Jan, Jan, Jan

Jan smiled evilly as she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. The police had just left the Brady house. The entire family was downstairs crying. Jan could hear Alice shouting on the telephone. She was calling the doctor. It looked like Carol would need to be heavily medicated. Possibly hospitalized. But Jan didn't care. For her it didn't really matter at all. It was too bad about the rest of the family. But then again, wasn't it always "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" anyway? That's the way they all were. No one gave Jan the time of day unless it was to belittle her simply for existing. Simply for wanting her fair share of the pie.

Well that was all about to change. Now that Jan was the eldest daughter she would be cherished even more. She'd take Marcia's place in her family's heart. They'd take extra special care of Jan now that Marcia was no more. Yes, it would all be about Jan now. Of course she'd have to give it a little bit of time. Marcia wasn't even in the ground yet. She was still splattered all over Maple st. and under the wheels of the number six bus. It would be a closed casket funeral for Westdale High's favorite beauty queen. Jan giggled at the thought of this. Next year Jan would be a student at Westdale. With everyone feeling sorry for her there's no way she wouldn't become more popular than Marcia ever was.

Downstairs, Carol Brady was hysterically screaming and Mike was frantically trying to calm her down. Jan rolled her eyes. It's not like all that bawling would bring Marcia back. It was just too bad that Jan would have to put on an act and pretend to be sad about Marcia's unfortunate accident. It's not like she wanted to. But deep down Jan knew it was the only way to draw the attention onto herself. It had to be done bit by bit. After all, she was the one that was actually with Marcia when the accident occurred. So no one thought anything of her running up to the bathroom when the police brought her home. Someone, probably Alice, would be knocking on the door shortly to ask if everything was alright. Jan would just pretend to be catatonic. She couldn't muster up any tears right now so feigning shock was the next best thing. Maybe the doctor would medicate her too when he got here. That would look really good. All she had to do was stare straight ahead the whole time. Maybe mumble a "Marcia, no!" from time to time. Then everyone would think that poor Jan was actually broken up about Marcia's untimely demise. They'd never find out that she was actually glad to have that insufferable attention hogging witch out of the way for good.

It wasn't like Jan was responsible for Marcia's death. She just didn't do anything to stop it. So Jan did not feel guilty at all. It was just an accident. A simple little accident.

Marcia had wanted to go to the drug store for pimple cream. She had insisted that Jan accompany her. Marcia claimed it was because there were some new perfumes that she wanted to show her. But Jan knew what was really up. No one would expect a teen queen like Marcia to ever get pimples. But Jan? Why of course everyone would think Jan got pimples all the time. If anyone saw Marcia purchasing a tube of pimple cream she would just say "Oh this? It's for Jan. Her complexion is terrible. She breaks out all the time."

Of course Marcia never let on that this was what she was up to. But deep down Jan just knew. She was currently boiling over this thought when she and Marcia left the drug store. As they were crossing the street an off duty bus came their way just a little too fast. Marcia was several steps ahead of Jan and was currently distracted by a Westdale football player she had a crush on. He was browsing the window of a sporting goods store across the street. Jan though the guy was a real creep and wasn't worth fawning over. She had heard he was the kind of guy that tried to get you to go all the way on the first date. And if you didn't he'd just tell everyone that you did anyway. Jan was smiling to herself and thinking about how funny it would be for Marcia to have her squeaky clean reputation ruined when the bus came into view. Jan had ample time to tell Marcia to watch out. But she just didn't.

It was over so fast. Marcia didn't even have time to scream. But that Westdale creep across the street who had seen the whole thing unfold in the reflection of the store window sure did. He screamed just like a girl too. Jan burst into hysterical laughter. But the bus driver, who had frantically hit the breaks and burst through door red faced and petrified, thought Jan was crying. He grabbed her and asked if she was alright. He thought he had narrowly missed hitting her. Or maybe he was just hoping that the shape in the middle of the road that he only caught in the corner of his eye had just been a figment of his imagination.

But of course it wasn't. And while his speeding and failure to pay attention to the road certainly was the real reason Marcia was no more, Jan never tried to intervene. She just didn't open her mouth to warn Marcia anout the oncoming bus. Because in that brief moment she grinned with the anticipation of Marcia being eliminated from her life forever. And now that it had come to pass. Marcia was being scraped off the street while their mother was having a complete nervous breakdown in the living room. And Jan felt no guilt at all.

As Jan was grinning at her reflection there was a knock at the door. Alice's muffled voice could be heard. Although it was barely audible due to the commotion from downstairs.

"Jan, are you ok? Please come downstairs. Your parents... They need you."

Through the door Jan could hear Alice sniffling. She steeled herself and put on her best blank and drained expression. Slowly opening the door she put on a show, shaking violently and crashing against Alice's body as she whispered, "Marcia... Marcia... Marcia..."

Alice embraced her tightly and they went through the boys' room, Alice not wanting to pass by Marcia's bed and possessions a second time. They made their way downstairs, where a doctor was administering an injection to an hysterical Carol.

Jan buried her face in Alice's side so no one would see her grinning. She just couldn't seem to help herself. From now in it would be "Jan, Jan, Jan."

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