Part 10 (1/2)
”Ew, no.” Ma.s.sie turned her back on him and rotated the dials on the lock of her sweaters-and-jeans trunk until she had had her combination all lined up, 2-3-2-6, which spelled BEAN on her phone.
A dark shadow was cast over her trunk, blocking her light. She looked up. Alexandra, Carrie, and Livvy were standing over her like three tall pine trees.
”Sowhendowegettherestofourlesson?” Carrie asked.
”What?” Ma.s.sie had no clue what Carrie had just asked but could have guessed if she had to. While Livvy translated, Ma.s.sie tried to accept the fact that she would have to teach another kissing clinic. So what if she had no experience, right? It wasn't like her students would know the difference, because they didn't have any either. The only thing they had ever kissed was Ma.s.sie's b.u.t.t.
Alexandra tapped on her green braces with her long pinky nail and jutted out her hips. ”How about this afternoon?”
”How about after dinner,” Ma.s.sie countered. ”Derrington and I need a little alone time first.”
”To get warmed up?” Alexandra's face lit up.
”Ahb-viously.” Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes. ”Now go spread the word to the rest of my students. And remember, be quiet about it.”
The girls hurried off to do as they were told.
Everyone started dragging their suitcases to the closets in the back so they could start to unpack.
Claire unzipped her tattered gray wheelie. It looked like the whole bag was filled with silky bikini briefs.
”Kuh-laire,” Alicia gasped. ”How much underwear did you pack?”
Claire giggled. ”Everything I bought at Victoria's Secret. I wasn't sure which ones I liked best so I brought them all.”
”Can I have a pair?” Layne mumbled, under her breath.
”What?” Claire crinkled her pale eyebrows. ”Why?”
Layne stuck out her face and squinted her already narrow green eyes. ”You know know,” she insisted.
”Oh, yeah, sure. Take whatever you need.”
”Yeah, while you're at it, I could use a pair myself,” Alicia joked.
”No problem.” Claire grabbed a fistful of underwear and handed it to Alicia. The price tags dangled off her palm. ”Take as many as you want.”
Ma.s.sie looked up at Claire, half of her mouth curled up as if to ask what was up with the freebies. Claire widened her blue eyes and shrugged. Suddenly Ma.s.sie got it. It was a guilt giveaway. Claire would continue giving things to Alicia as long as it kept her from connecting her to Josh. But Layne?
A sudden kick at the door gave way to a pack of boys wearing ski caps and Lone Ranger masks, led by Derrington.
”What's up, damsels?” Derrington leapt into the cabin and wiggled his b.u.t.t for the ladies. Josh Hotz sneaked up behind him and yanked on Derrington's board shorts, revealing the top of his b.u.t.t crack.
”That was for you, Ma.s.sie!” Chris Plovert shouted. His cast was wrapped in saran wrap to keep the moisture out.
Derrington turned around and punched his friend in the arm. The two started cracking up and play-fighting.
Claire glanced around the room, ahb-viously to see if Cam was with them. He wasn't. She turned back to her suitcase and continued to unpack.
Ma.s.sie wanted to comfort her but didn't want Derrington to think she was ignoring him.
Merri-Lee raced through the door dressed in head-to-toe fatigues that had DIOR DIOR written across the legs in what was supposed to look like yellow spray paint. ”Get the boys fighting and then pan over to the girls' reactions,” she demanded. written across the legs in what was supposed to look like yellow spray paint. ”Get the boys fighting and then pan over to the girls' reactions,” she demanded.
Her camera crew did exactly as they were told.
Mr. Myner politely pulled Merri-Lee aside, and after a very close conversation she smiled at him and told her crew to cut.
”Boys, get back to your cabin!” Mr. Myner shouted.
”There you are.” Mr. Dingle pushed his big square bifocals up on his greasy b.u.t.ton nose. ”I gave you boys permission to take a quick trip to the bathroom, not to visit the girls.”
”The next time you are caught in here you, will be sent home, with a suspension,” Mr. Myner said. ”You are not to enter the girls' bunk, under any circ.u.mstances. And if any of you decide to take off into the woods again without supervision, you will face expulsion.”
”Whoa, dude, no need to use the E E word.” Derrington lifted his mask, which made his dirty blond hair poke straight up in the air. ”We were just exploring the grounds. You know, taking an interest in the topography.” word.” Derrington lifted his mask, which made his dirty blond hair poke straight up in the air. ”We were just exploring the grounds. You know, taking an interest in the topography.”
He made air quotes when he said topography, topography, which made Ma.s.sie smile with pride. They were perfect for each other. which made Ma.s.sie smile with pride. They were perfect for each other.
”I appreciate your integrity, Derrick, but there are bears back there, not to mention hundreds of miles of dense forest, and it would be very easy for you to get lost or killed or worse. And as long as I am responsible for your lives, I am forbidding you to go back there without Mr. Dingle or me.
So consider this a warning. You get no more chances. And that goes for you girls too.”
”Puh-lease, like we would even want to look at the trails.” Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes.
Mr. Myner opened his mouth, then quickly closed it and shook his head, obviously not knowing how to respond.
”Let's go.” Mr. Dingle herded the boys toward the door. Merri-Lee and her crew followed.
”See ya, Block!” Derrington shouted.
”'Bye.” Ma.s.sie giggled. All of the girls turned and gazed at her with the twinkle of envy in their eyes. She casually threw open the top of her suitcase, like his visit was no big deal. If only they could hear how hard her heart was pounding.
”Who do you think Josh was here to visit?” Alicia asked anyone who would answer.
Claire stuffed her face as far into her closet as it would possibly go.
”You,” they all knew to say.
Alicia still seemed unsure. ”You think?”
Ma.s.sie spread her arms as wide as possible and hugged a pile of ultra-soft cashmere sweaters. At first touch they felt odd and slightly gooey. Like someone had sneezed on them. She lifted them up with care and caution, not quite sure what to expect.
”Ehmagawd!” she squealed. Her favorite Tocca dark green double-V-neck sweater looked like a wet poodle.
”What is it?” Mr. Myner raced over to her side.
”My b.u.mble and b.u.mble leave-in conditioner leaked all over my clothes.” Ma.s.sie lifted her slick hands in the air as if they were covered in blood. ”Call 911. I need a dry cleaner ASAP.”
Dylan and Alicia rushed to her side and started rubbing her back.
”Preferably someone who specializes in cashmere and delicates,” Alicia barked at Mr. Myner.