Part 8 (2/2)
Ma.s.sie was so embarra.s.sed she wanted to stomp on his foot and stab him with her M M pin. How dare he correct her in public? Didn't he know they were being watched? 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.” Ma.s.sie stepped away from him.
”No one's boarding yet,” Derrington pointed out.
”Exactly.” Ma.s.sie 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,” Ma.s.sie 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,” Ma.s.sie 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 Ma.s.sie 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 his problem?” Dylan asked. problem?” Dylan asked.
Ma.s.sie turned around to see if the girls were still watching her. But they were gone too. They must have a.s.sumed the show was over when Derrington left.
”Just typical boy drama.” Ma.s.sie 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.” Ma.s.sie 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 window. Her long red curls were blowing around her pink Chanel Stra.s.s sungla.s.ses. ”Dylly!” she shouted and waved.
”Hide me.” Dylan covered her eyes.
”Too late.” Ma.s.sie 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 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. 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.” Ma.s.sie 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 Daily Grind van followed. 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 Ma.s.sie exclaimed together.
”I know, isn't it great?” She beamed. ”I'm doing a story on mother-daughter bonding, and your geography teacher said I could tag along with my crew. He's a s.e.xy one, isn't he?”
”Ew.” Dylan winced.
Ma.s.sie turned her head and giggled nervously.
”Where is the mountain man? I need to introduce him to the crew.” Merri-Lee snapped opened her diamond-studded compact and quickly powdered her dewy complexion. ”You and I will have plenty of time to hang when we get there.” She kissed her daughter on the forehead and ran away on her tippy-toes, leaving a heavy cloud of Lancome's Tresor behind her.
”I am so not going,” Dylan declared to Ma.s.sie once they were alone.
”Why?” Ma.s.sie snickered. ”This is exactly what you wanted.”
”Huh?”
”You said you needed something to worry about, didn't you?”
Dylan rolled her eyes and let Ma.s.sie pull her toward the bus.
Mr. Myner cupped his hands around his mouth. ”Let's go!” he shouted.
Ma.s.sie could feel the p.r.i.c.kly sweats coming back as she got closer to Derrington. Interacting with him in person was a billion times more nerve-racking than e-mailing him after school. Hopefully her deodorant was up for the challenge.
The girls from MUCK stood in a cl.u.s.ter, staring at the ever-shrinking s.p.a.ce between Ma.s.sie and Derrington. Once again, Ma.s.sie found strength in the presence of a captive audience.
”Are we sitting together?” Ma.s.sie heard herself ask Derrington. His eyes widened and he looked around him to make sure she was actually speaking to him. ”Well, are we?”
Dylan pinched her forearm. She was ahb-viously impressed.
”Uh, yeah.” He started to smile. ”Totally.”
”Cool,” Ma.s.sie said. ”Let's go to the back.”
The girls from MUCK made kissing noises and followed closely behind them, wanting a seat near the action.
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