The Best Friend (4 page)

“With compliments. Gillian is so insecure that she just eats up praise. So if you get the chance, go ahead and lather it on tonight. Keep in mind that the list is mostly for later. Why don't you stick it in your bag for now . . . like ammo.”

Lishia tucked the paper into a zippered pocket for safekeeping. Hopefully she wouldn't actually need it. If Gillian was as mean as Riley was saying, she'd probably show her real self without too much provocation. And like Riley said, first of all Lishia needed to gain her trust.

However, Lishia didn't really know Gillian that well. Oh, she'd been in class with her and had probably exchanged words with her before, but Gillian had gone to a different middle school, and other than Lishia's first impression (that Gillian was a bit of a snob), she had little to go on. Well, other than what Riley had told her. Hopefully that information was accurate. As far as winning this girl's trust, that shouldn't be too difficult. Lishia had catered to Janelle's ego over the past couple of years, and Janelle could be a pain at times. Anyway, Lishia knew how to make a person feel special. But usually she was sincere when doing so. Perhaps there was a way to be sincere with Gillian as well. Because as much as she wanted a friend in Riley, she wasn't convinced that she wanted it badly enough to hurt someone else.

I
love what you're doing with your hair,” Lishia told Gillian at halftime. The cheerleaders were back in the stands now, taking a break, drinking from water bottles and retouching their lip gloss. It was the third compliment Lishia had paid Gillian, and judging by the girl's creased brow, she was growing suspicious. Maybe it was time for Lishia to back off. But who didn't like hearing a little praise about themselves?

“What is it with you?” Gillian said to Lishia as she tossed her water bottle back into her duffle bag. “It's like you're suddenly stalking me. Or maybe you have a crush on me.” Gillian laughed. “Better not let Dayton hear about it.”

“Sorry.” Lishia forced an uneasy smile. “I just thought the highlights in your hair looked really good and I was curious, who does it for you?” She nervously patted her own long hair. It was still in its natural state, a nice auburn shade that she usually got compliments on. As a result, she'd avoided chemicals. “I—uh—I've been thinking I should get some highlights too.”

Gillian frowned at Lishia's hair. “Yeah, it wouldn't hurt to perk up those mousy tones.” Then she reluctantly told her the name of a salon.

“Is it really expensive?” Lishia was feeling sincerely curious. Maybe she was wrong about her hair. Perhaps she should look into this for real. No one had called her hair mousy before. But it was time for the cheerleaders to get back out to the field for a dance routine. Lishia smiled and waved and, feeling a little foolish, stood there on the sidelines with several other girls. Like them, she probably looked like a cheerleader groupie. The price one paid for friendship.

By the end of the football game, which they were losing, it seemed like Gillian was finally warming up to her a little. “Are you coming to Allegro's?” she asked Lishia as she gathered up her things and pulled on her letterman jacket.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Lishia glanced over to Riley now. So far the two had barely spoken, and Lishia wasn't even sure how she was supposed to handle this. Was Gillian supposed to think that she and Riley weren't friends?

“Well, guess I'll see you there.” Gillian actually smiled now. And it seemed almost genuine.

“Okay.” Lishia even waved as Gillian and several of the others left together.

“Nice work,” Riley said as she joined Lishia.

“I can tell they're really distancing themselves from you,” Lishia admitted as they left the stadium. “Like they're trying to freeze you out.”

“Tell me about it.” Riley let out a long, sad sigh. “It's kinda like having your own family disown you. And it's all because of Gillian.”

Lishia wanted to point out that Gillian was actually starting to seem somewhat nice—at least once Lishia had pressed through the ice princess act. But she knew that was not what Riley wanted to hear. Instead Lishia sided with Riley, agreeing that the treatment she was getting from her fellow cheerleaders was totally unkind and unfair.

“Especially considering that you guys are supposed to be a team,” Lishia said as she got in Riley's car. “How can you be a team if there's this nasty quiet squabble going on? It has to hurt the morale.”

“That's for sure. I just wish Coach Glassman could see what's really going on. She's so oblivious!”

Lishia continued her friendly act with Gillian at Allegro's. But when Gillian put two and two together, seeing that Lishia and Riley were actually friends, she turned decidedly frosty toward Lishia. It was like an on-off switch.

“So what's the deal with you, Lishia? Why are you being such a pest?” Gillian questioned as several girls waited to use the ladies' room in the restaurant. “Did you suddenly turn into an adoring cheerleader fan?”

“Huh?” Lishia glanced at Riley with uncertainty. It seemed the jig was up.

“You know,” Gillian continued, “like one of those pathetic losers who can't get enough of being around the cheerleaders, so she makes herself a total obnoxious pest?” Gillian laughed loudly, along with a few others, and Lishia felt her cheeks growing warm.

“Be nice,” Riley told Gillian.

“I wasn't talking to
you
.” Gillian tossed Riley a warning look, then turned back to Lishia. “Seriously, what are you up to anyway?”

“Excuse me,” Lishia feigned an apologetic expression. “I didn't know it was such an exclusive club. Am I supposed to apply for membership just to be friends with a cheerleader?”

Someone chortled.

“Of course not.” Amanda gave Gillian a questioning look as she stepped up to the mirror by the sinks. “We're not like that at all, Lishia. Don't let Gillian get to you. She's just having an off day.”

“And remember that some girls get their kicks by being mean,” Riley declared as the line for the toilets moved forward.

“I'm not mean,” Gillian shot back at her.

“Hey, I never mentioned names. I merely said
some girls
, but if the shoe fits . . .” Riley shrugged innocently as she went into a bathroom stall.

Gillian rolled her eyes, whispering something to Vanessa as they both giggled, then peered at Lishia as if she were part of a freak show.

“Maybe you should share with the class,” Lishia told Gillian.

“I doubt you'd appreciate it,” Gillian said.

Lishia's hands balled into fists. What right did Gillian have to go around making other people feel bad? Lishia sniffed the air with a curious expression. “What is that horrid smell?” she asked.

“It's a bathroom,” Gillian declared. “What do you think it's supposed to smell like?”

“It smells more like the guys' locker room after a wrestling match.” Lishia gave a disgusted face. “Seriously, it smells like really bad BO in here.”

Vanessa looked slightly shocked as she hurried into the next available stall, and Amanda giggled as she zipped her bag and stepped away from the mirror.

“Oh, that's just Gillian,” Riley called as she emerged from a stall. “Gillian always smells like that after a game or practice. She can't help it.”

Lishia feigned a surprised expression. “Oh, I'm sorry.” Her hand flew over her mouth. “I didn't mean . . .”

“Yeah, right.” Gillian narrowed her eyes, but her cheeks were flushing as if this had embarrassed her. As Lishia took her turn to use a stall, she felt justified, like Gillian had deserved that. She suppressed a tinge of guilt by deciding that it might do Gillian some good to be the one picked on for a change.

“Some people need to get a life,” Gillian said as a toilet flushed.

Lishia supposed this was aimed at her but decided to just ignore it. Fortunately, Gillian was nowhere to be seen when Lishia emerged from the stall to wash her hands. Amanda was gone too, but Riley was waiting.

“I think you might've offended Gillian,” Riley said in a cautious tone, acting like she had nothing to do with that BO comment.

“Maybe she offended me first,” Lishia said defensively.

Riley shrugged as she dried her hands.

“Seriously, where does she get off making others feel bad like that?” Lishia threw her paper towel in the trash.

Riley tipped her head to a stall, probably to indicate Gillian was still here. Lishia shrugged. “I don't care if she hears me. She should know that not everyone wants to bow down and kiss her smelly feet.”

Gillian slammed the bathroom stall door with a sour expression. “What is it with you?” She pointed at Lishia. “You're like a pesky mosquito buzzing around my head. I'd like to swat you.” She glared at Riley now. “Let me guess, you're involved in this somehow. You want to get back at me for Dayton, but I'm warning you, it's not working.”

Riley gave her an innocent look. “I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about.”

“Well, bug off, pest,” Gillian snapped at Lishia.

“As far as I know it's still a free country,” Lishia tossed over her shoulder as she left with Riley trailing her.

“You were great,” Riley assured her once they were out of there. “Very natural.”

“Well, she got to me.” Lishia still felt anger rising toward Gillian. The weird thing was that she wasn't even sure why. All she knew was that the girl had a way of getting under her skin. Even so, as they walked outside, Lishia was uneasy. Something about that whole exchange felt off—like she had crossed over some invisible line and perhaps she even should apologize to Gillian. But at the same time, she wasn't even sure what she should apologize for. Besides, she didn't want to!

As Riley drove Lishia home, she talked about Gillian, going on and on about what a selfish, skanky, lowlife sort of girl she was and how she really didn't deserve to be on the cheerleading team. “Gillian even slept with Tyler last summer.”

“Tyler Braxton?” Lishia asked. “Amanda's boyfriend?”

“Uh-huh.” Riley nodded. “Amanda doesn't know, of course.”

“Were Amanda and Tyler going out then?”

“Absolutely. Those two have been together for almost a year now. The fact that Gillian would do that—and Amanda is such a good friend to her—well, it's pretty disgusting.”

“That's for sure.”

“Somehow we've got to bring Gillian down, Lishia. You can see how she's ruining the morale of the entire team with her meanness and bad attitude. Besides that, it's not fair for her to break the rules and get away with it—even if her mom is best friends with the coach. She has to be stopped.”

Lishia nodded. She did agree that Gillian needed a good wake-up call. However, Lishia honestly didn't see how she would be able to help with something of that magnitude. Just standing up against Gillian tonight had felt like a hard-fought battle. And Lishia had never been into fighting. She was a peacemaker at heart.

“Next time we go after Gillian, we need to be armed.”

“Armed?” Lishia felt a wave of shock and disgust. Surely Riley wasn't thinking of weapons.

“With cameras,” she explained. “We need evidence. We need to record Gillian showing her true nature so that Coach Glassman can see it.”

“Oh . . . right.”

“Tomorrow we'll nail down our plan.”

Right now the only plan Lishia wanted to make was to rethink this whole thing with Riley. As much as she wanted Riley for a friend, she knew she was getting in over her head. The sooner she made an escape, the better off she would be. “I'm not so sure I can do that . . . ” she began slowly, trying to think of a graceful way to make a break.

“And don't forget—we're invited to Todd Reimer's birthday party, and it's tomorrow night,” Riley said as she pulled up to Lishia's house.

“We?” Lishia tilted her head to one side. “Since when?”

“Didn't you see me talking to Todd tonight? He specifically asked me to invite you.”

“Todd Reimer asked you to invite me?” Lishia blinked. Todd was one of the most popular guys in the school. Like many girls, Lishia had nurtured a secret crush on Todd for years.

“Do you think I'm making this up?” Riley sounded hurt.

“No, of course not. I'm just surprised.”

“Anyway, the party starts around eight. Maybe you should spend the night at my house afterwards, you know, in case it runs late.”

Lishia almost mentioned that it was youth group tomorrow night, but then she remembered her friendless state in youth group recently. Besides that, Riley was talking about Todd Reimer's birthday party—and said Todd wanted Lishia to be there. No way was she going to miss out on this.

“What should I wear?” Lishia asked.

“I know, let's hang together tomorrow afternoon,” Riley said. “We can plan what we're wearing to the party and make a really fun day of it. Okay?”

“Sure.” Lishia opened the car door. “That sounds awesome. Thanks!” She waved, and as she walked up to her house she realized how close she'd come to giving up on Riley just now. She had almost blown off the friendship! And why? Because she was worried about taking photos of Gillian? Really, when had she turned into such a pathetic little coward? Why shouldn't she be willing to catch Gillian doing something wrong? In a way she'd be doing the whole school a favor. It was wrong for a girl like Gillian to be representing their school as a cheerleader and simultaneously breaking the code of conduct. Why shouldn't Lishia cooperate with Riley in bringing Gillian down? In a way it seemed like a responsibility.

D
oesn't Todd remind you of Johnny Depp?” Lishia asked Riley as they were trying on clothes. Riley had declared she had “nothing to wear,” and they had headed for the nearest mall to do some last-minute shopping. As usual, Lishia had been stuck looking on the clearance rack, while Riley gathered her selection from the “just arrived” rack. However, as they tried things on, Lishia couldn't see much difference in the items—well, other than the price tags.

“Now that you mention it, yes. He does have that mysterious quality about him.” Riley gave a little turn so that the flared skirt she was trying on swirled out.

“Pretty,” Lishia approved. “It would look good with that blue top you just tried on.”

“And Dayton likes blue.”

“Dayton?” Lishia frowned.

“You don't think I'm going to let Gillian walk away with him, do you?” Riley gave a mischievous smile. “Not without a little fight, anyway.”

“Really?”

“Sure.” Riley nodded. “Dayton still likes me. I just need to remind him of a couple of things. You know, to give him a chance to think this thing over.”

“Oh . . . ?”

“It's a free country still . . . right?”

“Of course.”

Riley gave her a sly look. “And you do know that Todd is currently between girlfriends, don't you?”

Lishia smiled shyly. “I thought he might be.”

“So you need to look your very best for him tonight.”

Now Lishia giggled. “Like he'll notice.”

“He noticed you last night.”

Lishia wasn't sure whether to believe Riley or not. As much as she wanted to believe her, the old adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is” was running through her head.

“Come on,” Riley urged her, “take some chances. We are only young once, Lishia. You don't have to live like you're an old lady.” She pointed to the blouse Lishia was trying on. “And I hate to pick on you, but that makes you look like an old lady.” She reached for something from her dressing room. “Here, try this instead. I'm sure that neckline will catch Todd's eye.”

Lishia giggled as she took the pale pink shirt into her changing room. She had admired it on Riley, although Riley had claimed the color was wrong. As Lishia tried it on, she thought it actually looked even better on her than on Riley.

“That's perfect,” Riley announced when Lishia showed her. “You have to get it.”

“It's too much.” Lishia frowned at the price tag.

“But it's so perfect!” Riley's brow creased. “You have to get it.”

“I can't afford it.”

Riley stuck her lower lip out now. “You're no fun!”

“Sorry.” Lishia held up her hands. “Unlike some people, I have limited funds.” She grimaced at this—she knew she sounded just like her mother. Unfortunately, it was the truth. “But I will get the skirt,” she called out as she went back to change into her own clothes.

As they went to the cashier, Riley snatched the pink shirt. “Fine, if you don't want this, I do.”

Lishia tried not to feel hurt as she watched Riley place the shirt with her other pieces. Really, why should she care if Riley wanted it? Riley's parents were much better off than Lishia's. Why shouldn't she buy from whichever rack she pleased? Still, it stung.

Then as they were leaving the store, Riley reached into her shopping bag, pulled out the pink shirt, and handed it to Lishia. “Here, this is for you,” she declared with a big grin.

“What?”

“It's a gift.”

“No way.” Lishia shook her head.

“Way!” Riley stuck out her lower lip again. “You really don't want to offend me, do you?”

Lishia looked longingly at the pink shirt. “Not really.”

“Good.” Riley threw back her head and laughed. “Seriously, what are friends for, anyway?”

“Thanks,” Lishia told her. “That was really nice.”

Riley paused in front of a hair salon, glancing at her watch. She turned to Lishia. “Do you really want to color your hair?”

Lishia's eyes grew wide. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we could see if they could fit you in. This is where I get my hair done, and they're really good. Sometimes they take walk-ins, and—”

“But there's no way I can afford that,” Lishia said suddenly.

“Come on,” Riley urged, “let's just ask. They probably don't have time for you anyway.”

The next thing Lishia knew, Riley was standing there talking to the receptionist. As ridiculously impossible as this all seemed, Lishia knew that she really did want to do something different with her hair. Ever since Chelsea had come onto the scene, Lishia had been rethinking her own natural color. Maybe it was true—maybe her auburn hair was mousy . . . maybe blondes really did have more fun.

“They can do it!” Riley exclaimed.

“But I still can't afford—”

“Never mind. I'll put it on my card and you can pay me back later.”

“But I can't—”

“Do you want to catch Todd's eye tonight or not?” Riley gave her an impatient look.

“Well, I—”

“If we're going to do this, we need to get moving,” the hairdresser urged Lishia.

“Go!” Riley put her hand on Lishia's back as she removed her bags and purse. “Indulge yourself for once!”

Just like that, Lishia was suddenly getting her hair shampooed. Unreal! She tried not to think about things like money and paying Riley back. After all, it wasn't as if Riley gave her a choice in this matter. Besides, the truth was, Lishia wanted this. She wanted it badly! As the hairdresser did her work, Lishia imagined what it would feel like to walk into Todd's birthday party and have him stare at her as if seeing her for the first time. She pictured him coming directly to her, taking her hand in his, asking her to dance . . . and that would be only the beginning!

Todd was just getting down on one knee and asking her to become his wife when the hairdresser proclaimed, “Finished!”

“Huh?” Lishia woke herself from her daydream.

“With just enough time for a cigarette break before my next client.” The hairdresser grinned. “What do you think?”

Lishia stared into the mirror. “Wow.” Her hand went up to her lightened hair. She looked like someone else. “Is that really me?”

“Pretty chic, eh?”

Lishia wasn't so sure. After years of auburn hair, it was shocking to see herself as a blonde. “I like the cut,” she managed to say as she turned her head from side to side, watching the sleek, highlighted hair moving. It was definitely pretty, but she wasn't sure that it was really her. It was like she'd turned into someone else.

“You look fantastic,” Riley said as she came over to look.

“Do you really think so?”

“On with you,” the hairdresser commanded. “I have to clean up my station now. You'll have to gawk at yourself somewhere else.”

“I already took care of the bill,” Riley said as she handed Lishia back her things. “And now we have just enough time to get home and get ready for the big night.” She shook her head in amazement. “You really look hot, Lishia. Almost like someone else.”

“Yeah, that's what worries me.” She touched her hair, surprised to find that it even felt different.

“A new and improved you,” Riley assured her.

Lishia began to giggle as they walked through the mall. “Is it just my imagination, or am I catching more looks from guys?”

“They're looking at both of us,” Riley told her. “With your new 'do, we probably look pretty good together.”

“I guess so.” Lishia wondered what her mom would say when she saw it. Not that her mother was opposed to such things, but she would question how Lishia could afford it. “I will pay you back,” she told Riley, “but it might take a while.”

“Don't worry about it . . . I'm not.”

Dressed for the party, Lishia wasn't exaggerating when she told Riley that she felt like “a million bucks.”

“And you look like it too.” Riley seemed slightly troubled. “In fact, now I'm hoping I didn't create a monster. You better not upstage me in front of Dayton. I know he has this twisted notion that he prefers blondes lately.”

Lishia laughed lightly. “Don't worry, I'm setting my sights on the birthday boy tonight.” She hoped she wasn't going to be in for too much of a disappointment.

“And you're still going to deliver Todd that birthday present we talked about?”

Lishia nodded. “I am.”

“Cool.” She parked her car along the street, where already dozens of cars were lined up. “And you have my phone, and it's all charged and ready in case you need it, right? And the camcorder too?”

“It's in the bag.” Lishia patted the sleek little Kate Spade purse Riley had loaned her for the evening. She didn't want to admit it, but she was feeling a bit like Cinderella tonight. However, she knew that this party was also meant to be a mission. More than anything, Riley wanted Lishia to snag some compromising photos or video footage of Gillian—something they could use as evidence with Mrs. Glassman. Lishia had her doubts as to whether this would really happen, but to appease Riley, who'd been very sweet today, she acted like she was playing along. After all, wasn't that what friends were for?

Lishia felt nervous as they entered the already crowded yard, where kids were milling about and what sounded like a live band was blasting from the backyard. She had no idea what to expect, although she suspected that this was an unchaperoned party and, based on rumors she'd heard in school, those red plastic cups probably contained alcohol. Although she didn't want to admit it (not even to herself), that bothered her some. However, she rationalized, if—and she wasn't even sure she would, but
if
—Riley imbibed, Lishia would simply designate herself as their driver. Under the circumstances, wasn't that the right thing to do?

As she followed Riley inside the house, watching as the confident girl comfortably greeted friends, Lishia could imagine what her mother would say about this. But instead of listening, she blocked it out. After all, she had to grow up someday. This was the norm for most kids. It was about time Lishia experienced it for herself.

Not the drinking part, of course, but she might as well see firsthand what it was all about. Never mind that her old friends would be shocked and appalled if they knew. They were probably all at youth group tonight . . . probably not even missing her. Well, she told herself as she held her head high, imitating Riley's self-assured stride, she was a new person now. Growing up and moving on. Oh, she didn't plan to drink tonight, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with being here and having a good time.

“Hey, Todd,” Riley said pleasantly. “Happy birthday!” She hugged him, then nodded to Lishia. “I brought you a little present.”

Lishia felt her cheeks growing warm. Why did Riley have to say that? “Happy birthday,” Lishia murmured shyly. But as he embraced her in a warm hug, her confidence grew, and without second-guessing herself, she looked him in the eyes and landed a kiss right smack on his lips. “And that's for your birthday.”

He let out a loud whoop of laughter. “Thank you!” Then he leaned down and kissed her again. This time her head began to swim a bit, but she didn't protest as she kissed him back. He slipped his arm around her waist. “I think I'll keep my birthday present handy for the time being,” he told her.

She smiled up at him, suppressing the urge to giggle like a six-year-old. She couldn't believe this was really happening. Riley looked almost as shocked as Lishia felt. Then she gave her a sly wink and a thumbs-up.

For a while, Lishia felt like she was on top of the world. At Todd Reimer's side, being admired by him, greeting his friends as if she and Todd had been dating for ages . . . life was good!

“Let's get you something to drink,” Todd told her as they walked over to the food and drink area. “What would you like?”

“Do you, uh, how about a Sierra Mist?”

He frowned like he'd misheard her. “Huh?”

“I, uh, I mean, a Coke. I think I'd like a Coke.”

A slow grin crossed his face. “And perhaps you'd like a little something in your Coke?”

“Ice?”

He laughed. “Here, let me take care of it.” He quietly said something to the guy who was playing bartender, and before she knew it he was handing her what she knew was a Coke spiked with something.

She took a sniff, then shook her head. “I don't drink alcohol.”

He looked shocked. “Seriously? Never?”

“Never.”

His hand slipped away from where it had been snugly holding on to her waist, and his smile faded. “Oh . . .” He reached for the drink and took a sip with a dismayed expression. “Sorry. I mean, it's not like I put anything illegal in it. Just a little rum is all.”