Even mean girls have love lives.
Dedicated to all the mean girl characters out there. I do heart you, despite what I may write or think. =)
Falling in Love: Queen Bee Style
"You stupid whore. You'll never make it at the top. I'm head cheerleader. I have the say and I say you'll never make it." I spoke boldly to the whimpering girl before me. The crowds that had formed around us were quiet as they watched in awe. It was a powering feeling.
The whimpering girl – whose name I wasn't bothered to remember - gave out a strangled sob.
I glared icily at her.
"Oh please, stop with the waterworks; you're making me physically sick." I pointed a perfectly manicure finger at her before continuing, "You think it's okay to sleep with my friend's boyfriend and then turn up for cheerleading tryouts even though she's part of the team?"
There was no word from her, just a shake of her head.
"You answered, points to you." I folded my arms and straightened a little. "Get out of here."
The girl ran off and her friends threw me dirty looks before following.
"Laura!" they cried.
I looked thoughtful. So that was her name.
I looked at the crowds who were all still standing there awestruck. I shot them all looks.
"Unless Johnny Depp's behind me I suggest you all scatter. Now." I added coolly. I hated it when they hung around like sheep.
The three that stuck around were the three I considered to be my closest friends. I'm a bitch, my hand rises to that, but I do have friends. Contrary to popular belief, I even have feelings.
"You didn't have to do that," Hayley, the girl that was scorned by the skank Laura and Hayley's ex, murmured.
I shot her a look.
"Of course I did. You're my friend and you got hurt. I had to."
Hayley gave me a small smile. That was rare. Hayley was a little like myself. I didn't have many close friends. The only reason people listened to me was because they were afraid of me.
I use to be the quiet girl that got pushed around. One day I was so fed up of it, I stuck up for myself.
"You bother me again and I'll put you in a coma," I had shot to my sixth grade classmates as I towered over a boy that had decided to fill my lunch with sand.
Nobody bothered me again.
But everyone wanted to be my friend.
I wasn't one to forgive and forget. They had to earn my respect back. Six years later and only Hayley, Jessica and Michelle had actually tried to be my friend. That I respected them for.
Jessica flipped her golden hair over her shoulder.
"She's right. She was a total bitch. You should've punched her," Jessica told me. I rolled my eyes.
"But that would take effort. When have I put any effort into anything other than my work and cheerleading?" I asked with a smirk.
The girls laughed.
It was true. The two things that meant more than anything to me were my grades and cheerleading. I spent the better part of six years watching my diet, eating healthy and working strenuously to perfect my cheerleading skills. I studied for hours on end to maintain my A-star average.
I brushed down my knee length skirt.
"Lunch?" Michelle asked while eyeing a football player. She blew him a kiss and swayed her hips as she walked towards the lunch hall. I rolled my eyes. Michelle was a Brazilian Goddess. She could get any guy by smiling at them.
I noticed the football player – who looked like he was about to have a coronary – run after Michelle like a lost puppy.
Ever wondered how Michelle could get lunch without any money? Well that was your answer; pathetic guys.
While Michelle, Hayley and Jessica all had boyfriends – ex on Hayley's part – I had never had a single boyfriend in all my eighteen years.
I never wanted to feel like the 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' saying. Besides being a 'Miss Independent' gives you more power.
-x-
Michelle had convinced me to make an appearance at a party that she was throwing so Hayley could have some male-therapy. In other words it was a party for Hayley so she could hook up a random guy to show her ex that she didn't need him. My heel was going to go up his precious jewels if he dared to show his face at the party.
My mother always told me I was a violent one.
"What is that bitch doing here?" a girl that liked to think she was part of our clique asked nobody in particular. I followed her gaze and saw who she was referring to.
I stiffened.
Maria Blake was head cheerleader, a first class whore and damning bitch of our rival school.
I put my cup of soda down and started to walk over to her. I thanked Jessica for making me wear my heels. They made me a good head taller than her.
As I made my way closer to her the people at the party – all from our school – had parted like I was Moses to let me through. I also noticed that she was accompanied by two people. It was a guy and girl who didn't look very familiar. I guessed them to be her new crony and toy boy.
"Oh lookie I've gathered the attention of a first class dog," Maria sneered as she saw me. I stood a few feet away from her.
I looked lazily at her.
"What? Can't say the word 'bitch' Maria? That's such a shame since you're the epitome of bitch."
Maria snarled at me. It was slightly amusing; she looked like a bulldog ready to pounce.
"You think you're so great, don't you Miss Deigha look-at-me Law?"
"Oh I know I'm great. Self confidence is brill when you're a cheerleader. But I think our five year undefeated streak at the Cheerleading tournaments says it all really."
Her toy boy snorted. My eyes darted to him. He was taller than me, even with the heels, and he had a skater look to him. I wondered what preppy Maria was doing with a guy like that.
Maria must've noticed my gaze flicker to the guy.
"These are my cousins, Joanne and Jonah." Oh the alliteration. I gave her a 'why the heck are you telling me?' look.
"I truly feel sorry for you," I sympathized with them. Joanne looked pretty bored but didn't say anything to my comment. Jonah on the other hand looked me up and down and smirked. "Like what you see?" I asked cockily. I dropped my hip for emphasis.
"Maybe," he replied mysteriously.
"Shut up Jonah. I didn't bring you here to flirt," Maria snapped. I turned my attention back to her.
"You should leave, this party isn't open to the enemy," Michelle piped up from behind me.
"Oh I just thought I would stop by and tell you that my cousins are starting school over here. Your school to be precise." Maria smirked when she saw my surprised look.
She fluttered her fingers and left with her cousins. Whispers spread like wildfire.
The enemy's family is coming to our school. Oh joy.
-x-
"What's the update?" I immediately asked my friends.
"Well-" Jessica began snapping her mirror shut. "-Joanne's been snagged by the art students and Jonah's been snagged by the skaters. Our insiders have confirmed that Joanne and Jonah have been asked by Maria to spy on the sports teams and our cheerleading team."
"She wants our routines. Skank. She knows that her routines are epic fails every year. The only reason they win runner up is because they open their legs after every tumble so the male judges can see their thongs," Michelle scoffed.
Jessica, Hayley and I tittered. We knew that Michelle was telling the truth. It was only the clever yet deceiving women, like Maria or even Michelle, who knew how to use their bodies to get what that want without having to 'give' something in return.
"But it seems as though the J twins-" Jessica's mention of the two being twins didn't surprise me. There were features about the two that resembled that of twins; their height, nose and lips. "-dislike their cousin as much as we do. Apparently that's the reason why they chose to come to our school."
Now that was news to me.
"They don't want to be 'spies'?" I asked using my fingers as air quotes. Jessica shook and shrugged. I was bemused.
It was then that I noticed Jonah enter the hall with his new skater friends. Normally I wouldn't have given that particular clique a double look; they smoked, they drank and they dressed like they were Satan's children.
"What are you looking at?" Hayley quizzed. The three girls turned their heads to the direction I was looking at a few seconds ago.
When they turned back they each had raised their eyebrows in a questioning manner.
"Oh!" Michelle nodded and winked. I scowled at her.
I stood up from my chair. "I'll be back in a minute."
I walked over to Joanne who was sitting at a table near Jonah's. I lifted my head up confidently.
"Before you ask I'm not going to spy on you, so you don't have to threaten me," Joanne sighed as she saw me approach her table. I smiled at her as warmly as possible.
"Keep that up and you're face might fall off," Laura said with a sweet smile. I returned it.
"Keep your skirt up that high and you'll end up with another STD." I didn't bother waiting for a reply and turned my attention back to Joanne.
"Joanne," I started softly. "I'm not here to threaten you. I don't threaten unless it's absolutely necessary. I just came here to welcome you."
"You don't really care that I'm here do you. If I weren't Maria's cousin you wouldn't give two shits would you?" Joanne asked me boldly.
The girl had guts; I had to give her that. I was sure that she knew what I was capable of and who I was in the school or what position I held.
I looked her straight in the eye.
"No. I wouldn't."
Joanne suddenly gave me a lazy smile. "Listen Maria's not my favourite cousin. I'm arty and she's preppy…like you."
I scrunched my nose in distaste. I didn't want to be compared with Maria of all people. Joanna laughed at my expression.
"I'm not a spy. I don't really care how you seduce men with your cheerleader ways," Joanne informed me. I gave her an amused look.
"We do not 'seduce'. We dance. Cheerleading is an art form you know, a dancing kind. Different type of art but still art."
Joanne looked thoughtful. "Maybe…" she mused.
I gave her a one armed shrug. "I'll see you around maybe."
I took a deep breath and made my way over to Jonah's table. My nose sensed a tobacco smell. I was immediately disgusted by the smell.
"Smoking kills," I informed them.
"Yes your highness," one of the skaters mocked. I glared at him.
"What's your name?" I asked him.
"Paulo is what I go by…your highness," he added. His friends laughed.
"Well Paulo you might want to lift up your jeans. I don't want to see how small your genitals are."
The guys on the table, even Jonah, hooted with laughter. Paulo looked a little embarrassed and glared at me, but he pulled up his jeans nevertheless.
After the laughter had died down Jonah spoke up, "I heard what you said to my sister. I'm not going to spy on you. Cheerleaders aren't my type." He gave me a once over. I was wearing my cheer outfit because we had double gym last and practice straight after.
"Good to know," I replied coolly.
"But you…maybe." He smirked when he saw the blush on my cheeks. I cursed myself for letting him get the better of me, even if it was for a moment.
"Skaters aren't my type," I shot back. I turned on my heel and walked away.
"Maybe I'll just come check you out at practice. My cousin told me that you were good," he called out. My ears stung.
For the first time Deigha Law had let her guard down.
-x-
"Come on girls we can't afford to get sloppy now!" I shouted as I watched the girls do a couple of flips. "Jenna! That was horrible, start again!"
I paced up and down the gym eyeing each cheerleader. Our girls were good, great even, but after one missing practice the girls were back to their freshman selves.
"Incoming…" Hayley nodded towards the gym hall. All of the girls stopped their flips when they saw a bunch of guys with skateboards enter the gym. A couple of girls popped out their chests. I didn't want to embarrass those few by telling them to maintain a little dignity.
"Yes?" I asked raising an eyebrow as Jonah.
"I told ya' I was coming to check you girls out," he grinned lazily. "One girl mainly." I gritted my teeth.
"Well we don't 'do' guys like you."
"Oh, she doesn't but I do," Jessica purred eyeing one of the guys. "I think some of us definitely do."
I shot Jessica a look. She shrugged.
"Get out. This is cheerleading practice for cheerleaders only." I gave them a warning look.
"Oh?" Jonah asked innocently.
"We just came to watch," Paulo said nodding. The guys didn't bother for me to respond, they just sat down on the bleachers in the gym. I hissed.
"Circle girls," I called out. We all grouped together. "If they want a performance they'll get one."
"What?!" Michelle cried. "He might give our routine to Maria."
"Oh please, did you think I meant for us to do our new routine?" I asked. No one replied. "Let's do last years. It still kicks arse."
The girls cheered.
"Okay boys if it's a show you want, it's a show you'll get," Jessica sang as she got into position.
Thankfully we had our CD with all the music we used for our old cheer routines. I skipped to number 'five'. If you think you can't cheerlead to Pink, then you're wrong. 'This is How it Goes Down' was a personal favourite of mine.
As the song was getting ready to play I looked Jonah straight in the eye. He raised his eyebrows and I just smirked lazily.
He was going to be in for a treat.
The music started and I shifted my attention to the routine. I was glad that we used that routine as a warm up. I would've definitely forgotten it. As the chorus was about to play, I took a deep breath. The chorus of the song blasted through the speakers and I thrust all of my energy into the flips I had to do across the gym.
I smiled to myself as the song came to an end. We all ended in our last positions. I looked at the guys on the bleachers. I looked smugly at Jonah when I saw his shocked expression.
Unlike his cousin, we actually had talent.
I gazed at all the boys.
"Now, why don't you take those bulges and get out of here?" The girls laughed. The boys didn't even protest and quickly filed out.
Jonah came down the bleachers and stopped in front of me.
"Impressive."
"Thank you." I smiled victoriously.
"The boys were right. You look like you'd be great in bed." My smile vanished and instead I sent him a cold, hard look.
"Get out," I spat. Jonah looked a little taken aback but left without saying another word.
"Practice is over!" I shouted to the girls as I stormed out of the gym to the showers.
Jonah Blake was the height of annoyance.
Bastard.
-x-
"Ooh he looks cute," Hayley cooed pointing at a passer by. We were at the shopping centre and the girls were pointing out guys they thought were 'cute', 'smoking hot' and 'do-able'.
I looked over at him before he disappeared out of sight. I snorted and went back to my magazine.
"He's great if you want to bend down to kiss him," I muttered.
"God Deigh what's wrong with you these days?" Jessica snapped at me. I raised my head slowly. She looked at me wearily. She continued in a softer voice, "I just mean that you've been so out of it lately. You've turned cheerleading into, like, the drill team, you glare at everyone who smiles at you and you used to love playing 'smoke the cute and do-ables' with us."
My lip quirked up at the name we came up with for the game.
"Jess is right," Michelle spoke timidly. "You've been acting like everyone's out to get you for the past two weeks."
"When haven't I acted like that?" I asked them.
"Well definitely when Jonah Blake wasn't at our school," Hayley muttered under her breath. I snarled.
"See what I mean? I mean just saying his name makes you a spitfire."
"I am not a war plane," I mumbled. I flipped the magazine shut. "So, Jonah gets under my skin. It's not like he's the first person."
"True, but he's the first guy, that you could actually have a relationship that doesn't involve you destroying them, that's irked you," Michelle said nodding as if that proved everything.
I shook my head in disagreement. The girls shrugged and told me I was stupid. Apparently there was definite chemistry between us.
Ice queens like me do not have 'chemistry' with guys, especially not with guys like Jonah.
-x-
I noticed people whispering as I entered the doors of school. I prepared myself for battle. Michelle appeared at my side within seconds.
"Update?"
"Not quite sure, I just got here too," she replied. I nodded. My eyebrows furrowed.
I noticed that the commotion was surrounding my locker. I gritted my teeth.
What was it going to be this time? Maybe it was going to be a stink bomb in my locker, a carving on the locker door, or maybe even a book soaking.
I didn't care. I usually found out who did what and why. I got them back with their own treatment…except sometimes to their cars or bags.
Call me mean but teenagers needed a good treatment of their own medicine so they can learn to be nice.
"Move," Michelle spoke clearly to the crowd.
As I saw my locker my eyebrows rose as did Michelle's. Then a smile graced her face while mine was graced with a scowl.
Taped onto the door of my locker was a single Casablanca Lily. They were my favourite kind of flower. I snapped my teeth at the teens, who were also looking shocked, they dispersed quickly.
I ripped the flower off my locker and I rounded on Michelle. "Only three people excluding my family know that I like Casablanca Lilies. Which one of you told who?"
Michelle had a looked of innocence on her face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
I growled. I noticed Jessica and Hayley approach us.
"Hayley, was it you?" I demanded of my friend who was attached at the lips to a basketball player at our school. She brushed me aside with her hand. "Jessica?"
Jessica shrugged but there was a hint of a smile on her face.
"Ugh! Whoever it was, you'll pay. You and whatever freak decided to give me a flower."
I stormed off, flower still in hand, to the car park. I decided to skip the first period to cool off. My first period was tedious and simple anyhow.
I saw a bin sitting on the main foyer. I eyed it and then the flower. I twirled it in my hand.
It would be such a shame to waste a good flower Deigh. They're your favourites.
I moved around the bin. It was a good flower, to beautiful to throw away.
It must have been around ten minutes into my ditch when I heard a knocking on my car window. I had my head rested back and my eyes closed; it was calming. I parked away from the entrance not to get caught. I opened my eyes and rolled down my window.
You can probably imagine my surprise when I see someone that looked nothing like a teacher bending over, elbows on the window gazing at me.
"Jonah."
"Deigha."
I moved my hand to the button to roll up my window. Jonah saw this move and quickly grabbed my hand. I froze. It was like my hand was burned. Nobody touched me. Nobody.
"Get. Off. Me." I managed to speak through gritted teeth.
Jonah didn't let go of me. I gave him a murderous look and yet he still didn't remove his hand from mine. So instead I pulled it away from his and got out of the car; hitting Jonah with the car door but only slightly.
"What the hell is wrong with you woman?"
"Me? You're the one who wouldn't let go of my arm!" I shouted.
"But your hand is just so soft and warm," he said with an earnest expression. I didn't know what to say to that.
"Ugh!" I exploded. "You…you are so bloody annoying!"
"I know," he shrugged.
"You infuriate me to no end. Don't you know who I am? I could get you kicked out of school if I wanted to."
"But you won't."
"How do you know that? I've done it to people lesser than you!" I spoke furiously. A looked flickered on his face. He took to dangerous steps forward invading my personal space completely.
For the first time since sixth grade I backed away.
Jonah placed his forearms on the side of the car, one either side of me.
"People lesser than me?" he mimicked softly. There was a slight edge to his voice. His gaze flickered down.
I swallowed. Somehow I found my voice.
"Yes. People lesser than you. You lot smoke and drink and probably do drugs. Just doing one of those things makes you a lesser person."
Jonah snorted. "Oh please don't give me that crap about how you think we're lesser than you because some of us drink and do drugs. Your 'popular' lot probably do far worse than us."
I looked at him coolly despite the thundering of my heart beat. "That may be but that's not what I meant."
He gave me a look as if to elaborate.
I continued, "It makes you a lesser person not because of popularity or status. It's not about the hierarchy. You become a lesser person both literally and metaphorically. It's about the fact that it kills you. Every time you take a drink your liver's damaged that little bit more. Every time you smoke your lungs are filled with a little bit of tar. Eventually you could die. That is what I meant about being 'lesser' than me."
Jonah stepped back. His face was expressionless. I cocked an eyebrow.
"What? Not what you expected of a bitch?" I asked mockingly. "You don't even know me."
I walked away from him back to school.
It seemed as though if I had stayed in class my headache would've lessened much quicker than if I had skipped.
I took the flower from my bag and put it in the bin. It was probably better of.
-x-
"It was me," Michelle said suddenly during a break at cheerleading practice. My gaze switched from the text book in front of me to her. I cocked my head to the side in confusion.
"Excuse me?"
"I told someone that you liked Casablanca Lilies."
I was silent for a moment. It had been three days since the first Lily and two more had appeared on each consecutive day.
"Who?" I simply asked.
"I can't tell you that but I'm your friend and you deserve to know that it was me."
With all the drama with Jonah, that what's-her-face girl that scorned Hayley and all the petty rumours, I wasn't bothered by Michelle's confession. I was just thankful that she had owned up.
I gave her a small nod and continued with my reading. No one said anything but I knew what they were thinking. I knew they were wondering why I hadn't exploded.
Maybe the rumours about me were right, maybe I was softening up a little. I was in year 13. Sooner or later someone else was going to take my spot as head cheerleader and ice queen.
Or maybe the other rumours were right and I was just simply loosing my touch.
"See you later girls!" I called out to Michelle, Jessica and Hayley. They were going with the rest of the squad to a pre-game-day dinner. I decided to skip out.
I jingled my keys in my hand and hummed the tune to 'Smallville'. My car was one of the few that were left. The school day had finished hours ago so I wasn't surprised by it.
As I slowly approached my car my steps slowed down. I saw a Lily and a note taped to the door.
Pulling the flower off and I smelt it. I sighed and opened the note. 'Look up'.
"Are you kidding me?" I muttered to myself. Taking the bait, I looked up.
Just blue skies and white clouds.
I shook my head and closed the note. My eye noticed something. There was something else written on the back. 'Now turn around'.
Screw it, I thought and put my keys in the car door to unlock it. The 'look up' bit proved nothing. I thought I'd just be wasting my time.
I opened the car door slightly when I saw a reflection in the car window. I gasped and turned around. My hand flew to my chest.
"Are you trying to give me heart failure?" I demanded of Jonah who was standing behind me. "What are you doing standing there all psychopathic?" I asked once my heart rate had returned to normal.
"You're supposed to turn around when you read it."
I blanked for a moment then I clocked on. I lifted the flower and note.
"This is…you?" I asked bemused. My heart swelled. He had left me my favourite flower. No guy...no girl even, gave me flowers. I guess they had feared me for so long, they forgot I cared about the little things. But...he didn't. He cared that I cared.
"Yes and I had a whole speech planned out but you didn't turn around like the note said!" he snapped at me. My heart stopped swelling. I looked at him in anger. From beautiful to annoying so very quickly.
"You told me to look up! What was that all about? Now you're blaming the failure to deliver a speech, on me?"
"Yes!"
Did he not realise how stupid that answer was?
"Jonah Blake you make me so…so…mad! You're annoying, big headed, infuriating as hell. You go around with that piece of wood with wheels around school like you're Mr Popularity and you…and…" I faltered for a moment. "Ugh!"
Then I slapped him. I froze.
Then I grabbed his shirt and brought him into a kiss. It was an instant thing. We both reacted. His arms wrapped around my waist. My one hand was on his neck and my arm around his shoulder.
Yes. I, Deigha Law, had softened. And it was damn good that I did. Cos' I snagged myself a guy. No, correction, I snagged the guy.
Maria's going to have a coronary when she finds out.
That's just the icing on the cake that is.
Quick note: I heart how skater's dress. That was just Deigha's personal viewpoint...for a while. =)
Now I know Deigh isn't as mean as some mean girls. But she isn't really a mean girl…just a popular (kinda mean when she has to be) girl.
Anyway, hope you like! =)
Disclaimer - Don't own any labels, TV shows or persons mentioned. =)
Hope
xoxo