Thanks for all the feedback. I know right now a lot of you are pissed at me because it's AliciaxDerrick at the moment, but I PROMISE it will end in MassiexDerrick! As always, review, review, review!
Massie had asked Olivia if she wanted to sleep over –it was the first Friday of the school year- but Olivia had declined the invite, making up some excuse about hanging with Derrick. But Massie knew the Alicia was spending the night.
So now, Massie lay on her bed, legs propped up against the wall, and buried in a book. It was a weird way to sit, somewhat like an upside down bat, but Massie had been reading like that ever since she was seven.
On warm nights –when it wasn't pouring rain-, Massie sat on her windowsill, reading. But tonight, her bat-like ways would have to do it. She had asked Inez to bring up some tea with honey and lemon almost twenty minutes ago, but Inez had yet to bring it.
She readjusted the pillows and comforter that were set up around her, making a tent. Well, sort of. When Massie was younger, she made tents out of her comforter and pillows and blankets, and would hide in them for hours, not caring that nobody had texted her or that her supposed best friend was best friends with her nemesis!
Massie wished more than anything she could go back to the days when things were that carefree.
Her iPhone beeped, indicating a new text. She was actually pretty surprised. Who would text her besides Olivia –who was with Alicia.
She reached for her phone eagerly, but her happiness deflated when she saw it was just her mom. Massie's parents were still in Maine –they'd be there for at least another few days.
Kendra: Massie, call me, okay? I need to talk to you
Massie: Mom we R talking. Just text it
Kendra: You're so stubborn! I'll call you. Talk to you soon!
Massie rolled her amber eyes and waited for her mom to call. It rang, and Massie waited until the third ring before picking up.
"Hey, Mom," she answered.
"Sweetie, you know we're still in Maine, right?" Kendra asked.
"Uh huh," Massie said, absentmindedly twirling her hair.
"Well remember how every year we host the annual Go Green Barbeque and such?"
"Uh huh," Massie repeated.
"As you know, it's less than a month away and your father and I won't be home for another five or six days. By the time we get home, there won't be time to plan it! So I need you to round up your friends—"
What friends? Massie said silently.
"—and plan it. It'll be in our backyard, naturally, but you need to find a deejay, choose the food –and find someone to make it-, get the go green goody bag items, and send out the invitations and all that. Do you think you can handle all that?" Kendra asked worriedly. Massie could picture her biting her puffy bottom lip while she waited for Massie's answer.
"Of course, Mom, don't worry. I'll get most of the tenth grade class together tomorrow and everything will be fine. Um, what's the date of it?"
"September Twenty-eighth," Kendra said. Massie mentally went over the guest list. She knew two girls who would definitely not be invited.
"Remember: invite everyone," Kendra said, as if reading her mind. "We need as many people we can get. I've already got Vogue, plus local press coming to cover it, so don't worry about that. I have to go, sweetie, but good luck. Kisses!"
Then she hung up. Massie turned her laptop on and –without even noticing it- looked out toward Derrick's window. He and…Chris Plovert were playing some video game. Massie had never understood why boys liked them so much. Fighting, shooting, racing and girls in skanky clothes just didn't appeal to her.
Massie selected a bunch of people from her contact list and composed the e-mail.
From: Massie Block block_.
To: Undisclosed recipients32 recipients selected
Subject: Annual Go Green Barbeque/Party thing
Message: Guys, I am in serious need of your help right now. My parents are in Maine for a week more, and as you all know, the annual go green party, chez Block, is coming up. My mom has left it up to me, and the majority of you, to plan pretty much everything. If you guys can come over to my house around…10ish tomorrow morning, we can have the day ahead of us to plan. Breakfast will be provided. See ya tomorrow! –Massie
She clicked 'send', hoping that everyone would show and be prepared to help her. She really needed it.
The next morning at exactly ten-fifteen, the Block's living room was full of teenagers. Some were in the dining room, where Inez had set up a buffet of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, muffins and any other breakfast food known to the world.
Massie was pleased to see mostly everyone there. Twenty out of the thirty-two people she had contacted had showed. Olivia was sitting in a corner on one of the white wing chairs, texting someone. She had waved when she walked in, but she was with Alicia. Now, though, Alicia was sitting on Derrick's lap, glancing in Massie's direction every now and then to make sure she could see her and Derrick together.
But Derrick didn't seem interested in whatever Alicia was trying to say to him; he was talking to Chris about some movie they had watched yesterday.
Unfortunately, Claire Lyons and Dylan Marvil had shown up too. When they walked in, they didn't even glance at Massie. Bitches. Now they were sitting at the back of the room, ignoring everyone who tried to talk to them.
Danny was there too, but he was busy shoving Inez's homemade chocolate chip muffins in his mouth.
"Can you all focus?" Massie called out.
Everyone quieted down and entered the living room. "Thanks," Massie smiled. "Now, we need to cover one thing at a time. The goody bags will be taken care of by me and Olivia, so it's still a secret to the rest of you," she smiled inwardly when Alicia scowled.
"So, any food suggestion? Remember, we don't want anything too unhealthy. These moms refuse to eat anything with more calories than a steak."
There was a moment of silence while everyone thought.
"The theme is 'go green', right?" Olivia spoke up. "Why not a seaweed salad or something? 'Cause it's green?"
Massie was about to write it into her Sidekick and congratulate her, but Dylan spoke up.
"Lame!" She barked. "You add soy sauce to seaweed salad, and all that salt makes people bloat!"
"I'm guessing you know that from experience, huh Dylan?" Olivia smiled angelically and glanced down at Dylan's hips.
Dylan blushed as red as her hair while the room exploded into laughter. Massie laughed harder than she needed to, but it felt good to be making fun of Dylan. She sent a grin to Olivia, who winked in return.
"Anyway," Massie giggled after the laughter died down. "Seaweed salad, for sure. Any hors d'ouvres?"
"Scallops," Chris Plovert grinned. "I love them."
Massie typed away while people named their favourite appetizers. So, five different hors d'ouvres –bacon wrapped scallops, toast points and imported beluga caviar, baked cranberry brie, baked salmon croquettes, and ceviche—; two different main courses –seaweed salad with grilled tilapia and mango chutney, or orzo and cherry tomato salad with slices of roast beef—; and two different desserts –vanilla-lavender crème brulee or rose petal-infused vanilla ice cream—, the caterers should be able to finish within five hours.
"I have an idea," Claire spoke from the back of the room. She was sitting on a white suede couch –one that she had sat on many times before, back when she and Massie were friends- and Massie wondered if she felt weird sitting in the living room of her ex best friend.
"Mmm-hmm?" Massie asked, trying to show as little interest as possible.
"It's a go green party, so why not make it a green party? You know," she added when she saw everyone's puzzled faces. "Like the white party my family throws every year –except green."
Massie hated to admit it, but that was a pretty good idea. "Hmm…I guess we could do that. Anyone object?"
"I do," Alicia raised her hand. She was the only one. "I'm Spanish, meaning I have dark skin. Do you know how bad green looks on me?"
Before anyone could agree with Alicia, Massie smirked and said. "Green party it is. Good thinking, Kuh-laire."
Alicia fumed and stood up. "Are we done here? I don't want to be stuck breathing the same air as you!"
"Thank god you're leaving," Massie said under her breath.
"Come on, Derrick," Alicia tugged at his hand.
"Alicia, no," he said firmly. He had worked up the courage to do this all last night. "I think we should take a break. You're too clingy, and I just need some space."
Alicia's mouth hung open for a good two minutes. Everyone looked at each other in silence. Were Derrick and Alicia –the cutest couple in all of Westchester County- over?
Finally Alicia turned on her heel and stomped out of the estate –not before giving Massie a cold glare-, slamming the door shut behind her. The sound echoed all over the silent mansion.
Derrick looked uncomfortable, knowing everyone was going to be talking about him. But it was worth it. Alicia was just too much to handle.
Instantly, the sounds of cell phones beeping and texting filled the air. Everyone was posting about the breakup on Facebook; tweeting how they saw it first hand; and texting the losers who weren't invited what happened.
Massie saw how uncomfortable Derrick was, having everyone glancing at him then whispering something to their friends.
"THANKS FOR COMING GUYS!" Massie yelled. Everyone stopped texting for a minute. "I'll send out the invites later this week. So see ya; meeting adjourned!"
Slowly, the group trickled out. Derrick was on of the last to leave, he stayed talking to Olivia.
Massie turned around so he couldn't see her, and she grinned.