Airhead: Being Nikki Part 13

He looked down at her incredulously. The old Nikki? What are youYou know about it?

Sure, she said, tugging affectionately on his pinky for him to come sit next to her on the couch. He resisted of course. We all do. Well, me and Brandon. We even went and kidnapped Nikki from the hospital after it first happened. She didnt like it. But we thought shed been a victim of al-Qaeda! Or the Scientologists. Only it turned out it wasnt either of them. The old Nikki was just gone. And this new one was here to take her place. We decided we like her better than the old one, though. At least I did. I dont know about Brandon. Why? Lulu looked from one to the other of us. Is that a problem?

Steven just shook his head. I need an aspirin, was all he said.

But he let Lulu pull him down onto the couch beside her, where he sat with his head sunk into his hands. He looked like a man defeated. I didnt really blame him.

Do you need a neck ma.s.sage? Lulu was asking him. Even though he didnt reply, she was already reaching over to rub his neck. I give totally good neck ma.s.sages. They just about turn Nikki to Jell-O. Our housekeeper, Katerina, taught me how. And she was trained at some of the best spas in Gstaad. Its all about getting the tension out right here.

I know a guy, I whispered. I was desperate to make the situation right. Although I wasnt sure how it could ever be right again. His sister was dead, even though he didnt seem to want to believe it.

And, of course, somehow I felt like it was all my fault, even though I knew it wasnt.

Steven looked up.

You what? he asked.

I know a guy, I repeated softly. Softly enough, I hoped, for none of the bugs in the loft to pick up. A guy whos really good with computers. He says he can find your mom.

I didnt want to say that this guy was the fourteen-year-old cousin of someone Id been crushing on since, like, the seventh grade. Steven looked suicidal enough. He stared at me while Lulu kneaded his neck. Weirdly, Lulus neck ma.s.sage didnt seem to have the same effect on him that all neck ma.s.sages had on Nikkis body.

How? Steven asked. How can he find her when the police couldnt?

I dont know, I whispered. He just says he can. Look, I dont see what we have to lose. Except everything, including my life, when Steven found out this guy was an adolescent.

When can we go? Steven asked without further hesitation.

I felt my heart lurch. I hadnt expected him to agree so quickly. What was I doing to Christopher? To Felix?

On the other hand, if their plan worked, maybe thered be no Stark to come after us later Yeah. And maybe Nikki Howard was going to be the next president of the United States.

Um. In the morning, I guess, I said.

Great. Steven nodded. Lets do it.

Lulu looked pleased. Fantastic! she said, applying her elbow to his trapezius muscles. And you know what? Youre feeling less tense to me already!

Thanks. Steven gave her a brief smile, then got up and started heading toward her room. Im really beat. IllIll see you both in the morning.

When he got to the door to Lulus room, he paused, however, and turned to look at me.

What should I call you? he asked.

My voice sounded almost unnaturally soft in the large loft, after our shouting match. The traffic sounds from the windows were loud, even though it was so late at night. We lived, after all, in the city that never slept. On the stereo speakers, Lulu was making noises like a cat. Whatever Stark was picking up of this conversation, it was bound to be confusing them.

Nikki, I said to Steven. Its my name now.

He stared at me for a full ten seconds. I couldnt have begun to read his expression if Id tried.

Then he turned abruptly and disappeared through the door, closing it quietly behind him. I glanced at Lulu.

Well, she said, with a big smile on her freshly scrubbed face. I think that went well. Dont you?

I collapsed onto the couch beside her with a frustrated moan. It was going to be, I knew, another sleepless night.

FIFTEEN.

THIS IS SO EXCITING, LULU KEPT saying.

Its really not, I a.s.sured her. I couldnt figure out why shed insisted on coming along. Well, actually, I was starting to get a good idea. I just couldnt believe it. I was pretty sure it had to do with the six feet of manliness striding along the hallway beside us, doing his best not to let steam blow out of his ears at the realization that he was, of all places, in a Manhattan high school.

Worse, a Manhattan high school at seven forty in the morning. With one of the nations leading teen supermodels, who was smuggling her miniature poodle in a Louis Vuitton tote, as her best friend, the celebutante daughter of one of the countrys most celebrated film directors, struggled to keep up alongside her, despite the fact that she was wearing a pair of five-inch heels. It wasnt like anybody was staring at us or anything as we tottered down the hall beside one another. Much.

What I couldnt believe was that she was being so obvious about it. Lulu, and her obsession with Nikki Howards brother, I mean. I was glad shed at least dressed somewhat normally, in vintage Jordache jeans and a leather bomber jacket over an Alexander McQueen shirt (I had to wrestle the Chloe shirt and Citizens of Humanity jeans I wanted to wear away from her. Which was ridiculous because Im about a foot taller than she is, so I dont know how she thinks she can get away with wearing Nikkis stuff).

But still. Up this early, for a guy? I guess I shouldnt talk. When the dinosaur sticker thing had failed, in the first few weeks Id come back to school after my surgery, Id done some pretty stupid stuff myself, I guess, in hopes a certain boy would admire meEvery morning, Id given myself a thirty-minute blowout Christopher had never even noticed, worn a surprisingly painful (Stark brand, of course) push-up bra that, ditto, hed never even glanced below my chin to admire.

I guess I know what its like to be in Lulus designer shoes.

But excited to be at TAHS? Believe me, there was nothing exciting about being at Tribeca Alternative High School, as Steven had already pointed out. It was actually the opposite of exciting, if you asked me.

But then, Lulu had never been in a real American high school before. She was looking at all the students as we pa.s.sed by them (and they ogled us in disbelief, whispering, Isnt that?), going, Oh, my G.o.d, shes so cute! or Isnt he sweet! like she was talking about puppies and not actual real-life fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds. It was as if she didnt realize these people were just a year or two younger than her.

The truth was, because they hadnt been as gifted genetically as she was, they did look almost as if theyd descended from another species.

But that was no excuse for Lulus behavior.

Especially when she saw Frida hanging out with a group of junior varsity cheerleaders by one of their lockers, and cried, Oh, my G.o.d, look, Nikki! Theres Frida! Hi, Frida!

Frida freaked when she saw usparticularly Lulu. Her friends jaws all dropped as well. Theyd dined with me upon occasion in the TAHS cafeteria, where haute cuisine extended as far as hamburger and no further. So Nikki Howard was no longer quite the big deal she once might have been.

But Frida had bragged to them that she knew Lulu, and I was pretty sure none of them ever believed her.

But here was Lulu Collins"who had graced the red carpets of so many movie premieres, and the covers of so many magazines, and the arms of so many skeevy rock-and-roller boyfriends she really should have thought twice about dating (but who was I to criticize, seeing as how Nikki Howard dated some of Lulus boyfriends as well, behind her back?)"in person, strolling down the hall toward them and greeting Frida. They stared at her in total awe.

Oh, my G.o.d, Lulu, Frida cried, looking as if she were about to wet herself. I-I cant believe youre here. And Nikki! This is amazing! I was just talking about the two of you. You know, about your party?

Oh, you have to come, Lulu said. You should all come. Its tomorrow night. Its to die for, really. Everybody will be there. Marc, Lauren, Paris. They love it. Its the best.

I could see the girls doing quick mental calculations in their heads"Marc Jacobs, Lauren Conrad, Paris Hilton. I said, under my breath, to Lulu, Lulu, they cant come. Theyre in high school.

Well, Lulu said, looking blank. So are you.

But Im not fourteen and living with my parents.

Could someone, Steven asked, explain what were doing here? I thought we were trying to find my mother.

We are, I a.s.sured him. Come on.

I looked at Frida and her friends dispa.s.sionately. You guys cant come to our party. Youre underage. Come on, Lulu. I grabbed Lulus arm and began steering her away. Too late, however, since I heard an all-too-familiar voice call Nikkis name, and a second later, Whitney Robertson was upon us, her alter ego, Lindsey, and boyfriend, Jason Klein, not far behind, oozing Axe body spray.

Nikki, hi. Whitney was eyeing Steven hungrily, not even bothering to hide her interest in him for Jasons sake. Their relationship had always been full-on dysfunctional, however, if you ask me. Which wasnt that unusual, considering Id long suspected Jason of being a cyborg. I didnt know it was bring-a-hunk-to-school day.

Steven looked appalled. I didnt blame him. Whitney was like tooth decay: You didnt have to know her more than five seconds before you started to realize she needed to be removed.

Accordingly, I ignored her and kept going, heading toward the computer lab, even though I could hear Whitney crying, Nikki? Nikki! in the distance. Lulu followed me, making sure Steven stayed close beside her by keeping a hand clamped on the front of his jacket. Steven didnt appear to notice.

What are we doing here? he asked again. How can"

But Id already reached the doors to the lab, through which Christopher was just leaving to get to Public Speaking before the bell rang. As always when I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. Today he was wearing a black Ramones T-shirt under his leather jacket. His hair was still a little damp at the ends from his morning shower, and his jeans were as form-fitting as ever.

To say he looked surprised to see me would be an understatementand then I was followed by Lulu, whom he surely recognized (he was as upset with her father for butchering the direction of the Journeyquest movie as I was), and a moody, six-foot male blond version of me. Christophers jaw sank nearly to the floor.

Uh, hey, he said.

I need to talk to you, I said. It was difficult to get the words out when my heart was hammering so hard in my chest. But I managed.

Now? Christophers gaze drifted past me, toward the clock hanging in the hallway. Cla.s.s is about to start.

Yeah, I said. I reached out and took his arm. I knew he didnt feel the electric pulse that leapt from my skin to the leather of his jacket. But I sure did. We arent going to cla.s.s today. We have to go to your cousins house.

Christopher shifted his backpack from one shoulder to another, looking from me to Lulu to Steven, then back again. His expression was impa.s.sive.

Look, Nikki, he said. If this is about your mom, I thought we"

I have that thing you asked me for, I said. The pa.s.sword? So lets just go, okay?

His blue-eyed gaze swept over me searchingly. I expected him to ask about finals. The old Christopher would have. The old Christopher would have said, But this is first semester of our junior year. Colleges will be looking at our grades this semester. If we screw up, it will be held against us. McKayla Donofrio is already a National Merit Scholar. We cant mess this up.

But this wasnt the old Christopher. This was Supervillain Christopher.

He looked me right in the eye and said, Lets go.

And then we were heading for the nearest exit, even as Frida, who it turned out had been trotting behind us the whole time, was crying, Wait! Where are you going? You guys? The bell is going to ring. You guys cant just leave.

Grab a cab, I said to Christopher, and tell it to wait. Ill just be a second. I peeled off from the group and swung around to grab Frida by the shoulder.

Then I pinned her to the nearest locker with one hand.

To say that she looked surprised by this turn of events would have been the understatement of the century. But this was too important to play the kindly big sister. I couldnt let her mess this up for me. I had Steven to think of.

Go to cla.s.s, I told her. Forget that you saw me here today.

Where are you guys going? she wanted to know. You cant cut cla.s.s this week. Its finals. Youll flunk!

I mean it, Frida, I said. Tell your friends the same thing. None of you saw us.

Whats going on? Frida was starting to look scared now.

And you know what? She had a lot to be scared of.

Where are you taking Christopher? she asked.

But Id already turned and was jetting down the hall and toward the doors through which Lulu, Christopher, and Steven had just bailed.

Im gonna tell, I heard Frida calling after me. I mean it, Em! I mean, Nikki! Wait!

Her voice was cut off by the heavy metal doors to the school slamming shut behind me as I hurried down the side steps, into the bitter cold and drizzle, to the waiting cab.

SIXTEEN.

LULU WAS SHOUTING HURRY! TO ME"as if the taxi she had just climbed into might take off without me.

Im coming, Im coming, I told her. Christopher was waiting on the corner with his hand on the open taxi door. His face had settled back into impa.s.sivity again, as if he were used to being pulled out of school every day by supermodels and their entourages.

Where, exactly, Steven wanted to know, as I slid into the backseat where he was sitting next to Lulu, are we going?

This guys cousin is a computer genius, I said, pointing at Christopher, who was seated up front next to the driver. I was pretty sure Christopher couldnt hear what we were saying through the thick bulletproof barrier separating the front and backseat. The driver had the Bollywood music turned up pretty loud. He says he can find your mom.

Steven looked confused. Hes with the NYPD? What was he doing in your high school? Is he a narc?

Um, I said, beginning to see some inadequacies with my plan. No.

Did you see that girls top? Lulu wanted to know. She was, apparently, talking about Whitney. It was sotrying too hard.

But hes with the government, Steven said. Tell me hes got some kind of connections with a governmental agency.

Not exactly, I said to Steven.

I mean, Lulu went on, it was practically see-through. And not in a good way. You didnt like that top she was wearing, Steven, did you? That girl back there?

Are you telling me, Steven asked, ignoring Lulu as Cosabella, whom Id let out of my tote, pranced on his lap, peering excitedly at the traffic all around us, that hes really just a high school student?