The Pretty Committee Strikes Back

by Lisi Harrison

  The parents unloaded their daughters' bags and suitcases from the trunks and backseats of their cars while the girls tried their hardest to look casual, like going away with boys was something they did all the time.

  Members of the OCD security squad made their rounds in golf carts, picking up bags and delivering them to the luxury bus that was parked in the middle of the lot.

  A cart pulled up beside them, its driver so eager to help, he almost crashed into the red Mustang that was driven by Harris Fisher, Cam's hot older brother. The top was down and angry boy rock blasted from the speakers.

  “Watch where you're going!” Harris held his fist on the horn as he pulled into the spot beside Claire's parents.

  “Uh, where's your mom?” Claire asked Dylan.

  “She'll be late,” Dylan said casually. “Her live show ended at eight a.m. and she's coming all the way from the city. She may not get here before the bus leaves. That's why all my luggage was in the Range Rover. I thought I explained all that when I got in the car.” Dylan shook her head and turned toward Massie.

  “Ohhhh, right.” Claire watched Cam from the corner of her eye. He was yanking a blue canvas hockey bag from the backseat of his brother's car. He turned toward his brother: they mussed each other's moppy dark hair and high-fived goodbye.

  “Kuh-laire!” Massie snapped.

  Claire whipped her head around. Her blue eyes were narrow with confusion, like she had just been woken out of a peaceful sleep.

  “Be cool,” Massie mouthed.

  Claire bit her bottom lip and shrugged.

  “Massie.” Kendra Block tapped her daughter on the shoulder. “Is this everything?” She pointed at the five black Tumi suitcases that William had unloaded from Moby.

  “Yup.”

  “I thought you had six bags, not five.” She adjusted her oversize Chanel sunglasses and ran her red manicured fingernails through her bob blowout.

  “I do.” Massie patted her pink Coach.

  “Okay then.” Kendra snapped her fingers at the security guard who was waiting to transport her daughter's luggage. “I guess that's it.” She gave her husband, William, a stern look. He immediately pulled out his platinum Tiffany money clip.

  “Take good care of these girls.” William Block loosened a fifty-dollar-bill and handed it to the driver.

  “Daaa-aaad,” Massie groaned. She grabbed the cluster of chains around her neck and twirled them between her fingers. “This isn't an airport.” She turned away from her father and rolled her eyes so her friends would know she did not approve of his ignorance.

  Dylan and Alicia snickered.

  “Much appreciated, sir.” The security guard glanced around the parking lot, then quickly stuffed the bill into the back pocket of his navy polyester pants. He smirked at Massie as he turned the key in his cart and putt-putted toward the bus.

  “LBR,” Massie muttered under her breath. It didn't matter that he had no idea Massie had just called him a loser beyond repair: it made her feel better. “’Kay, we should start making our way toward the bus.” Everyone was already there, greeting one another.

  The girls quickly hugged their parents and thanked them for dropping off their bags. Then they linked arms, walked toward the bus, and didn't look back.

  Massie led them straight into the center of the group and immediately began accepting her round of morning compliments.

  “Massie, Iloveyournecklaces,” Carrie gushed.

  “Thanks, Carrie.” Massie quickly looked the girl over, looking for something nice to say in return. “I love how, uh, curly your curls look today. Did you start using a new conditioner?”

  “No butIrinsedwithcoldwaterinsteadofhot,” Carrie confessed.

  “Brilliant.” Massie searched the crowd for Derrington. The bus was leaving at 9 a.m. sharp and he still hadn't arrived. What if he changed his mind and decided not to go? She immediately tuned into Dylan's conversation, hoping a new topic would help keep her mind off her missing crush.

  “Will you please just breathe on me or something,” Alexandra begged Dylan.

  “Believe me, Alex, you don't want the flu I had,” Dylan insisted.

  “But you look so good now.” Alexandra tapped her green braces as she examined Dylan's body.

  “Thanks.” Dylan batted the air like it had been nothing at all.

  “Massie, you look like you've been blessed with the bug too.” Alexandra turned away from Dylan. “You seem thinner than you did a few weeks ago.”

  Massie knew her weight loss had come from a bad case of Derrington nerves, not that she would ever admit that to Alexandra. “Really?” Massie looked down at her legs. “I've been eating a lot of cheese lately. Maybe that's it.”

  “Isn't cheese supposed to be really fattening?”

  “Guess not.” Massie quickly repositioned herself so that she was facing Claire and Josh Hotz.

  “Well, I love them.” Josh tousled Claire's bangs. “They show off your big blue eyes.”

  Claire flashed him a fake smile, then nervously searched the crowd.

  “Hey, there you are.” Alicia stepped in front of Josh so she could lock eyes with Claire. “Uh, Cam's looking for you.”

  “He is?”

  “Yeah, he said he wanted to talk to you about something.” Alicia tilted her head to the side and widened her dark brown eyes.

  “Did he say anything about an e-mail?” Claire asked.

  “I know what it's about.” Massie pulled Claire away.

  “What is your problem?” Massie hissed. “You know she has no clue you and Cam aren't hanging out anymore. She was just trying to get you away from Josh so she could talk to him alone.”

  Claire shook her head slowly, silently scolding herself.

  “You need to start using your brain, Kuh-laire,” Massie continued, “because I am getting super-tired of looking out for you all the time. I have my own stuff to deal with.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Massie noticed Chris Plovert hobbling behind the rest of the guys from the Briarwood soccer team as they hurried to greet someone.

  Massie felt her stomach lurch. Derrington, the star goalie, had finally arrived.

  Of course, he was wearing shorts, and not because of the record-breaking temperatures. Derrington would have exposed his knees if they were going to the Arctic Circle. It was just his thing. And as ridiculous as it was, Massie had grown to like it. Besides, his messy blond hair, light brown eyes, and beaming smile were so ah-dorable, Massie rarely felt the need to look below his neck.

  Alicia sneaked up behind Massie and Claire and threw her arms around them. “Whatcha guys talking about?”

  Massie got the prickly sweats under her arms. Had Alicia heard what they were talking about? “Where's Josh?”

  “Ugh, the second Derrington showed he left.” Alicia rolled her eyes. “I swear, Derrington's like their gawd or something.”

  Massie ballooned with pride. Her crush was the most popular guy in her grade. And she was the most popular girl. They were a perfect match, like DK and NY.

  “But wait.” Alicia paused. “What if he was just using that as an excuse to get away from me and find the girl he likes?” Her wide eyes narrowed as she scanned the crowd.

  Massie crawled out from under Alicia's arm. Claire did the same.

  “Why are you so sure he likes someone else?” Massie asked.

  “Yeah, maybe he's just playing hard to get,” Claire offered.

  Massie glared at her, silently saying, “You've already done enough, let me handle this.”

  Claire lowered her eyes.

  “You're forgiven,” Massie accidentally said out loud as she casually watched Derrington high-five his soccer team buddies.

  “Huh?” Alicia asked.

  “Uh, nothing.”

  “Aloha.” Olivia bounced into their circle. Her smile was wide and her teeth were so white they bordered on blue. Her super-sunny disposition and buttery blond hair were blinding. Massie slipped on her Oliver Peoples Comm
ander sunglasses to protect her pupils from the glare.

  “Sorry I'm late,” Olivia said, as if anyone had actually noticed or cared. “I was working on my oral.”

  The girls snickered and focused on the pavement below their feet.

  “My oral,” Olivia insisted, “hygiene.”

  The girls snickered again.

  A light breeze introduced them to a whiff of Mr. Myner's spicy cologne as he approached them. It smelled like Christmas-scented candles.

  “Mr. Myner?” Massie asked in her most innocent voice. Claire, Alicia, and Olivia leaned in. “My mother insists that you are the model on our roll of paper towels. But I said you're way too busy teaching geography to model for Brawny. Am I right?”

  Everyone cracked up, even Mr. Myner.

  “That's sweet of your mother.” His too-dark-for-February tan instantly deepened. “But you're right, Massie. I am too busy to model.” He casually rolled back his shoulders and stretched his arms behind his back. “Not that I haven't had opportunities.”

  Puh-lease, Massie thought. He might have been too good looking to be a teacher, but he was way too into geography to ever be a model.

  “We will be boarding the bus in five minutes,” Mr. Myner instructed. “We're just trying to squeeze the last pieces of luggage inside the storage space.”

  “Maybe we should get another bus for luggage,” Alicia suggested.

  “Or maybe you girls need to be taught how to pack for a camping trip.” Mr. Myner shook his head.

  “We ahb-viously know how to pack.” Massie pointed to the avalanche of designer suitcases that was burying one of the security guards.

  “Well, then, I am determined to teach you how not to pack.” Mr. Myner raced over to help clean up the mess. “We're leaving in five minutes.” He held up a hand and wiggled his fingers.

  “’Kay,” they shouted back in unison.

  “Olivia,” Alicia said, pulling her friend's arm. “Let's do a lap to find out if anyone is talking about Josh.”

  “Okay.”

  Once they left, Claire looked at Massie. “I am so dead.”

  “Try to relax.” Massie looked over Claire's shoulder.

  Claire turned around. Layne and Derrington were coming toward them, but not together. Layne was speed walking, as if she were desperately trying to beat him to the girls. She crossed the finish line first. “Claire, I need to speak to you.” She took a squirt of Go-Gurt. “ASAP.”

  Massie looked away in disgust. She didn't want Derrington to think she was okay with liquefied yogurt in a tube.

  “What?” Claire sounded annoyed by the interruption.

  “Wait, did you cut your bangs or did your forehead grow?” Layne asked.

  “Jakkob had to fix them at five-thirty this morning.” Claire sounded annoyed.

  “They actually look cute now,” Layne said. Then she remembered why she'd rushed over in the first place. Layne turned her back to Massie. “Claire, I got it,” she said through her teeth.

  “What?” Claire insisted.

  Layne let her long tangled hair fall in front of her face. “It.”

  “Oh.” Claire suddenly caught on.

  “Please come to the bathroom with me?” Layne whimpered.

  “Uh, s-sure,” Claire said, her blue eyes fixed on Cam. He was leaning against the back of the bus, listening to Kemp Hurley's iPod nano and bobbing his head. “Of course.”

  “Uh, Claire.” Massie's voice was filled with urgency. She didn't want to be left alone while Derrington was watching. It made her look like an LBR.

  “Yeah?”

  “Uh…” She waited until Derrington was standing right beside her. “Okay, then, I'll see you on the bus.”

  “’Kay.” Claire looked confused.

  “Hey, Block.” Derrington's cheeks were rosy, just like his knees.

  All of a sudden Massie became super-aware of everything she was doing, like she was watching herself through Derrington's eyes. She ran her fingers through her freshly washed hair, then wondered if he thought she was trying to act sexy. She fidgeted with her charm bracelet but stopped, thinking it made her look nervous. More than anything, Massie wanted to apply a fresh coat of gloss, but that was out of the question. She wanted Derrington to think her lips were naturally reflective. He could never know that her captivating shimmer came from a tube. Never.

  “Look, I'm wearing your pin.” Derrington lifted up the leg of his red-and-white board shorts. The rhinestone M pin Massie had given him two weekends ago after the soccer finals was fastened to the bottom seam, on the right side.

  “Oh, no way!” Massie tried to sound surprised, but she had already seen it. It was the first thing she'd looked for when she saw him. “It looks perfect on quick-drying polyester, much better than it ever looked on my cashmere sweaters.”

  Derrington laughed and wiggled his butt. The gesture reminded Massie of Bean. Every time the ah-dorable puppy got excited she would shake her bottom back and forth.

  “Block, you crack me up.” Derrington put his semi-muscular arm around Massie's shoulder. His hand gave off an intense heat that made the muscles behind her knees go weak.

  Massie shifted from one moccasin to the other. Was she supposed to put her arm around him? Or would that look slutty? Because just standing there, under the weight of his arm, made her feel like one of Plovert's aluminum crutches.

  Alexandra, Livvy, and Carrie made teasing kissy-kissy sounds behind their backs, then ran away. Massie had an audience. And with that came newfound courage. The second they returned she began her performance,

  Okay, Massie, you're a confident diva in three … two … one… aaaand action!

  She lifted her arm and rested it on his shoulder. But something didn't feel right. He was taller than she was, and it felt like if he moved, her arm might get ripped from its socket.

  “That's okay.” Derrington reached for Massie's hand and placed it on the small of his back.

  Alexandra, Livvy, and Carrie looked at one another and giggled.

  Massie was so embarrassed she wanted to stomp on his foot and stab him with her M pin. How dare he correct her in public? Didn't he know they were being watched?

  “I have to go get a seat on the bus.” Massie stepped away from him.

  “No one's boarding yet,” Derrington pointed out.

  “Exactly.” Massie winked. “This is the best time.” She quickly searched for a familiar face.

  Dylan was just a few feet away touching up her mascara in the side mirror of a parked silver Audi. Perfect.

  “Dylan, sorry to keep you waiting,” Massie shouted. “I'm ready.”

  Dylan looked up in confusion. The mascara wand was still touching the tips of her strawberry blond lashes. “Huh?”

  “I know you've been waiting for me,” Massie insisted. “I'm ready now.”

  “Uh, cool.” Dylan stuffed the green wand back into its pink tube and dropped it in her purse.

  “Whatever.” Derrington shook his head. “I guess I'll see you on the bus.”

  He walked away slowly, as if he were hoping Massie might try to stop him. But what could she possibly say? “I'm sorry I didn't know where to put my arm?” “I'm sorry I moved away from you but I don't like being corrected in front of my public?” “Wait, don't leave me?” She wanted to say it all. Instead she watched him leave.

  “What's his problem?” Dylan asked.

  Massie turned around to see if the girls were still watching her. But they were gone too. They must have assumed the show was over when Derrington left.

  “Just typical boy drama.” Massie sounded as if she had seen and done it all.

  “You're so lucky.” Dylan sighed. “I wish I had some drama in my life. I'm so bored.” She hoisted up her jeans, even though they weren't really falling down.

  “It's your lucky day.” Massie pointed to the black stretch limo that was pulling into the parking lot. Dylan's famous mother, Merri-Lee Marvil, was in the very back, with her face sticking out the win
dow. Her long red curls were blowing around her pink Chanel Strass sunglasses. “Dylly!” she shouted and waved.

  “Hide me.” Dylan covered her eyes.

  “Too late.” Massie couldn't help laughing. “I think she sees you.”

  “Oh Gawd,” Dylan moaned.

  The limo pulled up beside them and the driver shut off the engine. A white Daily Grind van with a satellite dish on top rolled up behind them. Everyone stopped what they had been doing and focused on Dylan's famous mother.

  It wasn't long before half the girls in the grade were dialing their mothers to fill them in on their celebrity sighting.

  “Dyll Pickles!” Merri-Lee shouted. “You have no idea how fast we drove to get here.”

  Dylan's face turned the color of her hair.

  “You didn't have to come,” Dylan snapped in a hushed tone. But her mother was so busy smiling for her fans and posing for cell phone pictures that she didn't bother responding.

  “Mom,” Dylan snapped. “I hate to rush off but we have to board the bus.” She hugged her mother as quickly as she could. “I'll call as soon as we get there.”

  “Uh, good to see you, Mrs. Marvil.” Massie smiled sweetly as Dylan pulled her away. “Oh, my mother loved the piece you did on Pilates for pets.”

  “Well, then, I'm sure she'll adore the Mother's Day story we're about to shoot.” Merri-Lee clapped her hands together with childlike enthusiasm. She looked back at her driver. He was standing beside the limo with his hands clasped behind his back. “Franco, why don't you take my bags down to that bus over there? I'm sure someone will take pity and help you unload them.”

  “Very well, Mrs. Marvil.” He got back in the car and drove away. The white Daily Grind van followed.

  Merri-Lee turned to face the girls. Her surgically enhanced lips curled at the sides, like she had a secret inside her mouth that was fighting to free itself.

  “Bags?” Dylan asked. “Why do you have bags?”

  “Surprise!” Merri-Lee threw her thin arms above her head like a Vegas showgirl jumping out of a cake. She grabbed Dylan's shoulders with her long fingers and shook her with unbridled excitement. “I'm going to Lake Placid with you.”

  “What?” Dylan and Massie exclaimed together.