"AAAAAAAHHH!
(That was me SCREAMING !!)
OMG! Am I becoming a TOXIC friend?!! Like in those over-the-top teen TV dramas with the sappy emo music? You know, where the dimwitted teen drama queen accidentally-on-purpose ruins her chances with the guy of her dreams.
Only to HATE herself for it later!!!
Then she whines obnoxiously all day long about the relationship that SHE torpedoed. And feels so pathetically sorry for herself that you just want to PUKE!
Or change the channel. Or BOTH!!
I'm really worried about my friendship with Brandon.
I need to talk to him and apologize again for being too busy to help him with his scholarship project.
Oh! And for standing him up last week.
And for um . . . falling asleep in the library. While he waited for me, like, FOREVER!!
ARGH !!! I'm such a HORRIBLE friend. And Brandon deserves better."
"Lately, I've just been reliably UNRELIABLE. And the guilt is totally eating me up inside .
I really think I should talk to my BFFs, Chloe and Zoey. I'm sure they can help me with my Brandon problem. They always do!
Anyway, I was waiting for my BFFs when suddenly MacKenzie walked up to me and got all up in my face.
Then she actually started screaming at me. . . ."
"I was already in a pretty cruddy mood. So I looked right into MacKenzie's beady eyes and told her off really good!
"Okay, MacKenzie! Here's my excuse. . . . My CRAZY choreographer had plenty of time to tell me about a MORNING practice when she forced me to rehearse until ten o'clock last NIGHT! But instead, she decided to call me at six o'clock this morning, while I was in the shower, and leave a message that I just got ten minutes ago! Which was fifteen minutes AFTER the practice was OVER!"
"Well, you'd better make up that practice or I'll call Trevor Chase!" MacKenzie threatened.
"Actually, MacKenzie, go right ahead! You can call the TOOTH FAIRY for all I care! I barely have time to breathe. So I can't just drop everything anytime YOU get the whim to torture me with an unscheduled dance practice. Sorry, but I'm NOT giving YOU the pleasure of giving ME a nervous breakdown! I know you're trying to make me quit so you can take over my band AND my TV show!"
"So, are you done with your delusional little rant?! It's not totally MY fault that your life's a wreck!" MacKenzie sneered and narrowed her icy-cold blue eyes at me. Then she just stared at me for what seemed like FOREVER! I could tell the gears were turning in that tiny brain of hers. She was up to something!
"Actually, Nikki, you're right! You DO need a break. I've been pushing you too hard. So dance practice is canceled for the rest of the week!"
"WH-WHAT?!" I sputtered. My mouth dangled open in complete shock.
"I said, I'm giving you the week off! You know the choreography so well you could do it in your sleep. And believe me, I've actually seen you do it in your sleep! Use the time off to get some rest!"
Before I could say a word, MacKenzie turned and sashayed down the hall. I just hate it when that girl sashays! No dance practice?! That was too good to be "true! I could apologize to Brandon at lunch today and offer to help him with his project. I was starting to think maybe MacKenzie wasn't such a WITCH after all. That is, "UNTIL she HIJACKED my TV crew!!"
"A large crowd of kids gathered to watch as she continued. "I can't say much because this is a personal matter. But I feel SO sorry for her. Especially since she's in this messy LOVE triangle with a member of her band. He's secretly crushing on another girl who's WAY out of Nikki's league. And Nikki's insanely jealous. Sorry, that's all I can reveal at this time."
The director's eyes lit up. "Now, THIS is the stuff we've been waiting for. Conflict between band members! Turmoil! Heartbreak! Intrigue! Get a close-up of her, Steve! And and keep the camera rolling."
The camera guy quickly zoomed in on MacKenzie's face for dramatic effect. She batted her eyes all innocentlike and then took out her Raging Revenge Red lip gloss and applied, like, seven layers.
"Go ahead and vent, sweetie! You'll feel so much better! You obviously really care about your friend Nikki," the director said, egging her on. "Now, what can you tell us about this other band member?"
MacKenzie sighed deeply and then dabbed at phony tears to heighten the drama.
"Well, I'm not one to spread gossip, but he and Nikki are in this on-again, off[...]"
"I could NOT believe that girl was LYING on camera like that! Has she no SHAME?!! OMG!! I had to restrain myself from walking over and wiping that little smirk off of her!
MacKenzie stared into the camera, pretending to be distraught. "I'm warning you! Soon you're going to be up to your eyeballs in drama. I'm concerned it could damage Nikki's music career and be extremely mortifying for BRANDON."
Then she placed her hand over her mouth in mock dismay. "OOPS! Did I just reveal his NAME?! I've already said way too much! And as a friend, I feel it's important to respect their privacy. Sorry!"
"Actually, your observations have been very insightful!" the director gushed. "The ratings for this episode are going to be through the roof! It just might win me an Emmy Award!"
MacKenzie smiled, batted her eyelashes, and twirled her hair around and around and around. She was obviously trying to hypnotize the director into doing her evil bidding. I "KNEW what she wanted.
"Well, I think you deserve an award! So how about a TV show about ME and my VERY fabulous life? I'm a SUPERtalented dancer and fashion designer, and my aunt Clarissa owns the-"
But the director totally ignored her blabbery. "Okay, guys, listen up! Tomorrow we keep a camera on Nikki every minute of the day. Don't let her out of your sight, understand? And we'll need a second camera to follow that Brandon kid around. Somebody get me a copy of his class schedule!"
Suddenly I felt SICK to my stomach.
Right now I'm hiding out in the library, writing all of this in my diary. Thank goodness I'll be leaving school for a dentist appointment in fifteen minutes. I'm still in shock that MacKenzie would actually do something so VILE!
I have no choice but to try to warn Brandon! Before it's too late!! !!"
