The Ashley Project

by Melissa de la Cruz

  Jackpot. Katie was just saying his name. . . .

  “So I heard Billy Reddy dropped you off at school this morning,” Katie was saying. “What’s the deal? Is he your boyfriend or something?”

  Ashley almost tripped over A. A.’s high-heeled saddle shoes in an effort to hear Lauren’s reply. Billy had a new girlfriend—it couldn’t be Lauren, could it? God wouldn’t be that mean! Maybe God was pissed that she hadn’t come through on her promise to be nicer to her parents. But then, God hadn’t been able to get her mom to raise her allowance, so maybe they were even.

  “Nah, we’re just really good friends,” she heard Lauren say. “He’s an awesome guy. But I’m not his girlfriend. Is that what people are saying? How funny!”

  Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. She jerked A. A. back toward the other end of the room with a smile.

  “What the eff?” A. A. complained, coming out of her daze. “And why do you look so happy all of a sudden?”

  “I just realized I have a gift card I still haven’t spent at Saks,” Ashley lied. “Now dip me.” There was absolutely no chance in hell any of them would ever make use of anything they learned in class today at the dance. Unless you could waltz to gangsta rap. But it was still fun to practice.

  Maybe Lili was right after all. Lili often was. Maybe Lauren wasn’t such a zero as she had originally thought. Especially not if she was friends with Billy Reddy. Maybe she should give her a chance. After all, like Miss Charm said, etiquette was all about kindness. Ashley saw herself as a kind soul. She would let Lauren be her friend. Really, it was the least she could do for the poor girl.

  17

  THE PRIVATE JET SET

  THE SAN RAFAEL AIRPORT WAS so small it didn’t even seem like it could technically be called an airport, consisting as it did of just two airstrip lanes and a minuscule terminal that housed the passenger waiting area. Flying private was certainly a different experience, Lili thought. There was no need to fight crowds, or to make sure all your liquids fit into three-ounce containers, or have to walk barefoot on a public floor through a metal detector. The atmosphere in the captain’s lounge was clubby and relaxed, in stark contrast to the usual harried chaos at SFO. Private was definitely the only way to travel.

  That morning a shiny black stretch limousine had picked her up first thing, and at the wheel was the slick, gorgeous guy she’d seen driving Lauren on the first day of school, who introduced himself as “Bond, Dex Bond.”

  When she climbed inside the car, Ashley and A. A. were already ensconced in the comfy backseat, drinking mocktails out of champagne flutes. They were dressed as she was, in oversize Christian Dior sunglasses with big, gold-plated Ds on each side and black Couture Couture fur-lined trench coats—suitably warm for another freezing San Francisco day. The three of them agreed that the limo ride that took them across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County was a generous and extravagant gesture on Lauren’s part, although Ashley had pronounced her virgin appletini “too sweet.”

  Last week Ashley had invited Lauren to join their table at lunch out of the blue, which had effectively turned the Ashleys into a foursome. Later Lili discovered that word had it Lauren was a “very close friend” of Billy Reddy’s, which explained why Ashley had suddenly stopped playa-hating.

  Lili had no idea how Lauren managed that—as far as Lili knew, Billy Reddy didn’t waste his time on seventh graders. But whether or not it was true, it was a brilliant move on Lauren’s part. It looked as if the girl was finally taking Lili’s advice. Lauren promised to take them all to Billy Reddy’s next lacrosse game, and the Ashleys couldn’t wait. To seal the deal, Lauren told them she thought Billy was cute, for sure, but she didn’t like him like him. Fair enough, since Billy was meant to be Lili’s one true love, anyone could see that.

  So Lauren was one of them . . . for the time being. And Lili had been right about more than one thing: Having Lauren around had made life a little more interesting. She could certainly think of worse things in the world than taking a limo to a private jet bound for Los Angeles for a day of shopping and then back to San Francisco for a sleepover afterward.

  Now she and her friends were at the airport, crowded around a circular bar in front of a picture window with a view of the grassy wetlands, their attention focused on Dex, who really was too cute for words, as he stood behind the counter, pouring rounds of energy drinks, telling jokes, and showing them card tricks.

  “Ace of spades,” he said, as he turned over A. A.’s card and showed her the black ace.

  “How did you know?” A. A. marveled, turning to her friends and giggling.

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out,” Dex teased, reshuffling cards like a pro.

  It was obvious that A. A. thought Dex was adorable. She couldn’t stop blushing whenever he looked at her. That girl was so boy-crazy she went gaga over every attractive guy within a five-mile radius. Not surprisingly, Dex seemed really into her, too. Sometimes Lili felt a little jealous of her laid-back friend’s easy rapport with guys. It must come from hanging out with her brother’s friends and Tri Fitzpatrick all the time, she mused. Speaking of whom, the poor guy had turned a sickening shade of green when he found out about A. A.’s Internet amigo the other day. She wondered if Tri knew that A. A. was finally going to get to meet the famous “laxjock” next week. Ashley joked that he was probably some fat, home-schooled loser, but somehow Lili didn’t think so.

  “C’mon, pick another card,” Dex was urging, his bright blue eyes fixed on A. A., who fluttered her eyelashes at him in response.

  A. A. put a slim hand on the deck and pulled out another one, just as they heard a loud cough right behind them. They turned around to see Lauren standing outside of their little circle. She was wearing a cool vintage-looking jumpsuit and a pair of ass-kicking knee-high boots that Lili immediately added to her own wish list. The Ashleys immediately crowded around her.

  “Hi, pretty!” Ashley said, calling Lauren over. “Sit here. Scootch over, Li,” she went on bossily, patting the barstool next to her. And even though Lili knew Ashley’s friendship was as fake as her “Stella McCartney” jacket, she still felt a bit jealous of all the attention Ashley was heaping on Lauren. It was one thing to befriend the girl to get a guy. It was another thing to make her your new BFF completely.

  “Thanks for sending the car,” Lili said politely, as she took one single cashew nut from a wooden bowl on the counter and ate it. “Omigod. I’m so full,” she announced.

  “What time’s wheels up?” Ashley asked with a yawn. She always had to make sure everyone knew she’d been on a private jet before and that this was just an ordinary event.

  “Mom’s just checking with the pilot now,” said Lauren, just as Trudy Page entered the room.

  “Welcome, girls!” Trudy gushed, planting effusive kisses on each Ashley’s cheek. “So wonderful to have you all here!” she trilled, waving her hand so that they couldn’t help but notice the massive rock on her finger and the row of diamond bracelets that glittered in the sunlight and threatened to blind them all.

  Lili wrinkled her nose at the showy display of jewelry. Lauren’s mom was a trip. She looked like a Christmas tree: overdecorated and way too shiny.

  Ashley seemed to think similarly. “Is that real fur?” she asked, motioning to the pouffy white collar on Trudy’s pink velvet coat. “It’s gorgeous,” she added, her voice dripping with insincerity.

  “Why, yes it is,” Trudy beamed, totally clueless.

  “Figured,” Ashley smirked, shooting Lili and A. A. a look.

  “Can we go now?” Lauren asked her mother, sounding just a bit whiny. Lili wondered if she’d noticed the exchange among the Ashleys.

  “Of course. I just spoke to Captain Jim and they’re all ready for us,” Trudy said. “Hello, Dexter. Could you make sure we’re all set here before we leave?” she asked grandly.

  “Sure thing, Mrs. P.,” Dex said easily, wiping the counter and filling the dishwasher.

  They left t
he lounge, passing two businessmen waiting for their helicopters, and walked out to the small tarmac. The airfield was filled with small six- to nine-seater planes, as well as a few sleek G5’s.

  Lili automatically looked toward the smaller planes. Her dad had a little prop plane that he used to fly the family to Napa on weekends, and surely this wouldn’t be too different from that. They were just flying to L.A., after all.

  But to her surprise Lauren led them all the way back, to the largest plane on the lot, a behemoth 747 with the YourTV logo emblazoned on the wing. A rolling staircase led to the open entry door, where a uniformed flight attendant waved from the top of the plank. Lili could feel her mouth hanging open and closed it quickly. Were these people for real? It was like an episode of Your Fantabulous Life, that cable show where ordinary people lived like celebrities for one day, complete with narration by a guy with a fake British accent.

  They followed Lauren up the stairs. Dex walked in front of them, and Lili elbowed A. A., who’d been staring at his butt for too long to be polite.

  A gray-haired pilot emerged from the cockpit. “Morning, ma’am.” He nodded, tipping his hat to Trudy. “It’s a beautiful day for a flight; we’ll be in Los Angeles in no time. Hello, girls. Welcome aboard YourJet.”

  “Our jet?” asked Ashley, turning to the other girls and raising an eyebrow.

  “It’s a joke,” Lauren explained. “Dad’s company is YourTV, so he named the plane YourJet. He also calls our house YourHouse. Dad’s a little corny.”

  “Oh. Can I have YourGucci, then?” A. A. asked with a smile, looking like she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

  “You’re funny,” Lili deadpanned. “Get it? YourFunny?” The others looked blank. Lili shook her head. “Forget it.”

  They climbed aboard what looked like the most tricked-out airplane in existence. The main cabin was designed like a proper living room, with fluffy white couches that Lili could swear were made from the same beast that provided the fur for Trudy Page’s coat, several glass coffee tables, a mammoth flat-screen television, and an entertainment console with DVD and satellite receivers.

  “Wow,” A. A. said simply.

  Lili nodded, glad that she didn’t have to say it.

  “When we rode our plane to Tokyo, they had all the magazines and snacks we’d requested beforehand on board already.” Ashley sniffed, still trying to look as if the jet was no big deal while she looked around for the remote control to the TV.

  Funny how Ashley said “our plane,” even though Lili knew from her parents that technically, the Spencers only had a membership in a private jet club and didn’t own their own set of wings.

  “What would you like?” Lauren asked graciously. “We’ve got everything on hand.” She showed them the well-stocked pantry in the galley kitchen. It was like an upscale newsstand in there, complete with the latest issues of all the fashion and style bibles as well as the celebrity newsweeklies, including the international editions of OK!, Hello!, and Paris Match.

  Lili hesitated at first, noticing that Ashley had taken a seat on the couch and was looking around disdainfully with her arms crossed. But then she caught A. A.’s eye. The tall girl smiled gleefully and Lili grinned back, and soon the two of them began grabbing magazines, potato chips, candy, and sodas with abandon, losing all their cool in their rush to accumulate as much stuff as possible.

  “I’m not hungry,” Ashley said with a pout.

  Lili shrugged and joined A. A. on the couch with their bounty—every kind of candy imaginable, including gourmet chocolate bars from Switzerland and Belgium, a mouth-watering assortment of potato, tortilla, and soy chips in every flavor, and a dizzying variety of popcorn and puffed corn snacks. Lili thought she’d died and gone to snack heaven. As if that wasn’t enough, Lauren asked the flight attendant to make them a round of strawberry smoothies.

  “Omigod. Did we already take off?” asked Lili, looking out the window and noticing that they were already above the clouds. She hadn’t felt a rumble or heard anything to mark their ascent.

  “Five minutes ago,” Lauren replied with a smile, opening a small, exquisite-looking brown cardboard box tied with an orange ribbon and showing them the row of creamy truffles inside. “They’re Michel Richart. The best chocolates on the planet. My dad gets them flown in from France every week.”

  “Are you guys really going to eat all that?” Ashley asked accusingly, as A. A. tore open several different bags and canisters of chips and candy at once.

  Lili would have answered, but she was too busy stuffing fistfuls of delicious imported cheesy puffs into her mouth and chasing them down with hazelnut truffles. So what if Ashley thought she was a pig?

  This was way too much fun to pass up.

  18

  FLYING HIGH

  LIKE ASHLEY, A. A. HAD been on a private jet before. Her mother always seemed to be able to hitch rides with her richer friends on their planes when they went on vacation. But she’d never seen one as nice as this, and she wasn’t afraid to say so. When Lauren had first invited them on the trip, she’d almost backed out because she was supposed to finally meet laxjock that weekend, but she was glad to have postponed it.

  She planned to meet him next Friday instead. It was the same afternoon as the Miss Gamble’s dance, but she didn’t want to put him off any longer. She figured she could slip out once it got started, and on the off chance things didn’t work out, she could always go back to the dance and . . . dance her heartache away, she supposed.

  A. A. was curious about Lauren—she couldn’t quite figure the girl out. Why was she so keen on becoming their friend? Sure, everyone in class would kill to be one of them. But had Lauren truly forgotten how Ashley had treated her over the years? A. A. still remembered how in the third grade Ashley had made Lauren keep a “report card,” where Ashley would give her “grades” and dole out punishments (lunch money embezzlement, hard pinches) if Lauren fell behind.

  Of course, looking at the two of them now, sitting side by side, you’d think nothing like that had ever happened. They were leafing through a European fashion magazine together, while Lili ate cheesy puffs like there was no tomorrow. Sure, Ashley was pulling her usual seen-it-all-before act, but A. A. could tell she was pretty awed by the whole shebang. It was hard not to be.

  “So glad to see you’ve made yourselves at home,” Lauren’s mom said, walking in wearing an Hermès towel around her shoulders. Her hair was wet and clipped back from her forehead. “Don’t mind me, I’m just here for a glass of champagne. Can’t keep Didier waiting!” she added gaily.

  “Your mom travels with her own stylist?” Lili asked incredulously, taking a break from her no-trans-fats snackathon.

  Lauren looked up from her magazine. “Sometimes.”

  A. A. watched her friends process this information, and she wondered when Ashley would casually mention that her mom never left San Francisco without her own entourage either.

  “It’s very convenient. When we went to Tokyo, we brought our chef with us,” Ashley said.

  “How big is this thing?” A. A. had to ask. “Don’t tell me there’s a salon and spa back there.”

  “I guess it is a pretty big plane,” Lauren said almost apologetically. “No spa, but there is a Jacuzzi tub in one of the bathrooms. Dad has another smaller plane that he uses more. This one is the SUV.”

  “You guys have two jets?” exclaimed Lili.

  “Three, actually,” Trudy said merrily, as the flight attendant capped off her bubbling glass. “The G5 for cross-country, this one for European and Asia-Pacific flights, and a little one just for short trips. We were going to take the Citation, but it’s being maintained.”

  There was nothing even Ashley could say to top that, and the room was silent until A. A. got up. “Where’s the bathroom?” she asked, crumpling an empty bag of the tastiest Japanese rice crackers she’d ever eaten. She’d have to ask Lauren where to get more of them.

  “There’s one up front and two aft,” Lauren ans
wered.

  “Thanks,” she said, walking to the back of the plane. There were a bunch of closed doors in the back and she pushed one open, hoping it was the lavatory. Instead she’d stumbled into some sort of command-control room, with a bank of television screens, several computers, and an old-fashioned jukebox in the corner.

  “Can I help you?” a voice asked, and Dex rolled into view, seated in one of those fancy ergonomic office chairs and wearing huge Bose headphones. He took off the headphones, and his face broke into one of those piercing smiles that belonged in a poster on the wall of every girl’s bedroom.

  A. A. had wondered where he’d disappeared to once they were in the air. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you. I was just looking for the bathroom. I guess this isn’t it,” she said with a smile.

  “It’s the second door on the left,” he told her.

  “Thanks.” A. A. nodded. She lingered by the doorway, wanting to hang out just a little more. “What is all this?” she asked, looking at what appeared to be dozens of television screens.

  “The most popular videos on our site,” he explained, pointing to the nearest screen. “We get thousands a day, and most of it is just junk. I’m trying to come up with a better way to filter it. There’s a continuous stream of uploads. If something catches my eye, I move it to the recommended list.”

  “You can keep track of all this?” A. A. asked.

  “Nah, I’m just doing a little bit of development for Lauren’s dad,” said Dex, looking modest. “Hey, wanna see something cool?”

  “Sure.” A. A. nodded, walking closer. “Another card trick?” she teased.

  “Better,” Dex promised. He opened a drawer and removed a pair of dark sunglasses. “Put these on,” he urged, handing them over carefully. Their fingers brushed as A. A. accepted them, and an electric current zipped up her spine. He was so cute, looking at her so intently as she tried them on.