Chapter One
OCTAVIAN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY CLASS Wednesday, February 18th 2:45 P.M.
The thick, breathy smell of the artificial heat that blasted from the classroom's radiators made Massie Block's head pound. And the more her nature-loving geography teacher droned on about the Earth's surface and how it determines the flow of a river, the worse her headache got. Massie closed her eyes and massaged her throbbing temples until Mr. Myner finally had the decency to change the subject and talk about something that the seventh-grade girls at Octavian Country Day School actually cared about.
"Don't forget, Friday is the last day I am accepting checks for the Presidents' Day field trip to Lake Placid." Mr. Myner rolled up the sleeves on his navy flannel lumberjack shirt and revealed his muscular, too-tanned-for-February forearms.
Everyone cheered and woo-hooed.
"I am just as thrilled as you are." Mr. Myner's warm chocolate-brown eyes flickered with pride. "This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about topography, orienteering, and survival skills in the real outdoors."
Massie rolled her eyes. Everyone except Mr. Myner knew this trip had nothing to do with topography or survival skills. It was all about the three days they were going to spend camping in the wild with the Briarwood boys. No parents, no homework, and no Principal Burns.
Anything was possible.
Even Massie found it hard to stay calm. Inside, her stomach felt all jittery, like it had grown wings and was flying around in dizzying circles. And on top of that she was starving.
For the last four days, ever since she'd given Derrick Harrington her rhinestone M pin, Massie had been unable to swallow anything other than Diet Dr Pepper, Luna bars, and the occasional reduced-fat Wheat Thin. She was officially hanging out with the star goalie of the Briarwood Academy soccer team, and that idea alone made digestion very difficult.
While Mr. Myner droned on about the majestic beauty of the Adirondacks, Massie made a list called:
FIVE THINGS ABOUT MY CRUSH THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO EAT
His ah-dorable shaggy dirty-blond hair. Love, love, love when it falls in his brown eyes.
The way he wiggles his butt after he saves a goal in soccer. Ahhhhh-dorable!
He's the most popular seventh grader at Briarwood. And he likes me.
IM'd me on Monday and said I was the cutest girl at OCD. (Take that, Alicia Rivera.)
We'll be spending three days and two nights together in Lake Placid. OMG!
Massie also loved that he called her Block and that she secretly called him Derrington-a combination of his first and last names. They sounded like a gorgeous soap opera couple or a team of notorious outlaws. It was beyond hot.
Block and Derrington.
Block and Derrington.
Block and Derrington.
She was even starting to embrace the fact that he wore shorts in the dead of winter. It was his "thing." And every famous athlete had to have a "thing," or else his fans wouldn't have anything to copy. Massie's stomach suddenly tightened at the thought of Derrington surrounded by hordes of shorts-wearing fans, because in this scenario she would be the glamour girl standing by his side. The girl every other girl wanted to be. And nothing was more ahmazing than that.
Massie wiped her sweaty palms on the green corduroy of her Joie cargo pants, then slowly lifted her purple-Swarovski-crystal-covered cell phone out of her side pocket. She waved the phone under her desk until the sparkly rhinestones caught the attention of her BFFs, alerting them that an important text message was on the way. Alicia Rivera, Dylan Marvil, Kristen Gregory, and Claire Lyons nodded. The members of the Pretty Committee were armed and ready to receive.
MASSIE: Mandatory packing meeting Sunday @ the iPad.
Everyone referred to Massie's bedroom as the iPad because it was all white except for a few purple accents mixed in, purple because it was the official color of royalty.
ALICIA: Can Olivia come? She's back from 2nd nose job. She'll be on the trip.
Massie couldn't understand what Alicia saw in that bubbly blonde but responded with a nod anyway. She had no choice. Last time she'd given Alicia a hard time for liking the knockoff-scarf-wearing airhead, Alicia had walked out on the Pretty Committee. And Massie didn't want to risk losing her again.
DYLAN: Need 2 shop. I went down a few sizes since the flu. Dylan was pinching the skin on her stomach, probably wondering if she had gained any weight since lunch. Massie rolled her eyes. There were a million things Massie wanted to write back, most of them having to do with how ahnnoying Dylan's I'm-so-fat-even-when-I'm-thin routine was, but decided to drop it. Upsetting Dylan would only drive her to eat, and then Massie would have to hear about it even more. Besides, it was nice seeing Dylan with some confidence. If anything, she was much more into shopping than usual, and there was ahb-viously nothing wrong with that.
MASSIE: Shopping sounds gr8.
CLAIRE: Iin.
Massie giggled to herself. Claire was known for her late text message responses and her misspelled words because she'd only gotten her cell phone in December. If Massie hadn't secretly given it to her for Christmas, Claire would have had to wait until she was sixteen to get one from her parents. And that was not an option.
MASSIE: Kristen?
The girls immediately whipped their heads around and glared at Kristen. She was tugging at the sides of her recently cut-short blond hair, willing it to grow back faster. When she noticed them staring, waiting for her response, Kristen rolled her narrow aqua-colored eyes and lowered her head. Her thumbs quickly moved across her Nokia keypad.
KRISTEN: My parents still say the $1,500 fee is too much. Won't pay. H8 them.
Kristen always had money issues, and it was a major bummer.
MASSIE: Even Claire's parents are paying. It's educational.
Claire lifted her head and shot Massie a thanks-a-lot smirk. Massie shrugged innocently and returned to her vibrating phone.
ALICIA: I'll pay 4 u.
DYLAN: Me 2.
Kristen's face lit up.
MASSIE: Me 3. What's one more time?
Massie hit send and lifted her head to nod at whatever Mr. Myner was saying, just in case he was getting suspicious. But he was too caught up in his lecture about shifting glaciers, mighty rivers, and dense pine forests to care about the only part of nature that really mattered, the birds and the bees.
KRISTEN: Forget it. I'm not going.
DYLAN: ?
ALICIA: ?
CLAIRE: /
CLAIRE: Oops. I ment ???
Massie felt a sudden wave of hunger-related nausea whoosh through her entire body. She lowered her arm into her black Prada messenger bag and quietly pinched off a piece of her half-eaten Nutz Over Chocolate Luna bar. She used her fingers to grab onto her bracelet to keep the little gold charms from clanging together. The moment the chocolate-covered rice puffs grazed her lips, her cell phone vibrated. It was Derrington. Massie immediately dropped the Luna chunk back into her bag and pulled the phone close to her face.
DERRINGTON: Placid is gonna rule, fool!
She had hoped Derrington's message would be a little more personal but still chalked it up to flirting.
MASSIE:
She wanted to respond with a clever yet cute comeback. But Mr. Myner interrupted her.
"And Miss Block, let me remind you that this field trip is also a great way to add ten percent to your grade." Mr. Myner winked at Massie. His eyes seemed to look straight into her soul. Massie discreetly dropped her cell phone back into the green side pocket of her Joie cargos.
"Why are you saying that to me?" She slapped her French-manicured hand against her heart and widened her amber eyes. Did the whole class really have to know she'd gotten a C on the last test?
"I'm not just saying it to you." His voice was smooth and calming, like a late-night DJ's. "I'm saying it to everyone in the class who got below a B on the world hunger quiz."
The A students started giggling. Kristen was among them. Massie shot her a firm stop-that look. Kristen bit her lower lip and looked toward the window.
"Not all of us need to learn how to survive off the land." Massie glared at Mr. Myner. "Some of us can actually afford groceries and electricity. And the ones who can should be tested on something relevant, like European resort towns or natural hot springs."
The C students cheered and Massie bowed her head in gratitude. She knew she would eventually face Mr. Myner's wrath, but she didn't care. Their applause made it all worth it.
But before Mr. Myner could say another word, the bell rang. The high-pitched screech of chairs sliding back across the freshly waxed floors and the snapping sound of paper getting clipped back into binders meant they were done for the day.
"So, the iPad on Sunday?" Massie reconfirmed as they raced out of class. "I think everyone should show up early. This packing list may take a while."
"Count me out." Kristen pushed past them and raced down the hall.
"Why?" Massie yelled after her.
Alicia, Dylan, and Claire looked at one another and shrugged.
Kristen stopped, her back still facing them. She didn't flinch when some girls in a hurry knocked into her with their bags and coats. She just stood there, motionless.
Massie and the rest of the Pretty Committee darted over to Kristen and stood by her side. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. A black mascara booger had formed in the corner of her right eye.
"I had no idea you guys were so sick of me borrowing money." She sniffed.
Alicia nervously twirled her thick black hair into a chignon and dabbed a bit of pink lip gloss onto her full mouth. "We're so nawt." Alicia tried to sound sincere, but her voice was flat and unconvincing.
"Just let us pay," Dylan said. "If we split it four ways then-"
Alicia cleared her throat and tilted her head toward Claire. "I mean, if we spilt it three ways, we could totally afford it," Dylan corrected herself.
Claire brought her thumbnail to her teeth and bit down.
"Seriously." Massie rested her hand on the back of Kristen's hot-pink-and-white Puma track jacket. "What's the big deal?" Kristen wiggled out from under Massie's gentle grip. "Because I don't want you to think I'm some pathetic charity case."
Massie sighed. She didn't have time for this. Not when Derrington was waiting for her to respond to his text message. Maybe a little humor would lighten Kristen's mood. "You're not some charity case. You're our charity case. And we ah-dore you."
Kristen's mouth fell open and tears started rolling down her flushed cheeks.
Alicia glared at Massie.
"What?" Massie was genuinely surprised by their reactions. "I was kidding." She grabbed Kristen's hand and held it like she was about to propose marriage. "Come on, Kris. This is going to be the best week ever. Just let us pay."
"No, thanks." Kristen dried her eyes on her polyester sleeve. "I'll raise the money myself."
"How are you going to raise fifteen hundred dollars in two days?" Claire sounded genuinely interested.
"I am going to teach memory skills," Kristen said.
"What?" the girls said together.
"I am taking a home course in photographic memory skills, and it's really working," Kristen explained.
"Okay, so what did we read about in geo today? Word for word?" Dylan pulled up her new size-two denim miniskirt, then checked to see if anyone noticed.
Massie quickly looked away.
Kristen cocked her head, ran her fingers through her short blond hair, and smiled. "We didn't read anything today. Mr. Myner spent the whole class talking about stupid Lake Placid."
"Hmmm." Dylan tapped her index finger against her pursed lips. "Not bad."
"Why tutor when we can just give you the money?" Massie asked.
"I'll be fine," Kristen insisted. "I have five hundred dollars in my savings account, so all I need is a thousand dollars."
Massie smiled. "Maybe you could teach math, too."
Kristen giggled, then wiped away her last tear. "I'm serious. If I charge ten girls a hundred dollars each, I'll be able to go."
"Great. Now can we please go shopping for earth tones?" Dylan whined.
"Yes." Alicia bounced up and down on her toes. "I'm desperate." She tightened the knot on her short ballet-pink tiefront cardigan and her cleavage practically tripled.
"Oh good, I need some new underwear." Claire's blue eyes widened with excitement. "Can we go to Victoria's Secret?"
"Given," Alicia agreed. "I need a new br-" She crossed her arms over her C-cups. "I need some things too."
The girls started walking toward the exit to meet Isaac, Massie's driver. He'd warned them that he might be late because a new fridge was getting installed in the backseat of the Range Rover. "See you guys." Kristen waved. Her voice was full of purpose and determination.
"Aren't you coming?" Massie asked.
"Nah, I'm going to use the Xerox machine to make flyers for my course," Kristen said.
"Want help?" Massie pushed open the wood doors and stepped into the cold.
"Yeah, I'd love some." Kristen's face lit up. "Wanna come with me to make my posters?"
Massie felt her stomach lurch. She hadn't actually expected Kristen to say yes.
"Uh, I can't because Isaac is on his way," Massie shouted. "Good luck. Call me later."
"Uh, thanks." Kristen turned toward the library.
"Good luck," the others echoed as they followed Massie outside.
"Think she'll be able to raise a thousand dollars by Friday?" Dylan pulled a hunter green knit cap out of her turquoise Marc Jacobs duffel and forced it over her mass of red curls.
"Only if your famous mother turns her morning talk show into a telethon," Alicia said. Dylan's mom, Merri-Lee Marvil, was the host of a super-popular morning show, The Daily Grind.
"That would be so cool." Claire zipped up her baby blue Old Navy puffy coat. "Do you think she could get Joss Stone?"
"She can get anyone." Dylan smiled proudly. "And I bet she could raise the money in like five minutes."
"Gawd, where's Isaac?" Massie stood on her toes and looked out into the empty parking lot. She would have said anything to change the subject. Kristen's whole poverty thing was a major snoozer. And Dylan's famous mother was running a close second. The only thing that held Massie's interest these days was Derrington.
A white Lexus and two black Audis pulled into the lot. Livvy Collins, Alexandra Regan, and Carrie Randolph waved to the drivers as they strolled down the school steps, taking their time so they could finish their conversation.
"I know Nina was a total fake." Alexandra buttoned up her winter white Banana Republic boiled wool coat. "But how great would it be to have her on this Lake Placid trip?"
"Totallyagreed," slurred Carrie, the notorious fast talker. "Nooneknewmoreaboutguys."
Suddenly Massie felt dizzy. It was one thing to hear her classmates idolize Nina Callas-Alicia's Spanish slutbag of a cousin, who was responsible for almost tearing Massie and Derrington apart-but it was quite another for them to consider her an expert in anything other than lying, stealing, and cheesy Euro style. Besides, Massie had assumed that when Nina returned to Spain, things would go back to normal and she would become the all-around expert again. So why wasn't that happening? She lowered herself onto the stone steps. Alicia, Dylan, and Claire sat down beside her.
"Maybe we could get her e-mail address from Alicia." Livvy bit down on her plump bottom lip, chewing off her clear lip gloss. "I bet she could give us some killer tips."
"Lovethat." Carrie clapped her lambskin mittens together. "Hey, look, theresheis!"
"Nina?" Livvy and Alexandra shrieked at the same time.
"No, A-licia." Carrie stomped her foot. She pulled her friends by their coats and dragged them down the steps.
The well-coiffed woman inside the white Lexus honked the horn.
"Holdonaminutemah." Carrie stomped her foot again and held up her index finger.
The two black Audis beeped next. Alexandra and Livvy held up their fingers the same way Carrie had.
"What?" Massie rose to her feet. Alicia, Claire, and Dylan immediately joined her side.
"We actually wanted to ask Alicia something." Carrie seemed to be speaking to Massie's burnt orange suede Michael Kors nonwaterproof snow boots.
"Well, if it has to do with her trashy cousin Nina, don't bother," Massie hissed. "She's dead to us."
"We just want her e-mail address." Livvy stepped in. The blond ballet dancer?slash?basketball player was the thinnest and tallest one in the group, but Massie refused to look up at her. Instead, she spoke to the scratched rhinestone buttons on her tacky wannabe antique coat.
Dylan burst out laughing. "Stupid much? Like they have e-mail in Spain!"
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Pretty Committee Strikes Backby Lisi Harrison Copyright © 2006 by Alloy Entertainment . Excerpted by permission.
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