~ CHANGE. ~ FINISHED! ENDING POSTED! ~

CHAPTERS 9 + ARE LOCATED IN THE 3RD POST. THANKS!

CHANGE.

preface

EVERY YEAR, there's a new girl at Blackberry Falls Middle School. And every year, the same thing happens.
The VPs take them in like some wounded animal and tell them who is good and who isn't. What teachers suck, and which are great. They teach them how to survive in Blackberry Falls.
And then, as soon as the new girl trusts the VPs, she tells them all her new secrets. Like, how she has been crushing on some guy from Science class, and the new girl tells them everything, every last secret.
As soon as they know enough, the VPs come up with some evil scheme to ruin the new girl's life. And nobody EVER dares to take a stand.
But not this year. No, something totally different happened.

Chapter 1.

Blackberry Falls' looks are deceiving.
With its winding, leaf littered roads, rolling grassy hills, rippling lakes and streams, and cutesy cottage like homes, you'd think it was a fun place where everyone got along.
WRONG.
Very wrong.
Blackberry Falls sort of has a caste system. Like they had in Egypt back in the ancient times.
On the top of the social pyramid are the VPs. They are like the Pharaohs of our Middle School.
Who are the VPs? They are a group of 4 dumb blondes that are supposedly rich, and get all the guys. They RULE the school. I happen to know a lot about each of them, but I'm really not supposed to tell you. But I am going to anyways.
First is Victoria Wallace. She's the leader of the VPs. Secretly, she dies her hair blonde. It's not natural, like she tells everyone.
Second is Paris Foster. She sounds rich, but she really isn't. Her family is middle class just like everyone else. Her VP necklace is a cubic zirconia.
Third is Priscilla Angelo. Contrary to most beliefs, she has never had a boyfriend. She's also anorexic.
Last, and very least, is Chey Foxx. Her real name is Cheyenne, but the other VP members made her change it. She is the newest VP member. She was a new girl, but the VPs swore her in.
You are probably wondering how I know so much about the VPs.
I used to be one.
I was like Chey. They thought I had the right look and such to be a VP, so rather than embarrass me, they swore me in as a VP.
What happened? Well, it went a bit like this.
I had just moved here from Wisconsin. Me, Jacqueline Nyberg, the new girl. On the first day of school, Victoria Wallace was put next to me in Social Studies. She seemed really nice at first, and invited me to sit with her at lunch. Naturally, I accepted.
Obviously, I didn't look like them, with my black hair and sea-foam V-neck tee and bootleg jeans, while they wore pink miniskirts and showy tight white tops. I guess I left that part out, they dress alike too.
They brainwashed me, practically, by gently nudging me to turn into one of them. They took me to the mall to change my wardrobe, and I became, well, a monster.
To Victoria at least.
I had scored the most popular guy in school, Pete Romano. He had soft, shiny black hair, and bright green eyes. He was tall, and he was the best athlete in school. Unfortunately, I failed to know, that Victoria was crazy for him.
Okay, maybe I did know....
Either way, they were MAD.
Although, by that time, everyone loved me! Guys were always coming up to talk to me, and I was just popular. Everyone thought I was just great. I wish I could say the same for now.
Unfortunately, because of all of that, I guess I kinda lost myself. All the attention got me spoiled. I went from being artsy new girl, to spoiled brat. I'm still not who I used to be. I'm just a blank canvas.
Anyways, Victoria saw me as a threat. I was inches away from being lead VP and that was NOT gonna fly with her. So she did something really awful at the spring formal.
Victoria had all of us wear the same dress to formal, but hers was a darker shade of pink. They were strapless, and a shiny light pink. They had a glittery tulle layer of fabric on the skirt and a white bow in the front.
They were gorgeous. We all wore pink heels to match. The night before, Victoria gave me my VP necklace.
All the VPs have these necklaces that are diamond. They all bought them when they started the club. Mine wasn't diamond, but a pink sapphire since I was a newbie. It was beautiful. Everything seemed, so perfect. Pete was looking amazing all dressed up. I definitely did not know what Victoria had in store for me.
I had left Pete for a while to go fix my hair. While I was gone, Victoria was chatting with Pete. On my way out from the bathroom, I stopped to talk to one of my guy-friends. Suddenly, I was drug over to the hallway by Paris.
"Jack, you gotta come here! You'll never believe what Victoria's doing!" She tried to sound like she was on my side, but I sensed she wasn't. Paris led me into the hallway and pointed to the window.
Our schools windows are not sound proof.
"Hello Pete," Victoria said flirtatiously.
"Uh, hi, Victoria."
"Where's Jack?"
"Oh, she went to go fix her hair or something."
"Really, that's funny." Victoria said deviously, staring into Pete's green eyes. "Because, I saw her talking to another guy." Pete looked worried.
"Oh it was probably just one of her friends.." He said uneasily.
"Pete, I'm really not supposed to tell you, but... Jack is cheating on you."
"THAT BRAT!" I screamed in terror, and ran (in heels) back into the gym. I could see Victoria touch Pete's arm very flirtatiously.
"It's just such a shame," she said next. "That such a bad, bad person like Jack would do something so terrible to such a great guy like you." In her heels, she was just tall enough to be close to Pete's height. She grabbed his arm, and she kissed him.
Just as I had walked up to them. She was kissing my boyfriend.
After that, I ran away from her and cried in the bathroom. I never talked to her after that. I was her new punching bag, and since then, everyone has made fun of me.
Needless to say, after that, Pete and I were over. Victoria started dating him.
Life since then has been bland and boring. I made a few new friends, but nothing exciting has happened.
It's a really long story, actually, and I probably shouldn't have wasted a whole chapter telling you about it.
But I guess it's too late now.

Chapter 2.

The first day of school is always a mad house.
Not only because nobody knows where the heck they are going, and nobody really wants to be there, but because of the VPs and their evil ways.
I got on the bus that morning wearing a white tee shirt and jeans, with my long black hair in waves. I carried a brown canvas messenger bag. I gave a fake smile to my bus driver and mad my way to seat 18, where I always sat.
We drove for a while in a direction I didn't recognize. It was toward where Chey lived, but I knew that she wouldn't ride the bus. Her family is loaded. We drove for a while until we reached Cinder Creek Drive. When the old stale rusted bus screeched at a halt at 2984 Cinder Creek Drive, everyone looked at each other, scared nearly to death.
Thats another thing about Blackberry Falls.
The house at 2984 Cinder Creek Drive.
This house is supposedly haunted. Actually, there are lots of rumors about that house. We know for a fact nobody has lived there since the 40s. The strange thing is, that every night, their light is always on. Sometimes it flashes on and off. It's really freaky because, well, nobody lives there! Its appearance is as eerie as it sounds. It's small, and made of brick. The whole place is COVERED in thick, green, ivy. The front door looked like someone beat it with a hammer a hundred times. All the grass and weeds are overgrown, and there are dead trees all around the property. Some people say a whole family was killed there, and their ghosts still haunt the place. Its another long story, but nobody really knows for sure.
So that's why we were all so surprised when a girl my age walked out the front door and got on our bus that morning.
She had wispy,straight blonde hair that was so blonde, it was almost white. Her eyes were blue, a blue I had never seen before, an icy blue. Framing her ice cold eyes were big, black rimmed glasses. She was very pale, and wore no makeup. She had an almost ghostly appearance.
Her outfit was even better. She wore a long, white skirt, with a grey button up with a cameo pin and sandals. She was strikingly beautiful, but so unusual.
We were all afraid of her. I could already see it now, the rumors that the new girl was a ghost or a murderer or something. I wondered what the VPs would do with this one.
When we got to school, everyone shuffled off the bus rather unenthusiastically. I walked up the chipped cement walkway to the entrance. I just wanted to get this train wreck over with. I looked around, and I saw Pete and Vincent Neely, his best friend, talking over by one of the trees. Not far from them were the VPs. Yuck.
Today they wore black mini skirts and revealing lighter pink tee shirts, along with the usual white eyeshadow (pink for Victoria) and tons of foundation. Their VP necklaces glimmered in the August sun. I curled my lip in disgust. I turned away and was surprised to see the Cinder Creek girl standing by me.
"Hi, I'm Cecilia." She said with a smile. Her voice was high and light sounding.
"Hi, I'm Jacqueline." I said uneasily.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me where the office is, I am supposed to go fill out some papers since I'm new.."
"Oh it's just inside the door, you won't miss it. Welcome to Blackberry."
"Thanks," She said, and walked away.
I almost warned her.
Maybe I should have.
She walked toward the door and past the VPs. Chey whispered into Victoria's ear. Victoria nodded and approached Cecilia.
"Hey, are you new?"
"Yeah, I am actually. I'm Cecilia."
"I'm Victoria. These are my friends, Chey, Paris, and Priscilla."
"Hello.." Cecilia said, studying them carefully. "Why are you all dressed the same?" Victoria laughed.
"Oh its just something friends do in Blackberry. Can I see your schedule?"
I shook my head. Here we go again.

"Hey Jack!" I turned around. It was Janyce. Janyce Wertz is pretty much my only friend as of now. She has long, curly, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Janyce, look at the VPs! Their already biting into the flesh of the Cinder Creek girl."
"Cinder creek!?"
"You didn't hear? The new girl is from the Cinder Creek house!"
"No way!"
"Yes way. I saw her get on the bus today."
"Thats crazy!"
"I know!"
"Well I told Vince I'd catch up with him.. I'll see ya in homeroom." Janyce walked over to Vincent and Pete. I looked away.
Janyce is dating Vincent Neely. I wish I were still dating Pete. I took a deep breath and walked through the doors. It was that same familiar smell, stale coffee. It was odd that our school smelled like that, but it did.
I looked down at my schedule. My homeroom was upstairs, room 388. I walked up the steps and around the corner and opened the door.
My homeroom couldn't be any more terrible.
Chey, Priscilla, Paris, and Victoria were huddled in the back corner gossiping. Pete sat a few feet in front of them, along with Vincent, and another guy I didn't know. Janyce was sitting in the front, waiting for me.
I rushed over to Janyce.
"Janyce this class bites!"
"Yeah I know. The VPs are disgusting!"
"I agree."
Just then, the teacher walked in. Trailing behind her, like a lost baby duckling, was Cecilia.
"Class is our new student, Cecilia." We mumbled a hello. Cecilia walked over and sat by the VPs. I rolled my eyes.
"Huge mistake," I whispered to Janyce.
"Is there something you would like to share with the class, Jacqueline?" Mrs Horne asked in that fake polite voice of hers.
"No ma'am." I said, looking down.
"I'm going to have to move you to sit elswhere. There's an open seat by Pete." I swallowed hard and grabbed my things. My face must have been red, I was so angry! How could I be stuck in this room with the VPs and have to sit next to Pete? It just wasn't fair.
Not fair at all.
I looked straight ahead and listened to Mrs Horne's beginning of the year speech. You know, the whole deal about how this school year was going to be great and we would learn so many new things. Honestly, I was getting quite bored. I looked over, just a little peek. Pete was doodling on his notebook.
It was strange, you know, because Pete never doodles.
Behind him the VPs were texting. What a way to kick off the year, by texting in class.
By now, Mrs Horne's voice was nearly background noise. Luckily, her speech was cut short by an announcement through the loud speakers.
"GOOD MORNING BLACKBERRY FALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL!" Beamed our school principal. Mr. Walker was our principal. He was old ish and one of those adults that tries to be 'hip'. "Welcome to your first day of school! I need everyone from the 7th grade class in the auditorium at 8:30 for a brief meeting. Peace!" Janyce shook her head. I looked over at the clock. It was now 8:15.
At the meeting, I sat between Janyce and Cecilia. In front of us were Pete, Vincent, and that other guy from homeroom I didn't know. The VPs had to be fashionably late, of course, and sat next to Cecilia.
I'd rather have my eyes stabbed out with a stick.
The meeting was rather unimportant. The Mr. Walker explained some new rules and things implemented into the school's rulebook, and droned on about school spirit and how to respect others, and how we would have many magical experiences. Nobody really listened to him, and I don't think they believed him, either.
Mr. Walker seemed to be coming to an end with the meeting. I nearly crossed my fingers. The VPs texting was driving me insane.
"I am now going to turn it over to Miss Byrde for some information on some upcoming events," He said, turning toward Miss Byrde.
I groaned. Here we go. Miss Byrde was tall, and thin, with brown hair that she always wore up in a bun. She had soft, brown eyes, and was pretty young. She was the new events coordinator and music teacher. She was nice, but got annoying after a while.
First Miss Byrde explained the Spring Formal, and a few other dances coming up, along with school club meetings.
"Lastly is the talent show. I know we normally have it the last week of school, but Mr. Walker and I decided that it would be better to have it in the winter this year, this way we can get to know each other's talents and things to kick off the school year."
I was surprised, to be honest with you. It was the school tradition to have the talent show on the last Thursday of the last week of school. It had always been that way, and we figured it always would be. I turned my head to the VPs, who all looked at Victoria.
Thats another thing about Victoria. She thinks she's a good singer. Which, is entirely false. Every year, she tries out and gets in, but she lip syncs! Priscilla was the only one who knew, but she told me back when I was a VP. She makes a tape of her singing with auto-tune and lip syncs to it for the talent show. She must be good at it, because everyone thinks she's AMAZING and showers her with such great compliments. It's quite annoying actually.
We learned the talent show auditions would be November 21st, the day after the Fall/Winter Mixer.
This was looking to be an interesting year.

Chapter 3.

She was turning into one of them.
Cecilia, that is.
The second day of school was when it all started.
That day, she left the creepy old abandoned house wearing a knee length denim skirt with a plaid green top buttoned up to her neck. Her wispy blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, making her peircing blue eyes all the more intimidating. Everyone avoided her gaze as she looked for somewhere to sit.
Nobody knew what to think of her.
I guess I was a little caught off guard when she spoke to me.
"May I sit here?" She asked politely. I faked a smile and nodded. Cecilia smoothed down her skirt and sat down. I resumed my window watching. I liked looking out the window. The bus drove pretty fast, just fast enough to blur the trees and houses together, and it reminded me of an impressionistic painting. It was almsot comforting, to compare everything to art.
My eyes focused on her house in the distance.
"Have you heard what people have said about your house?" I asked, turning to face her. She swallowed hard and looked down shamefully.
"It's n-not my house.." She said quietly. I shifted uneasily and continued my window watching.
I wish I hadn't asked.
When we got to class, the VPs had resumed their usual seats in the back. Pete and Vince were sitting in the third row of seats. I nearly moaned, remembering where I had to sit. I hated sitting next to Pete. Every time I looked at him, my mind melts everything around me and replaces it with last year's spring formal. His lips touching hers. Her finally pulling away and giving me that smug smile. Walking home in the rain, my makeup bleeding all over my face, my dress stained with mud. It was something I really wanted to just sweep under the carpet and forget.
I set down my books and opened my notebook to the very middle page, where I doodled. Today I drew the house.
The house that wasn't Cecilia's.
I was sure to include every detail I remembered, down to the vines and stained glass window wedged in the very top corner of the house. I was so sucked into my drawing, that I didn't realize Victoria had strolled over to talk to her man candy, who was sitting on his desk, talking to Vincent.
"Pete!" She said in that bratty voice of hers, the same one she had used to win him over that night. My pencil paused. It sent a shock through my skin, and I finally snapped out of it. I looked slightly to the side of my drawing, lightly stroking my pencil on the paper, and watched.
She met him with an embrace. It just didn't look right, her miniskirt clad self woven through his black tee shirt and jeans. Eventually he pulled away, and she giggled and twisted a lock of her fake blonde hair.
It took a moment for her to notice me, and when she did, she made a disgusted face.
"This seat must suck, huh?" She said, just loud enough so I could hear her. I paused my shading, and glared at her. She stepped closer and cocked her head.
"Is there something you'd like to say, Jack?" She asked, a fake, bratty smile growing on her face.
"No."
"Good," she began. "That's what I thought." She peered over at my notebook and smirked.
"What's this?" She asked, her pink glittery nails reaching for my notebook.
She couldn't have my notebook. If she had it, she would know I was a writer, and she would know I was an artist. She would know my secret.
I smacked her hand away.
I had no other choice.
Her mouth hung open.
"You're an evil girl, Jack. A real class-a brat." She said, turning up her nose. She snapped her fingers and walked back to her seat, her posse trailing behind her. Pete stared at her in awe. I closed my notebook and put it back in it's secret place in my binder. It was short enough that it would fit in the deepest pocket in the back of my binder, and nobody would see it. Mrs Horne opened the door just about then. Pete slid into his seat just in the nick of time and smiled at Mrs Horne as she walked by.
By lunch time that day, I thought life couldn't be any worse. Victoria and the VPs had been glaring at me all day, and I lost my algebra homework. I sighed and walked over to my table from last year... The circular one, closest to the window, and took a sip from my water bottle.
I was getting ready to swallow the water when the VPs walked in.
I nearly spit it out.
Victoria was walking towards me.
This couldn't be good.
"Uhhm, Jack, get out of my table." I looked down.
"It's not your table." I whispered.
"What's that?" She asked smugly.
"Nothing," I said getting up. I walked over to a table far, far away from Victoria. Janyce looked confused and wandered over from the lunch line.
"Are the VPs sitting at our table?" Janyce asked, setting down her tray and swinging her legs over the bench.
"Yes. They kicked me out." I said angrily.
"Oh god! Those brats." She said, biting into her pizza.
"Look at Cecilia," I said looking over at her. Janyce peered over at the new VP table.
"She's sitting with the VPs."
"I know. Oh I gotta tell you what happened with her this morning on the bus." Janyce looked intrigued.
"Cecilia?"
"Yes. She sat by me on the bus this morning, and I asked her if she heard what people have been saying about her house, and.."
"She sat by you?"
"Yeah. And then, she said it wasn't her house."
"What?"
"I swear, thats what she said. It seemed like a sensitive topic to her, so I didn't say anything more, but I have to wonder.." Janyce looked out into space.
"If that's not her house.... Where does she live?"



Cecilia didn't sit with me on the bus that afternoon.
Or the next day, or the day after that, or the day after that.
Of course, by then it was Friday.
"Finally," I thought to myself as I walked out of the school doors alongside Janyce that Friday afternoon. "The week is over. I survived the first week of school."
It was warmer than it had been the day before, and it was sunny, casting an odd glow on the fallen leaves on the cracked pavement. The air was warm and crisp.
"Omigosh Jack! Did you see that?!" Janyce asked me, interrupting my thoughts. I snapped out of my hazed state and looked over at Janyce. She was pointing toward she school parking lot.
"The VPs limo? They've been using it since last year."
"No no no," Janyce said, waving her hand in dismissal. "Did you see WHO got in the limo?"
"Erm... The VPs?" I guessed.
"Well yes, but someone else too," She said as we walked down the pathway to my bus, her eyes never leaving the limo as it pulled out of the parking lot.
"Who?" Janyce finally tore her eyes away from the shiny limo and faced me.
"Cecilia."
"NO WAY!" I exclaimed. "Are you sure it was her?"
"Oh please, I can spot her from a mile away with her long skirts and unusualness."
"I guess you have a point," I said, stepping up the bus stairs. "She is kinda eccentric." Janyce followed close behind as I made my way to seat 18. I slid into the brown leather seat and Janyce sat down where Cecilia had only a few days before.
"Well guess what else," Janyce said, pulling her black bag off her shoulders and setting it on the floor.
"What?" I asked attentively.
"Well, we were in Social Studies today, and I walked over to talk to Vince, and Victoria was leeching on Pete at the time. She told him she would have to meet up with him some other time because Cecilia and the VPs were coming over to her house."
"Cecilia is going to her house?" I was a bit shocked. It took about 3 weeks before Victoria invited me over last year.
"Yeah. So then, you know that blonde guy, the new one thats always hanging around Pete and Vince?" By now, I was looking out the window, looking at the blur of the trees and sky. "If Cecilia were a painting, she'd be a Picasso," I thought to myself. She was so unusual and weird, but in a way, beautiful. Some turned up their noses at her, (wether it be on the inside or openly). Some thought she was bizarre, crazy, even dumb for dressing the way she did and looking the way she did. Some were intrigued by her. They were captivated, distracted, and they wanted to know everything about her mysterious composure. In a world where everything was seemingly perfect, her imperfection was almost delightful.
"Jack. Jack. Jacqueline Anne Nyberg!" Janyce insisted.
"Oh, sorry. What now?" I asked. Janyce rolled her eyes.
"The blonde guy, that's always hanging around Vince and Pete."
"Yeah, who is he anyways?" I asked.
"Turns out, he's new. His name is Lance, Lance Croner. He's really nice, and funny, too."
"I thought you were dating Vincent... I sense a connection here," I asked, poking fun at Janyce. She laughed.
"No, I don't like Lance! But there's something really weird about his eyes..." She trailed off.
"What's weird about them? I asked, turning toward her.
"They're... They're... Gray. Like a charcoal gray. Its really weird... They're kinda scary." I looked a bit confused.
"That is kind of weird," I said. "Well, none the less, I'm sure the VPs will be all over him before long. They've dated just about everyone else." Janyce laughed.
"Oh so true," She replied. Soon, the blur came into focus and the ride was over, and we had arrived at my house. It was fairly large, yellow paneling with a big, white wrap around porch and black shutters. My mom kept the garden neat and tidy, and to dress up the front of the house for fall, a few bundles of indian corn stalks had been tied to the posts of our porch. My mother was sitting on the porch, enjoying the little bit of sun while it lasted.
"Hello Mrs Nyberg!" Janyce said in a friendly tone, approaching my mother.
"Hello Janyce, Jack." I waved back.
"Hey mom, is dad home yet?"
"No, he's not. Why?"
"I was hoping he would drive Janyce and I to the library to do a little research." Janyce looked confused.
"Well, you can call him, but he might be late tonight. You could always walk,"
My mother suggested. I shook my head.
"Nah, I'll call dad. C'mon Janyce." I grasped the brass doorknob and swung open my front door, motioning for Janyce to follow. The inside of my house smelled of cinnamon at this time of year, and my mother had replaced all of the bright, summer printed throw pillows with different ones in cozy shades of brown and crimson. We walked up the creaky wooden steps and down the hallway to my room.
My room has plain white walls, and wooden floors. I have a white desk with a silver laptop and a cup full of pencils on top of it. My bed is one low to the ground, and has a cushy white comforter and 3 white pillows. Opposite of my bed is a white dresser with a huge mirror. My windows were embellished with white linen curtains. In one corner of my room is a large white arm chair and a flat screen TV mounted on the wall in view of the bed. In the other, is my laundry basket, piled up with dirty clothes.
In my closet, which I lock, is a big gray filing cabinet full of my drawings, paints, story manuscripts, and other things I want to keep secret, along with a little table and stool that I use for painting.
I set down my bag on the bed, and pulled out my cell phone. Meanwhile, Janyce was busy spinning around in my desk chair, her strawberry blonde hair falling all in her face. I shook my head and dialed my dad's number and waited patiently for him to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hey daddy! Are you going to be home anytime soon?"
"I'm on my way home right now."
"Alright, cool! Could you drive me and Janyce to the library?" I asked, looking over at Janyce, who was twirling around like an idiot.
"I guess so," He said blankly.
"Thanks dad! Bye!"
"Bye"
Janyce finally put her spinning to an end. Her hair was all messed up, in her face and tangled about. She walked over to my dresser and looked at herself in the mirror and laughed, trying to fix her messed curls. I shook my head and tossed her a brush.
"Oh Janyce, what are we gonna do with you?" She smiled and began brushing through her strawberry blonde hair.
"So, why exactly are we going to the library?" Janyce asked, admiring herself in my mirror.
"Research." I said nonchalantly.
"Research on what?" Janyce walked over and sat on the bed next to me, folding her hands in her lap.
"Stuff," I said, walking over to my dresser to get a cardiagan. "My dad is on his way home, he should be here any moment."
"What kind of stuff?" Janyce persisted.
"You'll see," I said smiling, and walking out my bedroom door.
Janyce followed me down the steps and into the entry way, where my father stood, waiting for us.
"Hey Mr. Nyberg!" Janyce said politely.
"Hey.. are you guys ready to leave?" I nodded and we walked outside and got in my dad's car. It was old, and a little rusty. It was a silver color, and the interior was black, worn leather. Janyce and I were pretty much silent the whole trip over, me just looking out the window as I usually did, and Janyce busy texting on her phone. Finally we reached the library. I stepped out of the car and Janyce walked close behind.
Our library is the most beautiful building I have ever seen. It's very very old, of the Victorian style. Its huge, like a big castle. It has 2 towers, on opposite sides of the building. It was made of brick, and had white trim, carved in fancy scrolls and braided textures. The windows were small and round. There were exactly 17 steps up to the big doors, complete with the brass knocker and wooden panels. The pavement was old and worn.
The inside is better, with its vaulted ceilings. When you walk in, it smells old, like dust and cigar smoke. The entrance is tiled, in ornate patterns, but the rest of the library is covered in a soft red carpeting. The walls were a creamy yellow, and the book cases were dark wood. There are also 2 spiral staircases on the two far ends of the building, leading to the upper level. On the upper level is a lounge, decorated with stately velvet covered furniture and small lamps, and 2 computer stations, along with old newspaper clippings and old documents in big, leather bound books on 2 shelves across the back wall.
I walked up the spiral staircase that led into the first tower, which contained the faster computer. There was one big velvet chair, which I sat in, and Janyce stood next to me, leaning on the desk.
"Okay, now what are we here for?" Janyce asked impatiently. I swallowed hard.
"Well, I thought maybe we could do a little research on Cecilia's house." Janyce's eyes widened and she crossed her arms.
"No, Jack. It's none of our business anyways, and.."
"This is why I didn't tell you. Please?" Janyce looked up at the ceiling of the tower.
"Fine, Jack. I'll look on the computer, and you go check out the records for anything." I nodded, and walked out the rounded doorway, and walked along the outer shelf, which was more recent records, I noticed. I remembered that the 40s was the last era in which someone occupied the Cinder Creek house, and decided that would be a good place to start. I spotted a book of 40s newspaper clippings on the top shelf. I reached for it, but it was too high. I bit my lip and reached again, my fingers brushing against it, but not high enough to grab. I whined and stood on my tip toes, trying to grab it. I was surprised when a strong hand plucked it off the shelf from behind me. I spun around, startled.
Standing before me was a guy about my age, maybe older. He had shiny golden blonde hair pushed up in the front, and stormy gray eyes. He was tall, and wore a gray V-neck and old blue jeans. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't exactly place him.
"Here," He said, giving me the book. I took it from him and continued to stare, picking my brain, trying to place him.
"I'm Lance," He said, extending his hand. "From school?"
"Oh!" I said suddenly. "I knew I knew you from somewhere," I shook his hand. "I'm Jacqueline."
"Jacqueline," He said to his self quietly. "That's a nice name."
"Thanks," I said uneasily. This conversation was sort of awkward.
"So why are you at the library?" He asked me, walking toward some chairs in the lounge. I followed.
"Just um, doing some research.." I said. "How about you?"
"Same," He said sitting down in one of the cushy velvet chairs. I sat down as well.
"So why were you in the records section?" I asked.
"Oh," He said, nonchalantly, looking up at the flickering light in the chandeleir above us. "Just looking." There was something about Lance, something mysterious. He smiled and met my eyes. I nodded, and looked down. "So uh, what's with you and the VPs?" I bit my lip.
"Well, we just, aren't friends.. It's a long story." I said carefully. For all I know he could be dating one of them. He nodded.
"I see. They are awfully mean to you, I don't understand why they are so mean to everyone." He said sympathetically. I shook my head. Guys are so dumb, the VPs act that way to give themselves a sense of power and position, and for attention.
"You're such a blonde," I said jokingly, smiling.
"Oh I'm not blonde," He said running his fingers through his hair. "I'm a dirty blonde." We both laughed at his joke, and I looked up at the clock.
"Gosh, it's been a while, hasn't it? I better go find Janyce, she's probably thinking I got kidnapped or something," I said, standing up. He did the same.
"Good luck with your research," He said, waving goodbye. I rushed away.
"Yeah, you too, see ya at school." I called to him behind me and I walked through the rounded doorway again. Janyce was on the phone, gabbing away with Vincent. She looked surprised to see me.
"Gotta go, bye. love ya!" she whispered into her phone and flipped it shut and smiled at me.
"Hey there Jack.." She said smiling innocently. I crossed my arms.
"Did you do ANY work at all?" I asked accusingly.
"Well... not exactly, but.." I shook my head. "Did YOU do any work?" She asked.
"Kind of.. Guess what I found!"
"What?" she asked, clearly interested.
"I found Lance!" Janyce shot me a quizzical look.
"Lance?"
"Lance Croner. He's here." I said.
"What was Lance doing here?" Janyce said, utterly confused.
"That's the thing, he was acting really funny about that... He seemed like it was a secret, or that he didn't want anyone to know.."
"That's weird," Janyce said. "Lance doesn't seem like that kind of guy."
"He was nice, I guess... But weird, very weird."
So turns out, my library plan was a bust. We didn't get any information on the house that wasn't Cecilia's, and the rest of the weekend was boring.
Monday was far from it.
I got on the bus wearing my usual plain tee and jeans, and made the usual trek to seat 18, but unlike any other day before, there was someone sitting in seat 18.
"Great," I thought to myself. "Now I'm gonna have to find somewhere else to sit and I might have to sit in the front which would really suck and then..."
"Hey Jacqueline." The familiar voice broke my thoughts. It was Lance.
"Lance.. I didn't know you rode my bus.." I said uneasily. Honestly I was a bit creeped out to see him after my weird meeting with him at the library a few days before.
"Haha, well I do! Sit," He said, motioning at the seat next to him. I didn't want to be rude, so I did. "Sorry about the library," he said, looking out my window. "I just, well... between you and me, I didn't want anyone to know I was there. I was researching a famous murder in the 30s, because the novel I'm writing is loosely based off of it. The guys don't know I'm a writer, and I just want to fit in here.." He babbled. I was a bit surprised that Lance would confide in me so quickly, and also that he was a writer, like me.
"You're a writer?" I asked, astonished. He blushed a little.
"Yeah, just don't tell anyone. I was known as the nerd at my last school, and I just want to fit in with the rest of the guys."
"I'm a writer too!" I confessed, smiling.
"Really?"
"Yeah... I just have never told anyone because I just don't want anyone to think I'm weird or anything..."
"I'll have to show you some of my novels sometimes... They are a bit mediocre...." He trailed off.
"I'm sure they're great," I said encouragingly.
Lance leaned over to look past me.
"WOAH! Who is THAT?" I guess Lance and I had been talking for a long time, because we were at Cecilia's house.
But the girl that got on the bus that morning, was not Cecilia.
Not the Cecilia I knew.
I observed her from head to toe.
Her dainty feet were crammed into a pair of strappy heels, her legs clearly bronzed with self tanner. The denim skirt she had worn not too long before was now cut up to well above her knee. She wore a tight pink tube top. Her pin straight hair hung in her face, and her glasses were gone. Her eyes were excentuated by silver eyeshadow, which, surprisingly made them look softer. Her face was loaded up with foundation.
And there, dangling from her neck, was a pink sapphire VP necklace.

Chapter 5.

I wasn't sure what to think. Or say.
I just sat there staring at her as she walked by, my mouth hanging open. She shot me a dirty look as she walked by. I finally turned to Lance, who looked as surprised as I was.
"I don't believe it," He said, in awe. I just exhaled loudly and put my headphones in, and closed my eyes for a minute. Not too much later, Lance tapped my shoulder, and I turned to face him, pulling out my right earbud.
"Hmm?" I asked.
"It's time to go," He said quietly. He still seemed shocked. I guess I saw it coming, but still.
I wrapped the cords up into a tangled mess and shoved the headphones back in my bag, and walked outside. People were gossping about her, I could tell. When she walked by, people's eyes bulged out like they couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Cecilia had changed on the inside, too. She was talking with that bratty voice that Victoria used, and seemed to be talking louder, more obnoxiously.
I don't know what the VPs did to her over the weekend, but it was working.

Janyce walked up to me and Lance, who were just now getting off the bus.
"Hey Jack! and Lance!" she added after noticing Lance behind me. Lance mumbled a hello and rushed over to Pete and Vince. "That was weird," Janyce said as he passed by her.
"Yeah, I know. He's been acting weird all morning! I didn't even know he rode my bus!"
"Haha, well, maybe he's just having a weird day. So what's everyone all stirred up about?" She asked as we approached the front entrance of our school.
"Cecilia." I said blankly.
"Cecilia, what about her?" I just pointed to the VPs. "What do the VPs have to do with... Oh my god. That's her?"
"Yeah." Was all I could muster. How dare they turn someone so beautiful into... THAT.
"Wow. I mean, she..."
"And she's mean now too," I whispered as we walked past, avoiding the cold gaze of her blue eyes. "Didn't you see that dirty look she gave me?"
"Yeah, I did. I just can't believe she would fall for it. I mean, wow."
When we got to class, most everyone was already seated. Pete was doodling again, which, again, was very weird. Vince and Lance were whispering about something. Janyce was sitting at her desk reading, and the VPs were texting, and gossiping in the back corner. I took a seat at my desk, and sat quietly to wait for Mrs Horne.
She walked in soon after and began passing out papers.
"Lance, Victoria, Janyce, Cecilia?" She called out their names, reading them off our language arts homework. When Cecilia walked up to her desk she was stricken aback.
"Cecilia! What in the name of god's creation happened to you!?" She exclaimed, studying her carefully. I couldn't help but laugh to myself quietly. Cecilia spun around and I quickly looked down to hide my face. She faced Mrs Horne again.
"I got a makeover, Mrs Horne." Cecilia said matter-of-factly. Victoria, Paris, Priscilla, and Chey smirked in the back of the classroom. Mrs Horne's mouth gaped open. She sounded just like Victoria.
That little brat.
Mrs Horne called out more names.
"Vincent, Paris, Priscilla?" She called. Paris and Priscilla strutted up to her desk.
"UGH! A D?" Paris whined.
"Yes, Paris. It would help if you paid attention in class."
"Whatever," She retorted, pouting her way back to her chair. Mrs Horne sighed impatiently and called out the last two names.
"And the last two are Pete and Jacqueline." I blushed and walked awkwardly up to Mrs Horne's desk, Pete not too far behind. I retrieved my paper, 100%, and I noted that Pete got a 79%.... he didn't have the best grades in the world.
I slid back into my seat , just as Mrs Horne turned on the overhead projector. On it was a list of things we needed out of our binders... A few note sheets and a worksheet she passed out yesterday. I placed them all in a need stack on my desk, and placed my two mechanical pencils in the little groove at the top of my desk and looked forward.
Pete kicked my chair. I figured it was Victoria or Cecilia, considering they weren't too far behind me, and I turned around to see Pete smiling a guilty smile at me.
When he smiled, everything around me melted away, and it was just me and him in the room, which was now the dance floor at the Spring formal. His jeans melted into his tux, and my white tee shirt melted into that strapless dress with the glitter and bows. That smile turned into the one he made at me as I walked away from him, my hands interlaced in his, as I pulled away. "Be right back," I had whispered.
If only my hair hadn't gotten messed up, or if only Victoria never existed.
If only...
"Psst, Jack!" Pete whispered, looking straight forward. Everything faded back together, me in my tee shirt, Pete in his jeans, the desks, the VPs, the overhead glowing in the dark room.
"What?" I whispered back, looking straight ahead as he had... Clever, so the teacher wouldn't know we were talking.
"Can I barrow a pencil? I can't find mine.."
"Uh, yeah, sure," I whispered back uneasily. I quietly grabbed the pencil off the groove in my desk and quietly lowered it underneath the desk and held it out toward him. "Here." His toned arm reached for it, and when he did his hand touched mine. Just lightly, and gently. It was almost like magic. We both turned to look at each other for just a moment, and my blank expression turned into a smile and so did his.
"Pete, Jacqueline, is there something you want to share with the class?" My face turned bright red, as did his, and he quickly pulled the pencil away.
"Uhh umm no, not really.." We mumbled quietly.
"Good then, now pay attention." I spun around to face Janyce.
"OH MY GOD!" I mouthed desperately. Janyce pointed at the VPs.
Victoria was glaring at me angrily, her fake pink nails clicking against the desk top.
Uh oh.

Chapter 6.

[/size]

Lance sat with me again on the bus that afternoon. We didn't talk much. It had been a weird Monday, and we were both sorta tired I think. We shared my mp3 player and I closed my eyes. I guess I had fallen asleep, because when I opened my eyes, I was resting my head on his chest. I quickly sat up.
"Sorry!" I said, embarrassed. He laughed.
"Its okay, Jack." I hated to admit it, but there was something about the way he felt when I had been next to him like that, it was almost comforting, and safe.
My phone vibrated. Hallelujah, something to save me from this conversation.
It was from Pete.
"Sorry about what happened in language arts today... "
I smiled and clicked back a reply.
"Its okay. "
I just sat there and stared at the text for a moment, flashing back to all the fun times Pete and I had in the past.
One time, his older brother and his girlfriend were going to the lake for the weekend, and Pete's parents had us go to make sure they didn't get drunk and crash the car or something. It was really beautiful there. I remember the last night we were there, Drake (his brother) and his girlfriend went to a bar and left us at the lake alone. We went out to the lake at about 12 am and there was nobody around. He almost kissed me, but I pulled away. I wasn't sure why I did, but Pete was kind of embarrassed I think. He just looked down, and I stood on my tip toes and whispered something in his ear. It was a promise, a promise I would never break.
We fell asleep under the stars that night, and woke up about an hour later right before his brother and his girlfriend came back totally hammered.
"What are you smiling at?" Lance asked, smirking.
"Nothing," I said quickly, sliding my phone back in my pocket. "Nothing at all."
The next day, Lance was asleep when I got on the bus. I smiled and shoved one earbud in his ear, my music playing really loud. He woke up within seconds.
"OH MY GOD WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?" He asked, freaked out. He looked like one of those male models today, his hair was done just perfectly, and he was wearing a gray V-neck that drew the gray out of his eyes. He was leaned back in the corner of the seat and the window, with his legs folded up in front of him. I smiled.
"You were asleep," I explained, slipping into the seat, laughing.
"So?" He was trying really hard not to laugh too. "Oh and by the way, I saw what happened with you and Pete yesterday." He said playfully.
"Is that so?" I asked.
"I think you like him!" He joked. I paused. He was right.
"I don't, trust me." I lied. "But don't spread anything about what happened yesterday, it was nothing and I don't want any more drama." I said in all seriousness.
"I won't, I promise." I smiled.
"Thankyou." Just as I spoke, Cecilia's strappy heels clicked their way past us. She glared. Lance's eyes were glued to her until she sat in her seat. Today she wore the same heels, a black ruffly miniskirt, and a white one shouldered top. I rolled my eyes.
"VPs... What are ya gonna do with them." I said jokingly.
"Kill them." Lance said with a straight face. I shot him a weird look. "JUST KIDDING!" He said, laughing.
"Very funny Lance."
"Why thank you."
Soon the bus arrived at school, but Lance and I continued joking around, not even noticing.
"Oh crap we're at school!" I exclaimed suddenly. We quickly gathered our stuff and rushed out the bus door. The bus driver gave us a dirty look as we got off.
"Finally," Janyce said walking up to me. "I thought you two would never get off!"
"Sorry," I said walking alongside her.
"And you didn't text me back last night either," Janyce said accusingly.
"I'm really sorry about that. I uh, got distracted. I was gonna text you but by the time I got them, it was too late." Janyce ran her fingers through her curls. "Alright, I forgive you. But you still need to tell me what happened with Pete."
"Oh," I said quickly. "Well he asked to barrow a pencil and I handed it to him and our hands touched a little, thats all..." I said quietly.
"Woah baby, thats major! And then you got caught by Mrs Horne?" I nodded.
"Victoria looked MAD, I'm sure she's after me today." I said, spotting her in the distance with Cecilia and the other VPs.
"Hmm. Well good luck with that. I'm gonna go talk to Vince."
"Don't mention anything about it to anyone, okay?"
"Alright, see ya!" She called behind her.
I exhaled dramatically and walked through the doors and upstairs to homeroom. Pete was already sitting there with his feet up on his desk.
I set my books down on my desk. He looked over at me.
"Hello Jack," He said, smiling. I waved meekly. Victoria walked in at about this time. Pete put his feet back down on the floor. She saw me talking to him again and was mad.
"Hey baby," She said, real loud so I would hear her loud and clear.
"Heyyy." He said innocently, standing up. She hugged him. I looked away disgusted. She continued to flirt with him in a very showy manor, just to make me mad.
At lunch, I sat down at me and Janyce's new table, since the VPs took our old one. I was talking to Janyce about how funny Lance was acting this morning when Victoria and Cecilia walked over.
"Get out of our table, dork." Cecilia said. I tried really hard not to laugh. I swallowed some air and looked at them both blankly.
"Didn't you already steal our old table?" Janyce looked down to hide her smirk.
"Didn't I already steal your boyfriend?" Victoria shot back. "Yeah, thats what I thought. I saw you talking to him, and I don't want to see it again. Just face it, honey, I'm better than you. I'm prettier, I'm more popular, and I have your guy." I was mad beyond belief. I would have smacked her right then and there if it wouldn't earn me a detention. I tried to think of something to say, but in stead I just grabbed my water bottle and moved to our old table. Janyce followed me.
I slammed down my water bottle and sat down and just sat there with my face buried in my hands for a while.
"Jack, you can't let them walk all over you like that. You need to stand up for yourself." Janyce said finally.
"Janyce, shut up! You don't understand! You have the perfect relationship and nobody hates you! You don't know what its like! If I say anything, what's it gonna help? They're just going to make my like more of a living HEAVEN!! So why bother?" I snapped. Janyce mumbled a few words but I couldn't hear them.
Lance was walking to the guy table, which was not far from ours and he stopped to see what was up.
"Woah woah, Jack, are you okay?"
"The VPs just were being really rude to her." Janyce replied. Vince pulled in a chair and spun it around backwards and sat down.
"Well," He said, running his fingers through his hair. "Who gives a crap what they think?"
"Everyone!" I replied. "The whole world revolves around them and what they think and how they are!" Lance shrugged.
"Okay well that's kind of true, but I sure don't, and you shouldn't either." He stood up, pushed the chair back in and walked away. "Good luck, Jack." He hollered.
Sometimes I wish the VPs would just disappear.

Chapter 7.

[/size]
The next morning, Lance wasn't sitting in seat 18.
He was sitting by himself a few seats behind seat 18, his charcoal gray eyes looking very fierce. I was sort of confused, but sat down anyways and looked out the window. I hadn't gotten to do that in a while. The soft blur of the landscape was a comfort I missed.
Cecilia didn't get on the bus that morning. "She's probably taking the limo with the VPs," I thought to myself. The ride to school was boring, and seemed longer than usual. After I got off the bus, Janyce was there to meet me.
"No Lance today?" She asked as we started down the walkway.
"No," I said plainly, looking straight forward.
"That's weird. Oh and guess what?"
"What?" I turned to face her.
"Cecilia rode to school in the limo today," She said.
"Figures." I replied, rolling my eyes.
"She's turned into a real brat."
"I know! She was so mean to me yesterday." Just in time, Vincent walked up and hugged Janyce from behind. She giggled and they started talking, so I just walked inside alone. Up the stairs, and down the hall to chaos.
Everyone was doing what they usually did in the morning before class, the VPs were texting, Pete was doodling, Vince was talking to Janyce, and Lance was talking to Cecilia.
Wait... Lance? Talking to Cecilia?
I listened the best I could, but it was pretty loud in the room. I heard a few words, and he said something and she laughed and twisted a piece of her wispy hair.
WHAT? Lance was flirting with Cecilia. Just after he told me he didn't even care what they thought and acted like he hated them? What was this all about? Although, he was acting kind of strange after Cecilia's makeover. But still.. He had always taken my side, and now he was flirting with the enemy. I thought he was MY friend.
Then I remembered something.
Lance knew my secret.
Oh no. My life was going to be done with, he would tell Cecilia and she would tell Victoria who would tell everyone. Then they'd have another reason to make fun of me and everyone would hate me even more.
It was beyond my power, and above all things, I had lost him.
I lost my friend.
I tried to focus on other things... Like Pete for example. It was pretty cold out today, so he was wearing his usual worn out jeans and a light gray hoodie. His face looked paler than usual, I noted. He seemed really tired, almost sad looking. That was unusal for him, especially because he was always so happy. Maybe Victoria yelled at him last night.
I was considering asking him if he were okay, when Mrs Horne walked in to begin our Language arts lesson.
The whole day Pete was acting really strange. He didn't talk to anyone, really, and just kinda sat there all day. Victoria was watching him like a hawk, trying to make sure I didn't talk to him.
Lance was all over Cecilia the whole day. I didn't understand. Why would he be talking to her and not me?
By the time the day was over, all I could do was sit there and wonder why everyone had been acting so strange.
[/size]

Chapter 8.

"They're dating, you know."
The words came out slow, like molasses, but burned like some deathly acid.
Janyce was the one who told me.
After school, on the phone.
I was sitting in my art studio closet on the stool, while finishing up my sketch of the house that wasn't Cecilia's. I hung up on her after that, telling her I had to go, even though I really didn't.
The truth was, I was about to cry.
And I did.
I'm not normally one who cries, though. Even though it may sound that way, after Pete and everything. That was really the only time I really truly cried, besides when I was a kid and everything.
Until now.
I didn't want to cry, and I tried so hard not to, but it was no use.
I just sat there in my so called art studio with the closet door shut, my face buried in my hands, makeup tainted tears rolling down my face and onto the sketch of Cecilia's house, staining it like a black rain pouring into the paper landscape. I tore the page out of the book and ripped it into several pieces of paper and threw them on the floor.
My life was over.
The VPs had taken everything. My boyfriend, my social status, my dignity, and now my friend. What was next, Janyce?

The next day, Pete wasn't at school. I wondered what was wrong with him. And also what was wrong with Lance.
I tried not to think about it, but I couldn't help but notice him sometimes. He always looked so.... perfect, and nice, and trustworthy, but it was all a fake. I couldn't help but think back sometimes, to that afternoon on the bus when I fell asleep in his arms. But I pushed those thoughts away and ripped them to shreds as I had done to the picture of Cecilia's house.

Anyways, because of all the Lance drama, I totally forgot what day it was.
Talent show try outs.
I never audition because I'm not really good at anything like that, but I normally stay after school to watch with Janyce. Luckily, we had already arranged this with our parents... Janyce's mom was to pick us up from the tryouts and then take us to the mall to buy outfits for the Fall/Winter Mixer, which was Saturday night.
Our school's auditorium is huge, with a stage, red velvet curtains, a really tall ceiling, huge speakers, and seemingly millions of rows of seats. Janyce and I sat all the way in the back, which was also really high up, so that we could laugh and talk all we wanted. Ms Byrde was sitting at a desk below the stage with a clipboard and the sign up sheet, and all the people who were auditioning sat in the very front of the auditorium, filling up the first 8 rows of seats.
First up was a group of girls that were gymnasts. They did this routine of flippy tricks and what not to some upbeat music. It was good, I guess, but really boring. They moved their arms a lot..
A few acts after them was a girl named Heather that went to our school. She was in my classes last year, and she could actually sing. Really well, I might add. She's really pretty, too, with her shoulder length, shiny brown hair and green eyes. She's really shy and most people don't know her, so I was really proud of her for trying out.
"Next up, Victoria Wallace?" Ms Byrde called.
Oh boy, here we go.
She emerged from backstage wearing a very short, hot pink dress covered in sequins. All the VPs clapped for her as she walked on stage. She smiled smugly as the tape began.
This year she was 'singing' some pop song I didn't recognize. She was totally lip syncing, it was obvious, at least I thought so.
"I'm just waiting for her to mess up," Janyce whispered. I laughed.
"Wouldn't that be great." I replied. I really had hoped she would, but she lip synced her way through the whole song. When she was finished, Cecilia and the VPs stood up to clap for her, and the rest of the room followed. I stayed seated... There was no way I was going to clap for her after she presented that disgusting lie of hers on stage.
After all the acts had finished, Janyce and I walked down a long series of concrete steps until we reached the lowest level of the auditorium. We planned on calling Janyce's mom to pick us up right then, but a voice behind us stopped us.
"Hey Janyce, Jacqueline, could I ask you to help me with something?" It was Ms Byrde. I sighed quietly and turned around and walked over to her, Janyce behind me.
"Uh, sure!" I said as friendly as possible.
"Great. I was wondering if you two could help me clean up backstage... Mr Poke left a bunch of stuff from drama last year back there and I was wondering if you could just take it to the drama storage room so I can fit the talent show stuff back there?"
Honestly, I didn't want to carry a bunch of boxes from one end of the school to the other after hours when I should be at the mall, but Janyce accepted.
"Yeah, that would be fine. I'll just tell my mom to pick us up in an hour," Janyce said, pulling her purple flip phone out of her pocket, wandering off for a moment.
"Hey mom, Jack and I are helping Ms Byrde with something backstage so come pick us up in about an hour, okay?" She hung up and walked back over to me. "Alright I left my mom a voicemail. Lets go!" Janyce said, pointing at the stage.
"Oh and one more thing," Ms Byrde said as we began to walk away. I cringed. "During the talent show, do you think you could operate the lights and sound board? I have to introduce the acts and such, so I won't be able to do that. I could arrange to get you guys some extra credit points in your classes from your teachers for helping me." Janyce nodded. Janyce really needed extra credit.
"Yeah, no problem!" Janyce said quickly.
"Thank you so much girls. You'll have to be here every practice though, so I can show you how to operate the CD player and the lights."
"That should be fine." I said cooly.
"Awesome, thanks girls! I'll be in my office if you need me." Janyce and I walked up the stage steps and walked through the velvet curtain to backstage.
Backstage has light wooden floors with the nails poking up and concrete brick walls. There are shelves and boxes EVERYWHERE, full of masks, costumes, props, and other weird junk.
"Looks like we'll be here for a while," I said, looking around. I picked up a small box that was close to the curtain. Janyce was digging through another box full of costumes.
"Haha look at me!" Janyce exclaimed, holding a wolf mask to her face. I would have turned around, but something caught my eye.
A cell phone was sitting on a very large box next to where the curtain opens.
The phone was pink, and covered in rhinestones.
I dropped my box.
I'd recognize that phone anywhere.
"Victoria's...." I whispered.

Ok, I have one question....WHAT DOES VP STAND FOR D=

Hee hee, anyway, besides that, I like your story so far! Although I'm not sure what grade they're in....Anyway, your story draws a classic clique story together with some mystery from that old abandoned house....I like it! Can't wait to read more = 3

What VP means is revealed later on in the story.
Also they are in like 7th or 8th grade. I haven't fully decided so thats why I haven't said yet. xD Probably 8th, because of what happened with Jack the year before. But maybe not. We shall see.

Thank you! (: Originally it was the house that started the idea and I just built from there. The rest of Chapter 2 should be up tonight or tomorrow morning

CHAPTER 9+ HERE!!
(Sorry about that, the first post was too big! Dx)

Chapter 9.

I felt really guilty for stealing Victoria's phone.
Not really.
But still, I mean, I would die if Victoria were to find my phone.
At the moment, it seemed like the most logical thing to do.
"What's wrong, Jack?" Janyce had said, walking over to where I was standing.
"It's VICTORIA WALLACE'S PHONE!" I whisper shouted.
"Woah." Janyce and I stood there and stared at it for a while, like my cats do right after they kill a fly and leave the body on the carpet.
I finally crept forward and reached for it. I half expected Victoria to pop out of the shadows and attack me, but she didn't.
"Dude," I said to Janyce, sliding the phone out and back in. "We have Victoria Wallace's phone. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?" I asked, grinning.
"I think we should give it to Ms Byrde..." Janyce said slowly.
"I don't!"
"What if Victoria finds out?"
"She won't. Look, we'll keep it tonight, and turn it into the office first thing in the morning and say we found it in the hallway."
"What if Victoria remembers leaving it here?" I bit my lip.
"Or, we can leave that big box here... Its too big to carry anyways. We'll come down here in the morning and leave the phone here. Someone will find it and turn it into the office."
"I don't know Jack. I think you're playing with fire."
"Janyce, ALL of her secrets are in here! Her secret thoughts, her plans her actions! Don't you realize?" Janyce smiled.
"Alright, you win. Shove it in your pocket and shut up before I over think it." I grinned deviously and did as Janyce instructed. "We better start hauling these boxes if we want to finish by the time my mom gets here."
"Right," I replied, picking up the box I had dropped.
We hauled box after box, occasionally stopping to laugh at a weird prop or costume. By the time we had finished taking the last box, we were both tired, hungry, and ready to go to the mall.
As soon as we got in Janyce's mom's silver minivan, I pulled out Victoria's phone.
"Let's read them at the mall. I'll get in trouble if my mom finds out." Janyce whispered. I nodded and slipped the phone back in my pocket and looked out the window.
"How was the auditions?" Janyce's mom asked.
"Terrible," Janyce replied. "Victoria is lip syncing again."
"That's awful, how do the teachers not know?" I shrugged.
"If you know she is, its easy to spot it. I mean, maybe they do know but they don't do anything about it." I suggested.
"I doubt it," Janyce said. "They probably don't know or care."
"I hate her," I said angrily. "And Cecilia too!"
"Oh Cecilia is a real brat." Janyce said, crossing her arms.
"Who's that?" Janyce's mom asked.
"This year's new girl. She was really pretty and nice until the VPs got to her," I said.
"Well what did she do?" I looked at Janyce, who shifted uncomfortably on the leather interior of her mom's minivan.
"She just started being really mean to Jack for no reason. And then Lance - this guy Jack has been hanging around with - started dating Cecilia, even after he told Jack she was a brat." I looked down shamefully.
Don't cry. Please don't cry, not here. I thought to myself, even though I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
"That's awful," her mom said, looking back at us through her rearview mirror. "Now is Lance a boy you liked, Jacqueline?" I gulped.
"Uhh a little… We were just friends, but some things happened." I said quietly. Janyce looked confused.
"What things? You never told me about such things!" She said, clearly intrigued.
"Nothing, it was nothing." I said defensively.
"TELL ME!" She shouted.
"It was nothing," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Kind of like how what happened with you and Pete was nothing?"
"Stop it Janyce!" I said, smiling.
"Please tell me!" She begged.
"Okay fine. Well after school, you know the day that the Pete thing happened, I fell asleep on the bus, and when I woke up, I had fallen asleep like, up next to Lance. Like my head was on his chest." I laughed a little, trying to explain what had happened. Janyce's Jaw dropped.
"JACK! That was like, MAJOR!!!!!" She said in awe. "How could you not tell me? What did he say about it?"
"I'm sorry Janyce… It was really nothing, and I freaked out and was really embarrassed, so I said sorry, and he said 'its okay jack.' Thats all, its not like we kissed or anything." I explained. Janyce leaned back in her seat.
"Wow…." She said, looking up at the ceiling of the car. "I didn't know you guys were that close."
"Well we were.." I said weekly, choking back tears.
By about this time, we had pulled up to the mall. Janyce was struggling with the door of her mom's van. It was one of those fancy sliding doors, but Janyce couldn't seem to pull it open. Finally, the door opened and we climbed out. Janyce waved goodbye to her mom as she drove away and we looked up at the massive entrance of the mall.
Of all things in Blackberry Falls, our mall is the most unusual, in comparison to the others, at least. Its very large, and is shaped like a huge "O". The interior is very modern looking, with shiny slick tile floors and chrome store fronts. When you walk in, a rush of cool air strikes you as you enter. Just inside the doors is a huge, modern looking fountain that people throw pennies in, and the food court, along with metal tables and strangely shaped chairs.
"Let's sit down at one of the tables and read through Victoria's phone," Janyce said excitedly. We walked over to a table close to the window and Janyce sat opposit of me. I pulled out Victoria's phone, noting one of the rhinestones had fallen off inside my pocket. I flipped through a few menus until I reached her text message conversations.
"Alright, who's conversation should we read first: Priscilla, Paris, Lance, or Pete?"
"Hmm... Paris," Janyce said quickly. "I think she's closest to her out of all the VPs."
"Okay," I said, selecting Paris' conversation and began to read the texts aloud (quietly, mind you.)
"Victoria: Hey
Paris: Heyy
Victoria: Whats up?
Paris: Just at the salon! This woman gives the worst manicures I have ever seen!
Victoria: You should try my stylist, she gives AMAZING manis
Paris: I'll look into it. Have you heard about Cecilia?
Victoria: Probably. What about the little wannabe?
Paris: Shes dating Lance :-\
Victoria: WHAT.
Paris: Not even joking! What a jerk, amirite?
Victoria: THAT LITTLE BRAT!!! She knows I like him! Oh she's screwed...." I gasped, but continued. "Paris: Ik! So what are you gonna do?
Victoria: Steal him, duh!
Paris: What about Pete?
Victoria: Hes sick, so hes not coming. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. Plus, he was all over Jack the other day. I'll show him
Paris: Yeah I know!! But you do know that Lance and Jack are like bffs, right?
Victoria: WHAT?!!! That little brat is stealing all my guys!
Paris: totes! I mean, she is like, so intimidated by you girl! She has no idea you feel threatened by you!
Victoria: Thats it, I'm kissing Lance at the Mixer and nobody is stopping me!"

Chapter 10.

"Oh. My. God." Janyce said, shocked. I nodded in agreement. "We have to tell Lance!!" I shot her a look.
"Why should we?" I questioned, looking out the window longingly. "He'd probably like it anyways."
"Oh shut it Jack, nobody wants to be kissed by Victoria."
"Pete did, and so will Lance." I said firmly.
"We should warn Cecilia, too." Janyce said sweetly.
"NO! I want to see her get crushed like that! She deserves it Janyce!" Janyce looked down at her ring clad fingers.
"You've been in her position, Jack. You should know how it feels. You really should warn her."
"No!" I resisted. "She deserves it! I wasn't acting like a brat to everyone when it happened to me! She needs a reality check!"
"If you insist. Just don't let jealously get the best of you," she said cooly, sliding out of her chair.
"Where are you going?" I asked, still tense.
"Shopping, isn't that what we came here for?" Janyce asked. I slowly got up out of my chair and followed.
After traipsing around the mall for a couple hours, we decided on our outfits.
I picked out a long, black tanktop and a pair of light wash jeans with rips, and Janyce picked out a blue, lacy cami, dark wash jean and a silver necklace. We did our best to say clear of the color pink, as we knew that would be reserved for the VPs.
“I still can’t believe that you aren’t going to warn them, Jack.” Janyce said innocently as we walked outside to wait for her mom
“I do,” I retorted. “They deserve it! Cecilia is a brat and Lance, well he’s dating her.” Janyce looked worried.
“Don’t you dare say a word to them!” I glared at her. She sighed.
“Fine, but you really should tell them. Are you sure this plan with Victoria’s phone is gonna work?” Janyce questioned.
“No, not really. Lots of things could go wrong. But someone has to cover for us while we return it.” I said uneasily.
“Who? Vince is out of town or he would.” I paused for a moment as we climbed in Janyce’s minivan.
“I’ll text you,” I whispered, setting down my shopping bags at my feet. Janyce nodded.
“How was the mall?” Her mom asked, peering at us through the rearview mirror. Janyce’s mom had exotic, strong features, with shoulder lenghth straight black hair and dark blue, stone cold eyes, very much unlike Janyce’s radiant strawberry blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.
“Uhm, good.” Janyce said casually.
“That’s good,” her mom said. Her fingers had a strong grip on the steering wheel.
“Yeah,” Janyce said uneasily. “Is everything okay? You seem kinda stressed.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine…” Her mom said angrily.
“Oh okay…” Janyce said quietly. I pulled out my phone and typed up a text.
“Janyce, we can’t both go return Victoria’s phone. One of us has to stay back and cover for the other. Can you cover for me?” Janyce’s phone vibrated, and she flipped It open to read the text. She bit her lip and texted back.
“I think so. Are you sure you can pull it off alone??”
“I hope so. Keep your phone out tomorrow so you can text me if something bad happens.”
"IDK if i should have my phone out what if i get caught??"
"The vps never get caught"
"true."
"I mean what if mrs horne is onto us, just say CODE RED or somethin so I can come back."
"Okay. but what do i tell mrs horne you are doing?"
"Just tell her, that I'm in the bathroom. It won't take long."
"If you say so... I'm really worried our plan won't work."
"So am i haha i will be the one that gets in trouble!"
"True but i still helped you."
"Soo? I don't think you would get in trouble."
By now, we had pulled into my driveway. I waved goodbye to Janyce and walked up the steps of my porch and swung open the front door.

-------

The next day, I wore a dark gray tee shirt with a little pocket on the front with the some medium wash bootcut jeans, and my long black hair in a wavy ponytail. I peeked out my window. Rain was pouring down from the clouds, drenching the foggy landscape. Gray clouds hung low in the sky, giving everything a gray tint, like a faded black and white photograph.
By the time I got off the bus that morning, I was nervous. My heart was racing, and I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins.
“You look intense,” Janyce said as I got off the bus that morning. My ponytail was dripping, my mascara was slightly smudged, giving my eyes a dark look, and the bottoms of my jeans were soaked in rainwater.
“Yeah,” I said slowly, eyeing Victoria from afar.
"So do you have the phone?" Janyce asked excitedly.
"Yeah," I said uneasily, pulling it out of my messenger bag and sliding it in my pocket.
"Alright well you better hurry and take that back to the auditorium so you don't take too long for class." Janyce said hurriedly. I nodded and made my way through the doors. The hallways were fairly empty because most people hang around outside before they go to class. The hall leading to the auditorium was dark, aside from a flickering overhead lamp, and the heavy metal doors were shut. I approached the door nervously. I grasped the cold metal handle and pulled.
"Oh no!" I whispered. "The door is locked!" I franticly jiggled the doorknob, but it was no use. "PLEASE OPEN!" I cried desperately. I could feel my face getting red. I pushed my head onto the door and whined. "Pleasee, open!"
"Jacqueline?" Came a voice from a few feet away in a dark corner. "Is everything okay?" A figure emerged from the shadows. It was Ms Byrde.
"Uhm, yeah everythings fine!" I said nervously, trying to act casual. "Its just um, I dropped an earring in there yesterday. Yeah, an earring. And I wanted to get it before class starts so I don't get in trouble with Mrs Horne for being late. But the door is locked." I stammered uncomfortably.
"I see," She said, reaching into the pocket of her pinstriped dress pants. She pulled out a key ring and shuffled through the keys until she landed on a plain silver one. She pushed me aside and shoved the key in and unlocked the door. "There ya go, dear. Hope you find your earring!" She said sweetly, walking back down the hallway. I sighed in relief and ran up the stairs to the stage and disapeared behind the curtain.
Meanwhile, Janyce was covering for me in homeroom.
"Where's Jacqueline?" Mrs Horne asked, pacing the room.
"Shes in the bathroom.."Janyce said quickly. "She should be back in a second..."
"Hmmm." Mrs Horne said, returning to her chair. "Is that so?" Janyce swallowed hard.
"Yes ma'am." She said quietly. Mrs Horne nodded in approval.
"She better hurry or she'll be late for class and that means a zero on this next assignment," She scoffed, twirling a pen between her bony fingers. "2 minutes to go." Janyce bit her lip and looked out the window.
I saw the box and ran over to it, dropping the phone on top. I hurried back down the steps and out into the dark hallway. The hallways were still silent, which meant everyone had gone to class. I walked as fast as I could and up the steps and I saw it, Room 388. I grasped the doorknob and swung open the door.
"Jacqueline," Mrs Horne said evilly. "You're just in time for class."

Chapter 11.
"Are you girls almost ready?" My mom asked, poking her head into my room. Janyce and I were standing in front of my mirror, Janyce applying mascara to her long lashes, and me curling my hair with the curling iron dangerously close to my face.
"Not quite," I said, looking up at the curling iron on my head. "Maybe like 5 minutes?"
"Alright, hurry, you don't wanna be late." My mom said, disapearing behind the door. I shut it again.
"Geez, she asks us that every 2 minutes!" I said, letting a perfect curl fall off the iron and onto my head.
"Well she has a point," Janyce replied, looking up at the clock on the wall. "We only have 15 minutes until it starts."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." I said, checking my hair from all angles. "Does my hair look okay?"
"It looks great."
"I just need to put on some eyeshadow on..." I said, rummaging through my makeup bag. "Ah! Here we are!" I said, pulling out a sparkly silver eyeshadow. I rubbed the brush in the little container and spread it across my eyelids.
"There, now are we ready to go?" Janyce asked impatiently.
"Yes," I said, annoyed. I picked up my cellphone and shoved it in my pocket.
"Alright," Janyce said finally, opening the door.
"Ready?" My mom asked, standing up off the couch, smiling. I nodded and followed her to the kitchen. She grabbed her keys off the counter and walked out the back door, Janyce and I close behind.
The sun dipped low in the sky, painting it hues of orange and pink. It was warm, but an occasional breeze passed through, mingling with my hair. The trees swayed back and forth softly. This dance had better be a good one.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

Meanwhile, a few miles away, the VPs were getting ready for the dance at Victoria's estate.
Victoria's room was large, very large. The walls were hot pink with white polka dots, and her floors were a glittery silver tile. She had a huge flat screen, accompanied by a white leather sofa with pink throw pillows, and 2 plush arm chairs. Victoria's bed was low to the ground and covered in light pink silky sheets, and a gray quilt with shiny buttons. On the right of that was was a door that led to her walk in closet, which was about half the size of her room. Opposite of that was her vanity, and vanity stool, and a door that led to her bathroom, complete with walk in shower and jacuzi tub.
"Cecilia, lets curl your hair." Victoria said forcefully, coming at her with a curling iron.
"Fine," She said sitting down in a plush pink chair next to Victoria's flat screen, crossing her arms over her pink sequined tanktop. Victoria twisted her wispy hair around the pink curling iron, holding it close to Cecilia's head.
"OWW!" She shrieked, jerking away from Victoria, jumping off the chair.
"What!?" Victoria asked, confused.
"You only burnt my whole entire head off!" Cecilia whined, placing a hand on her head. Paris giggled.
"Oh, sorry." Victoria said insincerely. "Sit," She instructed. Cecilia pouted and sat back down while Victoria curled her hair.
"So uh, you're meeting Lance there, huh?" Priscilla asked, strolling over to where Cecilia was sitting, hovering over her.
"Duh, he's my boyfriend." Cecilia snorted.
"Right," Victoria said deviously.
"You know," Chey said, joining the crowd hovering over Cecilia. "There are some things you should know about how our dances work," Paris followed.
"Oh yeah, they are a real barrel of monkeys." Paris replied.
"Just watch your step," Victoria said deviously, an evil smirk forming on her face. "You never know when you might trip." A wispy curl fell onto her head. Cecilia looked confused, but the rest of the VPs looked at each other, smirking, hovering over her like lions about to pounce on their poor helpless prey. A horn honked in the distance. Victoria unplugged the flat iron and peeked out her circular window.
"Oh!" She squealed happily. "The limo is here! Hurry up girls, Davis won't wait forever!" The girls scrambled around finishing getting ready. Cecilia crammed her stick thin legs into her pink metallic wedges, and Victoria sprayed hairspray all over Cecilia's head, then sliding into her vanity seat to apply her fake eyelashes.
"Hey!" Priscilla shouted angrily. "I'm using your mirror to put on my foundation!"
"I need to put on eyeshadow!" Chey exclaimed, joining the crowd by the mirror.
"Would you guys back off!" Victoria shouted, shoving them aside. They all shoved each other around angrily, shouting at each other.
"JUST SHUT IT!" Cecilia screamed. "Davis is outside, okay? And we need to get to the mixer. So hurry up and put on the fake eyelashes and get your butt in the limo!"
The rest of the VPs quietly applied their makeup and slipped into heels and piled into the limo.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

At about that time, Janyce and I had just arrived at the Mixer. The gym was darker than usual, with a few dim spotlights. The dance floor was packed, and an upbeat song was playing through the loudspeakers. Neon colored streamers hung from the ceiling.
"I wish Vince were here," Janyce complained, looking around.
"Ho-hum. Sucks for you, don't it?" I said sarcastically.
"Hey, be nice."
"Woah, look what the cat dragged in." I said in disgust, looking over at the doorway. Janyce peered over there as well.
"Look at them!" Victoria wore a black ribbed tanktop covered in black sequins with a short denim skirt, and her vp necklace and earrings. Her hair was curled an put into a ponytail, but her sideways bangs hung loose. On her head was a plastic, bejeweled tiara, and she wore black heels. Priscilla and Paris both had their hair straight, with their longer bags pulled to the side with a rhine stoned bobby pin. They wore the same skirt as Victoria, but their tank tops were a hot pink color. Cecilia's hair was done in loose curls, and she wore pink strappy wedges with the denim skirt and hot pink tanktop.
I rolled my eyes.
"I can't believe they are really doing that to Cecilia," Janyce said uneasily.
"I can, they are total witches! They just do whatever they want so they can have their way." I replied.
"You really should warn them," Janyce suggested.
"No, Janyce. We've been over this a million times." I saw Cecilia walk up to Lace with the rest of the VPs. He said something, she laughed. Victoria had an evil smirk on her face, she was so ready to pounce.
"I mean, maybe not Cecilia," Janyce considered, watching them from afar. "But I mean, you kinda owe it to Lance.. He was a good friend to you, and he's a nice guy. Wouldn't you rather have him be with Cecilia than with Victoria?"
Janyce did have a point. Lance was a good friend to me, and he trusted me with his secret, and I trusted him with mine. Even though our friendship was short-lived, we had our moments.
"At least think about it?" She pleaded. I nodded.
"Okay, fine, I'll think about it."

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

"Soo Lance," Paris began. "Where did you move here from?" He looked up at the streamer infested ceiling.
"Oh, not far from here… Oakland Hills."
"Thats a very wealthy town," Priscilla added.
"I guess. My dad is lawyer, but we aren't like millionaires or anything."
"Ohh. You poor thing, how do you ever live without a limo?" Victoria whined. Chey laughed.
"Maybe he's just a normal guy," Chey responded. Lance shifted uncomfortably.
"Haha, yeah that's me! Just your normal, average guy!" He said quickly, stumbling over the words normal, and average.
"Oh he's better than average." Cecilia replied, leaning onto him. Lance swallowed hard and looked away.
"Aww look at those two love birds," Victoria lied, an evil grin spreading across her face. Something about it just SCREAMED 'Not for long.' Cecilia blushed and looked up into Lance's eyes.
"Aren't his eyes just amazing?" She said dreamily. The VPs laughed.
"Omigosh, Cecilia! Your mascara is totally smudged on one side!" Chey exclaimed.
"Omg, she's right!" Priscilla agreed. "Let's go fix it." Cecilia wilted.
"Be right back, Lance!" She called over her shoulder as Priscilla and Chey dragged her across the dance floor and into the bathroom.
Priscilla's manicured nails dug into her right arm, and Chey's press ons clung to her left. They stood in front of the long mirror in the girl's restroom.
"Would you get off of me?" She said angrily, tearing her arms free.
"I don't see anything," She said, admiring herself in the mirror.
"It's right there, you dummy." Chey said, wiping off an imaginary smudge with her thumb.
"Oh," Cecilia said. "I love my hair like this, don't you?" She played with a few bouncy curls.
"Oh yeah," Chey and Priscilla lied. "You look totally hot."
"OMIGOD!!" Paris screamed, storming in the bathroom, grabbing Cecilia's arm. "CECILIA, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!"

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

"Hey look," Janyce said, pointing over to the VPs. We were just talking to Heather and a few other friends from last year, but strayed away to get some punch.
"Look at what?" I asked, sipping my cup of punch.
"The VPs smart one!" Janyce pointed to the corner by the windows where they were standing. It brought back terrible memories. That was the spot where Victoria kissed Pete. I still looked confused.
"VICTORIA IS ALONE WITH LANCE!" She screamed in my ear. I stepped aside, startled, and then looked over there. I could see them now. Victoria was standing awfully close to Lance. Paris and the other girls came running over, dragging Cecilia to the scene.
"Oh no!" I exclaimed. "Janyce, you're right. I have to warn Lance!" I looked around and set the cup of punch on the table and ran over to Lance and Victoria.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

"Soo, Lance," Victoria said flirtatiously, stepping closer to him. "I know the truth about you and Cecilia." Lance looked concerned.
"You do?"
"Yeah, I mean, everyone knows she's cheating on you with her old boyfriend from Seattle. Ooops! I wasn't supposed to tell you that," She said innocently, looking up into his eyes.
"What?" Lance asked, giving a sigh of relief.
"Yes, its, so very unfortunate." She was really close to him now, and their faces moved closer together.
"VICTORIA!" Cecilia moaned, running back to the bathroom. Her makeup was really smudged now. The rest of the VPs just stood there to watch the fireworks.
"Victoria, I really don't.." Lance tried to stop her, but her sinister, pink lips were approaching his much too quickly.
"LANCE!" I yelled, grabbing his arm. "We need to talk." I began dragging him over to the gym doors. I turned back to look at Victoria as I swung open the metal door. She stood there, lost for words. Her thin arms were folded over her sequined tanktop, her mouth shaped into a surprised 'o'.
I showed her.
Lance and I stood in the hallway, which was dark. You could hear the faintest bit of the music coming from the gym, but it was otherwise silent.
"I guess I owe you a thanks for that," He said, relieved. My face was red with anger.
"Yeah you do. I don't mean to be rude, but I mean, how could you, Lance? You always acted like you hated the VPs and then you turn around and date one behind my back?" I said, the volume of my voice increasing. Lance laughed for a moment, and looked up at the ceiling. "This isn't funny!" He smiled.
"Jack look, I'm sorry. Just let me explain. I never liked Cecilia, I was just using her so I could tell the guys I had a girlfriend. I was kind of just using her for her popular status. She said she was using me so Victoria would stop setting her up with ugly guys. But then she started to actually like me, but I didn't feel the same way. I was going to break up with her tonight, but… this happened. I was going to tell you, but the VPs forbid me to talk to you. I already texted her after she ran off and explained to her we that she broke our deal by liking me, and that she would have to find someone else." I gave a sigh of relief.
"I don't understand. Why couldn't you date a girl you actually liked?" I asked, still slightly mad. His face grew red.
"I don't know, Jack. I guess," He began, taking one of my slender hands in his. "I guess I failed to realize that the girl I really love has been standing in front of me this whole time." My eyes were glued on my hand interlaced in his. He pulled away and put one strong hand on my cheek, brushing a curl off my face. This time, the touch was gentle and comforting. I looked up into his stormy gray eyes. Before I knew it, our faces were moving closer and closer together, and my lips touched his.
And that was it, my first kiss.
I had always imagined it differently, though. I had always imagined it on the beach underneath the stars, or on my back porch right as the sun was setting. Or with Pete, or some other guy, not Lance.
But it was perfect. More perfect than I could have ever imagined.

Chapter 12.
"I should really find Janyce," I said quickly, heading for the heavy, metal gym door. Lance rushed to catch up with me and opened the door for me. I rolled my eyes, smiling. Victoria was still standing there with her mouth wide open. Just for fun, Lance took my hand as we walked past her. I smiled at her.
She was totally jealous.
Janyce wasn't where she was standing earlier, and she wasn't with Heather and the other people we were hanging out with.
"I'm gonna go find Janyce," I said to Lance. "Stay here." I walked around the perimeter of the gym, and cut through the middle twice but I didn't see her. She probably went to go fix her hair or something, I thought to myself, entering the girl's bathroom. Janyce was sitting on the floor, next to Cecilia, who had mascara running down her face. I bet she really would hate me.
"Oh my gosh," I said, slightly startled. "What's going on?" Of course, I knew what was going on. Cecilia sucked in a deep breath.
"Well, Victoria kissed Lance, and then he broke up with me. I was just using him at first and he was using me, but I started liking him because I thought he actually was starting to like me, but he didn't. And I'm no longer a VP, Victoria just texted me. I didn't know she liked him!" She said angrily.
"Wow. That sounds like a real mess," I said sympathetically.
"It's not Lance that I am so mad about, I guess I really didn't like him after all. He liked you all along, you know." She said quietly. I acted surprised.
"Really?" I asked. She nodded.
"He talked about you all the time, Jack. But Victoria wouldn't let me, or Lance, or anyone talk to you, because she was jealous. I hate Victoria! I can't believe she would do that to me. Lance doesn't even like her! Not to mention she cheated on Pete." I hadn't even thought of that. Oh god, who was going to tell him that Victoria tried to cheat? "I mean, I guess I don't need Lance to pretend any more, because I'm not a VP anymore. You should talk to him, Jack. He really likes you." I smiled.
"I will. Cecilia, I have a confession to make." I said darkly, looking down. I was so ashamed of myself. Janyce had been right all along. Why didn't I warn her?
"What?" She asked weakly, and confused. I took a deep breath.
"I knew Victoria was going to do that to you, Janyce and I found her phone. I should have warned you, I'm so sorry. You were just being so different and kinda mean to me and I just was thinking of myself and…"
"Are you kidding me?" Cecilia said, cutting me off.
"I'm so, so so sorry."
"You had Victoria's phone and you didn't use that as an opportunity to ruin her life?!" Cecilia exclaimed. I laughed.
"No, not exactly. I should have though."
"I don't blame you for not telling me about Victoria, I was being so mean to you just to impress Victoria. I'm really sorry. Forgive me?" She asked innocently, her blue eyes shiny with tears.
"I forgive you. Its okay, I have done the same thing before when I was new."
"Yeah, Victoria told me. She's such a brat." I nodded.
"Cecilia," Janyce said standing up. "Lets get you cleaned up and back out there. Hiding in the bathroom is only going to show Victoria she won."
"She didn't win," Cecilia said, standing up confidently. "This battle is nowhere near over." I rolled my eyes.
"I'm gonna be over by the doors with Lance, soo uh, catch you guys later."
"Wait," Cecilia said. I paused. "Do you think you could take me home? I was supposed to go with Victoria but…"
"Sure," I said. "Bye Janyce! Call me if you need me!"

-♡-♡-♡-♡-

It was snowing when we left that night. Cecilia ended up having a good time, well, until we got to the parking lot.
I was talking to Lance at the time, finally having to say goodbye to him for the night. I looked up into his stormy grey eyes and smiled.
"I guess I'll see you Monday," I said quietly. He smiled.
"Yeah, Monday." He kissed my cheek. I smiled brightly. "Bye Lance!" I called, as he walked through the thin layer of snow, snowflakes getting all in his perfect golden blonde hair. I sighed.
"He's perfect for you." Cecilia said smiling. I nodded.
"I know, thanks." The VPs had just walked outside.
"Uh oh!" Cecilia whispered. Victoria was walking towards us. I winced.
She walked up behind Cecilia, and tugged on the chain of her VP necklace. It snapped, and fell onto the bed of freshly fallen snow.
"Ooops! Sorry!" She said in her usual bratty tone, climbing in the limo. Cecilia stared at it for a moment.
She didn't pick it up.
"YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK VICTORIA!" She yelled. Victoria rolled down the window to the limo.
"I don't think so sweetie. Watch your own back." With that, she rolled up the window.
Revenge was just around the corner.

Chapter 13.

"What's this?" Cecilia asked, picking up a box in the operator room. We were at the talent show dress rehearsal. The talent show was in 2 days, and Janyce, Cecilia and I still had no clue how to use the lights and CD player. After the mixer, we convinced Mrs Byrde to let Cecilia help us work the lights and such.
The operator room is a little box up above all the seats, opposite of the stage. Theres a sound board, the speakers, and the lights up there, which is where us 3 girls do all the technical work. Its only accessible by a flight of stairs around the back stage, and down a very narrow and shallow hallway and into the room. It's a quite creepy way to get there, if you ask me.
"That," I said, rolling my office chair over to her. "Is the the box that contains everyone's background music. If we lose any of the CDs we are screwed, so be careful."
"Right," Cecilia said, pushing her blonde bangs out of her glasses. After the whole thing with the VPs happened, she started dressing like she used to, but slightly updated… She wore a little makeup to soften her features, and shorter (knee-length) skirts. Today she wore a light blue, tiered eyelet skirt that brought out her eyes very well, parired with a white tee shirt and her sandals. She looked almost normal.
"JACK!" Janyce yelled. I spun the chair to face her.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Lights?" She said, frustrated.
"Oh yeah," I said, spinning the chair around, directing the spotlight perfectly on Heather.
"Thankyou!" Janyce said, popping in the CD. Cecilia flipped through the massive collection of CDs. Her hands paused on a CD in a pink, plastic case. She smiled and picked it up.
"Heh, look what I found!" Cecilia said deviously, dangling the CD case from her unpainted nails.
"Who's CD?" I asked, squinting to read the words on the package from afar. Cecilia walked closer and held it in my face. "Victoria Wallace…." I mumbled.
"She lip syncs, you know." Cecilia said, leaning on the sound board.
"Yeah I know," I said, facing her. "Wait how do you know that?" I asked, perplexed. Cecilia shrugged.
"Paris told me."
"Haha, same. She probably tells all the swear in VPs."
"HELLOOO?!" Came a voice from the stage. I stood up and peered over the balcony. Victoria stood there annoyed on stage. I flipped on the lights and tried to focus them, but Cecilia crept up behind me and turned up the brightness dial. "WHAT THE HECK!?" She screamed, covering her eyes. I giggled and turned the dial back down.
"My bad!" I yelled, finally getting the light into focus. "Janyce, put in the CD." Janyce nodded and popped the CD in the player. I walked over and sat next to Cecilia on the floor. "So when did Paris tell you about Victoria?" I asked, as Victoria lip synced through the whole song.
"Oh well a few nights ago, Paris was telling me about it. No reason, she just blurted it out. She said she taught her how to lip sync good.. Apparently the trick is to actually sing along with it, but her mic is off."
"Interesting," I said. I was interrupted by an explosion of applause below. Victoria had just finished and someone else was getting on stage. I ejected Victoria's CD and put it back in the case, and set it on the floor while I found the next one.
"So you guys have access to these CDs?" Cecilia asked, picking up Victoria's CD, studying it carefully.
"Yeah," I replied, eyeing her mysteriously. "Why?"
"Don't you get it?" She beamed, holding up the CD like a first prize trophy. "This is Victoria's CD. And you have access to it, right?" I nodded slowly.
"Yes…"
"Soo, we pretend to 'lose' Victoria's CD for the talent show at the last minute so she has to sing without it." I bit my lip.
"I don't know Cecilia, thats major. Like, school wide embarrassment."
"Exactly! Everyone will be making fun of her until we graduate!" She grinned.
"But Cecilia, won't we get in trouble? We're supposed to keep track of these!" I said, lifting up the box.
"They can't punish us too bad, plus everyone will love us for it. Victoria will get more punishment for lip syncing." She said matter-of-factly.
"Maybe…Still, I think we could get in serious trouble if they find out we set her up..."
"Come on, Jack! This is your chance to get back at her for everything she has done to you! Just think about it… this will change everything." I took a deep breath. Maybe I would get detention, maybe the teachers would find out. But it would be worth it in the end, right? Isn't revenge what I have always wanted?
"Alright," I sighed. "I'm in."

Chapter 14.
"10 minutes till curtain!" Mrs Byrde chirped, scampering around backstage. She snapped her fingers. "Cecilia, Janyce, Jack, make sure everyone is in costume then head up to the operator box and locate the CDs. Mmmkay?" She ordered over her shoulder, not missing a beat. I looked over at Cecilia.
"Go up to the room and stash the CD, then tell Mrs Byrde. Okay? Janyce and I will make sure everyone's ready." Cecilia nodded and headed for the flight of metal stairs. Today she wore a red plaid dress with structured sleeves and big black buttons, along with her glasses and her hair in a pony tail. Earlier today, Victoria compared her to a roll of scotch tape.
Janyce and I walked down the line of Talent Show participants, in the order they would appear in the show. Everyone seemed to be there, and prepared to perform. Victoria was the 4th act, and she wore that extremely short and tight pink shiny dress with the sequins that I absolutely despised.
"Looks like everyone is ready," Janyce said, her eyes wandering around the backstage.
"Yeah, looks like it. I hope this plan works.."
"Hey, Jack." It was Lance. I spun around.
"LANCE!" I met him with a hug. "What are you doing up here?"
"I just wanted to tell you to be careful," He said seriously. "I don't want you to get in trouble with this."
"We won't Lance. Victoria is the one who will get in trouble. It won't be our fault we lost the CD," I shrugged.
"Just don't do anything crazy, alright?" He took one of my hands.
"Okay, I won't. You should probably leave before you get in trouble.
"Right," He said. "Bye!" He called, exiting backstage.
"Guys guys guys!" Cecilia exclaimed, running down the staircase. "The show starts in 2 minutes, we got find Mrs Byrde!"
"Crap! Where is she?" I asked, looking around.
"She's over by Victoria. Oh mann…" Janyce whined.
"We can't tell her in front of Victoria!" Cecilia whisper shouted.
"Girls!" Mrs Byrde hollered, walking toward us. "Why aren't you in the operator room? The show starts in 2 minutes! Go up there!" She exclaimed.
"Well actually we came to tell you we kinda can't find one of the CDs…" I began.
"Oh god, who's?" She asked, flustered. We all looked at each other.
"Victoria," Cecilia piped up.
"Victoria?! But she's the star of the show!"
"I'm so sorry Mrs Byrde," Janyce said quietly.
"She's good enough," Mrs Byrde considered. "She can sing acapella. Alright, now get up there hurry. 1 MINUTE!" Janyce, Cecilia and I exchanged a sly look as Mrs Byrde approached Victoria and we raced up the stairs.
"Victoria, honey, you are gonna have to sing without your music…. we can't find the CD.." Mrs Byrde said cooly.
"WHAT!" Victoria screamed.
"I'm sorry, but I know you can do this, okay? You are GREAT!" She said putting her hands on Victoria's shoulders. Victoria broke free.
"No, Mrs Byrde, you don't understand!" She panicked. "I can't sing without the music, I really can't!" Her face was bright red.
"Give it your best. The show is starting now."
By now, Cecilia, Janyce, and I were all up in the operator room, peering over the balcony. The first three acts went by fast, and now we were waiting for Victoria to walk out on stage.
"I can't wait to see this," Cecilia said deviously. I nodded. Janyce closed her eyes painfully and walked away. My eyes never left the stage. "Look look look!" Cecilia said excitedly, nudging me. "Here she comes!"
Victoria walked hurriedly on stage, the clicking of her heels piercing the silence of the auditorium. She approached the microphone and took a nervous breath. Her blue eyes wandered around the auditorium and out to the expectant faces of the audience. First to pete, who smiled and flashed her a thumbs up. She looked down, ashamed. She breathed into the microphone again. Whispers started up in one of the front rows. Her empty blue eyes met Lance's who was looking up at me. She followed his stare up to where I was, and Cecilia waved deviously. I smacked her arm.
"Don't give it away!" I whispered.
"Sssh!"
Finally, her eyes landed on the VPs, who looked totally worried. They knew what was about to happen.
"Any time now, sweetie." Mrs Byrde said brightly.
"I-i…" Victoria stammered, looking around, absolutely mortified. She swallowed hard and began to sing.
It was absolutely terrible.
In fact, it was almost painful to watch.
She was about halfway through the second chorus when the laughing started. It started with Lance, then spread to Pete, to the VPs, to us up in the operator room, to everyone in the auditorium. She stopped singing, and looked around quickly.
And then she ran.
She disappeared behind the curtain and ran backstage.
I almost felt bad for her.
Maybe revenge wasn't as sweet as I always thought it would be.
I pondered this over while we watched the rest of the show. I think I changed my mind after it was over.
Cecilia, Janyce, and I were first to arrive in homeroom.
Besides Victoria. She was sitting at her desk, with her face buried in her arms, hardly moving. She looked up at me.
"You," She said angrily. "This is your fault!" She stood up.
"Nope," Cecilia said, appearing from the doorway. "It was ALL me." She smiled, her arms folded over her plaid dress.
"YOU PEOPLE SUCK!" She said angrily, walking toward us. "Jack, you're just jealous of me!" She said angrily.
"Oh really? Because thats not what you said to Paris the other night. In fact, I believe you told her you are jealous of me." Her mouth gaped open.
"I, I never said that!" She said confidently.
"I saw it in your phone." I said matter-of-factly.
"How did you have my phone?" She asked, her voice raising. Pete and Lance walked in. Lance put a hand on my shoulder.
"Everything okay?" He asked sincerely.
"Stay out of it Lance." I said, eyeing Victoria viciously. He put his hands up.
"Yes ma'am." He walked to his seat and put his feet up and studied us.
"You left it at tryouts. Janyce and I stole it."
"Jack!" Janyce exclaimed.
"Shush, I'm making a point here."
The VPs walked in. They could tell we were in a fight, so they just sat down at their seats.
"B-but…" She looked around frantically.
"She's right Victoria," Paris said, nodding. "You are intimidated by her, admit it."
"Paris! You desperate {brat}" She shrugged.
"I don't care Victoria. In fact, I think you're the {brat}." She said blankly.
"Ugh! Paris! Well, you aren't rich! You're middle class! Yeah, I went there." Several people in the room gasped.
"Victoria, don't be mean to her! You lie all the time! Like about your hair. We all know you bleach it." She gasped.
"I do not!" I approached her and lifted up a piece of her damaged hair.
"Really, cause I see roots." I smiled.
"You… you…"
"Since everyone is just blurting out the truth here," Pete said nonchalantly. "Victoria, I know you cheated on me with Lance." Lance looked down.
"Ohh snap."
"I, but, you, Lance…" She couldn't assemble the words.
"You know what Victoria, we're over. You just aren't worth it."
"No!"
"Face it Victoria, you're over. This little act with your good singing and blonde hair, and your miss I have control of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING and you being the good guy after you ruin people's lives, is OVER. Nobody's taking any crap from you any more." So then I walked up to her, and I grasped the charm of her VP necklace. And I pulled it right off her neck.
It landed on the floor with a small clank. She stared at it in disbelief.
At just that moment, Mrs Horne walked in.
"LADIES!" Mrs Horne shouted. "PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, NOW!"
I looked down and shuffled out the door with Janyce and Cecilia close behind.

Chapter 15.
"What you've done is highly looked down upon here at Blackberry Falls Middle School." Our principal said sternly, his old, tired brown eyes locked on me. "However," He continued, leaning back in his chair. "In what you have done, you have brought something to our attention with a certain clique in the 7th grade." He glared at Victoria.
"I'm sorry Mr. Pickert, I shouldn't have gotten revenge like that or stole her phone. Just because she made bad choices doesn't mean I have to." I said remorsefully.
"Presicely, my dear Jacqueline. But in order to resolve this, you guys need to apologize, then I will discuss punishments with each of you privately." I looked up at the wall.
"I'm sorry I embarrassed you Victoria."
"Me too," Cecilia said. Victoria rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry I was mean to you for all these years, and I'm sorry for stealing your boyfriend."
"Good," Mr. Pickert said, standing up off his chair. We followed and he pushed us out of his office. "Doesn't that feel much better?" I grumbled under my breath and sat in a chair in the office. "Let's see, Victoria, come back here and we'll discuss your punishment." She stomped into the principal's office and he shut the door behind him.
"Sorry Mr. Pickert." She said insincerely.
"Sorry isn't gonna cut it young lady. You have lied to our staff and teachers by lip syncing in the talent show, you took part in a mean clique that was disrespectful, you shattered reputations, and stole countless boyfriends. I am very disappointed."
"Sorry." She mumbled. He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his graying hair.
"Well, you're looking at about 2 weeks in detention, and I am going to have your teachers assign you some more work to do." She gasped.
"2 WEEKS?! Mr. Pickert, I have a life you know!"
"Not right now you don't. Would 3 weeks be better?"
"No sir."
"Hmm, very well then. You may return to class. Send Jack and Cecilia in, please."
She crossed her arms and exited the room.
"Mr. Pickert wants you." She growled, stomping out of the office.
Cecilia and I exchanged a glance and stood up and walked into Mr. Pickert's office.
"Hello ladies," He said warmly.
"Hi," I said uneasily, settling into a soft chair across from his desk.
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" He said, looking around. Cecilia and I nodded. "Now, you were VERY helpful by exposing Victoria so we could take care of that little issue. However, you sabotaged Victoria's performance in front of the whole school, and stole property and invaded her privacy." I looked down.
"We're very sorry Mr. Pickert," Cecilia said sweetly.
"I'm going to have to assign you 4 days of detention. It's not that I want to, but unfortunately you aren't totally innocent." He played with a pen on his desk. "Understood?" I nodded quickly. "Good, you may return to class now."
Cecilia and I were silent until we reached the hallway.
"I think it was totally worth it," Cecilia considered. "Victoria is no longer in charge. Peace at last."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't regret it. Maybe someday Victoria will become nice now that she has gotten a taste of her own medicine."
"Maybe. But I'm glad we took her down.. And I'm glad we did it together." We exchanged a quick high five and ran up the stairs.


-♡-♡-♡-♡-

"Lance! Give me my umbrella back, what do you think you are, Mary Poppins?" It was raining on a Saturday, and I had drug Lance on a little… errand.
You see, after the Talent Show, Cecilia never came to school again. Not the day after, or the next, or the next. Mrs. Horne told us she moved away, but nobody knew exactly where to.
So I told my mom about it, and she suggested I go down to city office and ask them if they have any information on the house and its previous owners. Of course, I didn't want to look like a dork going by myself, so I brought Lance along.
We finally reached the City Office. It wasn't very impressive looking. It was a small store sized building in a strip mall. I stopped in front of the glass doors, Lance's hand in mine and I looked up at the sign. "BLACKBERRY FALLS CITY OFFICES INC" were written in shiny silver letters above a red awning. Lance walked in front of me and opened the door.
"After you," he said, motioning inside the door. I smiled and walked inside.
The inside was very impersonal… The walls were a depressing gray, and the floors were a white, slick tile. There was a small lobby near some windows to your right with abstract patterned chairs and a coffee table, and to your left were a series of doors. Directly in front of us was a plain looking woman with long, dark hair in a business suit sitting behind a cherry wood desk.
"Hi, welcome to Blackberry Falls City Offices, how can I help you?" She asked, peering over her laptop.
"Hi," I said, faking a smile. "I was wondering if I could talk to someone about a previous owner of a house in my neighborhood," I said unsure if I worded it correctly. Technically, it wasn't Cecilia's house. But still.
"Hmm," The woman said, typing something into her laptop. "I think I can help you. Please have a seat." I smoothed down my skirt and taking a seat in chair next to her desk. "Now, what was the address of the house you were wanting information on?"
"Well, its 2984 Cinder Creek Dr," I said cooly.
"Hmm, popular, we get lots of questions on the house."
"I'm sure," I said, trying to act friendly. "Well you see a girl from school lived at that house and the teachers said she moved, but I was wondering if there was any information on her and where she might have moved to…." The woman nodded.
"What was her name?" She asked, smiling.
"Cecilia," I began. "Cecilia Elsa Barnes." The woman's happy and friendly expression melted into something darker.
"Miss, Cecilia Elsa Barnes died about 70 years ago…"

Epilogue.
Life after what Cecilia and I did was, well, great. Lance was the perfect boyfriend, and Pete and I became friends again. Turns out all of the VPs were starting to get really tired of Victoria and her ways, and Janyce and I actually befriended some of them.
People started being their true selves after that, too. I was finally able to expose myself as an artist again, and I started dressing the way I liked to. Turns out Janyce was a singer, even though she never told me that. I didn't blame her though, because I never told her about my art. Lance was accepted as a writer, and turns out, Pete had a secret of his own.. He was an artist.
As for Cecilia, nobody heard anything about her again… She was never discussed. Almost like she was never there.
But still, on some nights if you walk down Cinder Creek Drive, her porch light is always on… Always glowing, reminding us of what she did for us, and allowed us to be who we wanted to be. ☆

Lip-syncing in a talent show? Oh, wow, chapter 2 and this chick can't get any worse xD
(Eh, I bet she could...)

Love the story! Keep it up!

xD She might just surprise you. She's evil. O.o

Chapter 3 up!

Y'know, I like this story, I wish someone else would comment in addition to my own xD

Anyway, nice twist! She doesn't live there...ho hum! Anyway, I woulda smacked Victoria upside the head. ^.^ Detention would be totally worth it...

Trust me, me too! xD Not that I don't like your comments or anything, I just would like to get some other opinions. I love how there are like 50 views, and like 6 posts. xDD

I know, me too! It makes me cringe writing it sometimes, because Jack is so unlike me that way. xD

Wow, this is really good! I HATE girls like the vps...

Thank you!
& me too. The VPs are like a compilation of everyone I hate in my life. xD

Chapter 4 up! (finally!)
Sorry for the delay, it was a long chapter. xD

Word count updated

Dang...Those VPs move fast...

lol, yes, they do. xD

It might be a few days before chapter 5 is up, I am still deciding on what I think should happen next.

That's cool, I once went 2 months without updating a story XD

Alas, Cecilia has moved onto the Dark Side.
A very brightly coloured dark side, if I might add.
But Lance is cool x3

The Newms wrote:Alas, Cecilia has moved onto the Dark Side.
A very brightly coloured dark side, if I might add.
But Lance is cool x3

lol
Yeah, hes cool I randomly made him up at the last second to make it more interesting. xD
He becomes more important later.

catbuster wrote:That's cool, I once went 2 months without updating a story XD

Haha, me too. xD But I rarely do that. O.o

Ooh, I like this. It kinda reminds me of Mean Girls. I'm liking Lance

yeah i guess it kinda is like mean girls.

Yeah, Lance is pretty cool. I might write a sequel to this, where Lance will be more of a major character.

Chapter 5 up!
Word count up shortly

Looks good so far.

I like the part where you talk about how the scene 'melted' into a flashback, that was a really good description! And the teacher freaking out part made me laugh xD

Arianna wrote:Looks good so far.

Thank you!