Part 19 (1/2)
”I'm back in,” Claire continued. ”Cam is finally over the whole Josh thing. We're even going to have a make-up first kiss tonight at seven p.m.”
”Perfect,” Ma.s.sie said. ”Now, moving on to Derr-”
”Do you know if Alicia left the cabin last night?”
Ma.s.sie shrugged. She was annoyed that Claire was still making this about her. her. It was Ma.s.sie's turn to get the attention. It was Ma.s.sie's turn to get the attention.
”Because I have a feeling she was in there when I was talking to Cam, which means she heard everything I said about Josh.”
Ma.s.sie shrugged again and looked out into the distance. The sun was just starting to carve out a place for itself in the overcast sky. With every pa.s.sing second, Whiteface Mountain became more visible, its edges sharper, like a developing Polaroid picture. But there weren't any brilliant golds or oranges to admire. No ribbons of pink casting a warm dawn-of-the-new-day glow on Lake Placid. It was a gray, milky morning, which suited Ma.s.sie just fine. She was too distraught for beauty. It would have made her feel even worse than she already did.
”Are you sure you don't know anything anything about Alicia?” Claire pressed. about Alicia?” Claire pressed.
”The only think I know is that I need your help,” Ma.s.sie hissed. ”It's my turn, Kuh-laire. You promised.”
”Uh, okay.” Claire seemed surprised by the urgency in Ma.s.sie's voice. ”No problem. I just need to think for a minute.”
”No need for that.” Ma.s.sie held up her palm. ”I already have the plan all figured out.”
”Oh.” Claire folded her arms across her chest.
”All I need you to do is bring the MUCK girls to the tree behind the cabin tonight right after dinner.”
”Why?”
”Because that's where I'll be kissing Derrington.” Ma.s.sie felt a pull in her stomach when she said the words. Even though she was committed to losing her lip virginity, the idea still made her nervous. ”You'll come up just as we're kissing, then I'll get mad at you for invading our privacy. Meanwhile, the girls will see us doing it and they'll apologize for calling me a liar, and Derrington and I will have done the deed and everything will go back to normal. It's perfect.”
”Yeah, except for the part about you getting mad at me,” Claire joked.
”Pleeeeease.” Ma.s.sie held her palms together in prayer.
”No problem,” Claire said. ”But can we do it at a different time?”
”Why?”
”Because seven p.m. is when I'm supposed to meet Cam for our kiss.”
”So meet him at eight p.m.,” Ma.s.sie snapped. ”I really need the 7 p.m. slot, because everyone will be finished with dinner and roaming around. So it will seem natural.”
”But I can't can't change it with Cam,” Claire insisted. change it with Cam,” Claire insisted.
”Why nawt?” Ma.s.sie stomped her angora-clad foot.
”Because Cam and I aren't speaking today,” Claire said. ”We're waiting until 7 p.m. It's more romantic that way.”
”Kuh-laire.” Ma.s.sie's voice cracked. ”My reputation depends on this.”
Claire looked at her red socks and wiggled her toes.
”Kuh-laire?” Ma.s.sie lifted Claire's head, forcing her to make eye contact. ”It can't wait.”
”Okay, well, hopefully Cam can,” she said under her breath.
”What?” Ma.s.sie asked, even though she'd heard Claire loud and clear.
”Nothing,” Claire said.
”Good, then it's a plan?”
Claire opened her mouth to answer, but Ma.s.sie turned on her heel and walked back into the cabin before Claire had the chance to say another word.
LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK FOREVER WILD CAMPSITE THE DINING PAVILION.
Tuesday, February 24th 1:40 P.M. P.M.
The usual lively lunchtime chatter was slightly muted, partly because the rain drowned out the noise but mostly because everyone was too wet to talk about anything other than how wet they were.
Claire picked the crispy bacon out of her BLT and nibbled at the crusts of the toasted sourdough bread. After a soggy morning of building shelters out of branches and bright orange tarps, she should have devoured the double-decker sandwich and the spicy fries, but her appet.i.te was gone. How could she possibly eat when there was a chance Alicia had overheard her Josh confession? Besides, she still had to break the news to Cam that their tryst would have to wait until Ma.s.sie got her social life back. And telling telling him would mean breaking their romantic vow of silence. It was all too depressing, even for a plate of hot fries. him would mean breaking their romantic vow of silence. It was all too depressing, even for a plate of hot fries.
Ma.s.sie tilted her head sideways. ”So what's up with Alicia and Olivia sitting over there at the boys' table?”
”I dunno.” Claire was so happy to have Alicia out of the way for a while, she didn't bother questioning it.
Dylan leaned across the table and whispered to Ma.s.sie. ”Hey, did Kristen really spend the night under your bed?”
Ma.s.sie looked around to make sure no one was listening, then nodded.
”That's worse than being buried alive.” Dylan pulled a flimsy piece of mayo-covered lettuce out of her sandwich and rolled a french fry in it.
”You think?” Claire asked. ”How is lying under a bed worse worse than being buried alive?” She knew she was overreacting to Dylan's comment but lately, between Alicia, Ma.s.sie, Cam, and Josh, Claire felt like than being buried alive?” She knew she was overreacting to Dylan's comment but lately, between Alicia, Ma.s.sie, Cam, and Josh, Claire felt like she she had been buried alive, and it felt good to lash out at someone. had been buried alive, and it felt good to lash out at someone.
”Well, for starters ...” Dylan stuffed the lettuce-fry in her mouth. ”She had to spend the night lying under Ma.s.sie's b.u.t.t.” She cracked herself up and a piece of fry shot out of her mouth and landed on her forearm.
Ma.s.sie laughed too, then became serious. ”We need to bring her some food. I already swiped one of Layne's Go-Gurts but she said it made her barf-burp twice. She's probably starving by now.”
”And bored,” Claire added. ”What does she do under there all day?”
”Reads trail maps,” Ma.s.sie answered.
”So, what are the girly-girls talking about?” Merri-Lee sat down in the seat beside her daughter. The camera, along with its blinding light, followed.
”Mom,” Dylan whined. ”Do you have to get us eating?”
”What's wrong with eating?” Merri-Lee tightened the green chiffon sash around her Ralph Lauren safari jacket. Her waist was so tiny, she looked like the number 8.
”Everything.” Dylan pushed her plate away and folded her arms across her chest.
The MUCK girls walked behind Dylan, looked straight into the lens, and waved. One of the nameless non-soccer team boys pushed another nameless non-soccer team boy in front of the camera, then ran away in hysterics.