The image of Olivia's loopy script had stuck in Massie's mind like one of those annoyingly weird SoyJoy commercials. Get Cam to dump Claire? How the hell was she supposed to do that, other than seduce Cam herself? Why did Olivia want Cam so bad anyways? Was this stupid exclusive party really worth being labeled a slutty, boyfriend-stealing backstabber?
"Massie? MASSIE!" yelled Claire, the irritated look on her face stating that this wasn't the first time that Claire had called her name. Massie slapped her palm against the side of her Jon Hart tote, where Olivia's note was hiding in a side pocket. Had Claire found out?
A couple of other students turned around to see why Claire Lyons was yelling at the new girl, but Claire sent their eavesdropping ears away with one glare of her fierce navy eyes. Claire beckoned Massie forward as if she were going to tell her a juicy secret. Massie leaned across her desk towards Claire's, her heart pounding. Cam and Derrick, the other two members of their desk-table arrangement in Mr. Myner's history class, watched on curiously.
"I wanted to know if you would like to come to my Friday night sleepover tonight," Claire's frosty pink-glossed lips whispered into Massie's right ear. Massie relaxed.
"Sure, I'd love to," Massie whispered in reply as she fell back into her seat. The second her butt hit the chair, she zoned out again, continuing to wonder about Olivia's impossible request.
-x-
Massie stepped out of her Nana's Buick and into the chilly night. The cold shocked her every time. As much as she loved being close to Kristen and her grandparents, she longed for her Rainbow flip-flops and Florida's perpetual summers.
On the outside, Claire's house was just another huge mansion in Pine Parks, their wealthy suburb. But inside, it had a homey feel and smelled of spaghetti and hot chocolate, not potpourri.
"Massie!" Kemp cheered from the front staircase landing. "You're here!"
Derrick pounded down the stairs and skidded to a stop next to Kemp. A goofy smile took up his whole face as he waved to Massie. She grinned and waved back.
"The girls are in the kitchen," Kemp said before being tackled by Todd, Claire's bratty younger brother.
"Todd!" Claire shrieked, poking her head out of the kitchen. "Go pick your nose somewhere else!" Todd simply laughed and ran back up the stairs to his room.
"Kristennn," Claire sing-songed. "Massie's here! Get the Baileys!"
Panic seized Massie's heart. Of course they were drinking. What else was she to expect?
And yet, as the girls poured Baileys Caramel into their frothy, homemade hot chocolates, Massie couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to drink with the rest of them. After all, she had only ever been shoved into the sober sister position because Ana had forced her to the first night they had ever gone to a high school party. And then it had just become sort of a thing. Massie was the one who didn't drink. The prudish girl.
As Massie scooped up the mug Kristen had prepared for her, she felt things were about to change.
"Don't feel like you have to drink any of it if you don't want to," Kristen murmured as the other girls ran out to Claire's backyard. "There's only about one shot's worth in here. If you want more, you can help yourself."
"What about the boys?" Massie asked, thinking of crushed beer cans and unwanted advances.
"They're just sharing a bottle of Jack Daniels," Kristen said. "I promise you, this is nothing like the parties in Florida. It's just a get-together. And the boys all have to leave by one, except for Cam, who gets sleepover privileges. It'll be fun."
Massie took a cautious sip of her hot chocolate. She could taste the kick, but she also kind of liked it.
"Let's go," she muttered.
-x-
Four hot chocolates later, Massie had forgotten what it felt like to be cold.
For the first two hours, Massie had just sat around the fire pit with them, listening to them tell middle school stories and relive their pledging nightmares. She kept refilling her mug, and the more she drank, the heavier her limbs got and the fuzzier everything became around the edges. Suddenly stories of Claire peeing in Saylene Homer's locker in the seventh grade seemed ten times funnier than they would have sober.
Most of the group had migrated to Claire's trampoline, but Massie stayed close to the fire. The boys had made a game out of launching snowballs into Claire's pool. So far, Josh was winning.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure tumble off of the trampoline and stumble back towards the fire. It was Derrick.
"Hey," he said, coming to a stop in front of her. "I've been looking for you all night."
"I've been right here," she giggled, setting her cup to the side.
"You know, I've been thinking," Derrick said. "You're like, hands down, the prettiest girl at OCD. And I'm sorry I haven't talked to you more lately, but pledging's been taking up all of my fucking time. But like…" His voice trailed off. "Can I kiss you?"
"Yeah," Massie blurted. "Yeah, you totally can."
It was slow and soft, and if Massie had to be honest, a little spitty. But pulling away from it, Massie felt as though her heart had been lit on fire, and Derrick was going to keep that fire going for a long time to come.
-x-
Just before one, an alarm went off on Claire's phone, and the boys began stumbling out the front door.
Massie followed Derrick to his bike, laughing as he made three unsuccessful attempts to correctly right it and hop on it.
"You know what?" Derrick said. "I'm taking you to the Legacy. Don't let anyone else ask you, okay? I'm taking you. I don't care what anyone says."
"I like you so much," Massie slurred. "Call me."
"I so will," Derrick promised, catching her by surprise and kissing her once more.
By the time she turned back to the house, most of the girls had already gone back inside. Only Kristen remained, frozen in the doorframe, staring at the spot where Derrick had stood just moments before.
-x-
Massie woke up a few minutes after seven, her hands shaking and her stomach rumbling with the worst hunger pains she had ever felt. Her mouth was sticky and stale, and her body felt clammy all over.
Groaning, she tried to push herself off her air mattress and make her way to the kitchen. A wave of intense fatigue washed over her, and she found herself collapsing back into her pillow.
"Somebody's a little hungover, huh?" a voice whispered in the dark. Massie squinted and found Cam sitting in the window seat with Claire curled up asleep next to him.
"Water," Massie croaked. Cam snickered and hopped off the window seat, extending a hand to Massie to help her up. In the end, he practically had to carry her to the kitchen.
While Massie sat at the island counter, Cam busied himself making tea and toast.
"You really don't have to do this," Massie protested in a hoarse whisper.
"It's no problem," Cam said. "I'll be doing it for Claire in about two hours anyway."
"How are you so cheerful right now?" Massie asked, gulping down her English Breakfast Tea.
"Higher tolerance," Cam explained. "Pledge tasks and liver conditioning from my brother Harris."
Cam settled down next to Massie with a large glass of orange juice. The two sipped in silence for a while.
After taking a cautious bite of toast, Massie spoke up again.
"Cam?" Massie began. "Say there was something you wanted. Like, really, really badly. But the only way you could get it would be by stabbing one of your friends in the back. Would you backstab that friend, or would you go without the thing that you wanted?"
"To be honest, Massie, the reason Derrick likes you so much is because you're exactly the kind of girl who wouldn't do that," Cam replied.
"Derrick doesn't like me like that," Massie said quickly.
"Oh really? Then why were you two making out by the fire pit last night?" Cam teased.
The memory of Derrick's mouth on hers came rushing back instantly. In spite of herself, Massie grinned.
"That's what I thought," Cam said. "Think over it, Massie. You'll come up with something."
Cam grabbed a piece of toast and headed back to the den, leaving Massie to mull over her thoughts.