New York Debut (18 page)

“Casey is really nice,” said DJ quickly. “She’s looking forward to getting to know you better. You’re okay with it, aren’t you?”

Kriti turned and looked at DJ with wide dark eyes. “The truth is I’m just relieved not to be going back with Eliza. Ironic, since I remember how furious I was when Mrs. Carter told me she wanted me to switch roommates. I suppose it really was for the best.”

DJ almost mentioned that Casey would probably be a good influence when it came to eating too since, after DJ, Casey had the biggest appetite in Carter House. Still, DJ didn’t want to push it. Instead, she helped Kriti to gather her things.

“What is going on?” demanded Eliza when she saw DJ and Kriti carrying a load of Kriti’s belongings across the hallway.

DJ quickly explained the switches.

“I suppose I’m the last to know about this.” Eliza frowned at DJ.

“Apparently.”

“Well, at least Rhiannon won’t have as much junk as Taylor,” snapped Eliza. “I’ll appreciate it if Taylor gets her things out of my room ASAP.”

DJ just nodded. But she chuckled to herself as she considered what Eliza’s reaction might be when she saw all of Rhiannon’s rag-tag retro collection of clothes and fabric and things arriving in her room. Plus DJ would encourage Rhiannon to use her fair share of closet space too!

The next few days felt like a whirlwind of emotions and controversies and chaos to DJ. It seemed the competition between the girls was only intensifying. More than ever, she felt thankful that she wouldn’t be an actual participant in the big fashion show. Not that she’d tipped her hand to anyone. Well, besides Taylor, and although she wasn’t happy about DJ’s decision, she could be trusted to keep her mouth shut.

By Monday Casey and Daisy, following their weekend of hair appointments, exfoliating facials, and various dye-removing formulas, had nearly erased the effects of the blue dye job — a huge relief since they hadn’t looked forward to being teased at school. During the weekend, Eliza had been calling Casey an “overgrown Smurf girl” until everyone had gotten sick of it. At lunch time, DJ couldn’t help but smile as she noticed Madison and Tina’s disappointment to see that Daisy and Casey looked just fine. As if to rub it in, Daisy and Casey intentionally strutted right past the other girls’ table.

DJ just hoped that Madison and Tina weren’t planning some other form of sabotage.

But it was Taylor’s return from rehab that caused the biggest buzz at school. As usual, rumors were flying right and left, but Taylor acted totally nonchalant, like
no big deal
, like no one was talking and like she hadn’t been gone at all. DJ wasn’t even sure how she managed to pull this off, but she had to admire it. Then, on Tuesday, the buzz around Taylor got even louder when she publicly broke up with Seth in the cafeteria.

Everyone knew that Seth had been acting like a great big jerk while Taylor was gone. And whether it was right or wrong, DJ thoroughly enjoyed watching him being cut down to size in front of everyone. It took great self-control not to stand and cheer as she watched the drama unfold.

“I wouldn’t want you to be stuck with a loser like me,”

Taylor told Seth with a slight twinkle in her eye. “I’m sure it must be so embarrassing for you to have a girlfriend like me . . . having been in rehab and all. You should go find yourself someone who deserves a
great
guy like you.” Seth was pretty much speechless. And Taylor, looking more beautiful than ever, just shook her head and said, “See ya later, dude” and walked away. DJ wanted to cheer.

As the week progressed, it seemed the Carter House girls and Fashion Week had become the talk of the town. They made both the local paper and school paper and were even interviewed by Channel Five News, airing on Wednesday evening. Naturally, Madison and Tina went around telling everyone that Mrs. Carter’s modeling sessions were rigged and that she should be sued. Tina’s father (an attorney) was probably looking into it right now. Not that DJ or the others were taking these threats seriously. But it did seem that everyone was slightly on edge. Particularly the recently dethroned Eliza.

Naturally, she had not been the least bit pleased that Taylor had made it back in time for Fashion Week. On Wednesday morning, her usual saccharine southern charm completely evaporated when Grandmother complimented not only Taylor’s new outfit, but her makeup and hair as well.

“Taylor is setting a new standard for Carter House,” Grandmother had gushed in front of everyone at the breakfast table. “The
gold
standard.”

“Perhaps we all need a lockdown in an alcohol rehabilitation facility to learn more about fashion and style,” Eliza said snidely.

Grandmother pretended to ignore this mean comment, but DJ could tell that it had registered anyway. She suspected that it hadn’t elevated Eliza in Grandmother’s mind. That was enough to give DJ hope that her grandmother wasn’t quite as shallow as she sometimes appeared.

But Taylor wasn’t the only bee in Miss Eliza’s bonnet. Eliza was also grumbling about her new roommate. She did not appreciate “Preacher Girl,” as she liked to call Rhiannon. What she didn’t know was that the harder she made life for Rhiannon, the more sermons, Christian music, and Bible quoting she’d get in return. Rhiannon had a plan.

But Rhiannon and Taylor weren’t solely to blame for Eliza’s bad temper. It seemed that something else was brewing as well. At first, DJ thought she’d imagined it, but now she was pretty certain that Harry was developing a serious interest in Taylor. Oddly enough considering her history, it hadn’t been instigated by Taylor this time. Not that she had ceased to flirt with guys, which was strangely relieving, but this thing with Harry had seemed to start rather innocently. DJ had witnessed the whole thing. It happened the day after Taylor’s public breakup with Seth. Harry had politely asked Taylor about rehab, and she admitted that it had been her idea to go in.

“Seriously?” he questioned her. “I heard that you’d gotten into trouble with the law and that rehab was part of your sentencing.” He glanced at Eliza now, as if perhaps she was the source of this misinformation.

Taylor looked curiously at Eliza, but received only a chilly blank stare in return. “No one forced me into rehab,” Taylor told Harry. Everyone at the lunch table was suddenly all ears.

“So what was it then?” he persisted. “What made you decide to turn yourself in?”

DJ was tempted to jump in, to say something to change the subject, to crack a joke, to protect Taylor somehow. But Taylor, as usual, needed no protection.

“I was out of control,” Taylor said simply. “And a good friend helped me to see that.” She smiled at DJ now.

“Do you mean you’re never going to drink again?” Harry looked skeptical. “I mean, you were pretty into partying, Taylor. Are you saying you were able to just stop cold turkey, and that’s it?”

“I’m saying it’s a one-day-at-a-time kind of thing,” she explained. “Like I know I’m not going to drink today. But tomorrow I’ll have to make up my mind all over again.”

“Just like those old twelve-step rules?”

“That’s exactly right.” She grinned. “Not that glamorous, is it?”

“But your rehab place was in Malibu, right? Was it some kind of a celebrity joint?”

Taylor laughed. “I’m not giving out names, but let’s just say it was interesting. A diverse crowd of needy people . . . all there for basically the same reason.”

“But you’d recommend this place?”

Taylor looked directly into Harry’s eyes now — probably the very gesture that made Eliza slam down her salad fork and glare at the two of them. Judging by Eliza’s expression, you’d think that Harry and Taylor were locking lips rather than just talking.

“Absolutely,” Taylor assured Harry. “I’d recommend rehab treatment to anyone who needs it and is up for the challenge. But don’t assume that it’s an easy thing to do, Harry.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t think it was.”

“It takes guts. Getting and staying sober is hard work. And once you realize you need it . . . you’re the only one who can make it happen.”

Apparently Eliza was fed up by then. Because that’s when she stormed off. Okay, she didn’t exactly storm. She simply stood and gracefully walked away — without saying a word to anyone. But DJ had observed the look in her eyes, and it seemed pretty certain that a storm was brewing. It was anyone’s guess when Hurricane Eliza was going to hit.

15

FINALLY IT WAS THURSDAY —
the big day. After school, they would gather their bags and head off to the Big Apple. Well, everyone except for DJ.

Grandmother had gone over all the tedious details the evening before, giving them printouts of their schedule for the next few days, as well as maps of the city and guidelines for their behavior, etc., etc. DJ had been relieved not to listen.

But now it was morning, and Grandmother had yet another “important announcement” to make before they left the breakfast table.

“As you girls know we’ll be taking the five o’clock train into the city today. But I have a surprise.” She glanced directly at DJ now. “You may have heard that Desiree has opted to stay behind so that Haley Callahan could go in her place to New York and — ”

“Actually, I hadn’t told them.” DJ knew she’d interrupted her Grandmother, a cardinal no-no, but she wanted to set the record straight. And now all eyes were on her.

“What’s up with that?” sputtered Casey with a mouthful of granola.

“Manners!” Grandmother shook her finger at her.

“DJ, you
have
to go with us,” complained Rhiannon. “I was hoping that you’d go to the design studio with me.”

“I’m sorry.” DJ just looked down at her plate.

“You gave up your spot for Haley Callahan?”
demanded Eliza.

“How stupid was that?”

“It was
not
stupid,” said Taylor. “DJ was simply being kind to Haley. Remember what
kind
is like, Eliza? Or has that four letter word been eradicated from your vocabulary?”

“That was a real sacrifice, DJ,” said Kriti with admiration.

“It’s not like it was a huge sacrifice,” DJ said quietly. “I mean, everyone knows that I’m not into the fashion scene. I’ll be perfectly happy to stay home and — ”

“Enough!” Grandmother held up her hands to stop them. “As I was trying to say, I have an important announcement to make. And it is not that Desiree is
not
going to New York. If I could get a word in edgewise, I would inform everyone that Desiree is going with us after all.”

“I am?” DJ wasn’t sure whether to be glad or mad. “Why?”

“First of all, I explained our little dilemma to Dylan last night,” Grandmother continued. “And he insisted that Desiree must participate in Fashion Week. He still remembers how you fell at the last fashion show and what a wonderful recovery you and Taylor made as you did the walk. But I explained to him about your concern for your friend Haley. And so he has agreed to have
nine
girls in his show.” Grandmother beamed at DJ now. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Wonderful or not, DJ was feeling slightly stunned as they all piled onto the train a little before five o’clock. And to her surprise she was actually rather happy that she’d been included. Even more surprising was the fact that a number of their friends from school had come to the train station to see them off. And not just their boyfriends, although they were there too. But the news people were there again and even the girls from Grandmother’s Saturday sessions had shown up. Not Tina and Madison, of course. They were probably in Tina’s father’s office writing up some big lawsuit.

“Knock ’em dead in New York,” said Conner as he planted a kiss firmly on DJ’s cheek.

“So you forgive me for breaking our date tonight?” she asked as he handed her overnight bag to her.

“As long as you don’t go and sign with some mega-modeling agency in New York.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

“As long as we’re still on for next Friday.”

“For sure.”

“And while I’ve got you agreeing to everything . . . how about going to the Valentine’s dance with me too?”

She just grinned. “Okay, you talked me into it.”

“Hurry now, girls,” called Grandmother. “We still need to go through security.”

“You go, girls!” yelled Haley’s mom as she waved with tears in her eyes.

“Come on, ladies,” Grandmother was herding them toward the security gate now. “Let’s not miss our train. It’s time to go now.”

“Move it along,” urged Inez. Grandmother had brought Inez to help keep the nine girls in line. A nice gesture, but DJ imagined Inez would be pulling her hair out before the weekend was over.

Before long, they were all seated, and as the train pulled out of town, DJ sat and studied this interesting assortment of girls — girls who wouldn’t have known each other or chosen to sit together just a year ago. Eliza and Daisy were looking at the latest
Vogue
. As usual, Eliza was playing princess, and her new handmaid, Daisy was liberally doling out the devotion and loyalty expected of her. Across from them sat Haley and Ariel and Kriti, chatting away like they’d been best friends for ages. DJ wasn’t even sure what had connected those three. Maybe it was their height, or lack of, but it would probably be good for Kriti. Plus, it was a relief to see them sharing a bag of “carb-filled” chips and drinking “sugar-laden” sodas. Hopefully Grandmother wasn’t watching.