Massie woke up uber-early the next morning, trying to find an outfit fabulous enough to make up for the embarassment she'd been forced to endure. But the truth was that no clothing could begin to fix the horrible situation.
She finally settled on black skinny jeans, strappy silver Gucci sandals with a rose, and a blush-pink draped top. Over it she slipped on a silver silk jacket by Jimmy Choo. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail.
Then she applied mascara, blush, lip gloss, and eyeliner. Nothing helped. Her heart still felt like it was going to crack in two.
And the worst part was that she missed her Alpha status even more than she missed Derrick Harrington.
She forced herself to climb in the limo with Isaac and collect the girls. When they pulled up at school, Massie took a deep breath and arranged them behind her. She put awn her best model-stare and tried to look invincible. Halfway to the front door, they were blocked by none other than Olivia Ryan.
She was holding Derrington's hand. Allie-Rose Singer and a girl named Melissa Hawthorne flanked her like bodyguards. Behind them stood Layne, Meena, and Heather, who had clearly gone through fantastic makeovers, as it took Massie a second to recognize them.
"Ehmagawd," she breathed. "Eh-ma-gawd."
"Hi, Maysie," Olivia greeted her, causing her posse to giggle.
"Hi, Airhead."
Olivia waved that off, scoffing. "So, Maysie, how are you today?" She knew every student standing on the front lawn could hear. And awl the students gathered awn the front lawn before school started.
"Fantastic, thanks. And you?"
"Doing well." She tilted her head up, and Derrick pecked her awn the lips. "Don't you think so, sweetie?"
He nodded and grinned, his smile only disappearing so he could tilt the corners of his mouth down at Massie.
XOXOX
"This is a nightmare," Massie muttered out of the side of her mouth to Kristen as Mr. Campbell droned awn and awn about measures of angles and centers of circles.
"I know, right? He's teaching this the wrong way. If he just said that O is the center, everyone would have solved this already-"
"Nawt the lesson! Olivia Ryan! I cannawt believe that bitch became Alpha overnight. She took away what I've been working for for years. Every second of my life, I've tried to be the perfect Alpha, and then she just flounces in and-"
"Do you have something to share, Massie? Have you figured out the measure of BAC?"
She shot a discreet glance at Kristen. 'Do something,' she mouthed. 'Now.'
"I have, Mr. Campbell," the blonde interjected. "The measure of angle BAC is 72 degrees, and the measure of angle BOC is 144 degrees."
"Thank you, Kristen," and he began to explain why to the dumbfounded class.
XOXOX
Massie marched into the cafe fully prepared for Olivia to have taken over Table 18. It surpised her when the Pretty Commitee's normal spot was completely empty. She led the group over.
The sign that said NO LBR'S ALLOWED that Alicia had custom-ordered awf the Internet was still perched in the middle of the table. They sat down and unpacked their healthy, home-made lunches. They were beginning to chow down when they realized everyone was staring at them intently, looking like they couldn't wait to laugh.
"Um, guys," Claire began hesitantly. "Look." She chin-pointed toward the sign. They awl looked closer.
"Ehmagawd." Alicia gulped.
Instead of NO LBR'S ALLOWED, it stated, ONLY LBR'S ALLOWED.
Alicia twisted her engagement ring around and around her finger, fighting the urge to slip it awn and awf, as she normally did when she was bored. But now the ring had to stay awn. Suddenly, the entire commitment seemed like too much. If she couldn't keep a simple ring awn her finger, how could she stay with one boy for the rest of her life?
She rubbed her forehead and leaned her chin awn her desk. Gently, she slipped Vera Wang's newest catalogue out of her Miu Miu hobo sack. Maybe looking at beautiful wedding dresses could reverse her confused feelings.
Since the Pretty Commitee's collective parents donated so much to OCD, the policy had been that the girls could do whatever they wanted during class, as long as they didn't flaunt it, and the teachers would print out the notes for them later. So she buried herself in the magazine.
"Alicia Rivera!"
"Yes?" She widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows, then swept her bangs out of her eyes.
"Put that away right now!"
She lowered her head. "What?"
"Put that away! I expect you to pay attention in class like everyone else!"
She caught Olivia Ryan's icy eye. The platinum-blonde bitch smirked and flapped a corner of Seventeen at Alicia.
She grinded her teeth and stared down at the ring awn her finger. That was the one thing she held over Olivia. A boy would never fall so in love with her that he would ask her to marry him.
During her free period, Kristen was supposed to be studying, but instead she was leafing through her Soccer Sisters pamphlet. Her responsibilites as captain included showing up this coming September earlier than the other girls for private training with Sherrie Hilton, the coach.
She desperately wished she could just leave now.
CLAIREBEAR: It's OK. We'll b there 2night.
LITTLEREDHEAD: Can't w8!
CLAIREBEAR: Do u think u should change ur name back 2 BIGREDHEAD?
LITTLEREDHEAD: Ehmagawd, y?! Do u think I'm fat?!
CLAIREBEAR: Of course nawt! But, u know, w/ the whole bulimia thing... It kinda sends the wrong message.
LITTLEREDHEAD: Whatevs. C u 2night.
"Alright." Massie sighed. "Ready?"
"Uh-huh." Claire tightened the strings on her Coach bag as she trailed Massie and Kristen through the hospital parking lot. She hoped Dylan wasn't mad at her.
"Do you think Alicia will show up?" Kristen asked.
"Honestly? No." Massie secured her high, tight, perfectly circular bun with a gleaming silver chopstick, trying to achieve a responsible, over-21 look that she thought would convince the doctors to let them in more easily. She'd also applied a thick coat of eyeliner to her upper lids, creamy eyeshadow, dark pink lipstick, and rouge. Her outfit consisted of black sandals, extremely dark-wash True Religions, and a ruffled white Charlotte Russe top. Over her shoulder was a huge black Tommy Hilfiger design that resembled luggage more than a pocketbook. "Do I pass for an adult?"
"Sure. You can be my older sister," Kristen joked, although there wasn't a trace of humor in her voice. She looked grown-up, too. She had on black panty-hose, cream-colored Steve Madden heels, and a matching plaid skirt in Burberry's signature pattern. Tucked in was a white lace camisole, and over that was a coordinating cropped cardigan.
Claire felt embarassingly childish compared to both of them. Although her father, the extremely famous, extremely gay fashion designer Jay Lyons, had styled her, she felt stupid when she was standing next to her friends.
In bare feet, she was at least two-and-a-half inches shorter than Massie, the next smallest, but when they were in heels, forget it. She looked down at her $480 Dior flats and sighed.
"Kuh-laire, you look great."
Claire marveled at Massie's ability to always read her mind before thanking her. "Could you rate me?"
"Sure." Massie turned to Kristen. "Kris, you wanna announce?"
"Why nawt? Okay: Miss Kuh-laire Stacey Lyons is attired in a flowing sky-blue Agnes B. skirt that falls to her knees. Tucked in is a short-sleeved white lace shirt, and separating the two is a wide black braided belt that we know she got at Hollister. Gawd, Kuh-laire, you have enough money to buy out the Westchester. What is with you and Hollister? Anyway, awn her feet are black Dior flats, and black drop earrings from Cartier are in her ears. She has a simple Coach bag, and I can smell-" Kristen turned to Massie.
"Daisy by Marc Jacobs," the Alpha supplied. "9.6. You look fine. Now, does everyone remember their story?"
"I'm working an internship down in Tarrytown. I'm an admin assistant if anyone asks for details," Kristen said. "I'm doing it to complete my credits for senior year." She grimaced, and Claire knew why. Kristen would never need extra-credit. But the internship idea did make her sound responsible and professional.
"And I'm president of the student body at Octavian Country Day School." Nawt a lie. "I'm bringing Dylan get-well wishes and cards from the rest of the girls." Lie. "See, look." She unzipped her bag a crack. It held her overnight things, but layered on top were a few small bouqets of flowers and a stack of blank cards she'd gotten at Target. In her hand she held another vase. "And Kuh-laire?"
"I graduated two years early, and I'm student-teaching at Copper Beech Middle School, standing in for Ms. O'Brien while she's awf on maternity leave." She glanced at Kristen and giggled, both of them acknowledging that their roles should be reversed.
"Exactly." Massie hitched her bag up, adjusted the tulips in the vase, and smirked. "Let's go."
XOXOX
"Did you say you called ahead of time?" the tired-looking receptionist asked. Massie nodded. "Do you remember who you spoke to?"
"Carter. Carter Phillips."
"Oh. Okay. Carter!"
"Yes?" A stressed-out man wearing a long white lab coat and blue jeans turned the corner. "How can I help you, Bessie?"
"A Miss Massie Block says she called ahead of time for permission to stay overnight with a rehabilitation patient, and says you granted her that request. Yes?"
"Come with me, please, Ms. Block."
"Miss Block, puh-lease."
"Miss Block," he agreed. He led her into an empty room with no windows. "Did you bring it?"
"Uh-huh." She opened her wallet and pulled out the bill, folding it and placing it in his hand, then tucking his fingers around it. She smirked only slightly flirtatiously and leaned in to give him a kiss awn the cheek. "Thinks, Carter." Then she slid out of the room.
'Are they coming?' Dylan wondered. She had just decided to ask for permission to use the landline when a nurse poked her head into the tiny room Dylan thought of as her jail cell.
"Your friends are here, Dyl," she informed the Gamma. "Are you ready?"
She nodded and grinned. "Can't wait."
"Great. Tell me if you need any extra snacks or anything, okay? You cannot be afraid to eat."
"I understand." She did.
XOXOX
"Dylan!" Massie ran forward and engulfed the redhead in a huge hug. "Ehmagawd, they had to search my entire bag. It took forever."
"Yeah, they're careful with security. Did they make you go through that portal thing that scans you for bombs and guns and stuff?"
"Yes," Claire exclaimed. "I felt like I was in Star Trek!"
"I felt like they were majorly invading my privacy," muttered Massie.
"What did you bring to do?" Dylan questioned. "Ehmagawd, I've been dying to polish my nails, but they wouldn't let me. Look." She held her fingers out. Her right index finger was slightly chipped, and her left pinkie was fading. "Doesn't it look terrible?"
"Just horrific," Claire assured her, smiling. This was the Dylan she knew and loved.
"Don't worry." Kristen unzipped her bag and dumped the contents awn the bed. Hair, makeup, accesories, and bottle after bottle of nail polish spilled onto the covers.
"Fantastic." Dylan selected an emerald color. "Hey, Kuh-laire, will you do them?"
"Sure." She reached for the container.
"By the way, where's Leesh?" Dylan inquired conversationally.
Massie and Claire froze, the latter dripping polish all over the bedspread. Kristen gasped, but managed to speak. "She had to do something with the wedding. She told us to tell you that she was really sorry she couldn't be here."
"That's nawt what happened." Dylan's gaze was directed at Kristen's fingers, which were smoothing her hair back as fast as she could. That was a clear sign that she was not telling the truth. "I know you too well." The Gamma's voice was icy-cold, dripping with frost. "Spill, bitch."
Kristen blanched. "She thought her wedding was more important," she sighed. "But that's nawt true. You know Leesh. She gets... overly excited."
"She just doesn't care." Dylan shook her head. "Keep going, Kuh-laire," she told the blonde as though she was her own personal slave. "Why did you stawp?"
"No reason." The Epsilon continued painting.
Massie let her hair down and ran through it with a brush. "Should I kick her out?"
"She's stressed," Claire pointed out. "You don't get it. Neither do I. But a wedding is a huge deal. If Dylan had a life-threatening illness or something, I'm sure she'd come, but with Dylan in perfectly stable condition, the wedding is first awn her list of priorities. I'm sure Dylan is an extrememly close second, closer than she'll admit. But when you tried to make her choose, she felt attacked, and lashed out so she wouldn't feel bad about skipping out. That's Alicia. That's what she does."
Kristen pursed her lips. "You are right. You've got good insight."
The blonde blushed. "Thanks."
"We're here for you, Dyl," Massie told her. "Through thick and thin, okay? Let's just nawt talk about Alicia."
But that was impossible. Because Alicia had just walked through the door.
XOXOX
Massie screamed and rounded on the Beta. "You scared the shit out of me!"
"Well sorry. I was passing by to pick up the programs we ordered and I thought I'd stawp in. I can't stay long, though. The shop closes at eight."
"At least you came," Kristen offered feebly.
"That's something." Dylan nodded.
Massie's thin lips turned thinner.
"So what are you awl doing?" Alicia wanted to know.
"Nails," Claire and Dylan told her at the same time.
"Hair," Massie mumbled.
Kristen shrugged and help up her iPhone. "I was gonna take some pictures to post on the Pretty Commitee blawg."
"That? We haven't touched that thing in years. We've probably lost almost awl our followers."
"So?"
"Alright. Don't fight." Massie held up her arms. "I'm jumping in your shower for a minute, alright, Dyl?" She'd gone to close the bathroom door behind her when she heard Dylan's shouts to wait.
"They take videos in the shower."
"Ew!" Alicia shrieked. "Why?"
"So you don't use it as an opportunity to throw up," she explained matter-of-factly. "Here, Mass, wear one of my suits. They'll fit you now."
"Right," she agreed awkwardly, pretending she hadn't heard or understood the reference to Dylan's bulimia. She stripped naked, no problem, and pulled on the suit, which was still the tiniest bit big awn her. She didn't care. After tying the strings extra-tightly, she turned on the water, soaked her hair in the hot liquid for five minutes, then climbed out, wrapping a fluffy towel around her body. "Who gives the best blowouts? Leesh?"
"At your service." The Latina picked up a hairdryer awf Dylan's nightstand and pulled out a brush out of her own spacious bag. "Tilt your head back." As she carefully dried Massie's hair, she commented, "You'll do this for me? For the wedding, right?"
"Of course," Dylan assured her.
"I thought you'd want it done professionally." Claire wrinked her forehead.
"I'm trying to become more friend-oriented. Worst comes to worst, I'll have Jakkob do it. Oh, and I have something to ask you. It's kind of serious, actually." She turned down the hairdryer. "I'll need a maid of honor."
"Okay?"
"I mean, of courseyou're awl bridesmaids, but one of you has to be more special than the others."
Realization dawned awn their faces. Once again, Kristen spoke first. "Don't count awn me," she said. "I'm 99.9% sure I'll be here, but I don't want to let you down awn your big day."
"Alright. What about the rest of you?"
"We're nawt that close," Claire pointed out. "I don't need to be your maid of honor."
That left Massie and Dylan.
"I think I'll be out of the hospital, but I'm nawt completely positive. And I'm nawt sure I'll have enough time or energy to participate in rehearsals and things. Plus, you and Mass have been friends the longest. And she's your Alpha. I think you should go with her. She really is your BFF."
"Alright," Alicia agreed, bestowing a smile upon the group. "Thanks for being so big about this." She switched the dryer awf and tapped Massie awn the head. "All done, girlie."
"Thanks. Can you braid it, Kris?"
Kristen nodded and stepped over with a smile.
"Well, see ya, chicas! Gotta get to the shop!" She glanced at the clock awn Dylan's night-table. 7:58 flashed at her in glowing green neon. "Damn it! Oh, well. Guess I'll stay the night!" she chirped. She looked around uncertainly and blinked. "That's okay with you guys, right?"
Claire forced a grin. "That's great, Leesh. I'm glad."
"Me too. Wanna play Secret for a Secret?" Dylan proposed.
A sharp intake of breath was heard. This game was only brought up when someone had been holding something in for a long time, and had to get it out.
Massie gulped. Uh-oh. "I'll go first," she offered.
They sat in a circle, curled up in their sleeping bags. Dylan shared with Claire.
"Okay." She had to avoid Dylan for as long as possible. "Kuh-laire?" She bit her lip. "Secret For A Secret?"
Claire nodded assertively. "Sure. What?"
"Even though I'm the one who instigated the Pretty Commitee fights, I really missed you guys. I'm so glad Leesh's wedding reunited us." She smiled.
Claire swallowed. "That's nice, Mass. Uh...well...hmm...I don't really know what to say."
"You can do a good secret," Alicia said. Usually this was illegal, but under the circumstances, it seemed more than appropriate.
"Oh, alright. Well, I have something, then. Kind of a good news-bad news mix, though."
"Perfect." Dylan licked her lips.
"I got accepted to Keiser U. In Florida," she added. Good news. "I'm leaving. Early. Cuz I got in awn a scholarship, I have to get there in August. Right when Kristen goes." Bad news.
Dylan gasped and unexpectedly threw her arms around the blonde. "I'll miss you so much!" she cried, tears raw in her throat. "Oh, my little Kuh-laire!"
Claire shot her a look. "Later," she hissed, and winked in the direction of the bathroom. Dylan scratched a spot above her left eyebrow, their code for 'I got the message.' Claire looked around. "Hey, Leesh. Secret for A Secret?"
Alicia blurted hers out before anyone even registered what Claire had uttered.
"You know that time when we awl hated each other?" She didn't wait for the others to react. "No one here knows why I was called Slutlicia, do you?" They shook their heads. "It was cuz I slept with Josh."
"We were sophomores. Whatevs." Massie shrugged.
"I'm nawt done." The heaviness in her voice made their shoulders sag. They let out long breaths. "I haven't told you what they found out."
"Ehmagawd, when did you have sex with him?" Kristen breathed.
Alicia sighed. "Before middle-school graduation."
"Ehmagawd! How did they find out and we didn't know?!" Massie shrieked.
"I was going to tell you awn graduation day, like right after it happened. Except Kristen won that award, and then we went to Slice of Heaven with...with the boys, and we were all celebrating, and I didn't want to add bad news."
"It wouldn't have been bad news," Dylan opposed. "Nawt if you didn't regret it."
"Well, anyway, Heather, you know, Layme's friend, was going through old issues of the Bulletin, remember, our old school newspaper, and she found this...picture. At graduation. Of...of Josh and me."
"Okay? Lots of kids took pictures with their boyfriends and girlfriends."
Kristen reached out a hand to steady the brunette who had spoken. "There's more, Mass," she said softly.
"Yup." Alicia pulled the clipping out of her wallet, where it had been folded into eighths. A headline screamed, 'The 2013 Graduating Class of Briarwood Octavian High Graduates Octavian Country Day School in 2009!' There was a huge picture, prominently featuring the Pretty Commitee. They had their arms draped around each other's shoulders and were giving the photographer huge, sincere-looking smiles. They'd awl been rather photogenic. The boys were there two, standing behind them. Derrick's hand rested awn Massie's shoulder, his fingers entwined in her hair. Dylan, next to her stood alone. Then there was Claire, who was leaning on Cam, who stood to the right and a little in back of her. Next was Alicia. Josh's hand was over her ample chest. On the end was Kristen, who was just barely touching fingers with Kemp.
"Look at me!" Kristen giggled. "Ehmagawd, I wouldn't even hold hands with Kemp; I was so scared my mom would find out."
"Look at me." Dylan pointed. "I'm the only one without a boyfriend."
"If it makes you feel better, Christopher Plovert is also without a girlfriend," Claire said seriously, and made kissy noises.
"Eww!" the girls screamed.
"No. Look at me." Alicia exhaled loudly, and gestured to Josh's hand, which was, now that they looked more closely, quite clearly down her shirt.
"Ehmagawd, he is such a man-whore!"
"Are you kidding? I'm the whore. But when I saw the picture, I figured it would be okay. The issue would be printed, no one reads the thing, we'd all leave school, I'd never think about it ah-gain. Except when Heather went through looking for dirt, she found this and spread it. It was never really a fact that I'd slept with Josh, only a rumor, except it was true, and the only person that knew was Olivia Ryan."
Kristen, who could put two and two together the fastest, blinked. "Ehmagawd." They were saying a lot of that.
Massie was the second to understand. "You told Olivia Ryan over us?!"
"She was right there, Mass," Alicia explained lamely. "We did it in the abandoned kiln room. The one with the matress?"
"Ehmagawd! Mr. Knapp probably fucks that English teacher in there! Awn that!" Claire whisper-screeched.
"Mrs. Weston? She's married!"
"No! Miss Leaker!"
"Ehmagawd!"
"Ehmagawd!" Alicia cringed and made a disgusted face. "Mr. Knapp's and Miss Leaker's...juices...were awn that?!"
"Eww!" A globule of drool dripped down her Claire's chin. She wiped it away with a tissue. "Yuck!"
"So, anyway, I'd asked Olivia to wait for me at my locker, cuz you guys had to get home and I had a dentist appointment. Right? Cuz in eighth, we were still friends." She rolled her eyes at the paper. "Ahbviously. So she was there, and she goes, 'Um, Leesh, your fly is undone. Please tell me you didn't walk around like that all day.' And I did it up. And then she says, 'And by the way, your shirt's buttoned all weird. Like, omigod, you weren't with that Joshua kid, were you?' And I was awl, 'Ew, don't be silly,' and she was awl, 'No, I'm totally right!' So then I had to tell her."
"Why didn't you just say you made out or something?" Massie questioned. "I mean, what is this? You have to tell her every single thing that goes awn in your life?"
"Ehmagawd, Mass, it was so flipping ahbvious," she groaned. "She would have guessed it by the time we walked to the lobby. And who unzips their fly while kissing?"
"You could have gotten to third base instead of home," Claire pointed out.
"Lame." Alicia scoff-coughed and took a deep breath. It was clear everyone had forgotten about the game, and about Claire's next secret, because next she said, "Let's do that old thing where we pretend we're going awn the Red Carpet at the Academy Awards."
"Alright." Dylan looked so close to agreeing, but then something in her just dropped. "No, wait, guys, I have to tell you something."
Kristen gasped and began running her hands through her boob-length mane.
"Um, I, um, well, um..."
TO BE CONTINUED...SHOUTOUT IN MY OTHER STORIES, NO MATCH FOR US AND CLIQUE: SIXTH GRADE SUMMER, IF YOU CAN GUESS DYLAN'S SECRET! :O
