Invasion of the Boy Snatchers (20 page)

“She is so dead.” Alicia tried to crack her knuckles.

“
Adiós, muchacha.
” Massie grinned evilly.

“
Hasta la vista
, baby,” Claire added.

“
Ciao, bella,
” Alicia said.

“Isn’t that Italian?” Massie asked.

“I dunno.” Alicia shrugged. “It still means ‘She’s so dead,’ right?”

“
Sí,
” Massie said.

“
Sí
her later.” Claire gave a great big smile.

They dropped the stolen items back in the shoe bag and Massie stuffed it under her coat. Once everything was back in Josh’s locker, they headed toward the parking lot to meet Isaac.

“When are we going to bust her?” Claire asked. “Can we do it tonight?”

“Tonight? I’m not ready for a bust,” Alicia said. “I have math homework.”

“Then when?” Claire heard herself whine.

“Relax. We have to lie in the weeds and think about this for a minute. We can’t just pounce. We need to wait a couple of weeks.” Isaac flashed his headlights. Massie waved.

“I can’t wait that long. She stole more than a stupid pair of socks from me. She took Cam. I say we get her at the dance tomorrow night.”

The girls stopped walking and Claire instantly regretted trying to boss them around. Massie’s amber eyes flickered back and forth while she thought, and Claire bit her thumbnail and waited for Massie to respond.

“Done,” Massie said.

Claire sighed.

“Done,” Alicia said.

“And done,” Claire said. “We’re not going to the dance solo. We have a date with revenge.”

“What does one wear on a date with revenge?” Alicia asked.

“A big fat smile,” Massie offered.

“In that case,” Claire said, “I’m already dressed.”

OCD G
YM
T
HE
L
OVE
S
TRUCK
D
ANCE

Friday, February 13th 6:57
P.M.

Massie could smell the flower and plant essences in her freshly coiffed hair as she slipped off her white cashmere coat. Jakkob had given her a half-down, half-up hairdo and fastened the shorter layers with glittery rhinestone barrettes. These complimented the fifteen brooches she had attached to her white wool tea-length sleeveless Prada dress. She felt like a beautiful snow angel, even though she didn’t have a date.

“Jackie, would you mind putting these garment bags with my coat?” Massie handed the coat check girl a heap of clothes. Jackie almost fell over when she grabbed them but somehow managed to steady herself long enough to hang them on one of the silver racks behind her long desk.

“What’s in there?” Claire asked as she unzipped her ski jacket.

“I brought an outfit for Kristen and a few different options for us in case we changed our minds when we got here.” Massie took a minute to study Claire’s outfit now that they were standing under the red party lights. “I should have given you one of my formal coats. That thing should not be allowed out past five.”

“I love my ski jacket.” Claire handed it to Jackie.

“I love my dad, but I don’t bring him to dances,” Massie countered.

“Well, what do you think of my dress?” Claire spun. Her ice blue chiffon Bebe dress floated above her knees as she twirled. “Think it’ll make Cam want to kiss me?”

Massie slapped Claire on the shoulder. “Don’t do that here.”

Claire lost her balance and had to grab onto the corner of Jackie’s coat check desk to keep from falling. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“You have to act confident,” Massie whispered. “From this moment on, act like you ah-dore your outfit. People can smell insecurity, and it’s a major turnoff.”

“But I really do like my outfit. It’s Cam I’m—”

Massie held her freshly moisturized palm in front of Claire’s face. “Enough. There are a hundred other guys at this dance who will love your dress.” Truth be told, Claire’s outfit was a little too sweet for Massie’s taste, but it suited Claire.

Jackie handed the girls coat check tags and stickers that said, I
LOVE YOU
. M
Y NAME IS
_____. Claire wrote her name in the space, peeled off the back, and stuck it to her dress.

Massie crumpled hers up and left it on the desk. “Let’s go,” she said.

“Why don’t you want your sticker?” Claire asked.

“The glue is terrible on wool.”

The muffled sound of Ashlee Simpson’s “La La” seeped through the walls of the gym and flooded the hallway. The closer they got to the doors, the more cheering and laughing they heard.

“You okay?” Claire asked Massie before they walked inside.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re holding your belly.” Claire looked concerned.

“Oh.” Massie dropped her hand. “It’s nothing. I’m fine,” she said, even though she could feel her stomach in her throat. She always felt like that just before making an entrance. And tonight she actually had real reasons to feel nervous.
What if I see Derrington? What if I don’t? Will he like what I did with my brooches? Will anyone ask me to dance? What if the Nina revenge plan doesn’t work?
Massie casually lifted her arms to let her pits air out before she walked inside.

They were greeted at the gym’s entrance by a handsome man dressed in a tuxedo. He looked like a Calvin Klein model. “Welcome, ladies, you look beautiful tonight. Happy Valentine’s Day.” He held the doors open for them. “Enjoy the dance.”

“We’ll try,” Claire sighed.

Massie elbowed her in the ribs. “Confidence,” she whispered again.

“Sorry.”

“Ehmagod,” was all Massie could say when she saw the inside of the gym. It had been completely transformed.

All of the fluorescent lightbulbs had been removed and replaced with pink ones, giving the room a warm, rosy glow. Long black lace ribbons dotted with cinnamon hearts dangled from the ceiling and hovered a few inches above the floor. Everyone was pushing them aside as they walked. They reminded Massie of those long rubber strips that cleaned the Range Rover at the car wash. Four tall silver machines, one in each corner of the room, blew big red bubbles that drifted across the entire gym. The DJ booth was covered in red shag carpet and glitter. The DJ wore only a diaper, like Cupid. It looked like everyone in the entire county was there. The room was packed.

“Look.” Claire hit Massie on the arm, then pointed to the giant heart-shaped ice sculpture in the middle of the gym.

Cam and Chris Plovert were laughing hysterically because Derrington had licked the ice and was pretending to be stuck.

Massie was starting to sweat all over again. How could the boys be having so much fun without her? She wanted to run to the bathroom, regloss, wipe her pits, and check her hair, but she had to follow her own advice and act confident. “Children.” She shook her head.

“This is stupid,” Claire said. “Shouldn’t we say hi or something?”

“No, let’s go find everyone,” Massie instructed.

Claire stomped her foot. “How am I going to kiss him if I can’t even talk to him?”

“You’re not. Look, there’s Kristen and her mom. Let’s mingle. We don’t want to be seen standing by the door watching the party—it makes us look like pathetic losers.”

Massie pulled Claire over to the round table where the Gregorys were nibbling on red-frosted sugar cookies. She rolled her shoulders back and lifted her head as she walked, just in case Derrington happened to notice her.

“Hey.” Kristen jumped out of her seat and hugged Massie. She was wearing thick gray pleated slacks and a white turtleneck sweater with a blue teddy bear hugging a heart knit right into the front. The heart said, “I’m Blue Without You,” in pink script.

“Thank Gawd you’re finally here,” Kristen whispered in Massie’s ear as she adjusted her navy beret. “You have to get me away from her. Look what she made me wear. There’s no
way
I can talk to Kemp in this.”

Massie gave her a reassuring squeeze before pulling away. In the distance, Strawberry was dancing like a maniac to a Simple Plan song, until she slipped on a soapy bubble and fell.

“I think I just willed that to happen.”

Claire and Kristen laughed.

“That’s what you get for telling on us,” Massie said to no one in particular.

“It’s not funny. She could be hurt.” Mrs. Gregory ran over to Strawberry, who was rolling around on the floor, grabbing her kneecap.

“Thank Gawd she’s finally gone.” Kristen held out her hand and Massie gave her the coat check ticket.

“Isn’t your mother going to notice you’re in a different outfit?” Claire asked.

“Hopefully I can change, kiss Kemp Hurley, win the bet, and change back before she notices,” Kristen said. “Has anyone seen Landy?”

“Dylan couldn’t come,” Massie told them. “Her mother said she was too sick.”

“Awesome! Does this mean I automatically win the bet? Where’s Nina?”

“I don’t think so,” Claire said.

“Why?” Kristen stomped her foot.

“Because Dylan’s sitting over there with Chris Plovert.” Claire pointed to the buffet. “Look, she’s smearing icing on his cast.”

“No yaw.” Kristen looked stunned. “She’s way too sick to be out.”

“I think she looks good,” Claire put in.

Massie agreed. Dylan’s red ringlets were perfectly conditioned so that they bounced and gleamed every time she moved her head. She was wearing a slimming Louis Vuitton black V-necked dress with a tulle tutu attached to the bottom. It was elegant and tasteful and probably stolen from her mother’s closet.

As if she could read Massie’s mind, Dylan looked up and waved them over.

“What are you doing here?” Kristen asked. “I thought your mother wanted you to stay in bed.”

“Doesn’t bean I’m going do.” She was obviously trying to sound cool in front of Chris.

“Ye-ah, I love it.” Chris tossed his thick silver tie over his shoulder and high-fived her.

Dylan looked at Kristen and smirked.

“I like your dress,” Claire said.

“I sure could have used a pair of cool boots to wear with it though.” She turned to Kristen. “But I should have those any minute now.”

Kristen’s cheeks turned dark red. “Hey, Chris, have you seen Kemp?” She smeared a coat of gloss across her thin lips.

“I think he went to flirt with the cute coat check girl,” Chris said as he slid a fork inside his cast and scratched his leg. “Wait.” He stopped scratching. “Aren’t you his date?”

“No.” Kristen turned to leave. “He’s mine.” She flicked the coat check ticket with her index finger and took off.

“Dice sweater.” Dylan chuckled as she watched Kristen stomp across the gym, pushing bubbles out of her way with every angry step she took.

The music suddenly got louder, and Massie and Claire turned their backs on Dylan and Chris to look at the dance floor. Suddenly the party was in full swing.

The DJ had a mic but shouted anyway. “I need a lot of cooooool couples on the dance floor because it’s getting ‘Hot in Herre,’” he said before blasting Nelly’s old hit. Suddenly Massie felt like she didn’t belong. The dance floor was packed with couples.

Massie felt her phone vibrating and was instantly relieved. She was tired of looking at happy people. She snapped open her silver-and-black snakeskin Isabella Fiore clutch and checked the display screen on her phone. Alicia had sent a text message. Massie retrieved it quickly so that anyone watching her would think she had important business to take care of. Way more important than dancing.

ALICIA
: ? Are U?

MASSIE
: Buffet table with C and D. U?

ALICIA
: Just got here with Nina. She’s already dancing. Look.

Massie scoped the dance floor like she was desperately looking for someone. If anyone was still watching her, hopefully they would conclude that the important caller needed Massie to find someone urgently.

“What’s wrong?” Claire was bopping her head to the beat of the song.

Massie didn’t say a word, so Claire followed her gaze.

“No she is
not
.” Claire saw Nina surrounded by Cam, Derrington, and Josh. She was in the middle of their circle, twisting and twirling her arms in the air like a belly dancer, which was exactly what she looked like.

Nina was wearing black see-through harem pants, gold pumps, and a gold satin halter top. Her thick dark hair had been straightened and was pulled into a high ponytail. It looked like a horse’s mane was growing out of her scalp.

“Why does Josh like her so much?” Alicia asked as she squeezed in between Claire and Massie. “She has the worst style.”

“I know, and we have ah-mazing style,” Massie said. “It makes no sense.” Massie silently admired Alicia’s turquoise halter dress and chunky salmon-colored necklace. The bright colors looked ah-mazing against her dark skin, and Massie felt the biting sting of envy. She wanted someone to think that she looked beautiful, and so far her parents were the only ones who had complimented her all night. And they didn’t count.

Massie, Claire, and Alicia watched Nina dance with their guys for the rest of the song. They had no idea what to do next. A few schemes darted through Massie’s brain, but nothing good enough to execute. They would make her look more desperate than Nina, and that was not what she was going for. Besides, that was what Layne, Meena, and Heather were for.

The three of them rushed the dance floor wearing nothing but potato sacks, chanting, “Nina the Obscena.” But Nina didn’t seem to mind. She started clapping along with Layne and trying to get her to join their circle of love.

“Oh my Gawd.” Claire covered her smile with her hand. “Someone should be screaming, ‘Layne is Insane.’”

“Mark the time and day.” Massie grinned. “I just decided I officially like that girl. She’s hilarious.”

“What’s with the potato sacks?” Alicia asked.

Massie and Claire shrugged.

Layne kept running away every time Nina pulled her closer, until eventually she left the dance floor in a huff.

“Layne,” Claire yelled over the thumping beat of Eminem’s “Just Lose It.” She motioned for her friend to come over. Layne saw Claire and smiled. She hopped twice, then ran across the gym.

“I came as soon as you called,” Layne panted. Meena and Heather pulled up behind her. “Did you want to join our protest?” She slid her orange faux-fur backpack off her shoulders and pulled out three more potato sacks. “I have enough for everyone.”