Some Kind of Wonderful

by J. Minter

  Camille must have sensed me getting tense. "Hey," she said, linking her arm through mine. "Don't stress. This semester is going to be amazing, whether or not you decide to grace TZ with your affection."

  I looked in the mirror at my two best friends and nodded. "You're right. Thoney—and David Burke's pizza party—bring it on."

  "Of course Camille is right," SBB agreed. "Now try these on so I can envy your long legs even more."

  I slipped into the leggings, and Camille handed me a long ribbed cotton tank with detailed stitching that fell well below my waist. When I pulled the blazer on over it and looked in the mirror, I felt instantly more self-assured. I guess I did look pretty good.

  "Hey, you guys," SBB called. She'd snuck out of the dressing room and was standing at the edge of the shoe department, holding up a pair of Joie patent leather Mary Janes in one hand and a pair of caramel-colored Michael Kors boots in the other. "Flan, come here and try these on with that outfit."

  Camille and I left the dressing room and stepped out into the bright, bustling floor of the shoe department. The Mary Janes were adorable.

  "Ooh," Camille said, holding one up to me and putting on a dramatic advertising voice. "This shoe will take you from study hall to evening ball."

  "And right into the arms of TZ" SBB sang.

  "Shhhl" I blushed and immediately looked around. It would be just my luck that TZ's cousin or grandmother would be shopping within earshot. Luckily, there were just the usual crew of personal assistants on their BlackBerrys and a few overbearing Upper East Side mothers making their daughters try on "just one more pair" of Chloe loafers.

  But then . . .

  "I thought I recognized those voices," said a voice from behind me.

  I spun around and realized I hadn't been comprehensive enough in my coast-is-clear sweep of the store. Standing before me was my ex-best friend, Kennedy Pearson.

  "I was just picking up my outfit for the first day of spring semester, and I couldn't help but overhear your little discussion in the dressing room."

  I looked at Kennedy's clear plastic Bergdorf garment bag and was stunned to see the very same pair of black leggings I had on. I could feel the blood rushing to my face. If I was being honest with myself, Kennedy was the biggest reason why I couldn't shake off my nerves about school.

  She put her hand on my arm. "I just wanted to apologize, Flan."

  "For what?" I said, moving my arm from her grasp. "For eavesdropping?" For stealing my outfit? For being the devil incarnate?

  "No," she winced dramatically. "For having to be the one to tell you, when it's clear that you're really into TZ." She covered her face with her hand in faux-anguish. "How do I say this? I'm so sorry, Flan, but TZ and I are sort of together. As of New Year's."

  There was a time when I wouldn't have known how to respond to this. A time when my face would have turned red, and I would have had some whiny, embarrassing response like, "But I thought he liked me" In that moment, standing under the soft Bergdorf lights, it became so clear that neither Kennedy nor TZ was worth the heartache.

  "You know what, Kennedy? You can have him. He's flaky and you're pathetic. You two deserve each other."

  Kennedy's face flushed bright red, and her glossy lips parted in shock.

  "Wow, go Flan!" Camille whispered at my side.

  Just as I was reveling in the fact that I had finally said the right thing at the right time, Kennedy's cell phone started to ring.

  "Oh," she said, "that's TZ now." Putting the phone to her ear, she said, "Hold on a sec, honey." Then she turned back to me. "You know, Flan, some people might think you're 'brave' to come back to Thoney, but I personally think you're really, really going to regret it. Especially after that precious jealousy outburst you just had." Waving her leggings in my direction, she started toward the elevator. "Can't wait to see you Monday!"

  "Oh, she's going to see you Monday," SBB shouted, hurling a wad of tissue paper from a nearby shoebox at Kennedy's receding back.

  My legs started shaking in my studded leggings, and I grabbed Camille's and Sara-Beth's arms for support. I swallowed hard. This was not the fabulous start I'd envisioned for my new year.

  What had I gotten myself into?

  Find out what happens when Flan

  heads back to Thoney in . . .

  ALL THAT GLITTERS

  an Inside Girl novel

  Coming September 2008