"Dylan's right. We'll bail," Kristen said. "It won't be the same without you."
"Yeah, who's gonna tell me if I look bad if I try something on?" Dylan asked.
"The mirror," Alicia said.
Kristen let out her famous raspy, phlegm-filled cackle.
"Massie, please don't leave me alone with them," Dylan joked.
Massie smiled with relief. They wanted her with them. They needed her with them. And that, as always, was all that mattered. But she also knew how quickly they could change their minds.
"You all go. But I wanna hear every detail of what happened." Massie momentarily forgot her sick voice. "Every single one."
The Block Estate
Main Hall
1:08 PM
Claire's POV1
We arrived right on time.
A woman wearing an apron opened the door. "I am Inez. Please wait. The Blocks will come soon," she said slowly.
She opened the door further and we stepped inside. Todd, my ten-year-old brother, ran off to who-knows-where. A little black pug scampered toward us.
"Hey, cutie!" I smiled. The puppy ran into my arms and licked my wrist. It ahb-viously like the taste of Chanel No. 19. It was the cutest thing I'd seen so far, and probably would see.
Some moments later, the adult Blocks appeared.
"Claire! What a knockout you've become," William Block smiled. He turned to his wife. "Kendra, who does she look like?"
"I know! Gwyneth Paltrow!" Kendra snapped her fingers, grinning excitedly.
Excuse me? I do not look like freaking Gwyneth Paltrow!
Dad looked at William. "Where's your gorgeous daughter?"
Puh-lease! He hadn't even met the girl, and he was saying she was gorgeous?
"Good question." Kendra answered for him. "Massie?" she said into an intercom.
"Okay," a voice said back. She didn't sound too sophisticated.
A pretty brunette girl stalked down the stairs. I already didn't like her. She was wearing cargo pants, a tank top, and a Hermes scarf as a belt.
"Massie!" Dad held his arms out to hug her.
She looked at him blankly. "Oh. Hey," she said, waving her hand like a queen.
Massie clearly saw Todd sticking his fingers into the pug's ears. "That's my dog, nawt a baseball glove!" she barked.
"Todd! Leave the poor puppy alone!" I sighed. "I'm Claire, the only normal one in the family." I extended my arm and Massie took it, her grip cautious. I shook her hand firmly, my gold bracelet jingling on my arm.
"Why don't we sit down and Inez will bring us some lunch?" Kendra waved towards the table and we all walked towards there.
"Massie, you can sit there next to Claire. Claire can sit next to Todd, Todd next to Judi, Judi next to Jay, Jay next to William, and then me!" Kendra said in one breath. Wow. Didn't she need a breather?
Massie looked angry and sat down, pulling her phone out when she thought no one was looking.
MASSIE: U THERE?
ALICIA: YEAH
Massie: ? R U DOING?
ALICIA: K IS CRYING. WON'T LET SVETLANA WAX HER OTHER EYEBROW.
MASSIE: WANT ME 2 TALK 2 HER?
For some moments, there was no reply. Massie flinched, obviously hoping that they weren't having too much fun without her. I rolled my eyes. Gawd, this girl was insecure! Repeat: insecure. Total alpha? NO! Total LBR!
Massie pushed around a mushroom cap around her plate while she waited for "K" to reply.
ALICIA: G2G. FEEL BETTER.
Massie flinched again, then her face returned to normal and she quickly replied:
MASSIE: STAY STRONG. PAIN IS BEAUTY. :)
"Massie, no phones at the table!" Kendra scolded.
Massie looked up, surprised at being caught. "Right. Sorreeeeee," she said, exasperated with her parents. Couldn't she just be happy for once? Don't get me wrong, she seemed pretty okay, for a rich girl. But she was definitely insecure. I was definitely nawt! But I'd be feeling the same way, ditching plans on Labor Day Weekend to meet someone I didn't know.
"Why don't you take Claire up to your room?" Kendra said brightly.
"Yeah, whatever Mom," Massie grumbled.
I smiled. I knew Massie could do no harm... yet.
Like it? Hate it? Lemme know!
A/N: The number after the POV stands for which person. For example:
Massie's POV1 is Massie's POV in the first person. There will be no second person point of view, so there's only Soandso's POV1 or Soandso's POV3.