Chapter 1 : Leave All The Rest To Me

"Sandy! Wait up!" Okay, so yelling down a hall wasn't exactly what 'cool' seniors did. But Thayet could practically get away with anything. Sandy looked up and smiled, but she didn't call back. Thayet knew she never would, she was too concerned with keeping up appearances.

"God, Sandy, I've ben looking all over for you! What took you so long to get to school?" Thayet gasped when she finally made it down the hall.

"Really, Thayet. Everyone knows that seniors come to school late. Why are you being so geeky?" Sandy was smiling, but Thayet knew Sandy was serious. Her best friend simply couldn't understand how Thayet could break all the 'cool' rules--and get away with it.

"Actually, I couldn't help it. mom gave me a ride, so it was either come early or walk. And I didn't want to walk."

"Oh right. I would've walked," Sandy commented.

"Yeah, well, I'm not you, am I?

"Nope. Hey, Thay, I have to go register. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Wait, Sandy!" Too late. Sandrilene had disappeared down the hall whilst maintaining a cool strut.

"Oh yeah. This is such a great first day," Thayet muttered to herself as she looked around for a familiar face. Unfortunately, she saw one--the the one she didn't want to see.

"Thayet, hi! It's great to see you again," Jonathan Sienta cried. "How're you doing?"

"Fine, thanks," Thayet told her ex-boyfriend. "Actually, I have to go. I'll, um, see you later." She stuck the smile on her face and walked down the hall.

Jonathan and Thayet had broken up at the beginning of summer when Thayet found out that Jon had cheated on her with another girl. He'd gotten drunk, slept with another girl, and woke up to find her beside him. He hid the truth from Thayet, and she only found out when the girl came and told her. Somehow, Jon and Thayet had remained friends, but Thayet preferred to keep a distance away from him.

Thayet walked into the girl's bathroom down the hall. She heard the sound of someone throwing up. Being the oh-so-friendly person that she was, she called out.

"Are you all right?" There was no reply. "Do you need some help?" Once again, only silence met her ears. "I'm just trying to--""

"Look, Thayet Langley, just turn around and walk out the door like nothing ever happened. Can you handle that?" A deep, obviously disguised voice cut in.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. Listen to me Thayet. Get lost. Don't mention this to anyone, and don't try to figure out who I am because I will make your life hell if you do. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly." Thayet could tell this was no joke. She turned around and walked out the door. Obviously someone had a problem and that someone would go to great lengths to hide the problem. First Sandy abandons me, then I run into Jon and now this! Can this day get any worse? Thayet wondered.

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Across school, Sandrilene had just finished getting registered. Why does my best friend have to be such a geek? She asked herself. And why the heck doesn't she get teased about it? I sure do! It isn't fair. Just then she caught sign of Chloe-Lynn Redwood, the most popular person at Sheldon High. Why can't my best friend be someone like Chloe-Lynn? For a moment she just stood and stared at Chloe-Lynn.

Chloe had shoulder length red hair--the most gorgeous thing in the world. Chloe wasn't exactly pretty, but her looks were striking, with the red hair and her piercing slate blue eyes. But it wasn't her looks that made her popular. Okay, it was her looks that made her popular with the guys, but the girls saw something else: her personality. She was sarcastic and witty, and if you were her enemy, the only words of help a person could give you would be "watch your back."

Sandrilene wanted to be Chloe. Well, she wanted to be like her. She wanted to be able to have the power to have the entire school behind her. Sandy was pretty, in the textbook sense. she had straight, long, black hair and soft green eyes. Her skin was incredibly pale, and people always asked her if she'd dyed her hair. Sandy didn't dye her hair--it was all natural. But Sandy didn't want to look like Chloe. She wanted to act like Chloe.

Just then someone bumped into her, and threw her out of her daze. The bell rang, and Sandy looked at her schedule. Out of the corner of her, she could still see Chloe. She listened carfully, and overheard part of their conversation.

"...that is so lame!" Chloe cried.

"I know. Hey, we better get going to class. Whose homeroom are you all in? I'm in, let's see, Mr. Headdock's," Alicia, one of Chloe-Lynn's friends', said.

"I'm in Miss Amelis' class," Chloe replied.

Sandy's mouth dropped open as she realised that she was in Miss Amelis' homeroom too. She kept on listening to their conversation, to see who else was in her homeroom. In a couple of seconds she realised that Chloe-Lynn was the only one out of all her friends in Miss Amelis' homeroom.

"Well, I better get going, guys. I have to go all the way to the math wing," Chloe said. As she walked away, Sandy said to herself, this is your chance! Go now!

"Hey, Chloe-Lynn. I just heard you say that you're in Miss Amelis' homeroom?" Sandy casually said.

"Yeah. What about you?" Chloe replied coldly.

Sandy wasn't offended by her tone, she spoke to most people who weren't her friends that way.

"I'm in Miss Amelis' homeroom too. I just thought we could walk there together," Sandy suggested tentatively.

"Sure, whatever," Chloe replied non-commitantly. They walked for a couple seconds in silence. "Are you thinking of trying out for the cheerleading squad again this year?"

"Definitely. I love cheering," Sandy replied smiling.

Chloe smiled slightly, but it was more like an evil smile than friendly. "Just so long as you're not out to steal my position as captain."

"Oh, no way!" Sandy exclaimed, although that was exactly what she was hoping for.

They reached the classroom and walked in; it was almost full. To Sandy's delight, Thayet was there. Sandy couldn't wait to tell her all about her walk with Chloe-Lynn.

Chloe started walking toward the back of the room as Sandy made her way to the empty desk by Thayet. When she was halfway there, Chloe-Lynn called out to her.

"You know, Sandrilene, there's an empty desk back here, if you want to sit here." Sandy stopped dead in her tracks. Was it possible that she had heard right? Chloe wanted her to sit next to her? She started to turn, and then remembered Thayet. Oh God, what do I do? I so want to go with Chloe but the Thayet will get mad at me!

Miss Amelis walked in the door. "All right, class. Get a seat and sit down," she ordered. In that instant, Sandy turned and walked to the back of the room. She saw Thayet's shocked face and told herself that she'd get over it. Sandy looked at Chloe.

"Thanks for the seat, Chloe-Lynn."

"No prob. But call me Chloe. All my friends do."

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Stephen Teresty paid for his lunch and scanned the lunchroom. He couldn't see any of his friends. Just then he caught sight of his buddy Matt Bangsund sitting with his girlfriend Christine Wedneston. The truth was, Stephen had a crush on Christine's best friend, Charlene Limes. Chances were that if Chris was there, Charlene would be soon to follow.

"Hey Stephen!" Matt exclaimed.

"Hi Matt, hey Chris. How's it going?" he replied.

"Oh, pretty good. But let me tell you, the gossip mill's going full steam ahead, and it's only the first day of school!" Christine exclaimed.

"Really? Tell me what's up. I might as well know what's happening in this school of mine."

"Christine laughed. "I swear, whoever said that only women gossip was so wrong. My Matt loves to hear the stuff as much as I do! But anyway, rumor is that Jonathan wants Thayet back and also..."

Stephen stopped listening after awhile. He could see Charlene in the lunch line, and was hoping she'd see them. Because if she didn't, Stephen was sitting here listening to gossip for no reason whatsoever!

He watched as Charlene paid for her lunch and scanned the crowd in almost the same way he did. But then he saw her start walking in a totally different direction and sit down with some other people. Stephen wondered if he could come up with an excuse to get up and leave.

"Hello? Stephen, you still with us?" Christine called.

"Yeah! I just, um, just rememebered that I, uh, have to be somewhere. Not somewhere, the library! I'll catch up with you later!" Stephen stood up and ran off. Chris and Matt started at his retreating form bewildered.

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Chloe-Lynn sat at her lunchtable with all of her usual friends. They were so boring. Nothing new or exciting was going on. Well, maybe she'd change that.

"Hey, Chloe," her best friend Alicia broke in, "what's up with Sandrilene? You seem to be getting pretty 'chummy' with her."

"Nothing is up. Well maybe not nothing. Is it just me, or is this place one hundred percent boring?" She asked.

"It's not just you, Chloe. Let's face it, this place is Dullsville," James Cornwall replied.

"Maybe it's time we stirred something up..." Chloe said.

"What do you have in mind?" Alicia asked.

"Sandrilene. She's so naive. Maybe if we tried to play a trick on her or something." Chloe mused.

"A trick! We're seniors, Chloe, not eighth graders. I was actually thinking of asking Jon (Thayet's ex) to the Welcome Back dance," Alicia told them.

"That's it! Sandrilene is chair of the dance committee. We'll have our own party at my place that day, and you can invite Jon. Sandy will either go to her geeky dance or skip it and come to my party. Then she'll get in trouble from Mr. Rossetti. Either way, she loses, and I win," Chloe stated.

"You know, I don't know how she became chair in the first place. I should've gotten the job," Lindsey commented.

"You should've, Lindsey. And now you will get it! Leave it all to me," Chloe said smugly.

"Chloe, you sound like Lady Macbeth. 'Leave all the rest to me.'" Alicia laughed.

"Too bad I don't have a Macbeth too," Chloe mumbled.

"Oooh, so the truth comes out, does it? Chloe-Lynn wants a boyfriend! Wouldn't that liven your life up, hey Chloe?" James teased.

"Oh, shut up!" Chloe cried, but she was grinning.

Just then Sandrilene walked into the lunchroom.

"No, serious guys, shut up. Sandrilene just walked in--time to put phase one of our plane into action." Chlose said. She stood up once Sandy had paid for her meal. "Sandrilene! Come sit with us!"

Sandy stopped and looked at Chloe. Chloe smiled, beckoned her over, and sat down. "If she sits with Thayet now, she is going to regret it," Chloe muttered. She had nothing to worry about, Sandy walked towards them.

"You don't mind if I sit with you?" Sandy tentatively asked.

"We wouldn't ask you if we minded," Alicia replied coldly.

"Oh. Right."

"Actually, Sandrilene--" Chloe started.

"Sandy, please. All my friends call me Sandy," she said while James snickered.

"Sandy. I'm having a party next Friday night, very exclusive at my place. I was wondering if you'd like to come," Chloe said politely--no friendly, not coldly, but somewhere in between that could only be described at polite.

"I'd love to!--wait. Next Friday?" Sandy asked.

"Yeah," James replied.

"But the Welcome Back dance is then!" she exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot!" Chloe cried. "But I can't switch it, it's the only day my parents are out of town."

"I, uh, well, oh." Sandy stuttered.

"It doesn't matter if you miss the first important bash of the year, Sandrilene," Alicia said sarcastically. "Anyway, I have to go now."

"Yeah, me too. Later Sandy," Chloe said. Everyone got up and left in minutes, leaving Sandy alone by herself.

Outside the cafeteria, Chloe grinned. "Alicia, she doesn't stand a chance. I'm sure at least one person overheard out conversation, and if that person's Christine, the school gossiper, Sandrilene is going to go down as the biggest loser in history." Alicia and Chloe looked at each other and burst out laughing.

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Thayet watched as Sandy was left all alone at her table. She couldn't understand why Sandy was acting like this--totally blowing off her best friend to hang out with Chloe-Lynn Redwood of all people. She watched as Sandy got up and walked towards her table.

"Thay! Did you see who I was eating lunch with?"

"Nice to see you too, Sandy. Yes, I saw who you ate lunch with and who you sat in homeroom with," Thayet replied coldly.

"Isn't it fabulous! Chloe-Lynn, oops sorry Chloe, and I are practically best friends. She even invited me to her party on Friday," Sandy exclaimed.

"Did you forget that you already have a best friend?" Without waiting for an answer, she got up. "I have to go, Sandy." Thayet left.

God, can Sandy be any more self-centered? Doesn't she even care about me? Just then Christine ran up to Thayet.

"Did you hear the latest about Chloe-Lynn?" Thayet thought that Chris was a terrible gossiper and really wanted her to get lost. But she put on her smile anyway and replied to her question.

"Of course I heard about Chloe-Lynn, you're talking about Sandy right?" Thayet said.

"You know! You didn't tell Sandy, did you? I mean, it's a mean trick and all, but Sandy deserves to get pushed down a bit. I saw the way she treated you in homeroom." Christine cried.

"Trick? I thought you just meant that Chloe and Sandy have became best friends and that Sandy is now 'popular!'"

"Oh boy. I said something I should have." Chris threw Thayet a sheepish grin and started inching away. "Look forget everything I just said, okay?"

"No way! What's going on, Christine?" Thayet asked.

"Nothing. Matt's waiting for me, I have to go. Later!" Chris ran off.

Oh God. Now what has Sandrilene gotten into? I knew Chloe-Lynn was no good...but do I tell her or not?

Chapter Two~~We Won't Do Anything