"Wow Josh, that smells ah-mazing…" Massie said in a surprised voice. Claire came behind her and sniffed the air too.
"It really does!" She exclaimed. Josh grinned, and untied the white apron he was wearing. He shook the hair out of his face, and admired his work. There were four plates, each one filled with homemade Italian pasta primavera: bow-tie pasta with sun dried tomatoes, diced basil leaves, finely chopped onions, and creamy Alfredo sauce. He sprinkled some Parmesan cheese across the dishes. It looked delicious.
"Let's make this a fancy dinner!" Massie decided, clapping her hands. "We'll all change into something nice, and I'll get Derrick to set up a table and candles on deck. Dinner under the stars!"
Claire squealed in reply, and ran off to find her boyfriend. Massie turned to walk to her and Josh's room, but Josh grabbed her arm.
"Don't I get a reward for all my hard work?" he asked, looking into her amber eyes with his warm chocolate ones.
"After that comment you made about what you did after soccer practice... no." she shot at him, trying not to look him in the eye.
"Come on, Mass, you know you can't resist." he teased, and widened his eyes puppy dog style, and pouted. Massie sighed. She tried to fight the grin that started to spread across her face, but couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed Josh's collar, shoved him against the wall, and kissed him passionately. He pulled her closer to him, and right when he started to get into it, she pulled away.
"What the hell?" he groaned. Massie simply shook her head, gave him a small, mischievous smile, and walked away. He shook his head. Girls... they always leave you wanting more.
"To... life after high school. We are officially adults now." Claire toasted. She looked stunning in her emerald, sparkling BCBG Max Azria halter mini dress and gold Moschino pumps. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, and dangling gold Stella McCartney earrings brushed her shoulder. Derrick, though he had grown accustomed to his girlfriend's beauty, couldn't keep his eyes off her. The same went for Josh. He was gazing at Massie as though she were a goddess, in her plum Betsey Johnson satin blouse and black L.A.M.B pencil skirt. Her brunette curls hung around her face prettily, and she constantly had to throw them back, causing them to shine from the moonlight. The four of them lifted their wine glasses and clinked them against each others.
"To life after high school." they echoed. They dug into their food. Well, Derrick and Josh did. Claire and Massie poked their forks into the pasta, and took a bite, chewing slowly, in a refined manner.
"Delicious, Josh." Massie and Claire said at the same time.
"APPLE-C!" they shouted in unison right afterward. Derrick and Josh shook their heads, smiling.
"Thanks. It helps being half-Italian sometimes." he replied.
"Yeah, but this is different. As far as I know, your mom doesn't even touch anything with carbs." Derrick cut in. That was true. Mrs. Hotz was a retired Italian model, who with her size 00 body, never ate pasta. They continued to eat, with their conversation varying from college soccer tryouts, to the latest sale at Ralph Lauren, and finally to sophomore year at high school.
"Remember our first double date?" Claire asked, looking at all of them. "We were with the wrong people, but I'm pretty sure we all ate the same exact thing."
Flashback
Claire, Josh, Derrick, and Massie sat together at a round table, trying to figure out what to order from the extravagant list of Italian dishes.
"I'll have the pasta primavera." Claire said, closing her menu and handing it to the waiter.
"I'll have the same." Derrick and Josh said immediately in unison. Massie was confused. Josh, being the gentleman he was, was supposed to order the same thing as his date- in this case, Claire- but what about Derrick? As far as she knew, he didn't even like pasta that much. He never ordered the same thing as Massie did on any of their dates... Oh well.
"I'll have the same as well." she said politely, and handed her menu to him as well. "Um, Derrick... dear, could you accompany me outside for a minute?" she asked in the sweetest voice she could manage. Without waiting for an answer, she yanked him from his seat, and pulled his toward the bathrooms, and behind a large plant, just out of Josh and Claire's view. "Is it working?" she demanded, glancing at the bewildered couple at the table. Derrick gave a sigh of frustration.
"Block, do we have to do this? I don't think it's such a great idea."
Massie glared at him. "Shut up- of course it's a great idea. Claire and Josh, who have just dumped their cheating exes, get together and become the cutest couple at BOCD high!" Normally, Derrick would cut in, saying that he and Massie were the cutest couple at school, but this time, stayed silent. Rolling her eyes at him, she peered at Claire and Josh from behind the large fern. They looked amazing together. Claire looked beautiful in her silky, pale pink Ella Moss quarter-sleeved bubble mini dress, light grey leggings, and metallic silver Christian Louboutin flats. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and a few curly ringlets hung by the side of her face. Josh looked equally good in his dark wash True Religions, and Ralph Lauren button-down, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. They were chatting animatedly, and were laughed together about something. "They have good chemistry..." Massie noted.
"Honestly Mass, I don't think they're that good together. I mean, Claire looks so stiff." Lie. Claire looked perfectly comfortable and happy with him. Massie raised an eyebrow at him. He frowned at her, and gave a defeated sigh. "Okay, Massie, I have to admit something to you."
"I already know, Derrick. You're in love with Claire."
Derrick looked surprised.
"How did you know?"
Massie rolled her eyes in an "I'm-not-stupid" way.
"It's obvious. I've been waiting for you to admit it for ages now. It's been- how long? Um, six months, maybe? Seriously- I'm not completely brain dead." She shot back, slightly pissed off. Derrick looked worried. Massie softened. "Well, Derrick Harrington, I have something to admit as well. I kinda like someone else too."
"Oh!" He looked slightly shocked. "Well, okay, who's the lucky guy?" he grinned. "As long as it's not Fisher."
"Um, I wasn't so happy about Josh and Claire dating either..." she trailed off. Derrick stared at her, trying to understand what she was trying to say.
"Josh?"
She nodded.
"Massie, that's great!" He gave her a hug. "Well, this works out well. We just need to make sure that those two haven't fallen in love while we were gone." he said jokingly. They smiled at each other, and walked back to the table, hand in hand. Claire and Josh stopped laughing, and they looked at the two questioningly.
"What's so funny?" Massie asked, smiling. Claire shook her head, and looked down at the food that arrived. Josh caught Massie's eye, and gave her a gorgeous, bright smile. She felt her knees go weak- despite the fact that she was sitting down. The rest of the meal was pretty quiet. Derrick kept sneaking glances at Claire, who seemed to be texting someone under the table. Josh's head was bowed too, and it became obvious that the two were having a private, phone conversation. Finally, Claire slipped her Sidekick into her Miu Miu tote. She stood up.
"Well, I'm full- I can't manage any dessert. Can we please pay the bill and leave?" Josh jumped up, and helped her put on her cropped Balenciaga jacket, and led her outside. Grumbling, Derrick slapped some dollar bills onto the table, and stalked out after them. Massie took deep breaths- in and out. in and out- to stop herself from screaming. Frowning, she followed her ex?-boyfriend outside as well. Claire and Josh were speaking in low voices, their heads close, while Derrick, who leaning on his BMW watched them, fuming. The second Josh saw Massie, he leaned in, and pulled Claire into a deep, lingering kiss. It took all of Massie's will not to chuck her new Limited Edition strawberry and lime colored Chanel clutch at the two of them. Damn them.
"I'll give you a ride home, Claire." Derrick said quickly, jumping between them when they broke apart. "I needed to borrow your Chemistry book for homework anyway." Claire looked bemused.
"Um, okay?" she said, following Derrick into his car. Josh gave her a satisfied smile before they drove off. Josh now looked at Massie.
"So, Mass, do you want a ride home? I guess I was supposed to take Claire, but..." Massie glared at him stonily. Is that all she was? A back-up? A castoff?
"No thanks. I'll call Isaac."
He grabbed her arm. "No, trust me. I'll walk you home, alright?" He looked at her with those magnetic, dark eyes, and silently took her hand, and walked toward the enormous Block Estate. It was silent, except for Massie's Michael Kors boots hitting the sidewalk. When they reached the gates, Josh stopped walking, and turned Massie to face him.
"I had a great night." he said in a husky voice, taking a step closer to her.
"Me too." she answered, her breath growing shallow. He was so close... Finally his lips touched hers, and she felt her body mold perfectly against his, and the warmth of his skin on hers. She didn't know how long they stood there- seconds, minutes, or even hours. It was perfect. Wait. Claire. Massie pulled away.
"What about Claire?" she questioned, searching his face for an answer. He laughed.
"What do you think we were texting about the entire dinner? I needed to make sure you liked me too. I kissed Claire to make you jealous. She knows that. And, just so you know, Claire really really likes Derrick. I hope you don't mind. I overheard you and Derrick breaking up. We both did." Massie smiled, blushing that they had been so loud. "Derrick obviously likes her back." He continued, looking behind her. Massie turned to see Claire and Derrick stumbling from his car, kissing each other so hard, they could hardly stand up straight. They hit a few of the stone gnomes standing on the Lyons' yard, and fell onto the grass, making out. Massie laughed at the sight of them. Josh chuckled along with her.
End Flashback
"That was pretty damn funny." Massie smirked, looking at the flushed Claire and Derrick. "As I recall, Judi asked you the next day about all the hickeys on your neck. You practically ran into my room, screaming for some cover up."
They all laughed, and finished their dinner, talking late into the night.
"So, what's the plan?" Cam asked, leaning over the table, to look at Alicia. "We have to split up Derrick and Claire."
"AND Josh and Massie." Alicia added, but Cam waved her off. "I have a few plans. One is, we pretend to go out, and make them jealous."
Cam shook his head. "I doubt it'll work. Claire wouldn't get jealous of you."
Alicia glared at him, and crossed her arms across her huge chest. "Fine, you come up with a better plan."
"My idea is that we get someone close enough to the group that they can split them up. Preferably a girl. If Griffin, Kemp, or Plovert go, all they'll do is flirt with Massie and Claire. And they'd get themselves kicked off the boat. So, I'm thinking, Kristen or Dylan. I think Kristen would do better. I'm pretty sure she still likes Derrick, so it'll work out perfectly. She can get Claire mad by flirting with Derrick, and then, Claire will break up with him." Cam finished, and leaned back in his chair. Alicia raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Who knew you could come up with such a diabolical plan? But I think you're forgetting something. Massie and Josh need to split up too. We should send one guy as well to go after Massie and break up her and Josh. I suggest... Plovert. Griffin's too punk/gothic, and Kemp's too big a perv."
Cam nodded in agreement. "We set it up tomorrow. I saw Massie's itinerary. In two days, they're coming back to the actual island for a 'romantic' dinner and clubbing. The place is called 'Fire & Ice'."