"I wanna get back to the old days when the phone would ring and I knew it was you. I wanna talk back and get yelled at. Fight for nothing, like we used to. Oh, kiss me, like you mean it, like you miss me, 'cause I know that you do. I wanna get back, get back with you." --Get Back, Demi Lovato:)
Dedicated to ESTF--Samantha--because the suspense was killing her and I don't want her to die without finishing Sweet Revenge:)
Massie hopped out of her electric blue convertible. There were circles under her eyes that she tried to conceal. She didn't want people—Kristen and Claire mostly—to worry about her.
She spotted Kristen, Claire, Derrick, Josh and Cam under their favorite oak tree. Massie crinkled her eyebrows. This is weird, she thought. Cam and Josh weren't exactly close to Massie, Kristen and Claire, but there was a point in their lives when they were all friends, excluding Derrick. Massie had gotten over her anger towards him, but she still hated him.
Massie jumped in between Kristen and Claire who were both talking about construction paper.
"No way, neon purple owns neon pink!" Kristen exclaimed.
Claire snorted innocently. "Yeah, right. Neon pink can brighten up a whole room. Neon purple scares people, especially kids."
Kristen rolled her eyes. "Please, enlighten me on your theory that neon purple 'scares' kids," Kristen countered, air-quoting the word "scares".
"Okay," Claire said, launching off into babbles.
Massie giggled. This was how they spent their days, fighting about the stupidest things. Massie slid out from in-between them and hopped in front of the boys.
"Hey guys," she happily chirped.
"Massie, tell them to stop. They're bugging the hell out of me," Derrick said.
"Haha, that's how they are. You get used to it. That's what I get for being friends with blondes."
"What did you say?" Kristen and Claire simultaneously asked.
"Nothing," Massie called out innocently.
Cam smiled. Unsurprisingly, she smiled back. She never noticed that he had two different colored eyes. One was green, the other a blue so dark, it resembled green.
Derrick glared at the two with envy in his eyes. Are they deliberately flirting in front of me? He rolled his eyes, afterwards, averting them, glancing at Claire who was still fighting with Kristen.
He hadn't noticed, but Claire was extremely pretty in an all-American sweet girl way. She had straight white blonde hair that was shiny and scented with Herbal Essences. From afar, she smelled of strawberries and watermelon.
Derrick had been neighbors with Claire since forever. Was it a fluke that he fell in love with his neighbor's best friend? It probably was. It was an even bigger fluke that he just so happened to have a date with Claire in two days.
Josh elbowed Derrick. "So, did Claire tell you what you were going to do on your date?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. I'm thinking of backing out. I mean, Claire is nice and all, but not my type."
"What's your type then?" Josh asked. "A pretty brunette with amber eyes and a hot, hot body?"
Derrick rolled his eyes. "Shut up, man. She might hear you." He punched Josh's arm.
"Don't worry, dude," Cam chimed, slinging his arms around his two best friends. "She walked off with Connor."
Derrick glared at Cam. "Don't lie or I'll punch you." He ducked from under Cam's arm.
He staggered before saying, "She really did go with him. One minute she was with me, the next she was with him. It hurt me a little. Massie's really cool. I think I'm falling for her." Cam grinned.
Derrick almost tackled Cam. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" he yelled.
Josh and Cam guffawed. Derrick huffed.
Kristen and Claire came bouncing over, hands entwined. They were laughing at something Kristen said which made Josh's affection grow for her grow even more.
When Claire saw Derrick, she reddened and let go of Kristen's hand. Kristen rolled her eyes.
"Hey Derrick," Claire said.
"Hey Claire," Derrick replied, his tone monotonous.
Cam felt his heart splinter. Was it just him or did his heart sound incredibly loud?
"So, uh, about our date Wednesday…" Derrick tailed off.
Claire's deep blue eyes lit up. "Yeah?" Her lips curled into a smile.
Derrick hesitated. He felt the emotions that played out in the knit of friends. Should he say to cancel on the date and tell her straight on that he didn't like her in that way? Or should he lead her on until Massie falls for him? Whichever one he chose would lead to heartbreak for her. Ugh. I hate this. God, why did I even come back here? He hesitated. He glanced at Cam's distant face. Josh elbowed Derrick. "Um… I actually wanted to pick you up and bring you somewhere instead. I don't want our first date together to be planned by you. I want to plan it." He gulped. Lead her on it is.
Claire's insides lit up like a Christmas tree. Before she could say anything, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair came up to her. "Hey, Claire. I need you to do a few things for me." Not waiting for an answer, she instantly let the list flow out of her mouth. "For the National Honor Society, we'll be having a Halloween dance. We need someone to stay back and watch the freshmen decorate the gym. Some other sophomores will be there to help so that you don't get lonely and whatnot. We need the decorations, of course. They'll be at Marcy's and all you have to do is pick it up and bring it to the gym. And on that day that you get the decorations, you'll also need to get the tickets for the dance. Those will be at Jim's Ticket Wonder. Will you be able to handle all of that?" Strawberry-blonde's eyes sparkled with fake concern. Her face read "I really hope you can do all of it because I need to hook up with my boyfriend at the dance".
Claire smiled like it was no big deal. "It's no problem at all. I can handle it, no worries about me."
Strawberry-blonde clapped her hands in delight. "Perfect!" she exclaimed. She wrote something on her clipboard and hugged it to her chest.
"Wait," Kristen said. "Isn't the dance next Friday?"
Strawberry-blonde's face turned red as a strawberry. She half-smiled and replied, "Yes. It is. I just needed to tell you a few days early." Strawberry-blonde curtsied and speed-walked away.
"Few is an understatement," Cam muttered.
"Agreed," Kristen added.
"No, really, it's okay. I'm used to it," Claire said.
"No, it's not," Cam disagreed.
"Cam, really, it's fine," Claire said.
Cam looked her straight-on with a hard gleam in his eyes. "Yeah, right, Claire," he snapped, venom in his tone. "It's definitely not fine. They shouldn't let you do all the work. You're not the only member of that damn club."
"Chill, Cam," Derrick said.
Cam looked at Derrick like he grew another nose. "I will not chill, Derrick. Maybe if you knew how much it sucks for Claire, you'd care more!"
Derrick pressed his lips together. "Cam…"
He let out an exasperated hug and stormed off. On the way, he shoved Massie's arm. She stopped and looked behind her at Cam's fading backpack.
Massie joined the group and stared at each face with her eyebrows slightly raised. "What's the dealio?" she asked, her cheeks flushed.
Kristen knew why her cheeks were flushed. They were colored every after school, when Connor and Massie would meet and make-out. She laughed out loud. She took "LOL" to the next level. "Oh, my God Massie. Are you serious?" She guffawed and slapped her knee.
Looking at her, Josh grinned. Kristen had so much energy and so much love to share. She was exactly his type, he just didn't know about her.
"Kris, what's wrong?" Claire asked.
Kristen shook her head and wiped the tears that escaped from her eyes. "Nothing, nothing," she sniffled. "We should get to class now, guys. Before Massie goes crazy on us." She choked up more laughter. "Oh, Massie," she sighed.
Massie laughed sheepishly. "Before I go crazy on you guys?"
Josh's eyebrows were knit together. "What? I don't get it."
"You're not supposed to," Claire said with a smile. She patted his shoulder and walked with them into Briarwood Academy.
Josh and Derrick exchanged confused glances while staying behind the girls. Right as they step foot into the hall, the bell rang, students scattering and people pushing to get to class.
Josh slapped Derrick's hand. "G'luck, D." He nodded and disappeared into the crowd of students. He had lost Massie, who he knew for a fact that was his classmate. He had asked Cam earlier, when he wasn't ballistic. He looked around for Massie and finally saw a spoof of auburn hair close by. He pushed by a few students and reached Massie. "Mass…" he said.
She whirled around. She narrowed her eyes and shoved her way around the hall.
Derrick sighed. If she was going to play that game, he could play it, too. He trailed behind her, desperate not to lose her. Finally reaching their destination, Massie opened the door. Derrick followed right behind her. The class was only half full when they entered.
Automatically, Massie made her way to the back where Derrick tailed along behind her. She took her seat and he followed motion.
"Oh, God," she muttered, irked.
Derrick heard her and worriedly glanced her way. "You okay?" he asked just as students slowly trickled in, filling the class up.
Massie glared at him, an unknown glint in her eyes. "Of course, Derrick," she sweetly snapped. "Why wouldn't I be? I mean, my childhood enemy came back, ruined my life a little yesterday, and is now in every one of my classes. Who wouldn't be okay?" She forced a tight smile and faced the front where Mrs. Hopkins, their first period algebra teacher, was taking their attendance.
The two stayed quiet until Mrs. Hopkins began her lecture. "Okay, students, get out your math textbooks. Today we'll be starting geometry."
A chorus of groans filled the air as each student flipped through their red books and looked for the page that was written on the board.
At the moment Mrs. Hopkins looked away, Derrick leaned towards Massie and asked, "So, you're not okay?"
Massie fumed. Out of all the people that could experience the crap she was going through, it just had to be her. Maybe I should write to Seventeen magazine. They'd know what to do, she thought.
Mrs. Hopkins wrote something on the board, and as the chunky woman she was, her arm jiggled. Massie restrained from rolling her eyes at the students who giggled about it.
Just as she started copying the notes into her notebook, a folded-up piece of paper landed on her notebook. She looked up, aggravated amber meeting warm brown. An electric eel zapped through her body, jolting her out of her aggravation. With Derrick staring at her, goosebumps came to forming on her arms, her neck, her legs and places she didn't know had that power to prick.
A warm sensation flooded Derrick as the cold in her amber eyes disappeared. Massie had always been gorgeous to him, but at that very instant, when they locked eyes, he felt like the luckiest man alive to even be looking at her.
Massie tore her eyes away first, leaving Derrick in a confused daze. Maybe she didn't want to, though. But it was necessary. She didn't want to send the wrong message. She unfolded the piece of loose leaf paper and read what she could of Derrick's smudgy inky writing.
Massie, I'm so bored with this school.
--Derrick.
She raised an eyebrow at his bluntness. Was it really necessary to be so straight forward? She scrawled something back and folded it up angrily.
Then why don't you go back to Minnesota—where you belong?
Okay, so it was a little harsh. He had started it. If he wasn't so mean to his new school, maybe she wouldn't be so mean. Besides, she was only defending her school.
Defending your school, a tiny voice said in her brain, or defending your heart? Massie dismissed the voice by waving her hand near her ear, like it was just supposed to disappear. But the voice's taunting question ran in her ear like lyrics to a song you couldn't get out of your head.
Defending your school or defending your heart?
Defending your school or defending your heart?
Defending your school or defending your heart?
It slowly changed to something else that scared her even more.
Derrick or Connor?
Derrick or Connor?
Derrick or Connor?
Derrick arched a dark blonde eyebrow at Massie's strained face and wrote,
Mass, I was only kidding. No need to be so harsh. I just wanted to start a conversation.
He tossed it on her desk. He studied her never-ending emotional face. It was like watching a roller coaster: cold, down; soften slightly, up; confused, cold, contemplation, a big loop.
Conversation? she thought. What sort of conversation would he want? "Hey, Derrick. Hope you had a good morning. Oh, by the way, I hate you." God, Derrick, you're still as stupid as ever. She scribbled something and passed it back to him without bothering to fold it closed.
Conversation? Me and you? Yeah, I'd rather lick poo off a baby's butt than try and have an intelligent conversation with you.
He half-smiled. The Massie that he loved, the feisty, tough, in-your-face Massie was coming back. After writing his response, he gave the paper over to her.
Hypocrite. You're the one talking about having an intelligent conversation when clearly you'd rather talk about crap.
Her eyebrow curved, she scribbled her response.
See, Harrington. It takes a person that's so full of crap to notice crap. Good going, Mr. Douche Bag.
For the rest of the period, the two exchanged messages, funny, stupid, mean, mushy. Three pieces of paper later, this was how their conversation turned out:
Oh, so I'm a douche bag now, Massie? Really? Really?
Yes, Derrick, you are a douche. And an even bigger one than before.
Oh, Massie, you know you don't believe that.
Uh, I kind of do.
Oh, so you do?
Yeah, that's what I said. =P
Well fine then, Miss Perfect.
I'm not perfect Derrick.
You act like it.
I do not.
Fine, but you act it around me.
Well, sorry if I do then.
It's okay. Don't be sad or anything. It's just… You're so different now, Massie. I miss the old Massie, the one who would fight back to me instead of scream her hatred towards me. The one who was never scared to show her true colors. The one with an open-ended mind.
She sounds cool. I bet she was cool.
She was cool. I miss her a lot. Do you think anyone knows her enough to change her back?
Actually, there's a guy. Good-looking in a way with dirty blonde hair and cute brown eyes. Only one problem, though. He looks like a dog.
Haha. Well, he sounds good-looking. Ever think of dating him?
Hahaha. No, not in a million years. He's my arch nemesis. A girl shouldn't date her enemy. Unless…
Unless…
No, never mind.
Okay then. What do you want to talk about? :P
Minnesota. How was it?
Okay. I missed New York, though. Minnesota didn't have many amber-eyed beauties. Although, I did meet this one girl.
Oh?
Yeah. Reminded me a lot of Dylan Marvil. I don't know. We went on four dates, but we never really hit it off. When it came down to girls, she was the only one that I went on a date with.
Really?
Yeah. I couldn't stop thinking of this one girl when I was in Minnesota.
Who? Do I know her?
Yes. Very, very well.
Oh, tell me then! Come on, Derrick, who is it?
Won't tell.
Oh, come on, Derrick.
No, can't. The bell is gonna ring soon.
Fine. I'll just annoy it out of you.
"Okay, kids, don't forget to do pages 275 to 278. That is your homework which will be due tomorrow," Mrs. Hopkins announced.
"Oh, God," Massie moaned in complaint. "See what you do, Derrick? I don't even know what we learned. Or what she taught. Jeez, Derrick," Massie accused.
"Don't blame me," Derrick incredulously defended himself loudly, getting up and grabbing his bag. While he spoke, the bell rang, indicating the end of class.
Massie laughed. "And why shouldn't I?"
They followed each other out the door.
"Because I'm, like, you're best friend," Derrick played in a valley girl accent.
They burst out laughing. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn't noticed the students who made a small clearing for them to walk past.
Hushed whispers and confused glances were thrown around.
"The new kid and Massie?"
"He's not new. He moved to Minnesota before middle school."
"I heard that they were enemies before."
"That guy is really hot. What's his name?"
"Massie's such a bitch, taking everyone that crosses her way."
"Shit. I've been trying to get with Massie for how long and here goes the new kid, getting all up in her pants."
"Massie's freaking hot, huh?"
"I heard she and Chris Plovert broke up because he cheated on her with Alicia."
"I heard it was because there were four Brazilian strippers in his room."
"Which planet are you from?"
But the two didn't hear or notice the sudden change in atmosphere. They didn't even notice Kristen, Claire and Connor watching them.
A/N: =P
Was it weird? It sounded weird. Oh, and if you were confused during this chapter, I am so sorry. I think that's the last time I'm going to have so much bold and italicized words. Okay, I'm still not sure.
Behind Enemy Lines has a new chapter, so check that out, please:)
Oh, and Smilez014 and I have a community. Feel free to check it out. It's called the Imperfectly Perfect Lives of Massington. Right? Something along the lines of that.
Right, right, right. I have a new story idea and I'm writing it down. It's for Desiree for her birthday. Her birthday is two days right after mine (yeah, I know) and since she wrote a story for me, I'm writing a story for her.
Dez, I changed the title of the story, so this is the summary for the story I'm writing.
Contradicting Love
Massie, an in-depth loner at 17, despises all popular kids. Derrick, a popular yet misunderstood soccer goalie is famous at Chestnut Academy. As these two are paired off as partners, Derrick realizes that he's missed out on a beautiful person that he shouldn't have.
Believe it or not, this had two more titles before I settled on this. Wanna know how I got it? I was watching My Sister's Keeper--which should've gotten Grammys because Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vasilieva were absolutely GREAT in it--and I kept thinking of love between everyone until I heard something that contradicted another thing, and I was like, "Contradicting Love". It fit into this story, which was originally titled "Silent Popularity". And because Dez loves contradictions. And love. :)
Okay, that's really it, but it's not a cliche dramarama story. There won't be that much drama, I think. There will be much fluff:) Oh, and a meaningful ending. I really like it's plot, so can you guys tell me how it sounds from here? And it's not like "A Walk to Remember" at all, so don't even try and mention that. Haha, sorry to sound mean:)
Anyway, review and tell me about Contradicting Love:)
Pizzazz:)
xoxoDDLSG