Some Kind of Wonderful (14 page)

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ALL THAT GLITTERS.

the fourth book in the Inside Girl series.

R
epeat after me," SBB said. She was sitting half-in
M
and half-out of a pair of Gucci riding pants with her eyes closed and her hand placed over her heart. "I, Sara-Beth Benny."

Camille and I gave each other a sly grin. We were standing in a private dressing room on the fifth floor of Bergdorf Goodman
on 58th Street, surrounded by champagne flutes of Pellegrino and a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries the shopgirl had
brought in. We were waiting for her to return with the wheeled rack of winter clothes for some back-to-school shopping, and
in the meantime, SBB was making us vocalize our New Year's resolutions.

"Wait," Camille said, nudging me and giggling. "If it's
your
resolution, why do we repeat after you? We're not Sara-Beth Benny, last time I checked."

SBB opened one eye and looked at Camille. "Collective affirmation of resolutions has the highest rate of follow-through."
She pinched Camille playfully on the arm. "Don't worry—we'll get to you guys next."

As someone who was used to indulging SBB's crazy ways, I gave Camille a nod and joined SBB on the gilded carpet. Camille plopped
down next to me, and we followed Sara-Beth's instructions:

"I, Sara-Beth Benny," we repeated, as mock-solemnly as we could.

In the three-way mirror in front of us, I could see our reflections from all angles. Camille was still glowing from her family's
New Year's trip to Cabo, and SBB looked fresh faced from a week off of filming and a week on with her new boyfriend, actor-musician
Jake Riverdale.

As I looked up at my reflection, I was pleased to see that I had my own sort of glow. It wasn't from a vacation tan, and it
wasn't from a boy, but it was satisfying in a very Flan way. It had to do with my decision to return to Thoney this semester,
and even though my excitement was tinged with a case of nerves, I was happy.

SBB continued. "I, Sara-Beth Benny, promise to donate a portion of all of my movie and TV royalties, as well as my perfume
line profits, to help those in Africa who are less fortunate than I. And maybe to adopt a child who needs love and who I could
cart around in one of those cute Karma Baby slings. And to grow at least six inches by July."

"Whoa," Camille said. "I was just going to try to start recycling more."

Just then, the salesgirl returned, wheeling in a giant clothing rack full of gorgeous-looking sweaters, pants, and slinky
dresses. Instantly, we forgot our collective New Year's affirmation and pounced on the clothes like wild animals.

"Omigod," SBB said, grabbing a sheer polka-dotted dress from the middle of the rack. "Is this so 'Flan on the first day of
school' or what?"

I held up the tiny Geren Ford dress to my body. It was asymmetrical, and tied around the left shoulder with an almost nonexistent
green silk strap. It barely covered my hips.

"It's cute," I said, stalling to find the right words so I wouldn't offend SBB. "But it looks more like 'Flan gets thrown
out of school before third period.'" My hand reached for a supercozy navy Autumn Cashmere drape sweater. "How about something
more like this?" I said.

"Okay, Mister Rogers," Camille said, taking it from my hands and hanging it back up. "Believe me, I know that rocking the
five-foot-ten frame does present its own set of fashion challenges, but I will not let you be Frump Master on the first day
of school." She rooted through the rack of clothes and pulled out a shrunken gray blazer with three-quarter sleeves and a
really unique notched collar. "How about something like this?"

"Cutel"
SBB and I said simultaneously.

"Ooh," SBB continued, looking at the label. "And it's my old costar Waverly James's new line. She was showing me how to wear
this . . . there are these really cute leggings that go with it. . . ." Her voice trailed off as her tiny body virtually disappeared
into the rack of clothes.

"SBB," I said, sticking my head in after her. "Are you still in here?"

"Ta-da!" She jumped out, holding a pair of stretchy black leggings with a row of brass studs around the ankles. She waggled
them at me. "Terrick Zumberg, here you come!"

Camille squealed. "Um, speaking of New Year's resolutions! Flan, you
must
wear those leggings with this blazer on the first day of school. Because you know what happens on the first night of school,
right?"

I shook my head. "Homework?" I asked hesitantly.

"No! All the Thoney girls go to David Burke's to meet the Dalton boys for pizza—and then TZ will see you in
thisl"

I let my friends hold up the clothes against me and looked at myself in the mirror. The ensemble was totally my style, but
I was suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed. It made me nervous that Camille just assumed I'd be up on all the Thoney protocol.
And now there were all these expectations about impressing TZ, whom I'd barely seen since we'd hung out over Thanksgiving
break in Nevis. The old fears that I thought I'd rid myself of were creeping back into my mind. What if I couldn't keep up?

Camille must have sensed me getting tense. "Hey," she said, linking her arm through mine. "Don't stress. This semester is
going to be amazing, whether or not you decide to grace TZ with your affection."

I looked in the mirror at my two best friends and nodded. "You're right. Thoney—and David Burke's pizza party—bring it on."

"Of course Camille is right," SBB agreed. "Now try these on so I can envy your long legs even more."

I slipped into the leggings, and Camille handed me a long ribbed cotton tank with detailed stitching that fell well below
my waist. When I pulled the blazer on over it and looked in the mirror, I felt instantly more self-assured. I guess I did
look pretty good.

"Hey, you guys," SBB called. She'd snuck out of the dressing room and was standing at the edge of the shoe department, holding
up a pair of Joie patent leather Mary Janes in one hand and a pair of caramel-colored Michael Kors boots in the other. "Flan,
come here and try these on with that outfit."

Camille and I left the dressing room and stepped out into the bright, bustling floor of the shoe department. The Mary Janes
were adorable.

"Ooh," Camille said, holding one up to me and putting on a dramatic advertising voice. "This shoe will take you from study
hall to evening ball."

"And right into the arms of
TZ"
SBB sang.

"Shhhl"
I blushed and immediately looked around. It would be just my luck that TZ's cousin or grandmother would be shopping within
earshot. Luckily, there were just the usual crew of personal assistants on their BlackBerrys and a few overbearing Upper East
Side mothers making their daughters try on "just one more pair" of Chloe loafers.

But then . . .

"I
thought
I recognized those voices," said a voice from behind me.

I spun around and realized I hadn't been comprehensive enough in my coast-is-clear sweep of the store. Standing before me
was my ex-best friend, Kennedy Pearson.

"I was just picking up my outfit for the first day of spring semester, and I couldn't help but overhear your little discussion
in the dressing room."

I looked at Kennedy's clear plastic Bergdorf garment bag and was stunned to see the very same pair of black leggings I had
on. I could feel the blood rushing to my face. If I was being honest with myself, Kennedy was the biggest reason why I couldn't
shake off my nerves about school.

She put her hand on my arm. "I just wanted to apologize, Flan."

"For what?" I said, moving my arm from her grasp. "For eavesdropping?"
For stealing my outfit? For being
the devil incarnate?

"No," she winced dramatically. "For having to be the one to tell you, when it's clear that you're really into TZ." She covered
her face with her hand in faux-anguish. "How do I say this? I'm so sorry, Flan, but TZ and I are sort of together. As of New
Year's."

There was a time when I wouldn't have known how to respond to this. A time when my face would have turned red, and I would
have had some whiny, embarrassing response like, "But I thought he liked
me"
In that moment, standing under the soft Bergdorf lights, it became so clear that neither Kennedy nor TZ was worth the heartache.

"You know what, Kennedy? You can have him. He's flaky and you're pathetic. You two deserve each other."

Kennedy's face flushed bright red, and her glossy lips parted in shock.

"Wow, go Flan!" Camille whispered at my side.

Just as I was reveling in the fact that I had finally said the right thing at the right time, Kennedy's cell phone started
to ring.

"Oh," she said, "that's TZ now." Putting the phone to her ear, she said, "Hold on a sec, honey." Then she turned back to me.
"You know, Flan, some people might think you're 'brave' to come back to Thoney, but I personally think you're really,
really
going to regret it. Especially after that precious jealousy outburst you just had." Waving her leggings in my direction, she
started toward the elevator. "Can't wait to see you Monday!"

"Oh, she's
going
to see you Monday," SBB shouted, hurling a wad of tissue paper from a nearby shoebox at Kennedy's receding back.

My legs started shaking in my studded leggings, and I grabbed Camille's and Sara-Beth's arms for support. I swallowed hard.
This was
not
the fabulous start I'd envisioned for my new year.

What had I gotten myself into?

Find out what happens when Flan

heads back to Thoney in . . .

ALL THAT GLITTERS

an Inside Girl novel

Coming September 2008