Chapter 10 – "Blue"

BOCD, Westchester NY

Pick-up Zone

September 19th (Fri)

3:04 PM

"I guess the Friday night sleepovers are done for good," sighed Alicia dramatically as she settled on a stone step, sitting on her leather tote to ensure that her silky sundress wouldn't get damaged. Even in the events of late, Alicia wasn't one to sacrifice fashion. Neither was Kristen or Dylan. And Claire… well, Claire didn't count. Alicia slung one arm around her knees as she texted with her left hand, trying to ignore the large group of a-listers that were commanding the stairs further down. A-listers included Cam Fisher, Ahnna Pincher and Massie.

Besides Alicia, Claire tilted her head, trying to act as though she wasn't sure that the event was over. The blonde hadn't told any of her friends about the event in health last week, but all of them knew anyway. Gossip spread like wildfire, especially when it involved a hot guy and someone being humiliated.

Claire, even after being humiliated by Cam, sneaked a glance at his clean-shaven neck. What she would do to get a whiff of his neck? To smell that Drakkar Noir cologne one more time?

"Why not ask?" Claire asked boldly.

"Claire." Kristen said, shaking her head and turning back to her school-issued iPad.

"Why not?" Claire said in response, feeling emboldened. If they all went over to ask Massie, maybe the brunette would feel pressure to invite them over regardless of her status.

(In the recesses of her mind, Claire realized that was a nonexistent possibility, but hey, a girl can hope…right?)

"Fine, you go ask then," Alicia snapped, feeling irritated. All week, Claire had been getting on her nerves. She didn't know how Massie stood being alpha to the annoying Floridian blonde.

"Just me?" Claire froze, a flashback from the health class marring her face. "Uh…"

"Why not?" Dylan asked smoothly as she dug through her Longchamp Le Pliage for something. "We've got time before Alicia's limo gets here."

Claire precariously stood up, nodding once. "Uh, okay?" She realized that she couldn't back down now, or risk expulsion from what was left of the pretty committee. Claire was treading on thin ice regardless: Massie had been Claire's best friend and lifeline in the clique. Without her there, Alicia had reverted more or less to seventh-grade ways.

She slowly stepped down the stairs, ducking under the partition so she wouldn't have to step through the a-listers to get to Massie. She slowly turned around and faced the group. Nobody was paying attention to her.

Claire coughed nervously, and Olivia glanced up. Immediately, she glanced back down and refocused on whatever Cam was saying next to her. Cam noticed this, and looked up at Claire standing awkwardly before him. The black-haired boy elbowed Kemp, who was sitting beside him.

"Back for more?" Kemp asked, causing every person in the group to laugh except for Massie and Ahnna. Ahnna was studying her with a strange glint in her eye. Massie was doing the same.

"What are you doing here, Claire?" Massie asked evenly, calmly brushing back her brunette locks with one tanned, graceful hand.

"Uh…what am I doing here…uh, I wanted to know if the, uh, sleepover… um the Friday night sleepover was st-"

Just then, Derrick standing up from his seat next to Massie interrupted her. He pursed his lips and burst out with a Massie imitation.

"Kuh-laire." Derrick spat. "Did I invite you to my barb-eh-keu?"

This caused everyone to laugh, even Massie.

Claire awkwardly stood until the laughter died down and everyone regarded her again.

"Are we hanging out tonight?" Claire said quickly, squeezing her eyes shut, expecting laughter. Instead, she got silence. As she stood waiting for an answer, a slight breeze brushed her hair off her shoulders. The breeze also brought a slight scent of sandalwood, spicy berries and coriander…Cam's smell. Claire involuntarily took a deep breath. Almost immediately, the scent brought tears of shame to her eyes. How dare was she still in love with the boy that had humiliated her?

"And what exactly makes you think that you're coming to Ahnna's party?"

The voice wasn't Ahnna's, or Massie's, but a thin Asian girl Claire knew as Brianna, Ahnna's beta.

"I-I- don't-" Claire stammered, opening her eyes.

"Yeah, I don't remember inviting her…" Ahnna said slowly, meeting Claire's eyes. Claire shivered, noticing that Ahnna's eyes were nearly the same color as her own. "Do you remember me inviting her, Massie?"

Claire looked at Massie for the first time, straight on. The brunette had the same look as Ahnna.

"No, I don't," said Massie. She looked up, locking Claire in an amber gaze. "Sorry, Claire."

"Yeah, sorry Claire." Kemp said boisterously from his perch on a stair. Cam echoed his sentiment, and the words then flowed on down the group from there.

After Kori Geldman finished saying the words, Claire turned around and fled calmly towards the road. She would walk home. She couldn't face her friends, not here, and not now.

Sorry, short chapter this time around! I will update quickly, I promise :)

Let me know what you think so far! Is there any hope for the PC to ever be whole again?

B