THE AIRPORT
WAITING AREA
2:28 PM
Kristen bounced back and forth on the heels of her silver Bloch mirror frill ballet flats in anticipation. Her clammy hands gripped her shark tooth so hard that it was driving into her palm. Kristen barely noticed. She bit her lip as the doors opened and the passengers from Dune's flight poured into the waiting area. Her heart starting clobbering her ribs at breakneck speed.
For the first time in almost a year Kristen saw his face. He had the same sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and the same smile that made her melt like a popsicle sitting under the summer sun. Kristen had to fight to stop her knees from clacking together. Dune looked around for her. Kristen waved her hand slightly, and he spotted her. They made intense eye contact for about three seconds of sheer bliss, and then he broke it to pick up his luggage and clamber over to her.
Kristen couldn't stop herself from beaming. He was finally here! Her resolution to lip-kiss Dune at the airport had been shattered, but maybe she could just do that another time when there weren't so many people around.
Kristen started to feel extra perspiration in her Miss Sixty brown floral halter top especially with her Yaya Aflalo deep blue denim cropped jacket on top. She rubbed her clammy hands on the thighs of her BCBGeneration white short shorts.
Dune approached her with a huge smile plastered to his face. "Hey," he said blistfully.
Kristen couldn't stop the beam from breaking through every pore of her body. "Hey," she cooed.
"It's cool to see you again, I forgot how pretty you are, you know, in person," Dune murmured awkwardly, running his hands through his hair in that irresistible way.
Kristen almost fainted. "You don't look to shabby yourself. I missed you." It took her a minute to realize what she just said.
Dune looked a little awkward, but he was still smiling. "I missed you too, actually."
"Really?" she asked, as if she needed to.
"Yeah." He inched a couple steps closer to her.
Kristen felt herself getting overheated. Ehmagawd! Is he going to lip-kiss me? Right here? Tacky or romantic?
"Cool." Seriously?! All you can say is "cool?"
"Cool," he repeated, snickering. "Anyways, I was wondering… you know, if you wanted to maybe go to a movie or something... I mean, if you want. Sometime."
"Are you asking me on a date?" Kristen wondered, knowing he was. It was about time.
Dune nodded sheepishly.
Kristen tapped her chin jokingly, pretending to consider it. "I don't know," she giggled, tapping her foot on the floor. "I'd have to check my schedule."
"Cut it out," Dune laughed. "You're making this hard!"
"Ok!"
"Ok, what?"
"Ok, yes!" she almost screamed. "I'd love to go out with you."
"Great!" he smiled. "Hey! You're wearing my necklace!"
Kristen's hand leapt to the shark tooth resting on her chest and blushed lightly. "Yeah. I love it."
"That's awesome."
"It is, isn't it?"
THE AIRPORT
FOOD COURT
2:35 P.M.
Claire sat with Cam's arm around her shoulders sipping her Strawberry-Banana Julius that she'd managed to buy from the food court while Massie wasn't watching. But come on! Her stomach was growling, the least she could do was buy a drink.
"A moment on the lips, forever on the hips," Massie would snap.
Alicia had opted for her Evian spring water, because she was still on her "diet" which pretty much consisted of the exact same things she ate every day. Claire assumed she just called it a "diet" because it made her feel better.
Josh also had his arm wrapped around Alicia's shoulders, and Massie and Derrington were sitting awkwardly at different sides of the table. Derrington had his arms crossed and he was repeatedly kicking the underside of the table.
Claire sipped her tasty Julius drink, accidentally making a loud slurping noise and stacking up the awkwardness.
"Ow!" Massie called out suddenly, grabbing her foot desperately and wincing. "What the hell? You just kicked me! Gawd!"
"Sorry," Derrington muttered, obviously fighting a snicker.
Plovert cracked up from beside Claire and Cam.
"Shut up, Plovert!" Massie snapped.
"Sorry, is there still some sexual tension left over?" he snickered.
Derrington jerked and the next moment Plovert was howling and gripping a bruised shin.
"Ew! That's disgusting, you perv!" Massie smacked his other shin.
"HEY! What is this, 'Beat Up On Plovert Day?'" he demanded.
"Hey, I would celebrate that!" Alicia raised her hand. "All in favor say 'aye!'"
"AYE!" everyone said in union, and then cracked up.
Plovert deposited dirty looks to everyone and nursed his injured shins.
AIRPORT
ENTRANCE
2:45 P.M.
"So, do you care if Kristen didn't show up?" Alicia asked Massie, casually sliding up a place from beside Josh to whisper in Massie's ear.
Massie adjusted the diamond hoop that hung from her left ear. "Of course not. She can have all the fun she wants with Dylan," she said coolly, obviously not showing that she was still pissed at Alicia for snapping at her earlier.
Alicia fought a sigh. This had ahb-viously gone on enough. She glared at the alpha while she wasn't looking. Massie thought she was fooling people with this act that she didn't care if Dylan was gone, but only a blind person couldn't see that Massie missed Dylan herself. And soon, she would start longing for Kristen's company. But by that time, she would be too proud to show that she was wrong. She probably was wrong in the first place. This whole thing made Alicia's blood boil. She clenched her fist and fell back a bit, letting Massie walk up front alone.
Suddenly, Josh's hand slipped into hers. "Hey," he said, "You ok?"
Alicia unraveled her fist and let her fingers intertwine with Josh's. At least there was one thing that could lift her spirits. She grinned at him and batted her eyelashes. "I'm fine, just tired."
"That's ok. Wanna piggyback?" he offered, bending over.
Alicia just laughed. "No, I'm nawt going to break your back again."
"Hey, that was my fault."
"Not so much," she muttered.
"Seriously! Hop on!" he urged.
"No!"
"Get on!"
"I am nawt!"
"Fine." Josh pivoted his feet so that he was nose-to-nose with her. Alicia didn't have time to object before he put one arm underneath her knees and the other behind her back. He lifted her completely off the ground and swung her around onto his back. He leaned over, sliding her onto his back. Alicia threw her arms around his neck and grabbed her own wrist to secure herself. Then Josh put his hands underneath her knees and carried her all the way to the door.
"What are you doing?!"
"Just relax, you said you were tired."
Alicia cracked up. "Fine!" she put her head down on his shoulder, grateful that someone understood her.
AIRPORT
THE PARKING LOT
2:49 P.M.
Massie caught the eye of a certain sandy-haired, tanned, blue-eyed boy her age while everyone was standing on the curb, waiting for the Range Rover to pick them up.
It was Dune, Kristen's love interest. Massie felt a devious plan drive into her brain. Payback time, Gregory, she thought to herself. Massie smoothed out herChloe tube dress and pulled out a tube of her Pineapple GG.
"What is it?" Claire asked from beside her, sensing her sudden motion.
Massie twisted the lid off the shimmering gloss. "Nothing."
"I know that look," the blonde insisted, twisting her ponytail in her hand. "You're scheming!"
"Puh-leeze," Massie scoffed, "Would I do that?"
"Yes!" Claire cracked up.
"I'll be right back." Massie smoothed the gloss over her lips and checked herself in her purple metallic compact mirror. She dropped it in her tote and sauntered over to Dune in the best model-walk she could.
Dune was in the middle of connecting his iPod headphones to his black third generation nano.
"Need any help?" Massie laughed as prettily as she could. She imagined it sounded like a beautiful, exotic diamond wind chime.
Dune snapped his head up. "Oh, Maysee Black! Cool to see you."
"No idea who that is but good to see you too," Massie's blood boiled inside. She dug the toes of her left foot into the ground to fight the anger. MASSIE BLOCK! HOW HARD IT IS TO SAY MASSIE BLOCK? M-A-S-S-I-E B-L-O-C-K!
"Sorry. Um, Mah-ssie, right? How are you?" he asked.
She shrugged cutely. "I'm great. What about you? How was surfing school?" She had no idea how she managed to remember that this dude went to some special surfing thing that she had no interest in whatsoever.
"It was awesome! But it's nice to be back. I just saw Kristen a while ago, is she with you now?" He craned his neck and looked around.
"Oh gosh, no. I'm not really her friend anymore, her boyfriend messed everything up," Massie sighed, holding her hands behind her back innocently, slowly twisting her middle and index fingers together deviously.
Dune's face fell immediately. "What boyfriend?"
Massie sighed as if saddened by the memory. Inside, she was scanning her brain for the most horrible person to be Kristen's "boyfriend."
"My ex, I'm not sure if you know him," Massie muttered, scraping up the acting skills Claire had taught her one bored summer afternoon and pretending to be on the verge of tears.
"What? Who is it?"
"Kemp Hurley,," Massie said, her brain scheming snappily.
Dune's eyes bulged. "She did mention him a lot!"
"Ugh! How rude! Has she been cheating on you or something?" Massie gasped like she didn't believe it.
"I don't believe this," Dune breathed. "I am so done with her. I just can't believe this. It doesn't seem like she would do that."
"MASSIE!" Claire called. Massie turned her head and saw Claire beginning to unload her stuff into the Range Rover. The boys were already gone, as Cam's mom had already come and picked them up. Alicia was attempting to lift her several suitcases into the trunk. Claire had to help her before her bag came loose and spilled RL tanks all over the pavement.
"I've gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around?" Massie asked angelically.
"Sure," Dune said, "I'll talk to you later?"
"I'll be waiting, Dune," Massie flirted, adding his name for affect. "I can't wait to hear from you."
"Cool," he said nervously. Massie took two steps towards him, winked, and then traipsed over to her girlfriends, swaying her hips as seductively as she could.
She knew he was watching her the whole time.
THE RANGE ROVER
BACK SEAT
3:05 PM
The highway zipped by in a total blur. Claire rested her head on the cool window. An open bag of gummy bears lay in her lap, ready to be eaten. She wasn't hungry, as tempting as they were.
Claire couldn't believe what Massie was doing. She was stealing Kristen's man and making up random stupid stories about her! What Alicia had said was true, "This is what obsession and mind controlling looks like!"
Massie was seriously messing with people's minds. Claire wiped her clammy hands on her AE denim short shorts.
She side-glanced at Massie, who was in the middle of some gossip fest with Alicia. It was obvious Isaac couldn't hear them because of the noise from the cars zooming past and the fact that he was blasting the radio to some random country station.
Claire scooted over in her seat and got closer to Massie. "Um, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, shoot." Massie was examining her perfect ski-slope nose in her mirror, making sure no foundation had smudged.
"What was with you and Dune back there?"
"Ehmagawwwwwwd!" Alicia purred curiously, sitting upright. "You and Dude? You're making Derrington jealous, aren't you?" It was like she and Massie were best friends again. It bothered Claire how they could make up so fast but she had to work for it.
"Nothing, Kuh-laire," Massie snapped. "I was just talking to him. Our relationship is strictly professional," she joked, in a way that made it too ahb-vious that Massie had Dune wrapped around her finger.
"Yeah right!" Alicia cackled. "Should Derrington have any reason to be jealous yet?"
"He will after this," Massie giggled and lifted her iPhone from the infamous Prada Fairy bag and started a fresh text to Dune. "What shall I say?"
"What did you say to him before?" Claire still wanted to know. Massie could be seriously annoying sometimes.
Massie looked innocent. "Oh, he's totally into me!"
"You playa!" Alicia cackled.
"Massie, don't you know Kristen's been waiting a year for him to come back?"
"So? She totally betrayed me!"
Alicia silenced and buried her nose back in Us Weekly. Her face was covered by a close-up of Robert Pattinson.
"Whatever," Claire sighed and scooted back to the window, watching the trees blur past.
"What is wrong with you people?!" Massie groaned, leaning her head back staring at the ceiling. She kicked the underside of Alicia's seat and drummed on the leather interior seat.
Finally, when Massie seemed to realize that nobody was paying attention to her, she reached for her iPhone and checked her messages.
"Hey Isaac how about turning on some real music?" Massie asked loudly. "Like the radio?"
"Are you buckled up?"
Massie rolled her eyes. "Of course I am! Puh-leeze?"
Isaac checked his rear-view mirror and adjusted the dial.
Shut up and put your money where your mouth is,
That's what you get for waking up in Vegas
Get up and shake the glitter off your clothes now
That's what you get for waking up in Vegas
Massie, Alicia and Claire sang along the words to the song. For a while Claire forgot that she was angry with Massie, because inside she knew that she wasn't in the position to pick a fight.
BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
7:58 PM
BigRedHead: MASSIE
BigRedHead: MASSIE
Massie tried to ignore the repeating BEEPS on her Mac. She had been almost asleep on the fluffy purple quilt, sinking into relaxation. Massie grabbed her Champagne Sequin Ethan Allen pillow and hurtled it at the white Mac.
The beeping drilled on into her brain, and finally she gave up, stood up, and padded across her carpet. She seated herself in her white, comfy spinning desk chair and checked her messages.
Dylan?! What was Dylan doing messaging her?
BigRedHead: let me xplain
Massie rolled her eyes and thought that since she was mature, she would reply:
Massiekur: s'plain what
BigRedHead: omg massie im so sorry i had no idea u didnt steal my bag
Massiekur: what?
BigRedHead: i thought u stole my bag thats the only reason i stole urs
Massiekur: ya well stealing my bag made up 4 me taking urs
BigRedHead: nooooo well I don't know I was stupid
Massiekur: for 1nce I agree w/ u
BigRedHead: lol
Massie knew it was just a suck-up "LOL." Dylan was probably crying at home in her computer chair, desperate to crawl back to Massie's feet.
Massiekur: how do I no that's not just a cover up story
BigRedHead: massie!!!!!! plz!!!!!!!!! u have 2 believe me
Massiekur: i don't no if I can trust u
BigRedHead: what can i do
Massiekur: apologize
BigRedHead: Mass i am so sorry!!! ive already apologized
Massiekur: plz i want it in person
BigRedHead: ?
Massiekur: so I no u mean it. meet me 2morrow 2-o-clock the school
BigRedHead: Massie ??
Massie decided not to answer. She scanned her contact list for someone interesting to talk to, but there was nobody on but Derrington.
Suddenly, a little box popped up in the corner of screen that said, Surfer4Life has signed on. Dune!
Massie smirked to herself and double-clicked Dune's profile picture of himself holding his surfboard and pretending to be surfing, although it was ahb-vious he was on land.
Massiekur: Hey
Surfer4Life: Hey Massie
It made Massie tense as she read how similar Dune's screen name was to Derrington's.
Surfer4Life: So, are we going to ever go to that movie we talked about?
Massiekur: Did we talk about a movie?
Surfer4Life: Oh. Well I wanted to ask you.
Massiekur: I would love it!!! When?
The question marks were artificial excitement. The only thing making Massie excited was the anticipation of crushing Kristen for betraying her.
Surfer4Life: How about tmrw
Massiekur: k. Cya then
BEEP
Shorts4Life: Hey
Massie paused. Why was he saying "Hey" again? Maybe he was being flirty. Two could play at that game.
Massiekur: Hey stud
Shorts4Life: Is this Massie…?
Massiekur: the one and only
Shorts4Life: y did u just call me that
BEEP
Surfer4Life: Hello are u there?
What?
Massiekur: Wait what
Surfer4Life: Oh there you are babe
Massiekur: Hey
BEEP
Shorts4Life: What's up with you today why r u being so weird
Massiekur: me? Whats up w/ u & yur split personalty?
Shorts4Life: WHAT r u tlking bout??
Ehmagawd. EH-MA-GAWD. She was talking to Dune AND Derrington at the same time!
Surfer4Life: u still there? Y arent u answering me?
Massie rapidly signed off without any explanation.
MASSIEKUR has signed off at 8:09 PM
"WHY ARE YOUR NAMES SO SIMILAR!?" she shrieked at the computer screen, and hurled a plush purple pillow at the Mac.
Then she collapsed on her bed, rubbing her temples.
BOCD
SOCCER FIELD
BLEACHERS
2:04 P.M.
Massie watched in triumph as Dylan nervously climbed out of her family's Mercedes and slammed the door. Dylan shuffled across the field, hugging her Hype Ultraberry snake print foldover clutch to her chest and tripping in her Charles by Charles Davids black leather heeled sandals. She had on a Betsey Johnston yellow crinkled silk chiffon halter dress and her fiery red hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. D&G large sunglasses shielded her eyes from the blazing sun. She was dressed all carefree, as if she didn't care at all whether or not Massie was mad at her. But Massie knew it was just a cover.
She felt highly superior in Matiko black suede gladiator sandals and Yaya Aflalo yellow pleated silk mini skirt, completed with a Design History black jersey banded v-neck tank and her curled brown hair that was teased around her face by the light summer wind. Her outfit looked like it was just thrown on even though she had actually spent an hour perfecting it.
Massie stood her ground at the center of the field. Dylan kept her head down as she marched across the grass.
"Hello," Massie said dryly.
Dylan's voice was quivering. "Hey Massie."
"OK," Massie remarked coolly, "You may give me my apology…"
"—I'm sorry!" Dylan said slowly and carefully. "Happy now?"
"Oh, I know you're sorry," Massie said, "I just want them to also know you're sorry."
At that moment, Claire, Alicia, Josh, Plovert, Cam and Derrington emerged from behind one of the trailers. They crossed the dewy grass, Alicia and Derrington walking very reluctantly and bringing up the rear, and stood behind Massie as if she was their queen; which she was.
"What do you mean?" Dylan confusedly knit her perfectly shaped eyebrows.
Massie wrinkled her dainty ski-slope nose, as if wondering how on earth Dylan wasn't getting this. "Ah-pologize! Do I have to spell it?!"
"Like you could," Claire coughed from behind.
The boys cracked up. Alicia held up her hand for a high five. Massie ignored them all.
"In front of everyone?" Dylan asked, as if Massie had just asked her to eat dirt.
Massie rolled those you-can't-possibly-not-be-jealous-of amber eyes and pursed her lips. "Ahb-viously."
Dylan drew a breath as if it was the most horrible thing in the word. "Sorry," she breathed out in one gasp.
"Ugh, come on! Remember what you told me yesterday? Or do you want me to give that CD you were wondering about to everyone—"
"Massie—I'm sorry! I was an idiot to jump to conclusions like that. Will you forgive me?"
"I don't know…" Massie tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Someone groaned from behind her. She suspected it was Derrington.
"Massie!" Dylan moaned, seeming to be on the verge of tears.
Although it wasn't the best thing in the world to see her friend cry, Massie felt a warm tingle inside. She knew she was back on top of everything.
"Ahb-viously I forgive you! You're by BFF!" Massie threw her arms out for a hug and Dylan beamed. The redhead slid into Massie's arms and squeezed, letting Massie know that she was truly sorry for jumping to conclusions. Massie hugged back, but not to hard. It was her way of saying, "This is technically not an apology, but maybe I was a little too harsh."
As they pulled back, Massie drew a breath. "Ok, now that we're friends again, I think I have to tell you something."
It was time to spill about their not-so-brilliant plan.
MOVIE THEATER
ENTRANC E
5:47 P.M.
Dune was late. And not just fashionably late—only Massie could tastefully pull that off. She took the opportunity to stroke her delicately prepared hairdo; her new wavy chocolate-brown extensions gleaming in the fluorescence. Several Kate Spade bangles raced down her left arm and a set of Rachel Leigh gold bangles mirroring the movement on her right wrist.
Massie tossed her neck and her wavy tresses flicked back and forth irresistibly. She drew another deep breath and glanced at the door once more, crossed her arms over her Miss Sixty red striped layered tank. She had white, light and loose Joie cardigan slung over her folded arm in case the air conditioning was blasting as usual.
After five more minutes of last-minute grooming, she heard the sound of bike wheels rolling to a stop. She turned hopefully, but to her dismay, it wasn't Dune who she saw; it was the last person she wanted to see at that moment.
Derrington—looking unfortunately ah-dorable in his Diesel jean shorts and striped black-and-blue Lacoste polo—hopped off a bike, and helped a gorgeous petite blonde off the back of the bicycle.
The girl looked even cuter than Massie did in brown Gladiators and a light, flowy white halter dress that swished around her knees every time she took a graceful step. It was ahb-vious she was a ballerina, and Massie felt a lot less elegant.
The small blonde walked beside Derrington. Every time she laughed her boob-length blonde curls would playfully dance around her face.
Massie scoffed to herself. Once she realized that Derrington and what's-her-face were strolling towards her, she whirled around on the heels of her strappy sandals and grabbed her iPhone. She turned it on and pretended to be deep in interest of a text she was "receiving."
"Block?" Derrington's voice. Damn it!
Massie grinned and lifted her chin. "Hey," she chirped, and then rested her eyes on the blonde for a moment. She returned them to her ex dismissively.
"What are you doing here?" Derrington asked.
"Oh, my date's just got caught in traffic. He should be here any minute," Massie said, assuring herself more than anyone.
Derrington nodded absently. "Cool. Um, this is Naomi," he introduced the blonde.
Naomi gave Massie a pearly-toothed grin and offered her hand. Massie looked at it and disgust but nevertheless shook it and squeezed it slightly. Naomi drew back quickly and looked quite intimidated.
"Well, are you going to tell her who I am, Derrick?" Massie asked, lifting her brows.
Derrington smirked. "I was getting to it, Block."
Naomi shifted her weigh uncomfortably.
"This is my friend, Massie," Derrington told Naomi.
Naomi nodded understandingly and smiled at Massie. The brunette returned the smile but in a, I'm-Better-Than-You-And-You-Know-It kind of way.
"What movie are you seeing?" Derrington asked.
"Oh, we're seeing Star Trek," Massie said, scoffing slightly as she said it. Dune had insisted they go see it, and although it was supposed to be a good movie, it sure wasn't Massie's cup of tea.
"Hey, we're seeing that too!" Derrington said happily. Naomi rolled her eyes.
At that moment, someone tapped on Massie's shoulder. Massie jumped in shock and whipped around, accidentally smacking Dune in the face with her extensions. Dune flinched suddenly, but then he just smiled.
Massie blushed, but not for Dune. Ugh! She usually didn't blush when she was embarrassed.
"Sorry I'm late," Dune breathed. "I had to skateboard all the way here."
Massie rolled her eyes. The good thing was Dune was dressed a lot better than he usually was. He wore dark wash jean shorts, Pumas, and a crisp button-up shirt.
"Let's go, Massie," Dune suggested, throwing his arm around Massie's shoulder. His hands were awfully cold, and Massie flinched as they made contact with her bare elbows. "I already got my ticket."
"Same," Massie shivered.
"Shall we?" Derrington asked Naomi. Naomi nodded.
Massie and Dune walked several feet in front of Derrington and Naomi. Derrington didn't have his arm around Naomi or anything; they were in his pockets. But Naomi and her ex seemed to be deep in conversation.
Massie drew a breath. Dune's grip on her tightened, as if he thought she was going to run away. Which she would gladly do.
"Oh good, theater five!" Massie exclaimed, speeding into the cool, air-conditioned theater. Most of the seats were all taken up, except a handful of seats in the back row.
"Looks like we're sitting together," Derrington sighed, coming up behind Massie and Dune.
Massie groaned so that nobody could hear her, and began to climb the stairs that led all the way to the back of the theater. She squeezed in beside Dune, and found Derrington beside her, with Naomi on his other side.
Massie shifted uncomfortably as the FEATURE PRESENTATION text flickered across the screen.
MOVIE THEATER
THEATER 5
6:30 P.M.
Derrington pulled a pack of licorice out of his pocket and offered some to Naomi. She took it, giggling, and popped it in her mouth.
"Hey guys, want any?" Derrington suggested, holding the licorice out to Massie and Dune.
"Thanks Dude," Dune grinned, grabbing one of the twisted red sticks of sugar.
Derrington thrust the bag in Massie's face. "C'mon Block, you know you want to…"
"Shhhh!" someone hissed from a couple rows in front.
Derrington lowered his voice to a whisper and moved his face closer to Massie. "I know you want to…" he whispered, shaking the bag and flashing a toothy grin. Their faces were inches apart.
And Massie bit her lip as butterflies fluttered around in her insides. "Yeah, I do…" she whispered to herself. Ehmagawd!
"Well, if you want it, why don't you have it?" he asked her.
Massie's insides twisted. "If you want it, why don't you have it?" "If you want it, why don't you have it?" It replayed in Massie's head, haunting her. She glanced at Naomi, who was gawking at the hawt Captain Kirk with big, gentle blue eyes. And then it was alarmingly clear. Derrington shouldn't have been with Naomi! He shouldn't have been with anyone except Massie. If she wanted him, why didn't she have him?
Massie suddenly felt a headache coming on. "Um, I'll be right back," she said, and realized how shaky her voice sounded. Massie grabbed her yellow snake buckled Cole Haan clutch and slinked through Derrington and Naomi's legs.
Dune didn't seem to notice she was gone, but Derrington did. He sat up. "Block," he whisper-shouted, "Where are you going?"
"Bathroom," she tried to whisper back, but nothing came out. So she just loped down the stairs and stumbled out of the theater.
She caught her breath in the hall. It was strange that there was nobody in the long, wide hallway that lead to the various theaters, but she was grateful for it. Even though the sounds of loud action movie explosions and cheesy romance music clashed and enveloped her, she still felt much better being able to move around than being sandwiched in between Dune and Derrington.
Massie closed her eyes and breathed in. OK. Deep breaths. In… out… in… out… in…
"Block!" Derrington barked.
"Aaaaaaaah!" Massie's eyes sprung open in alarm. She found herself way too close to Derrington, and scooted back a couple inches.
"What's wrong?"
"Did you follow me?"
"No, Dune told me to come out and see what was wrong with you."
Massie knew that was toe-dally a load of bull. Dune was ahb-viously engrossed in the movie, and Derrington was a lousy liar.
"Oh. Thanks," she said. "I'm fine. I just wanted some air, I was getting a little claustrophobic."
"Are you ok?"
"Fine, now…"
"OK, let's go back in." Derrington reached for her hand, and Massie pulled back, stepping away.
Derrington ran a hand through his shorter dirty blonde hair in confusion. "What?"
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to go back in to the theater?" he said, more of a question that an answer.
Massie shook her head and waved her hand around a little, like she was waving hello at the star-patterned ceiling. "You just tried to hold my hand!"
"No I didn't, that was an accident!" Derrington protested lamely.
Massie rolled her eyes. "Puh-leeze! Maybe I should tell your date about this."
"Maybe not 'cause she's my cousin!" Derrington cackled. "I knew you were jealous."
"I am nawt jealous of her! If anything I feel bad for her."
"Fine, Block! What should I tell your new boyfriend for you?" Derrington demanded.
"Tell him that I didn't feel well so I went home," Massie snapped at Derrington.
He glowered at her.
"Um, please," Massie added, quickly collecting herself.
Derrington raised an eyebrow.
"Bye," Massie said bluntly. She fished her iPhone out of her purse and searched for Isaac's number. As she started to speed-walk away from Derrington, her eyes moistened.
Once she reached the main entrance, Massie looked back once. Derrington was still staring right at her. The alpha blushed a harsh shade of red, and she knew that she wasn't embarrassed or blushing for Dune. She was blushing for Derrington. But crawling back to him and into his arms was like rolling over on her back and waving the white flag. And that was nawt going to happen. She would return in style.
So instead she gave him a little wave and walked away from him.
BRICKVIEW APARTMENTS
KRISTEN'S ROOM
12:47 P.M.
Kristen pulled her soccer t-shirt that served as a loose pajama top over her head and tossed it in her laundry basket. She scanned her new summer wardrobe and picked out a navy blue and white striped AE tank top and zipped up her grey short-sleeved TNA sweater. She paired it with Forever 21 jean short shorts and slipped on her navy blue flip-flops on the way out the door.
Beaming, Kristen snatched her scratched cell off the kitchen counter and sent a quick text to Dune.
KRISTEN: HEY, WE SHOULD HANG OUT 2DAY :)
Kristen left her phone on the countertop as she reached high up in the cupboard to fetch the Corn Flakes. She poured some into a small glass bowl and stirred it around with low-fat strawberry yogurt. She was about to take a hearty bite before her phone vibrated.
Kristen's heart fluttered inside. She knew it was a response from Dune!
MASSIE: HEY
Massie?
KRISTEN: HEY MASS WHATS UP
MASSIE: FORGAVE DYLAN
KRISTEN: OMG X100 WHY
Kristen's heart started doing dive-rolls and triple back flips in her chest. All the drama could finally be demolished! No more worrying—
MASSIE: I KNO
KRISTEN: KNO WAT
MASSIE: U & DYLAN
KRISTEN: WHAT ABOUT US
She was about to throw up her corn flakes and she hadn't even eaten them yet.
MASSIE: COME ON KRIS I KNOW
KRISTEN: LET ME XPLAIN B4 U FREAK OUT
MASSIE: PLZ
KRISTEN: I MISSED HER OK
MASSIE: ……..
KRISTEN: ?????
MASSIE: OK
KRISTEN: WHAT?
MASSIE: CYA 4 SLEEPOVER 2NITE
KRISTEN: R U MAD?
KRISTEN: MASSIE???
Kristen wrinkled her eyebrows, holding her phone in a shaky, sweaty palm.
At that moment, her cell vibrated again.
DUNE: BZ
KRISTEN: OK HOW BOUT 2MORROW
DUNE: NO
KRISTEN: Y WAT WRONG?
DUNE: WONT KEMP SAY SOMETHING?
KRISTEN: WHAT??? HOW DO U KNOW KEMP
DUNE: FUNNY U DIDN'T MENTION UR BF
KRISTEN: EWWWW KEMPS NOT MY BF!!!!
DUNE: YA MASSIE TOLD ME YESTERDAY
KRISTEN: DUNE SHE LIED I SWEAR
Dune didn't send a reply.
She dropped the cell on the table and stared at her corn flakes, before standing up and running back into her room. Today was a good day to stay in bed.
BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
5:30 P.M.
"Kuh-laire, would you quit it?!" Massie demanded, whipping her head around.
Claire giggled, and put away her scratched red Nokia. She'd been texting Cam all day and Massie was getting seriously annoyed. But what was Massie to expect? Spending a vacation together had really gotten Claire and Cam closer together. Claire had a warm feeling that she and Cam might be able to dodge the drama in high school.
"So, what's the guest list tonight?" Claire wondered, as her Nokiavibrated in her pocket. She resisted the urge to lift it out.
Massie looked up once more as she fluffed up her silk Ethan Allen pillows that she was arranging on the floor of her room. Her feet were bare to show off her new pedicure, and she looked ah-mazing in her light pink lace trim camisole and matching drawstring pajama pants. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail that bobbed up and down every time she moved. Although she was ready for sleep, she still managed to look ten times better than Claire, as usual.
Claire had taken down her hair—Todd has used up all the hot water in his shower so Claire couldn't have washed her hair—and it was slightly wavy and messy and was in her face. She'd held it back by somehow managing to wrestle it into a braid that was now hanging down her back carelessly. She felt very un-glamorous compared to Massie, wearing a simple "I HEART NY" oversized t-shirt and AE loose pajama shorts.
"The guest list…" Massie repeated absently. She was obviously off in her own little world.
Claire stole her chance and grabbed her phone out of her pocket. Cam had sent her one single text since she'd last text.
CAM: WANNA C A MOVIE 2MORROW
"I'll take that!" Massie appeared out of nowhere and snatched the phoneout of Claire's palm. She danced across the room with it all the way to the door, texting as she ran.
Claire leapt of the bed and barreled after Massie. "Give it back!"
"Dear Cam," Massie read aloud while she texted so accurately and fast that she could be a professional. "Claire will be busy tomorrow as she is occupied already shopping with us. Have fun at your movie, sincerely, Massie."
"No way you wrote that!" Claire gasped, reaching wildly for control of her cell. "Give it!"
"And, SEND!" Massie jammed her thumbnail into the button with victory, then surrendered the phone as she turned the doorknob and glided out the door. Claire was already following up with an apology to Cam on Massie's behalf.
Massie had lost interest in that, however, and she was already bounding downstairs to answer the call of the doorbell. Massie skidded a stop about three feet away from the door. To make herself fashionably late, she checked her lip gloss in the mirror, touching up her cupid's bow with a bit more of GG Blue Raspberry. She puckered her lips once more and then whirled around to answer the door.
"Just open it, or I will," Claire yelled from upstairs.
"Fine!" Massie hollered back. She flipped her hair and pulled open the large white front door.
Alicia stood outside with a plaid RL suitcase underneath her arm and a Catherine Rapetti turquoise snakeskin cosmetic case resting on top of it. She was dressed in her usual RL pajamas and her long, raven hair was tied back in a shimmering French braid that looked ten times better than Claire's.
"Ehmagawd!" was the first thing Alicia said once she walked in. "Last time we were here we were planning out Operation D."
"I know," Massie grinned wickedly, "Isn't it wonderful?"
"Sooo, you just let Kristen back in?" Alicia asked curiously, one perfectly plucked eyebrow arched. "No catch?"
"Oh, there's a catch. That Dune guy has got to go." Massie grabbed a cropped 3-quarter-length cardigan resting on her dresser and shrugged it over her shoulders. She popped a dipped chip in her mouth and swallowed.
Alicia curled her lips. "Massie, that's awfully harsh. She loves that dude!"
"Dune!" Claire corrected.
"So? He's not a HART!" Massie insisted.
"Dempsey wasn't a HART," Claire murmured.
Massie whipped her head around. "Who cares?!" she barked. "I have authority! Dempsey was an exception."
"Why can't Dune be an exception?" Claire wondered.
"If anything he's cooler than Dumpsey," Alicia remarked.
"People, get a grip! Dune is an ANTI-HART!"
"What does that stand for?" Alicia wanted to know.
Claire giggled.
"'Anti' doesn't stand for anything. It means the opposite of!" Massie almost screamed.
"So it's ok for you to have an anti-HART but not for Kristen to have an anti-HART that actually likes her?—Well, he did used to like her until you turned him against her," Claire added, enjoying this.
Alicia jumped in, "That seems awfully unfair. Since Kristen's back in the PC I think you should call Dune and explain. Remember when Kuh-laire was filming DL—"
"DL?" Claire asked.
"Oh, that's what I nicknamed 'Dial L for Loser.'"
"Ehmagawd! That's genius Leesh!" Massie applauded.
"Thank you," Alicia grinned and accepted. Unfortunately for Massie that didn't deter her from her rant. "Anyways, remember when Kuh-laire was filming DL and you took a vid or a pic or her making out with Conner and sent it to Cam and then Cam broke up with her…"
Claire shifted her weigh uncomfortably.
Alicia charged on, "But then when we made up with Claire you were a good friend and you called him and explained everything and they made up?"
"Yes…so?"
"So don't you think you should do the same with Kristen, since she's back in the PC?" Alicia asked matter-of-factly.
Massie tossed back her shoulders proudly. "I'll decide that."
Alicia scoffed, apparently finished with the rant. She pulled a small tube of MAC cherry Chap Stick out of her bag.
The doorbell chimed again, and this time it was Claire who jumped up. "I'll answer it!" she almost shouted.
Massie stared at Claire as if Claire had just told her that her Prada Fairy Bag was really a fake. "Sure, have fun," she said tiredly, pulling a nail file off her desktop and standing up. She pulled her Mac off the tabletop and placed it in the middle of the circle, opening up her Facebook.
"I'll… help… you…" Alicia said slowly, standing up and following Claire out the door.
Massie could hear the girls whispering their worries as they retreated from the iPad.
Kristen stood in the sun outside, her old H&M surfer bag draping off her shoulder, her shark tooth necklace shimmering in the evening summer light, and her sandy blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail. She looked awfully cute in her Hollister pajama pants and simple grey tank top, but her eyes were red, no doubt she'd been crying earlier. "Hey guys," she said, her voice strong. "Good to see you again."
"Yeah," Claire and Alicia said at slightly different times.
Kristen looked around once and her face was completely changed. She was angry—fuming. "Where's Massie?" she demanded.
"Upstairs," Claire and Alicia said in unison. Claire pointed with her thumb, as if Kristen was a stranger who didn't know where anything was.
Kristen nodded to them and then stomped up the stairs to Massie's room.
"Does that answer your question?" Claire asked Alicia, her gaze followed Kristen up the stairs.
"Mhmm." Alicia nodded.
BEEP, BEEP! A horn honked outside. Claire and Alicia spun around to see Dylan hop out of the shimmering, waxed black Mercedes and pad across the soft grass on Massie's lawn. Once she made her way to the front door, Claire and Alicia met her gaze impassively.
They stared at each other coolly for a couple moments. And then a smile cracked on Alicia's perfect cherry lips. Dylan's glossed mouth bent into a slight grin. Claire's face broke into a full on beam. And in a few moments they were all laughing like they were in June and exchanging welcome-back hugs.
"Massie's upstairs," Claire said through giggles.
Alicia winced. "I would not go upstairs right now."
"Why?"
Claire explained, "Kristen's up there yelling at Massie, most likely."
"What? Why would she do that?" Dylan asked and she seemed less upbeat now that she heard about the drama. She absentmindedly petted through her long red can't-believe-they're-not-real extensions and guided them over her shoulder.
"Well, it's a long story, but long story short, Massie thought that Michael Freement liked her--"
"But he didn't," Claire put it.
"--and started ditching Derrington so he dumped her, she wanted to make him jealous and get payback at Kristen for hanging out with you," Alicia added, not realizing how blunt she was being.
"Two birds with one stone!" Claire added.
"So then she went all flirty with Dune and told him that Kristen was going out with Kemp and then Dune dumped Kristen and she's also making Derrington jealous by flirting with Dune… oh did I mention that already?"
"Yes," Dylan said.
"Dylan… we're sorry!" Claire wrapped her arms around Dylan again.
Dylan shrugged. "Come awn, I don't care. At least we're back together and Massie's getting told off by someone. Let's go upstairs, I have some major gossip to tell you guys."
The reunited friends started up the stairs, and expected to hear yelling droning from Massie's slightly open door, but they heard was hushed sobs.
"Massie? Kristen?" Claire whispered from outside. "Is everything ok in there?"
"What's going on in here?!" Alicia demanded grabbing the silver doorknob and thrusting the door open impatiently. "Ehmagawd!"
Claire, Alicia and Dylan froze at what they saw before them. Kristen wasn't screaming at Massie, or telling her off, but she was crying. And while she cried, she had her arms around Massie and was hugging her in a You're Still My BFF Forever kind of way. Massie was toe-dally doing the exact same thing!
"Eeee-nuff!" Dylan's scream sent strands of straightened red hair floating onto her glossy mouth. She was too fed up to even move them.
"Will someone puh-leeze explain to me what is going on here?!" Alicia persisted, slapping her bare foot on the glassy hardwood floor.
BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
6:00 PM
Kristen's pacing upstairs was haunting.
She must have called Dune about seven times, but he wasn't picking up. She'd ahb-viously thrown the rules of not being desperate out the window. Every couple of minutes, Kristen would groan and stomp on the ground, then start pacing again.
Massie had shooed Claire, Alicia and Dylan down to the kitchen, where a steaming cheese pizza lay open on the marble countertop of the island and was calling the girls to dig in. The girls were each sitting on leather cushioned barstools which were custom-made just for the Blocks. Claire and Dylan's hands were ahb-viously itching to grab a slice and gobble it down. Alicia was bouncing up and down on the soft leather, anticipating Massie's story.
Massie felt powerful x1000 sitting across from her PC. They jumped at her every move, twitching for her to tell them the story. But of course, she had the choice of when to tell them. So she waited to stack up the suspense.
"Come awn, Massie! Tell us!" Alicia moaned, and squirmed in her seat like she had to pee.
Dylan gazed at the pizza lovingly. "Ehmagawd, I really shouldn't…"
"Too late, then!" Claire reached out and pulled a gooey, cheesy slice of pizza off the cardboard box and placed it on one of Massie's glass plates.
Dylan made a face. "Ehmagawd Massie! I am so going to eat that if you don't tell us and then I'll be fat and it'll be all your fault!"
Massie giggled at the redhead, who was now finger-combing her extensions to give her hands something to do. It was good to have everyone together again.
"Ok, fine, I'll spill." Massie drew a breath and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "So, it all started when Kristen came into my room…"
Kristen's heavy breathing gave her away. Massie spun around on her heel and raised her plucked-to-perfection eyebrows.
"Ehmagawd, glad you could come!" Massie grinned.
"How do I know that's not just a file?" Kristen snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Massie knew exactly what Kristen was talking about.
Kristen strode into the room with her bare shoulders rolled back and her chin held up high. Her blonde pony bounced at every proud step she made. Massie almost felt intimidated by the strong, smart soccer player. But she knew that she wasn't, and she never was going to be, because Kristen was just too… nice.
She could pull of that tough vibe, and anyone else would be quivering and begging for mercy, but Massie was her best friend. And her BFF could see right through that.
But Kristen was face-to-face with Massie, her penetrating gaze testing her owns. Kristen was almost an inch taller than Massie, but even the extra height couldn't make up for the soft personality that Kristen was permanently enveloped in.
"You know—a fake smile. You're pretty good at faking. Oh yeah, like when you pretended to like Dune to get back at me?"
Massie opened her mouth to respond, but Kristen cut her off.
"Puh-leeze spare your comments for later! So far, all you've done with your stupid fight with Dylan was ruin other people's lives! Your stupid plan is going to break Dylan's heart, and it's already broken mine! You know, if you hadn't started threatening people left and right, I wouldn't have had to hide my friendship with one of my best friends!"
"Ugh, chill out," Massie rolled her eyes.
Kristen's eyebrows knit. "I can't believe you're being such a…"
"A what?" Massie asked, tilting her head. "Just say it, if you're so mad. It'll make you feel better."
"You're being such a bitch!" Kristen barked. "You know what? Don't think that flirting with Dune is going to get your ex-boyfriend back, who, by the way, totally dumped you! I don't care how many times you've texted me and told me you 'got rid of him' because it's totally ahb-vious that he dumped you for a second time!"
Ehmagawd, hasn't she run out of breath yet? Massie thought to herself.
"And… in conclusion…" Kristen breathed.
"Kristen…" Massie sighed.
"Why do you need the drama!?"
"Because, what would life be without the drama? Booor-ing!" Massie cracked a grin.
And then, strangely enough, Kristen's scowl fractured, and a small smile bloomed.
Massie laughed. And Kristen did too. And then, suddenly, they were cackling hysterically. Massie and Kristen came together in a "we're toe-dally friends again" hug.
"Don't worry, I'll handle Dune," Massie rolled her eyes. "Besides, he's ahb-viously into you!"
"Thank you," Kristen sniffled.
"Ehmagawd, why are you crying?" Massie gasped.
"I don't even know!" Kristen cackled. "I think it's happy tears."
The girls cracked up all over again, and fell back into their hug.
"… So then we hugged again, and that's when you walked in," Massie explained.
"Ehmagaaaaaaawd!" Dylan screamed.
Massie's glossy lips curved into a sleek grin, and she hooked her hair behind her ears. "I know. It's pretty cool."
"Noooo! I almost ate this whole pizza listening to your story!" Dylan whined, realizing she'd already eaten three pieces.
Claire lowered her second piece onto her place. "Dyl, you ate like, three."
"I know! Ugh! I'm a failure at my diet!"
"Since when are you on a diet?" Massie giggled.
Alicia rolled her eyes. "When is she nawt on a diet?"
"Hey, shut up!" Dylan flicked a glob of melted cheese at Alicia's face. The cheesy hunk grabbed onto Alicia's ah-dorably toned cheek like it was the last RL tote left in the world. Alicia screamed piercingly and wiped it off her face.
"THAT WAS DISGUSTING!" she shrieked at Dylan, peeling the cheesy gunk off her flawless face and whipping it back at the redhead.
Dylan dodged it and started to cackle.
In a few moments, all the girls were holding their stomachs and cracking up, and it was as if nothing had happened.
"EHMAGAAAAAAWD!" Kristen's scream was similar to Dylan's. The laughter trailed off into a tense silence as the girl's eyes darted around the table in worry. Was it a happy "Ehmagawd" or a sad one? Did Dune forgive her or did he dump her?
"C'mon!" Massie said sternly, and slid off her stool. With her PC following her she sprinted out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Was the PC back together for real or not?
BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE'S ROOM
6:20 P.M.
"EHMAGAAAAAAWD!" Kristen screamed. Her heart was pummeling her ribs, and her stomach was flipping around more than an Olympic gymnast. She was so shocked at what Dune had just told her that she couldn't force her body to function.
Finally her hand dropped and her fingers uncurled from her silver LG phone. The small cell landed in the padding of Massie's plush carpet.
Moments after her scream, she half-power walked, half-skipped to Massie's doorway. She scurried into the hallway and leaned over the rail just in time to hear Massie command, "C'mon!" and then Massie led the girls out the kitchen.
The PC scuttled up the stairs and across the hardwood floor with delicate steps. Kristen couldn't stop herself from bouncing up and down on her heels and she cracked a huge grin. "Ehmagawd!" she squealed.
Her friends all gave her huge, toothy white grins. Dylan air-clapped as she ran over, and Alicia and Claire swallowed her up in bombarding questions: "Did he ask you out?" "How much does he love you?" "Did he say he would lip-kiss you?" "Is Josh still cooler?"
"E-nuff!" Massie shriek-commanded. The PC fell into silence immediately. "Now, we need to assemble in my room now."
Dylan, Alicia, and Claire scampered right into Massie's room and assembled on their sleeping bags, crossing their legs obediently.
Kristen shared a long side-glance with Massie. "Thanks," she mouthed.
Massie nodded back, "No problem." She smirked and stalked into her own bedroom, taking a seat on her bed. "Now, spill," she urged Kristen as the blonde walked inside.
"Ok…" Kristen took a breath. She didn't mind repeating their conversation out loud because she'd been replaying it in her head over and over again since she'd heard it. "So, when Massie left, I was calling Dune over and over again, and he didn't get back to me, so I was really sad. But then all of a sudden, my phone rings…"
Kristen padded across the carpet and shakily flipped open her cell phone. It was Dune's phone number. He was calling her—was he calling to tell her to go away or was he calling to tell her he wanted to get together? Ehmagawd! Kristen pressed TALK and held the phone to her ear.
"Dune?" she hooked a runaway strand of dirty blonde hair behind her ear, her voice quivering.
Dune took a long pause before he actually spoke. "Yeah… so I got home and there were eight missed calls from you?"
Kristen bit her lip.
Dune's chuckle doused her with a wave of relief. "Yeah… um, sorry about that… I just wanted to explain… um, Massie was… I don't know what to say that I haven't already said in those messages…"
"Um, Kristen?"
"Yeah?"
"It's ok. I didn't really believe her, but you did mention Kemp a lot…" Dune's voice trailed off.
Fear of losing him again shattered her relief into a million pieces and stomped on them until they were totally demolished. She suddenly blurted out without controlling herself, "Dune, no you don't understand—Kemp and I are just friends, I swear"—and before she could stop herself—"I'm crazy about you!"
Dune's breaths were the only sound that registered in her ringing ears. Ehmagawd. Ehmagawd. Ehmagawd! Had she just said that? She was such an idiot! Why did she do that?! He was totally going to dump her for being too clingy there and then. "I'm crazy about you?!" what was she thinking?!
"Wow… um… that's cool…"
"Ehmagawd, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" Dune asked.
"For being so weird." She was quiet.
Dune chuckled. "I don't think you're weird. I think you're really cool, and an awesome girl and I'm pretty crazy about you too."
"Oh wow…" That was all Kristen could manage. Dune was crazy about her! Ehmagaaaawd!
"Oh, I've gotta go to dinner. I'll call you tomorrow or something. See ya." Dune hung up quickly.
Kristen stood there with the phone still on her ear, too shocked to even speak. She stood there for several minutes in sheer bliss, before she screamed,
"EHMAGAAAAAAWD!" The PC giggle-shrieked excitedly, kicking their feet up in the air and air-clapping for Kristen.
Kristen took a humble bow, and then tossed her neck, tugging her could-be-straight-from-a-commercial hair out of its ponytail and hair-combing it over her shoulder. "Thank you, thank you!"
"Kristen is now an official C-Plus!" beamed Massie, raising her low-fat strawberry-banana smoothie. "To Kristen!"
The other girls clinked their glasses and repeated, "To Kristen!" Before taking long sips of their tasty beverages.
"To being a C-Plus!" Alicia offered.
Massie hissed at her, "Heyyy… no…" for Dylan's sake.
Of course, after Massie had explained "Operation D" to Dylan, Dylan's crush on Kemp had been demolished.
"S'okay," Dylan shrugged. "Hey, now I'm footloose and fancy free!" She stood up and showed off a full spin.
"Never say that again," Alicia giggled. "Don't worry Dyl, this summer, boys are gonna be falling at your feet."
"Toe-dally," Massie agreed.
Dylan beamed. "I know."
THE GUESTHOUSE
CLAIRE'S BEDROOM
5:30 P.M.
When her parents were out, Claire always took the opportunity to invite Cam over. It wasn't like they did anything bad; they usually laughed and talked and swam in Massie's pool.
Today, she was rocking back and forth on her heels. She'd just returned from shopping with the PC, and she was modeling her latest purchase: a Free People black printed pointelle babydoll top, paired with an old pair of soft jean short shorts. Her feet remained bare to show off her new pedicure.
Claire grew tired of waiting and decided to wait for Cam outside by the pool. Massie's old beach towel was cast off carelessly on the pool deck, doused in chlorine water. An old, wrinkled copy of Us Weekly was overturned on the glass table. Claire sauntered over and seated herself in Massie's comfy deck chair, almost melting in the hot sun.
Just as Claire managed to sink into a relaxed state of mind, suddenly the chair was tilting, and she heard Cam's laugh.
"CAM!" Claire shrieked, and then the water was rushing up towards her and before she could save herself, Cam had dumped her into the pool in her new outfit.
"Ughhhh! Look what you did!" Claire hollered at him, the annoyed tone in her voice losing out to her giggles.
Cam was smugly standing tall on the side of the pool, his one blue eye and one green eye flashing with playfulness. "I'm soooo sorry," he snickered.
"You will be!" Claire shot like a harpoon under the water and surfaced right in front of Cam's feet. She grabbed his ankle with a wet hand and tugged. Cam forced himself back, almost pulling Claire out of the water herself. But she was determined. She threw her other arm out of the chlorine and clutched the other ankle, yanking. Claire set her feet on the wall of the pool for support, and before long Cam was being dragged across the poolside.
"Oh my God; how strong are you?!" Cam demanded. Suddenly her hawt boyfriend lost his balance and started to tumble forwards to the water. Claire let go immediately, and began to retreat, but Cam was too close.
He belly flopped into the water fully-clothed (black board shorts and white polo) and lost his sandals somewhere at the bottom of the pool.
Claire was crouched underwater, ready for the attack. She was in the position to spring up like a jack-in-the-box.
SPLASH! Claire propelled out of the water and slammed her hands onto Cam's chest.
Cam scooped Claire up, slinging her over his shoulder like he was kidnapping her.
"What are you doing?!" Claire shrieked. "Put me down!" She started slapping the back of his sopping wet back, but Cam didn't even loosen his grip. He started to spin around on his heel, Claire screaming on his back as he did.
Finally after a few dizzy moments, Cam lowered her into his arms and grinned down at her.
"Ehmagawd!" Claire smacked his arm. "I'm so dizzy!"
Cam snickered and gave Claire a peck on the lips.
"EWWW! I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT!" someone's voice screamed.
Claire scrambled out of Cam's grip, and Cam jerked away from a couple inches. "TODD!" Claire shrieked. "Get out of here!"
Her freckled, redheaded brother had his tongue hanging out his mouth and he was pretending to throw up all over the place. "Yuck! Ugh! My eyes! I am permanently blinded!"
"Todd, I swear, if you don't leave right now I'm going to tell dad about your cockroach farm in the basement!"
Todd grumbled something and then stomped away.
"Ewwww," Cam wrinkled his nose. "A cockroach farm?"
Claire giggled. "Long story." Cam smirked and began to lean in one more time, this time going for a more romantic moment.
"AH-HEMMMM!" someone cleared their throat rather loudly from behind.
Claire and Cam parted lips and whipped their heads around to see Massie, standing at poolside, her arms crossed over her chest in a Don't-Deny-Anything type of way. She looked very European with a French braid and a light lavender halter mini dress.
"I'd like to swim without watching you two eat each other's faces," Massie scoffed.
"Hey, I'm not here for long." Cam raised his arms and started to heave himself out of the pool.
"Yeah, I'm going to watch Cam practice soccer. Alicia's coming too. Hey Mass, why don't you come?" Claire offered.
"Um, Kuh-laire, can I see you for a second?" Massie hinted, batting her eyelashes.
Claire shrugged, and Cam pulled her out of the pool. Her wet feet squished against the pavement as she tread over to where Massie was waiting.
"Kuh-laire, I just broke up with Derrington. That would be toe-dally awkward," Massie explained.
"C'mon! Come!" Claire moaned.
"Ugh! If I come, will stop dripping all over my wet nail polish?" Massie asked, wiggling her toes to show off her new coat of M.A.C. coral polish.
Claire nodded quickly and jumped back.
BOCD
SOCCER FIELD
6:30 P.M.
Massie watched in strange admiration as Derrington drove to the net, expertly handling the muddy ball slapping against his cleats. She didn't really know why she'd come to watch the guys practice two-on-two, since Claire had only come to see Cam and Alicia had only come to see Josh. But there she was, sitting on the dirty bleachers, trying not to get even a speck of dirt on her Anlo dark wash shorts and white cotton Charlotte Ronson baby doll top. She tapped the heels of her golden Tony Burch ballet flats on the gum-stained metal bleachers.
Suddenly, Josh burst out of nowhere, checking the ball from Derrington and sprinting to the other net. Derrington doubled back, shouting something to Cam.
Massie shoulder nudged Alicia, who was close to dozing off. She was enveloped in her bored state. Claire was biting her thumbnail, ahb-viously praying that Cam didn't get hurt. She was gripping her Tressje café leather studded clutch so hard it looked like it was going to explode.
The look plastered to her face was a worried, yet supporting look that said, "I trust you, just be careful!"
"Gawd Kuh-Laire would it kill you to loosen your grip a little?" Massie scoffed, examining her newly painted silver nails and grimacing at Claire's white knuckles.
Claire turned and flashed a glare to Massie. "I'm just nervous. Last time he hurt his ankle."
"Whatevs."
Claire whipped her head back to the action. Massie was about to pull an Us Weekly magazine from her notorious Prada Fairy Bag that was seated beside her, when Claire gasped. Massie flicked her head up to get a look at the action.
Derrington whisked around Plovert and Josh carefully. He was now heading for the opposing net. Plovert burst forwards with a sudden spurt of energy. He flew in front of Derrington and was gone with the ball in a second. As Plovert whirled around with the ball, Derrington curved so abruptly that the ball was inches away from being back in his possession. At that moment, Josh flew forwards and called for the ball. Plovert whacked the blue-and-white checkered ball in Josh's direction, but Derrington burst forwards to intercept it. He was inches—centimeters away from the ball, when Josh also fought for it. Their feet intertwined, and Josh jerked backwards to steady himself. Derrington was already lurching forwards. Massie jumped to her feet as Derrington went down. He fell on his chest and then his chin whacked on the ground. He rolled over and gripped his nose, wincing.
Before Massie knew what she was doing, she was off the bleachers and leading the girls toward Derrington's crumpled form. Alicia was struggling to keep up with the heels of her Gucci cream knotted leather platform sandals sinking into the soft green grass.
Massie dropped to her knees beside him, and strangely didn't care that she'd just gotten dewy, muddy grass all over her angel-smooth knees. Massie reached out and touched his shoulder. "Are you all right?"
"God!" Derrington winced, sitting bold upright. His hands were now covering his full, cherry red lips. Massie jerked backwards in surprise. He turned to her. "Block?"
"Did you hurt yourself?" Claire asked from behind, holding her hands to her chest in worry.
I was just getting to that, Kuh-Laire Nightingale.
"No, just a scratch," Derrington muttered, removing his hand.
"Ehmagawd! Does it hurt?" Massie asked his bloody lip. "Plovert, why don't you go get your water bottle?"
"Why me?" Plovert asked.
"You have no lines in this play," Josh told Plovert with a snicker.
Plovert HUMPHED and turned on his heel. He stomped to his bag and pulled out a metal Puma water bottle, then hurried it back to Derrington.
He tossed to Massie, who snatched it and extracted her hand to Derrington. "Here. Just put some on, you have to clean it out." She'd had this episode with her father, while she was trying to pick an orchid when she was a child.
"Thanks Block," Derrington smirked at her, pouring some of the water on his lip.
It was then that Massie realized everyone was staring at her. She cleared her throat and stood up.
"Maybe we should give them a moment alone," Alicia giggled.
Massie fired a death glare in Alicia's direction. Claire, Cam, Josh, Plovert and Alicia laughed and hurried off the field to hide behind the bleachers.
Massie watched them go. "Ugh. They are so weird."
"Who understands them?" Derrington asked, sitting upright. He winced slightly.
Massie whipped her head around. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"Yeah, just sort of sore, I'm fine," he assured her.
An awkward silence enveloped them, swallowing them up. Massie knew she wasn't going to be able to get out of this intact if she didn't say something.
Why couldn't she say something?!
Derrington made intense eye-contact, pushing her words further back into her mind. Soon they were hopelessly lost. Massie found herself lost in those puppy-dog brown eyes that brought her back to the time they got back together, sitting in the grass and staring at each other. He'd broken the silence with a kiss. He wasn't going to do that again, was he?
Why did she want him to so badly? Her knees buckled and she lowered herself down to the grass.
Derrington slowly started inching closer to Massie's face. Before she noticed they were almost nose-to-nose. Sweat accumulated.
Her breathing quickened and her heart started hammering in her chest. She was about to kiss him. Ehmagawd! What did this mean? They were getting back together? Was it that easy?
She wasn't ready yet! His lips were so close and Massie was chickening out because she was nervous? Puh-leeze!
Massie was saved by the sprinklers. Apparently they went off at 6:40 PM, because the spray interrupted their "almost" moment. She opened her mouth to scream, but a laugh came out. And then Derrington was laughing too. Caught up in hysterics, Derrington took her hand and led her running through the spray. They barreled to an isolated pocket of the school, the teacher's parking lot.
They stopped running, but their fingers remained intertwined. Massie tried to avoid eye contact this time.
"Um… Derrick…" she started.
"I know you call me Derrington," he snickered.
Massie froze. OK, minor setback. Maybe it will be a cute pet name. WAIT, WHAT?!
"Go on," he laughed.
Massie bit her lip. "I uh… I'm s… I didn't…" She was not going to be able to apologize! Was it her fault that she was star struck temporarily by a hot movie actor and forgot for a short time that Derrington was her steady boyfriend?
"Are you apologizing?"
"For what?"
"OK. I guess I'll see you around." He turned to leave.
"What? Wait!" The words tumbled from her lips before she could control herself.
He cocked his head but his back remained to her. "Oh, is there more?"
"I was mislead, just to let you know," Massie muttered. "Um..."
"OK," he sighed. "So it wasn't your fault?"
"No."
"I should go…"
"All right," she surrendered, throwing her arms up in the air. "Maybe it was my fault a little."
"Mass," he said over his shoulder. She couldn't tell if he was smiling or frowning. He tapped the toes of his black-and-blue Pumas on the pavement.
"Yeah?" Massie curled her fingers impatiently around the hem of her denim shorts.
"Are we getting back together or what?" he asked.
Massie's heart started bouncing around in her chest. She jumped back and forth like she had to pee. Her knees were muddy, her clothes were wet and her hair was a mess. But Derrington didn't seem to care. Neither did she, oddly enough.
"I'm game if you are."
"Ok," Massie could hear Derrington's smile. It was comforting. He turned around on his heel and was grinning ear-to-ear.
Massie stood, bouncing up and down on the heels of her ballet flats as he smiled right at her.
Behind the bleachers, five teenagers cupped their hands over their mouths and cackled.
CURRENT STATE OF THE UNION
IN
Shorts4Life
Massie, Claire, Alicia, Dylan, & Kristen
Apologies
OUT
Surfer4Life
Naomi
Revenge