Dedicated to Fireworks Forever for kicking my butt and telling me to update:)
Derrick lay in his bed for a long period of time before picking up his black iPhone and calling a special someone. It took four and a half rings before a very tired-sounding Massie picked up.
"What?" Her voice was full of aggravation.
Derrick didn't say anything for a while until Massie growled, "Don't call me at two in the morning with nothing to say, Harrington. Now spill it or tomorrow you'll wake up with teal eyebrows."
Derrick almost burst out laughing. "What's with the teal eyebrows?" he muttered to himself.
"That's it, Harrington. You don't even have the courtesy to talk loud enough for me to hear. Good-bye and I hope that the Boogie Man gets you."
"Wait!" Derrick practically yelled. "Massie, hold on."
There was silence on the other end, scaring Derrick.
"I'm giving you ten minutes, Derrick. That's all, and if you're not done, go and cry to Dr. Phil or something."
"I'm scared, Massie," he blurted without thinking. "I never wanted to go out with Claire, but we are. I don't want it to be weird with everyone else. Considering my feelings for—" Derrick caught himself just in time before he could say anything further. Fortunately, Massie's irritation blocked what Derrick was saying.
"So if you're scared, be a man and tell he. Don't lead my best friend on, Derrick. I'll kick your ass if you hurt her in the end."
This triggered Derrick's cockiness. "And what if in the end, she hurts me?"
Massie snorted on the other end, loud enough to hurt Derrick's feelings. "That'll be the day that Hitler comes back to life."
Derrick scoffed. "You don't know that, Block."
"I think I know her better than you, Harrington."
"Really? So you knew that she liked me?"
Massie was silent on the other end. "Shut up, Hairy-ngton."
Derrick rolled his eyes. "You know what, Block?"
"What, Harrington?"
"You're just as immature as you were six years ago. I guess old habits do die hard, huh, Mass?"
"Ha! You should know, Derr-ick."
Derrick didn't know what else to say to Massie, so he uttered what he thought was an apology. "Massie, I didn't think—"
"Exactly Derrick. You always say something mean, and then you take it back. And you have the nerve to call me immature? Honestly, Harrington, I just really want you to go back to whatever state you came from. No one important wants you here anyway."
Derrick then heard the click of Massie hanging up. He kept the phone to his ear for a few more seconds before whipping it at the foot of his bed. A scream built itself in the back of his throat, but it was two in the morning, not exactly a perfect time to scream his heat out.
His breathing soon tightened and his whole body trembled, like an earthquake was occurring. Whatever had just happened between him and Massie, he had not prepared for it. In a matter of eight minutes, Massie and Derrick's already fragile friendship crumbled once again. And this time, Derrick didn't know how to fix it.
_xoxoDDLSG_
"Derrick. Derrick. Derrick, get up!" Dana Harrington tugged on Derrick's leg, which was heavier than three Labradors.
"Derrick! Get up, you're gonna be late!"
Derrick heard his little 14-year-old sister and groaned. He felt her weak attempts of getting her out of his bed, but he only groaned. He didn't remember falling asleep at all, but he did remember fighting with Massie on the phone.
"Derrick, Mom's getting mad. C'mon, she wants to go now." Dana punched Derrick's shoulder.
"Mmm. Tell mom thad I don't won go to sool," he grumbled.
Dana rolled her brown eyes. "Honestly, Derrick, you need to grow up and face your fears. It's one date with Claire. The most that can happen is you ending up liking her and wanting to go on another date with her."
Derrick rolled over the second she said "date". "How did you know about my date?" he asked, incredulous.
Dana shrugged nonchalantly. "You're the hottest thing to come since Justin Beiber. Lots of girls at my school like you. I've become really popular with them."
Derrick finally sat up. "Don't tell me that you're—"
"Don't worry, big brother," Dana giggled. "I don't like those people. I'm only interested in talking to Massie again."
Derrick cringed.
"Oh, by the way, isn't Massie attending Briarwood? Ask her to come over! It's been forever since I've talked to Massie! I hope she's not different. Then again, Massie's too much of a nerd to be mean. Is she with anyone? I always thought that you and Massie looked good together. I heard that she and that Chris can't-say-his-last-name broke up. It's so sad. If all he wanted was sex, he could've just—"
"Dana!" Derrick's eyes were wide at his sister. Had he been so out of touch with his own sister that he didn't know she could use the word "sex"?
The sudden interruption made Dana jump. "What?"
"What were you gonna say?"
Dana rolled her eyes. "I was gonna say that he could've just asked. But knowing Massie, she would wait. And before we left, Claire gave me this necklace." Dana pointed to the chain around her neck with a blue guitar pick-shaped object hanging from it. "Claire said that Massie was supposed to give it to me as a gift for something or other, so Claire took it from Massie and gave it to me on behalf of Massie."
Derrick nodded, confused. "When did Claire give it to you?"
"The morning we were gonna move," Dana answered. "It was really random, too. She just pulled me aside and boom! There it was."
Derrick raised an eyebrow. "Does it say something?"
Dana nodded. "'Buds before studs' on one side"—she flipped the pick to the other side—"and 'stay true to yourself' on the other. I love it." She beamed and squeezed the blue thing in her palm.
Derrick smiled. Massie was always Dana's favorite person. And Massie treated Dana like a little sister. It was cute how they got along before. Massie would always pretend to be Dana's daughter, even though she had dirty-blonde hair instead of a deep auburn. Massie was her best friend.
"Derrick! Hurry, Mom's gonna get mad!" Dana shoved Derrick's shoulder once more.
Derrick rolled his eyes. "I'll drive myself there. No need to worry." He dragged himself out of bed and began to undress.
"Whoa!" Dana rushed to cover her eyes. "Underage minor here! Jeez. You can wait till I leave, you know!" She swiftly left the room, stomping down the stairs.
While Derrick sprayed on some Axe, his phone buzzed with a message. He slammed the bottle on the table in a rush to get to his phone, hoping that it was Massie.
But it wasn't. It was Claire.
Claire: Good morning! Can't w8 4 our d8. Cam gave me ur #, BTW=]
Derrick rolled his eyes and planned to kill Cam during lunch. He slid his phone into his pocket and grabbed his bag from his desk chair. His phone vibrated again and he sighed, irritated. But when he saw that it was Dana, he relaxed. Dana may have been a chatty person, but she was still the cutest thing ever.
Dana: Don't 4get 2 bring Massie over!
Derrick groaned and winced. He would never be able to talk to Massie again.
_xoxoDDLSG_
"So, Massie and you got in a fight, huh?" Josh assumed, dropping himself onto the cement chair next to Derrick.
Cam sat on the left side of Derrick, his eyes alight with amusement. "That's the reason why you're eating outside in the bold October air, right?" He waggled his eyebrows before devouring his melted-cheese-sliding-off-the-side pizza.
Derrick rolled his eyes. As he predicted, Massie made sure that she avoided him at all costs.
"Oh, D," Josh sighed, opening his green bottle of Sprite. "You and Massie always find ways to get mad at each other. And you always let it slide. You need to learn how to avert from getting Massie to be angry with you. If you really do like her, why do you always end up arguing with her?"
Derrick rolled his eyes and absentmindedly punched Cam. He looked up from his pizza. "Dude!" He gestured to his food. "Eating here! Leave me out of the dude talk for a while."
"Cam!" Josh exclaimed. "Put the pizza down and listen to what Derrick's gonna say next."
"For what?" Cam grumbled. "It's not like we didn't see this already coming. Later on in the day, they'll be alright again. It's gonna be something that will always happen, whether we want it to or not. And even if we push them together, they'll never be together together." He looked away from Derrick and Josh's piercing brown eyes. "Reason why? Because he has a date with Claire. I'm not one for clichés, but take a look at our lives. It's one big cliché. Sometimes I think that someone out there is watching us from under a microscope and is writing our cliché-filled lives. Seriously, Derrick, Josh. Just leave it alone." He shrugged.
Derrick and Josh exchanged awkward, confused glances. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Derrick stayed glued to his seat, watching as Cam fumbled with his tray.
Josh clapped his shoulder as soon as he left. "He'll be fine, D. Don't worry 'bout 'im."
_xoxoDDLSG_
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Jeez, Claire. Sorry I ever suggested this frock to you." Massie giggled while stretching Claire's light blue layered swing skirt that originally belonged to Massie but was given to Claire to use in their school's play.
"Mass, you know that I look horrible in that thing."
"Claire, you looked good in it. You need to stop being so overdramatic with this. I mean, it's just Derrick. It's not like it's Chace Crawford or anything." Massie threw the skirt over her shoulder.
Claire sighed. "Massie, you don't understand. I like like Derrick." She waited for Massie's response.
"You know, Claire, I don't even remember you liking him. I thought you, like, were with me in the I-hate-Derrick club."
"In which there are only two members? Yes, Massie, but you're my best friend. You can at least support me. You don't need to like Derrick. I mean, once we're together, he'll fall way in love with me and—"
"Claire; no offense, but it's one date. You're not exactly going on a honeymoon, you know."
Claire's blue eyes narrowed. She turned away from Massie and faced her closet. She needed something that said, "I threw on this outfit in five minutes, but I'm damn hot." So far, she had nothing. At this point in her life, she wished that she looked like Massie who could pull off old newspapers, a potato sack and rotten banana peels. Claire turned around. "How do you do it?"
Massie looked up from her neon green nails. "Do what?"
Claire huffed in frustration. "Be hot. Every guy wants you. You're so oblivious to it, but it's there. Massie," she winced, tears stinging the backs of her eyes, "what if Derrick doesn't like me?"
Massie's breath caught in her throat. Claire looked so vulnerable, so fragile. Her usually happy eyes died down, the excitement in her voice sounded more bland. It wasn't the usual Claire that you got. Massie could tell that she really was scared. She sighed under her breath. "Claire." The silent mutter led Claire to embrace Massie.
"He'll like you, I promise."
_xoxoDDLSG_
Massie: MAKE CLAIRE HAPPY
Derrick slid his phone shut. He was sitting in his dad's silver Lexus, gripping the wheel so tight that his knuckles were white. According to his phone, he was three minutes late.
Come on, Derrick. Be a man. Make Claire happy.
He took one big gulp of breath before opening his car door and sliding into the darkness. He walked up the stone path and pondered the idea of knocking or just entering. It wasn't necessary, though, because just as Derrick's foot met with the first step, the door opened and Claire scurried out.
Derrick had to admit that she dressed well if given the chance.
Claire turned around to face Derrick. He was wearing a blue and white checkered polo and underneath was a thin brick red hoodie. Both sleeves were rolled near his elbow with the polo's sleeves rolled just a little higher. His jeans looked worn.
Derrick felt his neck warm in embarrassment. Claire looked great in her dark blue blouse with ruffles down the middle and a black vest that fit snugly around her upper body, emphasizing her chest.
Whoa, Derrick! Don't think about her chest. She's your neighbor, Derrick, don't even try and think about that.
Her legs were covered with dark wash skinny jeans.
"So Derrick," Claire interrupted his thoughts.
He looked up and into Claire's sky blue eyes. They were beautiful to him, the most wondrous pair of eyes to stare into.
"Let's go?" he asked her, wanting for them to leave.
"Let's," Claire said, closing the door behind her. She followed Derrick to his car, where he opened the door for her. She slid onto the seat with ease, admiring the interior.
Derrick walked around the car, half-excited for their date to begin while the other half couldn't wait for the end.
-:-
Claire looked around her. She never knew that Derrick would bring her to Exquisite, her favorite restaurant. The floors were covered in red carpet, the tables and chairs were imported from Spain and were covered with silk tablecloths. The food was excellent, as was the service, and every once in a while, a celebrity would stroll in.
"Do you like it?" Derrick asked.
Claire looked at him in amazement. She nodded her head swiftly so that the clip in her hair loosened.
The waited, who had hair slicked to the side of his face and a mole near his lip, came over with a pad in his hand and a black pen in the other.
"Can I take your order?" His stiff mouth barely even moved.
Derrick nodded at Claire, a gesture for her to order first.
She flipped through the menu and picked the first thing that she saw. "I'll have the fruity emerald salad and water, please." She closed her menu and handed it to the waiter.
Derrick raised an eyebrow. "You can order more, you know."
Claire smiled and shook her head.
"Oh-kay." Derrick caught a glimpse of the waiter's nametag. "Marco, is it? Bring us a bowl of garlic bread. After that, a medium-sized Italian sausage pizza with lots of melted parmesan cheese. Oh, and root beer, yeah?"
The waiter eyed Derrick with hesitation. "And you're sure about that?"
"Uh, no, not really," Claire interrupted. She looked at Derrick with saucer-sized blue eyes. "I'm a vegetarian… So, if you were planning to share the pizza with me…" She trailed off, uncomfortable.
Derrick nodded, understanding on his face. "Then I'll have the Texas-styled barbecued brisket. That sounds really good." He looked up and smiled.
"Alright, sir." He sauntered away with both menus in his hand.
Derrick eyed Claire. "You're a vegetarian?"
"Yep." She nodded.
"That's cool. What about the other two?" He made sure he added in Kristen so that it didn't seem like he wanted only hear about Massie, when in reality, all he really did want to hear was Massie.
"Kristen limits herself to what she eats. Massie pigs out, though. That girl can eat three Big Macs and still be hungry. She's lucky 'cause she has a fast metabolism. Kristen plays soccer and works out and everything, so she's pretty thin. I, on the other hand, hate working out and don't have a fast metabolism, therefore, can't pig out."
A different waiter, one who had black streaks in her white-blonde hair and a ring at the end of her eyebrow, placed a red bowl containing garlic bread in the middle of their table. She winked at Derrick and turned away, swaying her hips provocatively.
Derrick stared after her for a while and then grabbed a stick of the bread. He bit into it and started chewing. "So, you've been a vegetarian since when?"
"Like, four months after you left."
Derrick nodded. "So, have you had any past relationships?"
"You mean other than you? No one. I'm not one for dating, you know?"
"Not until me?" He cockily smirked.
"Not until you," Claire giggled.
Derrick realized that Claire's laugh was very tiny, very girly. "How are your parents?"
"Gone, as usual. But it doesn't hurt as much. I've gotten used to not having them around."
"Do you know where they are, though?"
"Nope, not at all. I mean, they send postcards, but I don't bother reading them because all they say not is 'Take care of yourself, honey. Wish you were here!'"
"That's funny. They were here when I moved back."
"Yeah, and they left a few hours after that."
"Oh. Well, if you were wondering, my parents are doing fine. I mean, aside from the fact that my dad's been moving us around a lot, we're okay."
"What do you mean moving—"
"Here you go, sir." The original waiter placed a gelatin-like salad in front of Claire and neatly organized pieces of meat drizzle with barbecue sauce in front of Derrick. He then gave both their drink orders and marched away.
Derrick smiled at Claire. "And you're sure you don't want more than… that?"
Claire smiled politely and nodded. "I'm totally fine with just this. Really."
"Okay," Derrick murmured, picking up his fork.
The two exchanged conversation about each other, catching up about their past lives and what had been happening at Westchester. The night passed on quicker than Derrick thought it would, and an hour and forty-five minutes later, they were standing on Claire's porch again.
"Tonight was fun," Claire commented, a slight grin on her face.
"It was," Derrick answered. And yet Derrick didn't feel satisfied enough; as if he needed to know more. "Claire, will you go on another date with me?" he asked.
Claire beamed. "Of course, Derrick!" she replied, her voice full of excitement.
Derrick chuckled, restraining himself from hugging her tight for accepting his offer. "Okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?"
"Most definitely." She smiled at him one last time and then went into her house.
Once she disappeared, a feeling of regret overcame Derrick. His eyes widened.
"What the hell did I do?"
A/N: :DD
HELLO EVERYONE! It's Ericka, a graduate from the eighth grade! Finally! It's summer time, and I can't waaaaaait. Anyway, that's the reason why I updated: I graduated on the 15th and I felt as if I needed to give a gift to my reviewers.
To Massington fans, I'm sorry. Make some room for Clairington, though? Oh, and Monnor (ConnorXMassie).
Behind Enemy Lines will be updated tomorrow, I promise! So could you guys read that?
Review, please?
Pizzazz,
Ericka (a future freshman!)