Best Friends for Never (2 page)

“At least my
entire
life doesn't revolve around what people think of my outfits.” Claire reached for the bobby pin that kept her overgrown bangs out of her eyes and slid it out of her blond hair. She gathered the pieces of hair that hung around her face and repinned them on the sides of her head.

“Hey, I thought we were supposed to be celebrating,” Jay Lyons said. “Last time I checked, this was a birthday party.” He pinched a piece of yellow cake off his plate and held it under the table for Bean.

Massie watched with satisfaction as her fit and trim puppy turned her tiny black nose up at the offer. She patted her thigh and Bean ran to her.

“Daddy, I didn't mean to ruin your party,” Massie said to William. “It's just that I take
pride
in the way I look.” She reached down and straightened the drooping turquoise feather boa around Bean's neck. “You taught me that, remember?”

“Of course I remember, honey,” William said. “And you always look perfect to me.”

“No thanks to him,” Massie said, glaring at Todd.

Todd put his head in his hands and slowly rocked back and forth as if he was full of misery and regret. Massie knew he was faking, but Claire obviously had no clue.

“Massie, there is a difference between pride and obsession,” Claire said. She put her arm around Todd's shoulders and continued. “Once you start screaming at ten-year-olds over a skirt, it's an obsession.” Claire's hand trembled as she reached for her glass of soda.

The room was silent.

“Claire has a point, sweetie,” Kendra said. She ran her fingers through her silky brown bob. “You haven't walked through the front door without a shopping bag since you were nine.”

“That's not true.” Massie put her hands on her hips and stood tall.

“It is,” Claire said. “In the two months I've been here, you've gone shopping in New York City four times. And what about all of the after-school trips to the Westchester Mall?”

“Clothes are a necessity,” Massie said. “I can't walk around naked, can I?”

“Says who?” Todd said with a devilish grin. “
I
think you can.”

“Todd!” Judi snapped.

“He's just playing, dear,” Jay said. “Aren't you, son?”

“No,” Todd said. He winked at his father, who chuckled and shook his head.

Massie looked at Todd and rolled her eyes.

“You're a shopoholic,” Claire said. “I bet you can't go an entire month without buying new clothes.”

“Oh yeah? Well, you're a repeat offender. I bet you couldn't go an entire month without wearing the same outfit twice,” Massie said. “Keds included.”

“Massie!” Kendra and William exclaimed at the same time.

“Okay.” Claire rose from her seat and stood to face Massie. “The first one to fold has to wear the other person's clothes to school for a week.”

Massie's eyes widened with horror at the thought of having to wear high-waisted Gap jeans and sneakers to school.

“No way,” Massie said. “You'd be lucky to wear my clothes. That's not a punishment—it's a reward. It's got to be something bad.” Massie twirled the charm bracelet on her wrist while she thought. “I know, the loser has to wear one of my old snowsuits to class for a week. That includes leggings, goggles, ski boots, gloves, and a hat.”

“Massie, you're being ridiculous,” Kendra said.

Massie kept her focus on Claire.

“Fine,” Claire agreed. She extended her arm and Massie grabbed Claire's hand. They shook over and over again, because neither one wanted to be the first to bow out and let go.

“This is great, Claire, thank you,” William said with a playful smile. “You just saved me a ton of money.”

The parents chuckled. But Claire and Massie's expressions didn't change. Their mouths were tightly pursed and both had a look of determination in their eyes.

Massie finally tore her hand away to answer her ringing cell phone. She lifted it out of the Louis Vuitton monogrammed case that was clipped to the belt on her skirt and walked out of the room. Bean followed.

“Hello?” Massie said. She was pacing around the cream-colored rug in the living room.

“Hey, it's Alicia. I have news that's worth at least ten gossip points.”

Massie felt her heart speed up like it always did when she was about to hear gossip. She knew Alicia Rivera wasn't the type to ask for ten points unless she really deserved them. The Spanish beauty was a gossip expert and knew better than anyone that a decent piece usually earned about five points, max. This had to be big.

“Talk to me,” Massie said. She sat down in the white wing chair beside the fireplace.

“I was in my golf class after school, right?”

“Right.” Massie slipped out of the chair and started pacing again.

“And while we were stretching …”

“Yeah? Yeah? What?” Now she was bouncing on her toes.

“I heard Becca Wilder tell Liz Goldman that she thinks you are on your way
out
.”

“Out?”
Massie barked at her reflection in the mirror over the mantel. “What do you mean,
out?”

“Becca thinks that you're slipping and that you don't seem as in charge as you did last year.”

“What did Liz say?”

“Liz agreed,” Alicia said. “But that's nothing new. Liz always agrees with Becca. Anyway, they came up with the idea to throw an amazing boy-girl Halloween party so everyone would be talking about
them
and not you for a change. They even called it a Halloweenie party.”

Massie was stunned. Her body felt frozen solid and burning hot at the same time. Her head was spinning.

Am I slipping? Are people starting to look at me as a popularity has-been? Why didn't I pick up on this sooner? Are Becca and Liz the only ones who think that, or is the whole grade over me? Why didn't I think of the boy-girl party? It should have been my idea. I always think of everything first!

“This can't be happening,” Massie heard herself say. She had meant to think it, but like everything these days, it hadn't worked out the way she had planned.

“If you want, I can have my dad's bodyguard scare the idea out of her,” Alicia said with a soft giggle.

“No thanks, I'll do it myself,” Massie said. “I'll show Becca and Liz and the rest of the grade that I'm not slipping. I gotta go.” She was about to hang up when she realized Alicia was still on the line.

“Wait,” Alicia asked. “What about the ten points?”

“This isn't about points, Alicia,” Massie said. “It's about pride.” And she snapped her phone shut.

Massie was about to walk back into the dining room but stopped when she heard her name. She crouched down behind the French doors so no one would see her and held her breath, trying not to miss a single word.

“I honestly don't know what it is with Massie and Claire,” Judi said. “I thought they would be the best of friends by now.”

Massie peered around the door to see Claire's reaction. But her seat was empty. She must have slipped out while Massie was on the phone.

“I agree with Judi,” Kendra added. “I am so surprised.”

“You don't look it,” William said.

Kendra shrugged. “Botox.”

“Just because they live on the same property doesn't mean they have to be joined at the hip,” Jay said. “Maybe they need a little more time to adjust to each other. You know, like a couple of territorial house cats.”

“Hissing cats would be a welcome change around here,” Kendra said. She moved a half-eaten strawberry around her plate with a small silver dessert fork. “I've tried everything to bring them together. I am fresh out of ideas.” She pushed her plate off to the side, moving the deep red herringbone place mat with it so the plate wouldn't scratch the glossy oak table.

Massie stood up quietly, holding the dangling charms on her bracelet so they wouldn't clang. She scooped up Bean and tiptoed up the stairs to her bedroom. She had a deliciously devious idea.

But before she did anything, Massie plopped down on her purple down-filled duvet and turned on her PalmPilot. Like other great historical figures, she had to sum up the latest events so future generations would have a record of her life.

CURRENT STATE OF THE UNION

THE GUESTHOUSE
CLAIRE'S BEDROOM

8:22
PM

October 23rd

Claire was in her bedroom, sitting at the dark mahogany secretary by her window. The antique desk came with the room, along with the rest of the dusty old furniture that had once belonged to Massie's grandmother.

“Okay, I know this is going to sound creepy,” Claire said into the phone. “But my brother has a crush on Massie.” She was talking to Layne Abeley, her first and only friend in Westchester.

“Isn't she a little old for him?” Layne asked.

“Not if he's looking for a babysitter.”

Claire kicked off her white platform Keds and propped her legs up on the desk beside her unfinished fashion design homework. Even though FD was a required class at Octavian Country Day School, she had a hard time taking it seriously. How would an education in pattern making, sketching, sewing, and draping (whatever that was) possibly help her become a famous photographer? Her old school in Orlando would never offer a course about fashion. But then again, nothing about OCD reminded her of home.

“How was Mr. Block's birthday dinner?” Layne asked. She was chewing right into the phone, but Claire didn't mind. Layne's new favorite snack was popcorn and mustard, and lately she made almost constant crunching noises. Claire was just glad Layne had gotten over the oatmeal, her old favorite snack. Popcorn might be louder, but it was a lot less mushy.

Claire had begun filling Layne in on the bet she made with Massie when she was distracted by a
ding
. Someone had sent her an instant message.

MASSIEKUR:
R U THERE?

Claire's insides froze. Massie's bedroom in the Block residence faced Claire's bedroom in the guesthouse, so there was a good chance she was being watched. Claire pushed her feet against the floor in a desperate attempt to slide her heavy leather upholstered chair away from the window.

Why did I open my big mouth during dinner?

“So wait,” Layne said. “If you repeat
anything
, even shoes, you'll have to wear a snowsuit to school?”

“Yup.”

“That's impossible. Why did you agree to that?”

“I'm tired of Massie thinking I'm a loser,” Claire said, her voice drifting off. “I want to prove I can be just as tough as she is.”

“Do you have
any
idea how many outfits are in a month?” Layne said.

Claire heard the rustling sound of a paper bag through the phone before getting an earful of Layne chewing her popcorn. It sounded like she was stomping on a pile of foam packing peanuts. Layne made a swallowing noise and then continued. “I'm sorry. That wasn't helpful. I'll bring you a bunch of clothes tomorrow.”

“No, don't!” Claire said. Layne's latest obsession was secondhand old man pants and vintage concert tees. If Massie was embarrassed to be seen with Claire in this year's Gap, how would she ever take Claire seriously in Salvation Army?

“I'm sure Nurse Adele will be able to give me a few things from OCD's lost and found,” Claire said. “Remember that great outfit she gave me when Alicia wiped red paint on my pants?”

“Yeah, but I have tons of great new clothes, so it's no problem,” Layne said. “You'd do it for me, right?”

“Of course I would.” Claire meant it.

“Hey, did you take the Smile Much quiz I e-mailed you?”

“Yeah,” Claire said. She twirled the phone cord around her finger and wondered if she was the only person in Westchester younger than eighty-five who still used a land line.

“How did you do?”

Claire turned to her computer and clicked on the quiz.

“I only scored a fifteen. According to the results, that makes me a ‘Mopey Dick.’”

“Why so low?” Layne asked. “I got a perfect thirty. According to the quiz, I'm ‘Happy as a Clam.’ What did you pick for number four?”

Claire scrolled down.

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A RIDE AT SIX FLAGS, IT WOULD BE …

(A) THE JESTER

(B) HURRICANE HARBOR

(C) THE SCREAM

“C.” Claire sighed. “You?”

“A,” Layne said. “What about the next one?”

Both girls read silently.

IF YOUR BEST FRIEND WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS, WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST?

(A) LAUGHING MY ABS OFF

(B) HANGING OUT WITH SOMEONE WHO GETS ME

(C) MISS?

“I picked A and B,” Layne said. “I'd miss you for both reasons.”

“Me too.” Claire thought it was better to lie than to hurt Layne's feelings. If she had been with her Orlando friends, she would have answered A and B. But for now she picked C. She liked Layne but still secretly longed to be a part of Massie's fabulous foursome, just like everyone else at OCD. Massie, Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen went to every party in town and wore the coolest clothes, and everyone at school referred to them as the “Pretty Committee.” So what if they threw smoked salmon at her a few weeks earlier? She would be willing to put it behind her if they would. Fitting in with them meant fitting in with
everyone
, and who wouldn't want that?

“What about the last one?” Layne said. “Once again I picked A.”

Claire scrolled down to the final question.

THE HOT NEW GUY SITS BESIDE YOU IN SCIENCE LAB (OMG!). HOW DO YOU DEAL?

(A) INVITE HIM TO EXPERIMENT WITH YOU AFTER SCHOOL

(B) FLASH HIM THAT “COME-HITHER” SMILE YOU'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN THE BATHROOM MIRROR. THEN WAIT FOR HIS MOVE

(C) SWITCH SCHOOLS. HE'S MORE DISTRACTING THAN A REAL WORLD MARATHON

“What difference does it make?” Claire said. “It's not like we even
have
boys at our school.” She wound the phone cord tightly around her index finger and watched her skin turn from pink to purple.