If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them // Kendall Vertes

Chapter 6

"Miss Ziegler, Miss Vertes, would you care to tell us what is so funny?" Our French teacher said, sweetly yet dangerously.

"Nothing." Maddie said quickly.

"Miss Vertes?"

"Nothing." I repeated.

"Well, if you won't share it with the class, you can come in at lunch!"

"But Miss-" Maddie appealed.

"But nothing! I won't tolerate talking during my class!" She spat.

"Then she'd better shut up." I whispered to Maddie, who snickered when she turned around. And that's how Maddie and I got lunchtime detention on Monday.

Maddie passed me a note.

"What do you reckon pyramid will be like?" It said.

"No clue. All I know is you'll be on top." I wrote.

"Girls, no notes!" Miss Davids yelled.

~

I tugged on tie-die crop top, that stopped before my belly button, and covered my lilac lululemon sports bra with matching booty shorts. We'd all made an effort today; Abby had texted saying there was to be a surprise.

"Right onto pyramid. As you know, there's a surprise, so I'll make it quick."

The pyramid was per usual: Maddie on top, everyone who only did the group was on the bottom, except for Asia who was behind me in the second row.

"This week, I told you we had a suprise. And we do. Please welcome Nick back to our team!" All the girls squealed, except for me. I stood, numbed by shock. No, please not Nick.

"You ok Kendall?"

FLASHBACK TO 1 YEAR AGO

"Hey, Nicky!" Maddie yells, jumping up and down in the pale yellow bikini that shows too much of everything. Her perfect everything.

"Hey Maddawg!" He hugs her.

"Hey Nick." I stumble over the leg of a pool chair and almost stack it into the pool.

"Hey, Kendall!" He hugs me too and I feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Well, right until he stopped paying attention to me and stared at Maddie. I wish I'd worn something more... showy. But no, Kendall wears the tankini that covers her tummy.

"So, Paige, Chlo, and all of the others are almost here." Maddie checks her phone, then looks up with a toss of her perfect ombre hair.

I'm spared a conversation thanks to the arrival of the others. The other 6 girls, various ALDC members, and Payton walk in.

"KK, are you gonna talk to Nicky- Nick, I mean? He's such a catch!" Maddies whispers, smiling.

"Yeah. But why'd he like me?" I ask her.

" 'Cause you're Kendall!" She whispers.

~

"Maddie?" I sob. Nick just blew me off, because he said he liked someone else.

"MADDIE?" She still didn't respond.

I wipe my tears away and walk into Maddie's room.

Nick is there. Hooking up with Maddie.

END OF FLASHBACK

~

"Um, yeah! Sorry, Asia, I zoned out."

"Well, assignments, ladies," Abby cuts short the chatter, "Maddie has an audition in New York, so no competition. That means Kendall, Mackenzie, and Nia- you have solos. There is one group dance. It features..."