Boys R Us

by Lisi Harrison

  “How’s everything going?” Kendra asked, her voice taking on her “I know something’s going on, so you might as well tell me all about it” tone. “You seem a little stressed.”

  “I’m fine.” Massie waved her away. “It’s just a lot of planning, that’s all.” She pretended to rearrange the hangers in one of the wardrobe boxes so she wouldn’t have to face her mom. One look in Kendra’s wide brown eyes, and Massie worried she’d spill everything.

  “Okay, then,” Kendra said from the other side of the box. “Get to bed soon, okay?” She stepped over three mountainous piles of clothes and pulled Massie in for a hug.

  “Okay,” Massie murmured into her mom’s navy silk blouse. She inhaled the remaining vapors of Kendra’s D&G Light Blue perfume, but even that familiar scent couldn’t calm her. The only thing that was going to make her feel better was getting organized. So she pulled away and ducked back into the wardrobe box. “’Night.”

  “’Night-night,” Kendra said. A few seconds later, the door to Massie’s room clicked shut.

  Massie breathed a sigh of relief and reached for her iPhone.

  HO HO HOMELESS GAME PLAN

  MAC GIRL RUNWAY OUTFIT HAIR MAKEUP ISSUES/CONCERNS RUNWAY READY?

  Massie Hervé Léger strapless foil dress (fabric looks x-tra shimmery under runway lights!), Miu Miu gold strappy sandals Side part, loose waves. (Think Gisele in Rampage campaign.) SHIMMER, SHIMMER, and MORE SHIMMER!!!! None. * * * * *

  Layne Gaultier trench dress, Prada jeweled slides CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION!!! No scrunchies. No headbands. No barrettes. No nuh-thing. Anything but Hello Kitty. Seriously. Anything. Hasn’t worn nice clothes in her entire life. What if she has an allergic reaction to expensive fabric? Solution: Philosophy Amazing Grace body butter. Will keep her skin smooth and rash free. * * * *

  Lilah Nanette Lepore teal sequin georgette minidress (color will look ah-mazing with her matching eyes!), Jimmy Choo T-strap sandals Ojon deep condition; shine spray. (Think Selma Blair.) Keep it neutral. Haven’t seen her in heels or a dress. Ever. What if she trips? Solution: Keep the heels low and hope for the best. * * * *

  Jasmin Ralph Lauren Collection silk jersey halter dress, Zanotti jeweled thongs Messy, sexy beach hair. (Think Rachel Bilson.) Beachy bronze goddess (Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Brick, MAC Lustreglass in Instant Gold.) Claire thinks she looks familiar! Could make the Tampax commercial connection and blow MAC girls’ cover. Solution: Keep Jasmin away from tampons and Claire. * * *

  Kaitlyn Stella McCartney black silk bow-sleeve dress, vintage black Louboutin pumps Sleek bob (Think Katie Holmes, only less mannish.) Smoky eyes, neutral lip. She’s super tall. What if Chris Abeley only has short friends? If worse comes to worst, put her in flats. * * * *

  Cassidy Kendra’s vintage Chanel goddess dress (the one that looks like a muumuu). Not the cutest, but somebody’s got to wear it! If Jakkob has time. Ditto. Always looking for quote-unquote “motivation.” What if she loses it halfway down the runway and doesn’t finish her walk?Remind her preshow that her “motivation” is $$$$$$. * * *

  Bean Burberry plaid wool sweater. Oscar Blandi Jasmine Shine Spray for a shimmering coat A natural beauty! She will steal the show. * * * * *

  Massie felt better staring at the neat, organized columns in her Glam Plan spreadsheet. But then she felt a rush of panic again, remembering what she was still missing. Boys. What good were glammed-up girls if she couldn’t provide cute boys to escort them down the runway?

  Frantically, she speed-dialed Layne. The call went straight to voice mail.

  Chucking the phone onto her bed, Massie collapsed onto her duvet, every muscle in her body tensed. Had she not told Layne to be available by cell 24/7, especially in the few days before the party? The ex–Pretty Committee never would have slacked off in the most crucial pre-party hours like this.

  Sensing her stress, Bean scampered onto her bed and settled next to her. But not even the soothing scent of her soy candle or the scratchy warmth of Bean’s tiny tongue could calm her.

  Calm was nawt an option when her reputation was on the line.

  THE RIVERA ESTATE

  ALICIA’S BEDROOM

  Wednesday, October 21st

  9:36 P.M.

  Even after a Philosophy fudge cake–scented bubble bath, two Laura Mercier milk scrubs, and an extra-thick layer of Sephora coconut cream body butter, the stress of the afternoon’s meeting still hadn’t melted away. Alicia lay in the center of her bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering how party planning could possibly be this stressful. It was the opposite of fun.

  Massie had always emphasized the importance of organization when it came to event prep. And Alicia had tried to organize. In fact, she’d tried so hard that she’d gone through six stacks of pink Post-it notes and two pens. But somehow, all she’d ended up with was a pink-papered room, ink-stained hands, and no real game plan. She reached down and plucked four pink Post-its from her coconut-slicked thigh, slapping them on the wall next to her bed.

  RED-CARPET PARTY MENU

  Appetizer: Posh Spice–y Tuna Rolls

  Main Course: Mini Corbin Bleu Cheese Burgers

  Dessert: Vanilla Milk-Jakes w/ Reese’s Pieces

  Halle Berries w/ Crème Fraîche

  Demi S’Moores

  German chocolate Justin Timber-cake

  PARTY PLAYLIST

  “Paparazzi” (Lady Gaga)

  “Hollywood” (Jonas Brothers)

  “Picture Perfect” (Nelly Furtado)

  “Smile” (Lily Allen)

  “La La Land” (Demi Lovato)

  CELEB CONVERSATION TOPICS

  Which (celeb) would you rather (lip-kiss)?

  Examples: Chace Crawford or Chuck Bass

  Kellan Lutz or Channing Tatum

  Selena Gomez or Miley Cyrus

  Emma Roberts or Taylor Swift

  CELEB GOSSIP

  Examples: Is Tony leaving Jess because she’s gotten too fat?

  Brad & Angie: How many kids is too many?

  Paris: How many BFFs could one girl possibly need?

  Is guyliner EVER acceptable for the red carpet?

  PAR TY GAMES

  Pin the tail on Ashlee Simpson’s nose (the old one).

  Red-carpet looks: Who wore it better?

  (Note: Get pics from Us Weekly.)

  Red-carpet costume contest

  (Note: Figure out what A and J are wearing!!!!!!)

  NOTHING MASSIE BLOCK–RELATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Staring at the Post-its on her wall, Alicia felt her stress level starting to rise again. Somehow, writing down all the things she needed to do to get ready for Friday night was making her more anxious—not less. How was she supposed to get everything done in time, plus make Claire’s house party acceptable, plus look rested and beautiful for Josh? One girl couldn’t possibly be expected to pull all this off, could she?

  Exhausted, Alicia reached for her Sleeping Diva silk sleep mask. She already knew the answer to that question. One girl she knew could have pulled this party off. But that girl wasn’t Alicia Rivera.

  That girl was Massie Block.

  THE BLOCK ESTATE

  THE BACKYARD

  Friday, October 23rd

  4:35 P.M.

  It looked like an actual circus had rolled into Westchester that morning and parked in the backyard between the Block estate and the guesthouse. Lighting engineers, fashion show producers, and a few of Layne’s theater techie friends were hauling spotlights and yelling into wireless headsets as they rushed up and down the clear plastic runway that topped the Blocks’ swimming pool. Performers in aqua unitards walked invisible tightropes overhead. Thanks to Massie’s expired purple streak, she hadn’t been able to get Cirque du Soleil performers. Instead, she’d had to settle for the less popular Cirque d’Olé!, a local Spanish troupe.

  Massie headed for the white silk wardrobe tent that was connected to the catwalk with a long, white silk–covered carpet. She ducked past a herd
of tuxedoed caterers carrying giant silver trays of sushi. Since the runway stretched over the pool, she’d decided at the last minute to lend an aquatic, underwater feel to the circus theme.

  When she reached the opening of the tent, she paused to check her watch. Three point five hours until showtime. Thank Gawd Kendra had let her take a bad sushi day. There was no way she could have gotten everything done if she’d actually had to go to school. She lifted the tent flap and ducked inside.

  The MAC girls, dressed in lavender tracksuits with MAC scripted across the shoulders in metallic silver, were rolling overstuffed wardrobe racks into the tent while Inez steamed wrinkles from the silk flaps with an industrial-size steamer. Meanwhile, Jakkob’s entire staff was frantically unpacking trunks of hair spray, flatirons, and giant rollers while the makeup artists teetered in heels across the grassy tent floor, dragging bulging suitcases in their wake. Even though the tent was overflowing with people, some were obviously missing.

  Boys.

  The band.

  “LAYNE!” she screeched.

  “Huh?” She appeared from behind a rolling wardrobe rack. “What’s up?” She adjusted the headset she’d been wearing for the past two hours.

  Massie crossed her arms over her chest. “I gave you two jobs. Boys and a band. Where are they?”

  “Would you relax?” Layne checked herself out in one of the four makeup mirrors Massie had moved from the MAC actor trailer to the center of the wardrobe tent. Bean was sitting in the next chair over, getting a blowout. “I told you I’d take care of it, and I did. Trust me.”

  Just then, Kendra popped her head through the tent flap. “Where are the male models?” she asked, texting frantically on her BlackBerry. “They were supposed to be in hair and makeup an hour ago.”

  Massie glared at Layne, jerking her thumb in the LBR’s direction. “Ask her.”

  “They’ll be here,” Layne repeated. But she was starting to look a little worried.

  “If the boys aren’t here in twenty minutes, we’ll have to cancel the show,” Kendra said, still speed-texting. “And if the entertainment isn’t here in thirty, we’ll have to default to the original entertainment plan.

  Massie’s eyes widened in horror. “You wouldn’t.”

  Kendra nodded gravely. “I still have that Irish dancing troupe booked….” Her BlackBerry buzzed and she pressed it to her ear, ducking back out of the tent.

  “They’ll be here,” Layne repeated, reaching for a tube of magenta glitter liner on the shelf beneath her mirror.

  Massie glared at Layne and swiped the liner. Tonight, glitter was strictly off-limits. She stuffed the tube in her pocket.

  Layne got the hint. Defeat-sighing, she slid from her chair. “Lemme call and check their ETA.” Without waiting for an answer, she whipped out her cell and headed for the tent exit.

  Massie needed some air. She grabbed a bottle of Chanel No. 19 off a nearby makeup table, spritzed a cloud in front of her, and spun around in it. Ahhhhh. When she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with Lilah, Kaitlyn, Jasmin, and Cassidy, who were carrying swaying stacks of press packets and fashion show programs. Kaitlyn stumbled over her heels, and papers went flying in all directions, littering the tent floor.

  “Oops,” Kaitlyn shouted over the commotion. She knelt to pick them up.

  “It’s okay. You can leave it,” Massie said, forcing a smile. She didn’t want to stress the models out before the show, and it was time to test-drive the catwalk. Besides, staying trapped in an airless tent while Inez pumped the place full of wrinkle-releasing humidity would frizz her ends.

  “You’re sure?” Kaitlyn glanced up, crinkling her nose in uncertainty.

  “Pos,” Massie assured her. “You girls ready to try out your runway?”

  The girls nodded, their heads bobbing excitedly.

  “Okay, then. Let’s go.” Massie made a beeline for the tent exit, not caring who or what was in her way. “Come on, Bean,” she called to her puppy, who leaped from the makeup chair to follow her. She strode past racks of clothing, stacks of chairs, and an acrobat getting body-painted to look like a mermaid. Ducking through the silk tent flaps, she hurried along the narrow covered walkway that led to the runway.

  “This is the only run-through,” she called to the line of girls sprint-walking behind her. “So let’s make it count.” It felt so good to have four beautiful—but not more beautiful than her—girls walking behind her, watching her every move. They were just as excited about walking the runway as she was. Despite all the chaos, she and the MAC girls were in sync—

  “Hey, Massie,” Jasmin chirped behind her. “Do you want to be president?”

  “What?” Massie asked, confused. “No.”

  “Then why are you running?” Jasmin finished.

  The MAC girls cracked up behind her. Even Massie had to smile a little at the wannabe comeback. It wasn’t the best, but wasn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? She relaxed slightly, slowing down. Bean slowed, too.

  “Uh, Massie?” Lilah droned behind Jasmin. “It’s way past time for our break.”

  Massie whirled around. “But this is the only time we can practice.”

  Jasmin crossed her arms over her chest. “But this is the only time we can have a break.”

  “Yeah, it’s kind of a legal thing,” Kaitlyn reminded Massie.

  Massie’s palms were starting to sweat, and she wiped them on the legs of her tracksuit. “A real friend wouldn’t want to split at a time like this. A real friend would do anything to make sure the show was perfect.” She stared down the line of girls in front of her. Bean lifted her tiny pug nose, staring down at the girls, too.

  “Reality check. I’m an eend—employee friend,” Lilah shot back, stabbing Massie in the heart with her words. “And you’re my bend, remember?”

  “Remind me,” Massie said slowly. “Are you or are you not getting paid to be my friend?”

  “Absolutely,” Cassidy piped up, tucking her short, newly dyed platinum locks behind her ear. Even she’d had to admit the dye job was inspired.

  “Then act like it!” Massie thundered, whirling back around and finishing her walk.

  If this was nothing but a job to these girls, then fine. She’d treat them like employees, and nothing else. As long as they did their jobs and made the Soul-M8s jealous, she’d keep them on the payroll.

  When she reached the end of the walkway, she sidestepped an electrician and reglossed for the tenth time in fifteen minutes. She’d been stress-biting her bottom lip all afternoon, which meant she would probably vom Chocolate Biscotti Glossip Girl if she didn’t stop.

  Taking a seat next to the runway, Massie surveyed the progress of the backyard. Order was slowing emerging out of the chaos, like an unfinished Michelangelo sculpture. Rows of clear Lucite chairs filled with blue water, sand, and glow-in-the-dark fish were arranged on either side of the catwalk, echoing the neon coral reef, fish, and tiny sea horses that swam under the runway in the Blocks’ pool. Tuxedo-clad security guards were securing the perimeter, and across the lawn Massie could see Alicia and Claire inside the guesthouse. Their faces were strained with effort as they blew up gold star-shaped balloons.

  “If we’re not getting our break, can you at least count us off?” Lilah sighed. Massie ignored her.

  Claire’s balloon escaped from her lips, whizzing across the room. Both girls collapsed against the doors, their bodies shaking with laugher. Massie’s shoulders slumped as she watched. That used to be her there. Laughing and joking with her BFFs in the hours before one of their parties. Now she was stuck on the outside, dragging around a bunch of whiny actors who needed pee breaks more often than Bean. Alicia and Claire stopped laughing, and when they caught their breath, Massie caught Alicia’s eye. She was staring directly at her.

  “Massie.” Lilah said again, louder this time.

  “Fine,” she said, feeling Alicia’s eyes boring into her, even from hundreds of feet away. Massie stood up and plastered a runway-rea
dy smile on her face.

  “Ah-five, and six, and sev-en, eight!” On the beat, she launched into a perfect runway walk, leading her girls and Bean toward the end of the pool. Cool night air tossed her locks as she relaxed into the moment.

  “Don’t forget to smile,” Kendra called from the lawn at the end of the runway.

  Rolling her eyes, Massie pivoted and then grin-walked back to the tent with the confidence of an alpha who knew exactly who she was and where she was going. Nothing could get in her way. No one could distract her. Not even Alic—

  “Hey!”

  Massie skidded to a stop at the sight of a boy in vintage wash AG jeans, and an intentionally wrinkled white collared shirt, standing at the beginning of the runway. He had Adrian Grenier’s messy black waves, Chace Crawford’s penetrating light blue eyes, and Zac Efron’s relaxed swagger. Not to mention Massie Block’s full attention. Four more guys were crowded around him.

  In one swift movement, she lifted her right hand. The MACs came to a screeching halt behind her. The hollow sound of Bean’s tiny toenails against the plastic runway ceased.

  “Can I hump you?” asked Cassidy with a mischievous giggle. ”I mean, help you?”

  Massie couldn’t help cracking up. A split second later, so did the boys. When the boy in front of her laughed, a single dimple appeared on the right side of his cheek.

  The laughter faded but the dimple on his cheek remained, sending love waves through Massie’s body.

  “I’m looking for May-see Block,” the guy finally said.

  “Here.” She raised her hand, too struck to correct his mispronunciation. The boy was so hawt, she could practically feel the gloss melting off her lips.

  “Landon! Finally!” Layne was galloping alongside the runway toward the boy.

  “Laynie!” He raised his palm to greet her.