*I don't own the Clique series*
Per your request, ladies, I present you a new chapter. Keep reviewing. They bring a smile on my face. XOXO
Chapter 4
The whole school had heard about the blowout between the PC and five guys on the soccer team in Conflict Resolution. Most were confused. As it turns out, people who hadn't graduated from BOCD had no idea about their history. The majority of those people had been shocked to realize that though they could be found hanging out with the same people, no one had actually ever witnessed these two distinctly popular groups exchange words before this week. The whole fight had been filmed on a camera phone and mass-texted to everyone and now people were dying to see what would happen next.
It was Friday, the day of Josh Hotz's party, and Kristen sat in 6th period Geometry with Alicia and Claire. Kristen and her friends were miserable. They acted as if nothing was wrong at school and even when they were together alone, no one dared to mention it, not even Massie. Kristen wondered if they were wrong to be angry. NO. Her gut that sounded a lot like Massie told her. She tried to remember the day she and Kemp broke up.
She had come by the soccer field that the Sirens and Tomahawks shared to put up signs for a soccer training camp for any potential Sirens thinking of trying out next year. She would miss her spot as Captain. As she made her way around the athletic building bulletin boards and stapled signs up, she saw two people sitting out on the benches. The guy had brown highlighted hair like Kemp. She could only see the back of his head as he was facing the girl. She had shoulder length black hair with blunt bangs and a platinum blonde streak on the left side. She laughed so loudly that Kristen could hear her high-pitched giggles from where she stood. Kristen stapled the last sheet she had in her hand and went to put the stapler back inside the building. After leaving it on a random desk, she came back outside and saw that the girl and guy were headed in her direction. She knew that walk. It was definitely her boyfriend. Who was the girl?
"Kemp!" She called loudly enough for him to hear her. Both he and the girl looked up and he shielded his eyes from the sun to see who was calling him. As he got closer and realized who it was he gave a slight wave and a tiny smile.
"Hey, Kris. What are you doing here?" He asked pulling her into a hug. After she explained the training camp sheets, he introduced her. "Kim, this is Kristen. Kristen, this is Kim." The girl smiled at her shyly with pretty small pink lips. "It's nice to finally meet a friend of Kemp's." She said showing Kristen her tiny white teeth.
"I guess I should say the same. Um, I'm his girlfriend, by the way." She said trying not to make it sound bratty. I'm guessing this is a new friend of Kemp's if she doesn't know about me. Kristen concluded.
"Oh."The girl intoned. "He didn't tell me he had one."
Kemp sensed that this was an awkward place to start a conversation so he changed the subject. "Kim is a family friend. She's visiting Westchester this week with her family and I was showing her where I spend most of my time."
"Yeah."Kim added. "For the six months we've been talking on the phone, he spoke about soccer half of the time." Six months. She and Kemp had been back on again for six months. How had her name never come up in conversation?
Kristen had feigned interest in whatever Kim was talking about after that until Kim had finally told Kemp she was going to meet up with her mom for lunch. When Kemp walked her home that afternoon with his arm around her, Kristen couldn't help but ask.
"Kemp?" She asked softly. "Mmmmh?" He murmured back watching two guys skateboard on a rail as they passed them by.
"I don't want to seem petty. Don't be mad." He looked down at her."But were you ever gonna tell her you had a girlfriend? I mean, when I talk to a guy you don't know regularly, I'll let him know that I'm taken." Kemp sighed and removed his arm from around her. "Don't do this." He pleaded.
"Don't do what?" She asked grabbing his hand immediately.
"This."He growled. "Finding something to be mad about."
"I'm not mad," She insisted, "I just found it odd and I'm asking. If I were her, I know I'd be into you if I thought you were single."
"Are you saying I lead her on or something?"
"No! Now you're finding something to be mad about. You're a flirt, Kemp. I don't even think you notice that you do it. I'm not the jealous type. I just wanted to know if girls like Kim realize how meaningless it is."
"This conversation is meaningless." He sneered.
"Don't be an ass. It was a simple question and the fact that you're getting so defensive is making me start to speculate!"
"Speculate what? I'm with you, Kristen. I don't go around telling the whole world about it, but it doesn't change the fact that I am."
"That's not what I mean. I'm not asking you to do that. I'm not asking you to do anything. I'm just telling you what's been on my mind since that girl told me that she had no idea I existed."
"You're telling me this to make me feel guilty, but I don't. I did nothing wrong. Honestly, all those times I talked to Kim, you weren't even on my mind."
Kristen dropped his hand. "Kris, I didn't mean-"
"Just…..don't, okay?" She cut him off.
Kemp walked her back to the condo complex where she lived in silence.
"Let's not do this again, okay?"She spoke lightly.
"Yeah. Let's just forget about this dumb argument and-"
"Kemp. No. Let's not do this again. I don't think we should put ourselves through this all over again." She said carefully.
It was deadly silent for a long moment and then he spoke in a low sneer staring her right in the eyes. "You're a real heartless bitch, you know that? You've been, like, the biggest waste of time. I knew girls like you and your friends were trouble. You're beautiful, but you're completely empty. You're a perfectly wrapped up pretty package with nothing inside. You're a five course fucking meal that no one can swallow. I hope you regret this tomorrow and then realize it's too late because guess what, I'll be hooking up with Kim. God help the next guy who has to put up with you." With each deliberately hurtful sentence, she visibly flinched, but she wouldn't let herself cry. Not in front of him. When he walked away, she started to shake and ran inside to her bedroom. That afternoon, she had her first panic attack.
Kristen definitely had a reason to be mad and from the stories her friends told her, they all did. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He was sleeping with his cheek flat against the desk with his head facing away from her. She had bumped into him on her way out her coaches' office after turning the form for her physical in and they had both looked at each other and walked away as if nothing had happened. The PC and the former Tomahawks had gone back to not speaking, but the damage had already been done. Kristen was no longer oblivious to their presence. She could feel them as she brushed by them in the hallway or sat near one of them in class. The people around them, including the well-informed teachers, seemed to be expecting something else to go down smack in the middle of class. Kristen could tell by the watchful, suspicious eyes she got every time she entered a classroom. She and the PC had eaten lunch quietly while people around them chattered regularly, glancing in their direction every few minutes. The boys were nowhere to be seen.
The PC was a little relieved that they could now resume their plans for the sleepover. They were positive that after what happened Wednesday, they were no longer welcome at Josh's party. As the bell signaled that the last class of the day was over, Kristen grabbed her books and walked out with her two friends.
"Mass says that our costumes came in last night. She was free last period so she went to go pick up the horns. She should be waiting outside with Isaac by now." Claire informed them.
"Ooooh goody," Alicia singsonged, "I can't wait to show you guys what I picked out!"
"I'm not. Who knows if it'll fit right?" Kristen stressed. "Online shopping is a double edged sword."
The girls stopped at the Science wing after a quick stop at their lockers to pick up Dylan. They could see that she was begging Mr. Forester for a B+. Her signature red fiery curls bounced as she gestured wildly with a charm that was almost virginal. Mr. Forester smiled resignedly and seemed to offer her a compromise. She beamed happily and appeared to promise him something. He nodded and waved her away. As he went back into the classroom, Dylan's face seemed to change completely. She looked smug. When she saw her friends standing at the end of the hallway, she strode towards them in Sergio Rossi lizard peep-toe pumps. Together, they headed out the door.
"Someone just worked their magic." Claire congratulated.
"I know, but after the week I had, something was bound to actually go right." Dylan said.
"You mean the week we had." Alicia corrected. "But our costumes are in. I'm heading straight over to the Blocks now. It's not like I need anything at home. What about you guys? Does Isaac need to take you guys home?"
"No, not me. I have a spare pair of PJ's there anyway." Dylan shrugged.
"Same." Kristen agreed.
"I live yards away so it doesn't really matter." Claire pointed out.
"Get in the car!" Massie shouted out the window of the Range Rover. They did as she said and headed off to the Block Estate.
The PC was sitting in Massie's room, a few hours later, cleaning up the various boxes from Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Barney's, and Neiman Marcus. Red articles of clothing were everywhere and stood out shockingly against Massie's white carpeting and furniture. Suddenly, a text lit up Massie's Iphone.
'What r u wearing 2 Josh's party? U guys r gonna b there right?' ~Skye
"Ehmagawd. Skye just texted me to ask if we're going to Josh's party." Massie scoffed. "She knows we're not. She just wants me to say it so she can ask why."
"Or she thinks she's adding salt to our wounds." Kristen said lying across the plush carpet.
"Too bad for her." Dylan stated dryly. "It's not a wound anymore. It's an ugly scar covered up with a Fendi pashmina."
Claire smiled at her friend's ability to be fashionable even on a sore subject. "What will you tell her?" she asked Massie.
"I won't tell her anything. It's nobody's business. I don't want it to be anybody's business. Not even mine." She answered with finality.
'No. Have fun tho.' she texted back.
"Now that that's over with, let's finish cleaning up my room. We'll start the Halloween Horror Movie Marathon a.s.a.p. I'll close the curtains to get it dark in here. Kuh-laire, you can go get the snacks downstairs. Dyl, you've got the movies. Leesh, organize the sleeping bags. Kris, you just lie there and look pretty." She joked. The girls laughed and went to do what she asked.
Hours later, the PC was snuggled up in sleeping bags on the floor while watching SAW III. It was almost midnight. The surround sound system gave the illusion that they were in a movie theater. The girls were all makeup free with their hair twisted up into French braids and neat buns. They covered their eyes as they watched a particularly gory scene. Kristen who refused to look away was whimpering. A loud knock on Massie's door made them all scream.
"GO AWAY, TODD!" Claire shouted furiously.
"Pause your scary movie and open the door."Claire's little brother commanded slightly muffled through the door. "I snuck your friends in through the back door. You all owe me five bucks each."
"What are you talking about?" Claire asked putting the movie on pause. She stood up and flicked on the light before heading to the door. The rest of the PC stayed where they were; annoyed by what they were sure was one of Todd Lyons' dumb pranks.
Claire opened the door and there stood her eleven year old brother with Josh, Cam, Chris, Derrick, and Kemp. She stood there in navy cotton Victoria's Secret pajamas and stared at them with wide blue eyes.
"If they're out here any longer, you guys might get caught, so stop gaping and let them in already." Todd warned.
"Kuh-laire, what's taking you so long?" Massie called. The room was so large that the other girls had no view of the door from where they sat.
"Take off your shoes. You'll ruin the carpet." Claire ordered and opened the door wider. The guys quickly did as she said and came inside.
"I better get a dollar for every minute they stay past 2 AM in exchange for me not telling mom and dad about this." Todd added. Claire glared and firmly shut the door. The boys stood there with their shoes in their hands looking lost as to what to do with themselves.
"Drop them in that Neiman Marcus box in the corner." She instructed softly. After they did what she said, she motioned for them to follow. As she walked farther into the room and came around the wall, Claire spoke up. "Hey. We have visitors." Seconds later, the boys appeared. The PC all sat up quickly in surprise. They were each individually panicking over their pale undone faces, but then realized it didn't matter. There was no one that needed impressing.
"Hey."Derrick greeted. "We noticed that you guys weren't at the party." The boys looked around Massie's room, taking in the sleeping bags, the scary DVDs, Claire's bowl of sour candy, and the overall "whiteness" of everything.
After a silent moment of shock, someone finally said something.
"You guys came all the way over here after your party to tell us you noticed we weren't there." Dylan stated incredulously.
"Actually the party is still going on," Chris replied, "we just didn't feel like sticking around."
"Why?" Alicia questioned. "Did the music suck or something?"
"No. Everyone seemed to be having a pretty good time actually, a lot of dancing." Josh spoke up. "We just weren't feeling up to it."
"You left your own party and came here?" Kristen laughed with disbelief. "Why?"
Derrick shrugged and sat down on the carpet. The others followed. Claire still stood there with her arms crossed.
"Is this the dead body you needed to take care of?"Kemp asked motioning towards the flat screen.
"No. We buried him yesterday." Claire answered playing along, walking over to turn off the light before returning to her sleeping bag. Cam grabbed her bowl of gummies and started eating them. "At the country club golf course."
Massie locked eyes with Derrick in the dark as Alicia pressed play and the movie resumed. He gave her a small smile that she returned before turning her attention back to the movie. She didn't really get what was happening, but she just didn't feel like fighting.
The PC went back to covering their eyes at the gory parts, except this time they would also laugh because Chris and Kemp made corny jokes that made everything seem less scary. When it was over, they watched the Strangers. Throughout the movie, they were all creeped out. Towards the ending, every one of them was screaming and Cam was shushing them all to quiet down before they were caught. It was almost 3 AM by the time that it was over. Claire knew that she owed her brother at least 45 dollars, but she didn't care. She had a great time.
"Happy Halloween, guys." Chris chortled.
"You guys have to go now." Massie insisted. "We have to sleep. We have Skye's party tonight, remember?"
"Ugh," Josh groaned face down on the carpet, "another party. Whose idea was it to throw mine the night before, anyway?"
"Yours." The guys all said in unison.
"What are you girls coming as?" Kemp asked.
"It's a surprise." Massie and Derrick answered at the same time. She looked at him in surprise.
"What, Block? It's not like you haven't said it before."
"Okay whatever." She replied. "Come on. Get on your shoes. We have to get you guys' past the housekeepers' bedroom, so you guys can't make a single sound. Elsa hears everything."
The PC and the boys crept out of Massie's bedroom. They tip toed down the hallway until they reached the stairs.
"Now you guys have to be especially quiet." Massie whispered. "There's an echo downstairs so any little noise can be heard around the house." The boys nodded nervously and inched down the stairs and into the kitchen. Alicia unlocked the glass doors and slid them open gently. The night breeze made the girls shiver in their tiny sleepwear.
"I guess we'll see you guys tonight then." Josh said awkwardly. The whole night, everyone managed to avoid the elephant in the room; the fact that they were in a semi-argument. Now, it seemed to be inevitable to notice.
"Yeah. Thanks for not kicking us out of your sleepover." Cam said addressing Massie. "I had a way better time here than I would have had if we stayed at the party." Massie noticed his eyes flick to Claire's bare legs for a split second.
Massie blinked before responding. "I don't know what possessed you guys to come here and think that it was okay. Anyway…thanks for the company I guess. But for the love of God, call first next time." She shoved them all outside into her backyard without another word and slid the door closed locking it. She looked up to see Derrington smiling at her intently before waving and stumbling away. Kemp, Chris, Josh, and Cam all made funny faces in the window before following that Dylan and Claire laughed at. Alicia and Kristen gave shy smiles before turning away.
As they finally walked back upstairs and entered Massie's room, the PC looked at each other silently asking each other the same question. What just happened? No one could say anything though, and they all were very tired. So without a mention to the events of that night, they slumped into their sleeping bags and fell asleep.