The Pretty Committee Strikes Back Part 20

Ma.s.sie's body froze. She was so nervous about her kiss, she'd forgotten to check to see if anyone was there. How could she have been so careless?

"It's just me." The voice was followed by a familiar phlegmy laugh.

"What are you doing in here?"

Kristen padded barefoot into the changing area. Her body was wrapped in a thick green Turkish cotton bath towel and her short wet hair was spiky and wild. "BTW, how much do you love these heated tile floors? I don't even need slippers."

"Kristen." Ma.s.sie stomped her foot. "What are you doing in here?"

"I should ask you you the same question." Kristen pulled a Q-tip out of the gla.s.s jar by the mirror. Her mouth hung open and her eyes glazed over while she twirled it around the inside of her ear. "Dinner isn't over until seven." She smiled proudly. "I memorized your schedule. I also studied all of the trail maps and have managed to commit most of the bird and animal species to memory." the same question." Kristen pulled a Q-tip out of the gla.s.s jar by the mirror. Her mouth hung open and her eyes glazed over while she twirled it around the inside of her ear. "Dinner isn't over until seven." She smiled proudly. "I memorized your schedule. I also studied all of the trail maps and have managed to commit most of the bird and animal species to memory."

Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes. She was so over listening to everyone else's problems. She had major issues and no one seemed to care.

"I'm so bored." Kristen opened a jar filled with blue water. She stuck her hand inside and pulled out a black comb, tapped it on the side of the gla.s.s, and combed back her short hair. "This place has everything. I would never want to leave if I didn't have to spend all of my time hiding under a bed eating Go-Gurt and leftovers."

"Yeah, that sucks." Ma.s.sie tried to sound sympathetic, but all she could think about was Derrington and how far over to the right she should tilt her head before the kiss.

"The worst part is, there isn't a bus out of here until tomorrow night." Kristen sighed at her reflection.

"So?" Ma.s.sie felt her jaw tighten. She desperately wanted to tell Kristen to shut up so she could think clearly but fought the urge with every bit of strength she had. After all, the girl had spent the last two days lying on a wood floor and probably needed a minute to vent.

"I can't just show up at home early." Kristen turned away from the mirror and looked at Ma.s.sie like she was insane. "My parents aren't expecting me back until Friday."

"Tell them the soccer game got canceled because someone got hurt," Claire suggested.

Ugh! Why is everyone so obsessed with Kristen and her lame parents? Can we puh-lease move on?

Ma.s.sie felt the anger building inside her again. It came harder and faster than it had before. Even the roots of her hair ached from the pressure. She couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Kuh-risten." Ma.s.sie turned away from the mirror and looked her friend directly in the eye. "Puh-lease! I am trying to get myself into game mode here and I can't if you keep going on about your ahn-noying parents and your stupid memory skills. Try to think about someone other than yourself for once."

Kristen's green eyes immediately welled up with tears.

"Suh-orry." Kristen gathered her clothes and stomped barefoot toward the door. "But I was under the impression that you and Derrington already already kissed. Re-mem-ber?" kissed. Re-mem-ber?"

"I know. I'm sorry I lied." Ma.s.sie felt terrible for making her friend upset. She wanted to explain everything but would have wait. The clock was ticking.

"Whatevs." Kristen hurried out.

"So what are you going to tell the MUCK girls?" Ma.s.sie asked Claire once she heard the door slam.

Claire was too stunned to answer. She was still focused on Kristen and her tears, but once again, Ma.s.sie didn't have time to worry about that. Not tonight. Why couldn't anyone understand that?

"Kuh-laire." Ma.s.sie slammed her plastic tube of vanilla-flavored dental floss down on the marble countertop. She was so frustrated she wanted to cry. "What are you going to tell the girls?"

"Uh." Claire stopped picking her cuticles and looked up at Ma.s.sie. "Okay, sorry." She cleared her throat and stood up tall. "I'm gonna to tell them I saw you and Derrington sneak off behind the girls' cabin and that we should go spy on you."

"And you're sure you can get them there quickly?" Ma.s.sie started pacing.

"Positive." Claire nodded.

The gentle sound of the lake lapping up against the sandy strip of narrow beach was suddenly drowned out by the noise of everyone piling out of the dining pavilion. Dinner was over and free time had officially kicked in. Everyone had forty-five minutes to do whatever they wanted before Mr. Myner continued his fireside reading of Hatchet. Hatchet.

Ma.s.sie inhaled and held her breath for as long as she possibly could. When she exhaled, her tensed shoulders finally relaxed.

"You're a s.e.x G.o.ddess in three ... two ... one," she told herself. When her countdown was over, she lifted her head and dabbed on a final coat of Cinnabon Glossip Girl, making sure the center of her bottom lip had an extra dollop, to make it look fuller. "Okay, let's do this."

The weight of the thick gloss on her mouth made her feel secure and safe, like she was wearing a protective sh.e.l.l. "I'm going to get Derrington. As soon as you see us behind the cabin, get the girls."

"Got it." Claire turned toward the mirror and fussed with her short bangs.

Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes and threw open the door of the shower house.

Iswear, Ma.s.sie thought to herself as she made her way down the steps of the shower house, Ma.s.sie thought to herself as she made her way down the steps of the shower house, if Claire messes this up because she's too focused on her Cam kiss, she will be dead to me. if Claire messes this up because she's too focused on her Cam kiss, she will be dead to me.

There was a damp chill in the air and Ma.s.sie jammed her hands into the side pockets of her black satin bomber jacket to keep warm. Her knuckle brushed up against one of the sharp points of her M M pin and sc.r.a.ped her skin. She had forgotten it was in there. All of a sudden she flashed back to the humiliating moment when Derrington had ripped it off his shorts and tossed it in the mud. The memory was enough to make her want to back out of the plan and hop on the next Adirondack Trailways bus with Kristen. What if he was so mad at her he refused to go behind the cabin? What if Claire brought the girls over and he was yelling at her? What if he really didn't like her anymore? How long would it take for her to get over him? Would she act as pathetic as Claire, or would she handle heartbreak with grace and dignity? Ma.s.sie shook that thought from her head, hoping she'd never be in the position to find out. pin and sc.r.a.ped her skin. She had forgotten it was in there. All of a sudden she flashed back to the humiliating moment when Derrington had ripped it off his shorts and tossed it in the mud. The memory was enough to make her want to back out of the plan and hop on the next Adirondack Trailways bus with Kristen. What if he was so mad at her he refused to go behind the cabin? What if Claire brought the girls over and he was yelling at her? What if he really didn't like her anymore? How long would it take for her to get over him? Would she act as pathetic as Claire, or would she handle heartbreak with grace and dignity? Ma.s.sie shook that thought from her head, hoping she'd never be in the position to find out.

She stepped away from the light of the shower house and hid in the shadows, watching her friends flirt and giggle outside the dining pavilion.

Olivia and Alicia were taking turns trying to walk using Plovert's crutches while Josh held him up to keep him from falling. Kemp and Derrington were trying to convince Dylan and the MUCK girls to eat leaves, Layne was playing Hacky Sack with the nonsoccer boys, and Cam was walking toward Powwow Log with a huge smile on his face. Ma.s.sie felt like an outsider, a pathetic wannabe. And that was unacceptable.

She stepped out of the darkness and took long, confident strides toward Derrington without looking back.

"Hey, Livvy's gonna eat a twig for twenty dollars," Dylan announced when Ma.s.sie joined their circle.

"Great." Ma.s.sie reached for Derrington's hand and pulled him away without saying another word.

"What are you doing?" Derrington shook his arm free and stopped halfway between his friends and the girls' cabin. His voice was more serious than Ma.s.sie had ever heard it before. Normally he would have been a lot more playful, but he was clearly confused, maybe even a little frightened.

"I have have to talk to you," Ma.s.sie insisted. She tried to make it sound urgent, so even if he were mad at her, his curiosity would compel him to follow her. to talk to you," Ma.s.sie insisted. She tried to make it sound urgent, so even if he were mad at her, his curiosity would compel him to follow her.

"Oh, now now you want to talk to me?" you want to talk to me?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ma.s.sie asked, even though she knew. She remembered her too-nauseated-to-talk performance on the bus and all the other times she'd avoided being alone with Derrington since they had arrived at the camp. "Where are you taking me?"

"I'd like a little privacy," Ma.s.sie purred, throwing in a s.e.x G.o.ddess wink for good measure. Where were the MUCK girls? Why hadn't they seen that? that?

"Fine." Derrington's expression softened. He held out his arm so Ma.s.sie could grab it again. She didn't let go until they got to her birch behind the girls' cabin.

Ma.s.sie leaned against the tree and positioned Derrington so he faced her. That way the girls would see her front and center when they approached.

"What?" He hooked his fingers through the belt loops on his khaki shorts and rocked back and forth on the heels of his Timberlands.

Ma.s.sie had no idea what to say next. She thought about explaining why she'd been ignoring him and considered apologizing for lying to the MUCK girls about their kissing history. But nothing seemed appropriate. Derrington looked too ah-dorable for a serious conversation. He was bobbing his head up and down to a mysterious beat that must have been playing in his head and only stopped when he heard the boys laughing in the distance.

"Wonder what happened." Derrington's dirty blond hair blew around his sparkling brown eyes. He looked like an anxious puppy dog that wanted to be let out to play.

Was this the moment Claire had been talking about? It had to have been, because Ma.s.sie had no clue what to say next. You're going to have your first kiss in three... two.. one, You're going to have your first kiss in three... two.. one, she told herself. Then she tilted her head a little to the right. she told herself. Then she tilted her head a little to the right.

"What?" Derrington asked.

"What what?" Ma.s.sie repeated, her head still c.o.c.ked.

"You look confused," he said.

She lifted her head a little, realizing she might have tilted it a little too far, giving him the wrong idea.

"I'm not confused," Ma.s.sie said softly. "Au contraire." She lowered her eyelids until Derrington's face blurred. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, she moved toward him. Ma.s.sie stuck her hand inside her coat pocket and squeezed her M M pin. The sharp points hurt as they dug into her palm, but the pain gave her something to focus on other than her pounding heartbeat and sweaty pits. She squeezed the pin harder. pin. The sharp points hurt as they dug into her palm, but the pain gave her something to focus on other than her pounding heartbeat and sweaty pits. She squeezed the pin harder.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Think of the dimmer switch in your bedroom.

Ma.s.sie thought she heard Derrington giggle and opened her eyes. But his mouth was soft and relaxed, almost like he was asleep. As she got closer to his face, Ma.s.sie felt the warm tickle of his breath above her lip. She was in his airs.p.a.ce and milliseconds away from touchdown.

Where was Claire?

But girls or no girls, Ma.s.sie couldn't stop. She was in too deep. And to pull back now would be like asking someone to stop diving once they'd already jumped off the board.

Finally their lips touched. And then they pressed together. With every pa.s.sing second the pressure got stronger, until Ma.s.sie's top teeth felt like they were being forced to the back of her skull. But she didn't mind. It still felt better than kissing Doose. At least Derrington didn't have whiskers.

Ma.s.sie released her grip on the M M pin and slowly slid her hands out of her pocket. She placed them gently on Derrington's hips, like they were slow dancing. He hooked his fingers through her belt loops and rocked back and forth to the beat of whatever was playing in his head. pin and slowly slid her hands out of her pocket. She placed them gently on Derrington's hips, like they were slow dancing. He hooked his fingers through her belt loops and rocked back and forth to the beat of whatever was playing in his head.

Where's Claire?

Ma.s.sie felt like her head was going to explode from lack of oxygen and didn't know how much longer she could hold her breath.

Hurry, Kuh-laire.

Right when Ma.s.sie thought she was going to pa.s.s out, Derrington pulled away and gasped for air. Ma.s.sie searched his face for signs of extreme joy. She longed to see a loving glint in his eye or a satisfied smile on his face. But all she saw was the back of his palm wiping the shiny Cinnabon gloss off his lips.

Did I do it wrong? Was the Cinnabon flavor too sweet? Would something in a traditional mint have been better? It's all Claire's fault for teaching me to kiss on a stupid moose.

Ma.s.sie looked over Derrington's shoulder but no one was there. Now they would have to kiss all over again. But that didn't seem so terrible. She was actually looking forward to it. Ma.s.sie tilted her head again and slowly leaned forward. But Derrington stepped away.

"Block." His voice was shaky.

"Yeah." Ma.s.sie batted her eyelashes. She wanted to look pretty and girly when he said, "I love you."

"I..." He paused and looked down at his boot. He gently kicked the side of the tree a few times before continuing. "I, uh-"

"What is it?" Ma.s.sie tried to sound patient but needed him to say it before the girls showed up so she could kiss him again.

"I, uh, don't think we should hang out anymore."

"What?"

Ma.s.sie heard a loud ringing in her head. Everything around her started spinning and her mouth tasted like pennies. Was this really happening? Maybe they were still kissing and the lack of oxygen to her brain was causing her to hallucinate.

"You're just so moody," Derrington said. "I never know-"

Ma.s.sie heard footsteps crunching in the leaves. They were getting louder and closer. It was Claire and the girls. Without another thought she grabbed Derrington's head. She skipped the head tilt, the dimming eyes, and the gentle touchdown and went straight for his lips.

Derrington was so surprised, he lost his balance and fell back into the snow. Ma.s.sie knew his bare legs must have been numb but decided to worry about that later, once the audience had cleared out.

The MUCK girls were shhh-ing shhh-ing one another and giggling. Ma.s.sie only had one option. She threw herself on top of Derrington and continued to kiss him on the lips. The more he struggled, the harder she pressed into him. And when she couldn't hold him in position any longer, Ma.s.sie lifted her head and looked past Derrington. She widened her amber eyes and opened her mouth, hoping the girls could make out her horrified expression in such low lighting. one another and giggling. Ma.s.sie only had one option. She threw herself on top of Derrington and continued to kiss him on the lips. The more he struggled, the harder she pressed into him. And when she couldn't hold him in position any longer, Ma.s.sie lifted her head and looked past Derrington. She widened her amber eyes and opened her mouth, hoping the girls could make out her horrified expression in such low lighting.

"Kuh-laire," Ma.s.sie screeched. "What are you doing here? Can't I get any privacy?"

The girls ran off immediately, leaving Claire behind to face Ma.s.sie alone.

"Sorry." Claire tried to sound regretful.

"Just leave." Ma.s.sie winked.

Once everyone was gone, Ma.s.sie stood up. She felt light and giddy. She held out her hand and lifted Derrington to his feet. The backs of his bare legs were red. But all Ma.s.sie could think about was the look of shock on everyone's faces when they'd seen her on top of him. Her plan had worked perfectly.

"Sorry." Ma.s.sie fluffed her hair. "They can be so immature."

Derrington didn't say a word. He was too busy rubbing the backs of his knees.

Ma.s.sie wondered if he still meant what he had said about them not hanging out anymore. Maybe he'd changed his mind. Now that they'd gotten kissing out of the way, she had no reason to avoid him anymore. In fact, now she wanted to see him all the time.

"So, uh, why'd you do that?" Derrington tugged on one of the tree branches that hung above his head.

"I ..." She paused. It wasn't like she could just come right out and say, "I needed to kiss you to get my popularity back." And now that it was over, Ma.s.sie wasn't even sure that was the only reason she'd done it. She actually liked kissing Derrington.

"Well?"

"I wish you would change your mind," Ma.s.sie whispered in case any of the girls were still listening.

"Why?" Derrington asked. "It's not like you like me or anything."

"That's so un ..." Ma.s.sie stomped her foot.

"Un-what?" He tore a leaf in half. He tore a leaf in half.

"Untrue." Ma.s.sie's voice cracked. "It's you you who doesn't like who doesn't like me, me, remember?" This was not the conversation she'd expected to have after her first kiss and suddenly, Claire's do-over obsession with Cam started to make sense. It sucked when things didn't go as planned, especially first kisses. remember?" This was not the conversation she'd expected to have after her first kiss and suddenly, Claire's do-over obsession with Cam started to make sense. It sucked when things didn't go as planned, especially first kisses.

"Why do you say that?" that?" Derrington crumpled up the leaf and threw it on the ground. Derrington crumpled up the leaf and threw it on the ground.

This was getting ahn-noying. "Be-cause you said you didn't want to hang out anymore."

"Oh." Derrington looked at Ma.s.sie for what seemed like the first time. His expression softened and his eyes lit up. "That was before."

"Before we kissed?" Ma.s.sie felt funny saying kissed kissed out loud. It was kind of embarra.s.sing. out loud. It was kind of embarra.s.sing.