Dedicated to lightening. x. pixie, who's story you must read, darlings(: Oh, and credits go to Dez who picked up the phone on the sixth ring and listened to me talk and talk about the weirdest things and gave me the idea for their date(: I love you, Smallz:D
Disclaimed? Why, yes, this whole story is.
"Wow, today was really awkward," Claire noted while lying on her bed, flipping through To Kill a Mockingbird. She made a face. "I can't believe you read this. I'm a straight-A student, and I hate reading." She tossed the book aside and propped herself up on one elbow.
Massie nodded. "Yeah, well. It's not exactly trying to learn brain surgery, Claire." She rolled her eyes. Claire had been getting on her nerves lately, what with the whole Derrick-Claire date and the next date they were going on. And as if Claire read her mind, she brought it up.
"When do you think Derrick and I will go on our next date? He didn't ask me, but he totally avoided me today. Oh, except during lunch and all those times we texted each other in class." Claire suddenly gasped and bolted straight up. "Do you think he doesn't want to go on that second date with me?" Her blue eyes were wide.
Massie rolled her amber ones. "Oh, Claire; I don't think that Derrick is that mean, right? He wouldn't ask for a date and then take it back, don't you think?"
Claire dramatically sighed. "I don't know, M! You're the one who's close to him, not me. I'm just your best friend who's totally in love with your enemy."
She laughed. "Oh, Claire, you make me laugh." She shook her head. "Look, I'll call him for the details, would you like that?"
She beamed and stood up. "Oh, really, Massie? Really, really, really?" She clapped her hands and bounced.
Massie chuckled. "Yes, dear Claire. But I still absolutely hate his guts." She winked at her and pulled out her phone. She looked through her cell's phone book and looked up. "Oh, uh, I don't… Uh, I don't actually, like, have his number…" She smiled sheepishly. After their fight over the phone, she deleted his number in anger.
Claire's face dropped. "Oh… Well, what am I supposed to do, then? I mean, it's not like I can call him. That makes me sound so—"
Riiing! Riiing! The phone next to Claire's bed started to ring.
Claire and Massie exchanged surprised looks. "You think it's…?" Claire's question trailed off.
"Answer it to see!"
Claire nodded and smoothed down her hair.
"Claire, he's not gonna see you!" Massie hissed. She rolled her eyes and stood up while Claire answered the phone, grabbing her bag. Seeing Claire's blush and hearing Derrick's name, she assumed that this was going to take a while. She wondered why he didn't just come over to Claire's house. They were neighbors.
Massie exited Claire's room and hopped down the stairs, passed the large foyer and walked out Claire's huge house, making sure that she closed the door properly. She was walking down the street, ready to pass Derrick's house when someone covered Massie's eyes.
Massie didn't scream, she only raised her eyebrows. "Uh, hello there. Can I help you?"
The person behind her, who Massie thought was a girl because of the size of her hands, giggled. "Mass, don't you remember me?" She took her hands off Massie's face and she stepped around her to face Massie.
Dana stood there, her curls framing her beautiful fourteen-year-old face, strands of it sticking to her strawberry-Chapsticked lips.
Massie felt her face glow. "Dana!" she yelled, letting her bag fall off her shoulder and onto the ground. She took her into a big embrace and squeezed her tight.
Despite the tightness of it all, Dana squealed. "Massie! I miss you so much! Oh, my god, you're gorgeous!" She combed her hand through Massie's dark brown curls. "God, Massie, you never kept in touch with me!"
Massie felt her eyes water. She held Dana at arms-length and gave her the once over. Dana had grown into a fine young woman, almost as tall as Massie's five feet and four inches. "Damn, girl, you've grown!" Massie teased, eyeing Dana's chest.
She only laughed and hugged Massie. "Gosh, Mass! You're still my favorite person ever."
Massie chuckled and hugged Dana back. "I hope you haven't been breaking hearts."
Dana only laughed. "Not in this lifetime." She straightened her mini skirt. "Come on to our house. Derrick might want to see you." Her brown eyes were saucer-like and pleading.
Massie chuckled nervously. "I don't think so, no. Uh, why don't we just…" Massie glanced around her, looking for a place to sit and just talk to her favorite fourteen-year- old. She casually placed her bag on the ground and sat on the edge of the sidewalk. "Here! Perfect for us to just sit and talk." Massie patted the space next to her.
Dana raised an eyebrow and then made a face. "Are you seriously suggesting that I, Dana Christine Harrington, sit there? While I'm sporting a beautiful white blouse and a denim mini skirt?"
Massie chuckled and teased, "I, Massie Elizabeth Block, do seriously suggest that you sit here while you're sporting a beautiful white blouse and a denim mini skirt."
Dana huffed. "But Massie, I don't want to! Come on, please go in the house with me? Besides, it's chilly." She wrapped her arms around her body and fake-shivered. If Dana wasn't Massie's sort-of little sister, she would have walked away already.
She sighed, picked up her bag, and followed Dana who was already skipping towards their huge home. She trailed behind Dana who left the door open. After entering, she dumped her bag next to the door and took off her shoes, placing it under her bag. She closed the door and followed Dana's girly voice to the living room.
Their living room felt very homey, with the warm colored furniture and the way that the plasma screen TV hung over the warm fireplace. The room smelled strongly of Febreze, and the light colored curtains that blocked the sun from the outside were swaying slightly. The soft couches were clean and fresh-looking and was the source of the strong scent.
Massie took a seat next to Dana who sat across from the TV. She shifted her body and comfortably leaned back on the arm of the chair, sitting on her left leg, leaving her right leg to dangle. Dana was sitting cross-legged, with a pillow covering her skirt.
"So, how was Minnesota?" Massie asked.
Dana smiled. "It was okay, I guess. I mean, I did make a few friends and all, but it wasn't as great as some of my friends here. And Massie, I really did miss you. I hated the feeling of being so far from you. I mean, honestly, you were the one that was always there for me, and when I left for Minnesota, I don't know…" She looked up at Massie, played with her necklace, and her eyes were welling with tears.
Massie grinned a tiny smile. She eyed what Dana was playing with, and realized that the necklace that she was fingering was the necklace that she had given her. Massie reached over and took Dana's hand in hers. "Is that the necklace I gave you?" she asked.
Dana beamed and nodded. "Yep; still as new as ever. I love it, did you know that?" she looked down at it and read the words. "I always read it to feel better whenever I felt down."
She let go of her hand and leaned back. It was like they had never left in the first place. She could still just lie around lazily, not bothering with the world. Massie looked around her, until she heard loud thumping.
All of a sudden, she heard Derrick's booming voice. "Dana! Dana, where are you? Dana, I need to talk to you about today. Dana!" His voice grew louder, and with every word, Massie cringed internally. She didn't want to see Derrick. Unfortunately for her, she did.
"Dana, look, I'm sorry about today—" he called out, his foot stepping into appearance, and then his whole body, and then his face.
His mouth was still open, but once he saw Massie, he froze, his eyes wide as soccer balls. Massie was turned to see Derrick. She narrowed her eyes slightly at him, then turned back to Dana. Dana had a wide ear-to-ear grin on her face. She sprang up and tugged on Derrick's hand.
"Come on, Derrick, sit over here." She pushed him down right next to Massie.
She scrambled around to sit with her feet on the ground. She placed her hands in her lap and sat up straight. Dana gave her a funny look, and sat down on the other sofa.
Damn you, Dana, Massie thought.
Dana winked at Derrick and giggled. "You guys look so cute together," she gushed.
Massie's eyes widened. She checked her phone. It was almost five. She stood up and Dana, with eyes enlarged, stood up with her. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Massie shook her head, feigning apology. "I'm sorry, Dana, but I must go home. I have, a, uh…" she struggled to come up with an excuse. "Uh, I have a 6:00 therapy session, and I can't be late." She smiled quickly and walked backwards. She finally reached the door and heard Dana calling her name.
No time, she thought. She grabbed her shoes and her bag and ran out, shoeless.
Dana only saw Massie's retreating figure. She bowed her head and closed the door. Derrick came up behind her. "I'm sorry," he started.
Dana shrugged, trying to blink back the tears. "It's okay. It doesn't matter, anyway. I have homework to do, so if you'll excuse me…" She walked past Derrick with her head down and only the tiny sound of sniffles could be heard.
Derrick sighed. I'm sorry, Dana. I'm sorry if I'm not the best big brother ever, like you claim me to be. He shook his head and walked out the door.
Where_It_All_Begins
It was only mere hours before Claire's second date with Derrick, and it was only how many hours ago that Massie was sitting in her current position. Massie yawned, trying to keep her eyes open. Massie went home last night around one in the morning talking to Dana and her life back in Minnesota and how their father didn't make them stay in one city, but in three different cities. Massie could only begin to imagine how difficult it was for Dana to make new friends, dump them and make new friends again. They had talked about Chris Plovert (Dana struggling to pronounce his last name) and Connor Daly. Dana, being Dana, told Massie about how she felt about Connor. According to her, she disliked him because he wasn't Derrick who was sweet and caring and would do anything for her. Massie did not want to believe that. She already had someone to care about her, why add more?
Massie rubbed her eyes and checked her phone. It was 2:15. They were let out of school early because the teachers had a workshop to attend. Massie sighed.
Forty-five minutes, Massie, she thought, only forty-five minutes before you can get out of here and go home and take a nap in your soft, warm bed.
Massie groaned and scratched her head in frustration. "Claire!" Massie called. "It's 2:15 on a Friday, we have no homework and I fell asleep last night at around two. I need to sleep."
Claire made an entrance from her closet. She was clothed with a simple lavender v-neck shirt, a black and blue DC jacket that originally was in Massie's possession (she always took from Massie), medium-wash bell-bottom jeans and gladiator shoes.
Massie exaggeratedly groaned and threw her arms over her head. "That's it and you made me wait for you?" She scratched her neck. "Claire, I'm not going to be in your life forever to wait for you to get dressed. One day, I'm gonna be so sleepy that I wouldn't be here."
Claire ignored Massie and twirled in a circle. "Do I look okay?"
Massie, sitting cross-legged on Claire's maroon rolling chair, only nodded her head, only caring to go home and go to sleep. "Claire, please, you look great, even if you're only going to a freaking, what, zoo?" Massie shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't wear espadrilles wedges at a zoo."
Claire giggled. "I wasn't thinking of wearing espadrilles wedges, but I'll remember that."
Massie absentmindedly nodded and stood up, stretched her numb legs and gave Claire a meaningful look. "You do look great, sweetie. Even if you're only going to the zoo."
Claire beamed. "Thanks, Massie." She walked to her and embraced her tightly.
"Okay, Claire," Massie said, letting go of her, "I gotta go now, but don't forget to call me after your date, okay?"
Claire nodded. "I guess I should wait up here, huh?"
Massie chuckled. "Only if you want to. It's your house, and it's pretty darn big. You could be in the bathroom for all I care." She smiled one last time and grabbed her bag. "Good luck," she whispered.
She left the room and took the stairs one at a time, thinking about the day. Kristen had been absent from school. Massie wondered whether she should check on her, then thought better about it. She wouldn't want to be bothered. Maybe she just needed some Kristen time, especially since she knew that Derrick and Claire were sort of dating and that Claire and she were talking without her.
She sighed and opened Claire's huge glass door. She looked up and gasped lightly. Derrick was standing outside, looking clean cut with a plain Hollister shirt and Diesel jeans. Massie swallowed and held her head high, planning on just pushing past him. But Derrick didn't hear that plan.
"Massie," he breathed, his eyes going alight.
Massie resisted rolling her eyes and stiffly said, "Derrick."
"How've you been?" he asked quickly.
"Fine. But I need to go now, so if you will excuse me…" she trailed off and made an attempt at pushing past him, but that attempt failed when he grabbed her arm.
"Massie, can I please talk to you?"
"No, you can't, Derrick. Can you please let go of me?" she answered hotly. Already she felt her temper boiling. That's when it all started; when Derrick the Ego Maniac came back. If only he could just leave like Massie wanted him to.
"Please, Massie? I need to talk to you." He slicked his tongue over dry lips and let go of Massie's arm. "I'll only be a minute."
Massie shook her head. "No, Derrick. When I say no, I mean no. I don't want to talk to you, don't you get that? I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear about you, I don't want you to touch me. I just want you to go back to Minnesota so that everything could go back to normal." Tears welled up in her eyes as she glared at him dead on. "I hate you here, Derrick."
Derrick felt his heart sink deep into his stomach area, maybe even deeper. He shook his head, denying that he heard that. "No, Massie, you don't mean that…" he muttered to himself.
A big fat tear fell over the edge of her eye. "Yes I do, Derrick," she whispered angrily. She finally pushed past him and stormed away, not sparing him a second glance.
Derrick's mouth was still left open, his arm still in the air. He swallowed and gathered himself together, closing the door and ringing the doorbell. A light chime rang and he cleared his throat and shook his head to get his hair out of his face.
Claire came bounding down the steps, a giddy expression on her face. She ran to her door and slid a little, making sure she didn't look dorky. She used her hands to flatten her messed up hair and took a few deep breaths. Come on, Claire, you're already a dork enough. She flipped her stick-straight blonde hair over her shoulder and opened the door.
Derrick was standing there, looking like Claire's Prince Charming; or at least what she thought he'd look like. He smiled and asked, "Are you ready?"
Claire smiled and nodded, stepping out and closing the door behind her. Derrick stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked down the steps, and down the driveway to his car. Claire scrutinized his every move. He seemed a little off to her, like he wasn't acting the way Claire assumed he was going to be. Claire's thoughts immediately led her to other thoughts. What if he didn't want to go on this date after all? And he didn't want to tell me because he doesn't want to hurt me? Oh, God, Claire, it's because you were such a loser on the first date! Ugh, telling him that you're a freaking vegetarian? Now he's gonna think you're an insecure little girl who knows nothing about relationships. Claire's eyes widened as she walked, zombie-like, to Derrick's car and got in. Claire hadn't noticed that she had actually hit her head while entering the car.
Derrick raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother with it. It was her head, after all.
Claire leaned back on the soft chair, staring into the distance. Derrick wouldn't like me, of course, because he likes someone else. Or because, honestly, I'm not someone anyone would fall for. I'm bland and no one likes me because I'm a sweet innocent girl who actually wants to wait till my honeymoon to have sex. No one's gonna love me because I'm always with Massie and Kristen who are just better than me in any way. How Massie can make friends instantly and actually stay in touch with them; how Kristen is just this sassy and guy-ish girl, but is actually a gorgeous chick who any guy could just get along with. And every time you looked at me, you saw the girl that everyone overlooked, the one that was silent and no one 'cool' wanted to hang around with because I'm a nerd. And it's not even the good kind of nerd, like Massie, but the sucky kind of nerd that everyone takes advantage of.
Claire recalled the time that Britney, the strawberry-blonde that asked her to pick up decorations for the National Honor Society's Halloween dance.
See? Everyone just walks right up to me and expects me to just do whatever they want me to do. But not this time. I won't let it happen anymore.
Claire clenched her teeth together. She could feel it already; she wasn't going to let Britney boss her around, just because she was a crappy president of the National Honor Society.
She never does anything, and here she goes, demanding that I do things that she needs to take care of. Well, not anymore. Never, ever will I let anyone do something as mean as that to me ever again.
"Claire?" Derrick said, hoping that Claire was okay. They were already at Westchester Zoo, and Claire hadn't answered any of the questions that Derrick asked her.
"Huh?" she replied, dazed.
"We're here, Claire. At the zoo?" He pointedly looked out the window.
Claire nodded and smiled at him. He was a good-looking guy that needed her undivided attention. How selfish it was of her to be only thinking of herself.
"Let's go, then!" she excitedly said.
Derrick's eyebrows went together and he breathed in deeply. "It's okay if you don't want to go on this date, Claire, I hope you know that. I can drive you home if you want."
Claire shook her head. "No, really, it's okay. Seriously." She smiled at him before opening her door and sliding out of the car easily.
Derrick did the same, only more hesitant. He examined her face from over the roof of his car, and he was disappointed at her tamed face. She was smiling, but only faintly, and it wasn't the expression that he had wanted. He wanted a very loud, obnoxious expression on her face. Someone to tease him that the zoo was a cheap date, but enjoy it all the same. But this was Claire, and he had to accept the fact that she wasn't Massie, in any form or mental alikeness.
"Let's go?" Derrick asked, hoping that Claire didn't see his face.
She stared unwillingly at the zoo and looked over at Derrick with a tight smile. "Yeah, let's go."
Derrick awkwardly walked in front of his car and walked next to Claire on their way inside the zoo. When they entered, they were greeted with loud, raucous noises that filled Claire's ears and stored themselves into her memory. She internally cringed from the loudness of it all; this was not her nature, and never will it be.
They first passed a group of monkeys in a large cage, which Claire found very mean. She saw a large group of first graders watching them, eating their popcorn and laughing at them. Derrick grabbed Claire's arm and dragged her to the monkeys. They were swinging on the branches and some of them were eating bananas in the corner.
Derrick, next to her, laughed and pointed at one of them and looked at her. "You look like a lot like that one, Claire," he teased, hoping a tease back.
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "What did you say?"
Derrick stopped laughing when he saw that she wasn't going to laugh with him. "Uh…" he stuttered. "Uh, I was saying that…" Damn you, Derrick, he thought.
"That I looked like a monkey?" Claire continued for him.
Derrick's eyes widened a bit. "Um, no?"
Once Claire saw his expression, she softened and forced a cold chuckle. Derrick pressed his lips together and darted his eyes from side to side to look for someone to chat with, even if only for a while. He had planned out this date; they would walk around, talk and eat popcorn and maybe cotton candy—if Claire approved—and they'd be home by six. He didn't plan on having her out all day, especially since he felt like hanging with her tomorrow at his house, just because he knew that Dana didn't like Claire.
They continued on walking and Derrick saw a guy in the middle of a thin crowd holding balloons. Derrick beamed and brought Claire over to the guy. She eyed him and asked, "Where are we going?"
"To get you a balloon," he answered quickly.
Claire raised an eyebrow. Okay, this is not going how I wanted it to go. "Uh, I don't want one, Derrick."
He was a few steps ahead of her when he turned around. "Why not?"
Claire's eyebrows went together. "Because I think that balloons are only for five-year-olds."
Derrick's lips parted and he sighed. Claire was definitely getting on his nerves. Where was the fun of being at the zoo if you weren't going to laugh and get balloons and eat sweet cotton candy?
"Claire…"
"Derrick…"
He sighed. "Do you want to go home?"
Claire's jaw plunged to the floor. "Do you want me to go home?"
"I don't know, Claire," he muttered, not wanting to hurt her seemingly damaged feelings. "I was asking you whether you wanted to go home."
Claire clenched her teeth together and stormed off to the car. She knew she was being a baby; but she's seen Skye Hamilton do it, and she's been getting a lot of attention for it. Whoa, did I just make a reference towards Skye Hamilton? Claire asked herself once she reached Derrick's car.
He was right behind her, following her. "Claire, Claire, honey, please…" he trailed off with nothing else to say. What was there to say? It's not like if he gave her a Blow Pop, she'd be happy. He didn't even know if she liked Blow Pops.
Claire sighed and her eyes welled up with tears. This was not Claire; she admitted it to herself that maybe it was funny that Derrick compared her to a monkey and that balloons are fun. But a part of her knew that Derrick only said and did those things because it reminded him of Massie, the one who could go with the flow of everything and not complain but make it fun for everyone.
"I'm not going to be Massie, Derrick," Claire whispered into the cold, October air and slid down the car onto the hard ground, earning her butt a bruise from the button on her back pocket.
Derrick couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and roll his eyes, a little annoyed. "Of course, Claire; I kind of already knew that."
She shook her head and felt her hot tears fall onto her cheeks. Derrick's mouth popped open, and he soon closed it when he slid down onto the ground next to her, but more graceful. "Are you okay, Claire?"
She shook her head and when she looked up at him, it made her cry even more. "I hate that everyone likes Massie more than they do me. I hate that when everyone overlooks me. I hate that everyone thinks that I should be some darling sweetie pie, even if I want to break down and just party…"
Derrick sighed. "Are you describing yourself or are you describing Miley Cyrus?" He made a face. "No offense or anything, but you know… Miley Cyrus… Yeah… I'm not extremely fond of her…"
Claire rolled her eyes and wiped away the tears that streaked her face. "What are you talking about you don't like Miley Cyrus? She's a cool girl, very talented."
Derrick winced. How could Massie live with this girl? "Okay, Claire, what really is wrong here?" he asked, hoping that he could get a solid answer.
He could hear in the background kids laughing and running around. He wanted to be a part of that scene, but how could he? He didn't want to just leave Claire; that'd result in a beating from an amber-eyed girl.
"What's wrong? Derrick, you can just sit there and ask me what's wrong?"
Derrick, the bumbling idiot that he was, just sat there, a dazed look on his face. "Uh… Claire, seriously… I'm just a dude that wanted to see the giraffes here." He knew that that wasn't the right answer, but what else could he say? He wasn't Dr. Phil.
Claire groaned. "Derrick, take me home, okay?" She started to stand up, but sat back down when Derrick tugged on her arm.
"Claire, tell me what's wrong. I won't take you home until you tell me."
It was silent for a little while after that. It was awkward; Claire avoided looking at Derrick who was staring at her, his eyebrows pushed in and up. Cold air blew, making Claire's hair fly. Derrick sighed next to her. "Please, Claire…" he pleaded.
She swallowed. "Fine." She bit her bottom lip. "I think that you like Massie. Not even like, but love." She shook her head slightly. "But I like you, Derrick. I like you a lot, and I want to spend time with you. I want to get to know you better. This isn't something I'd normally do or say, but I've learned that to get what you want, you have to voice it, and so here I am, voicing my opinion. What do you think about that?" She looked at him, her powder-blue eyes still moist and her bottom lip jutted out a little.
Derrick looked into her eyes. He thought they were beautiful; that she was beautiful and perfect and everything that his mother would want him to have. It darkened after that. The clouds rolled in and shadows began to disappear. It seemed like it went quiet and he knew that in a weird way, he needed Claire in his life; that no matter what happened, she'd be there always, whether he liked it or not.
He pulled her into a hug and pitter-pat it began to rain. It fell onto Claire and Derrick and got them soaking wet. It was freezing for both, but with Derrick's arms around her, Claire felt more secure, like nothing could touch her. Not even his love for Massie.
But I've only loved one person. Is it so wrong if I fight for her, even if it hurts others? The other half of Derrick, the more sensible one, repeated in his head.
A/N: -stares at audience-
So, why did the chicken cross the road? Aha… No. Review for this horrible chapter that I wrote? And if this is getting on your nerves, I'm deeply sorry.
Song at the moment: Two Worlds Collide by Demi Lovato XD
Oh, and I don't know, but I find this incredibly funny: On Wednesday, I was with Desiree at a book store where I got flipped off by a third grader and got called the "b" word by a sixth grader. Hahahahaha! Funny stuff, eh?
PMs, suggestions for end pairings and reviews? I accept them all(:
Pizzazz,
Ericka/WhereItAllBegins/formerlyxoxoDDLSG