Chapter #16The Popular Girl by: rugal b.   You decide that you're letting your worries get the better of you and that it's best to put them aside for now. They were going to replace Jenny, they did replace Jenny. Dane tried to come off as your pal but something about him felt insincere. Patterson on the other hand felt more natural and sincere even without saying much, or anything really. He was the one who apparently decided to do what they could to save you as well so you can't help but feel a little grateful if you were as bad off as they said.
You realize how weird it is to think of Steve Patterson as your savior but here you are. And "here" is definitely better than where you were you think to yourself as you once more put your hair behind your ear. Jenny's a cute girl in a very "girl next door" and attainable way and you definitely wouldn't have minded being close to her in the past though like this? You almost want to laugh. But instead you smile as you head off for Jenny's gym class and decide that you'll give this group, these people who are replacing others and who helped you, a chance.
"Jenny..." comes the voice of Yumi as she walks up to you in the locker room as you throw your gym shirt over your head. Jenny was dreading this as they share this class. You say nothing. "Jenny, please..." she says and again she's met with silence. "I'm sorry." she says with more than a hint of sadness in her voice.
You close your locker, surprisingly few students with gym classes actually use them, and turn to her. "You're sorry?" you ask incredulously as you sit down on the bench in front of the lockers, "You told me last night that you were going to have to stop hanging out with me because those bitches were on your case. I didn't even cry that hard when my grandmother died and you know how much I love my grandparents."
"I know, Jenny." she replies as she sits down besides you.
"You know?!" you exclaim as you glare at her and both of you can feel how hurt you are in those words. Then you put your head down and slouch, "Yumi, I stressed myself out to the point where I was getting headaches. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat breakfast this morning and when I went to the nurse's for some aspirin I literally passed out until a few minutes ago." You take a breath before continuing, "You're, or were I guess, my best friend and you just threw it away because of... because of them?!"
"Jenny we're still--look at me." She places her hand under your chin and brings your face up to look at her, "Jenny, we're still best friends. I felt so bad about that too and I realized I can't put the squad--Chelsea--above my friends. And I guess someone got to her because she relented anyway but even if she hadn't I would've told her to screw off."
You hold each other's gaze for a moment and then you feel a smile break out onto your face as you wrap your arms around her for a hug. "You mean it right? If that means no gossip then I don't care; I just want my friend back." you state as you allow yourself to enjoy being pressed up against Yumi.
"Yeah, I mean it." she replies as the two of you separate, "And just to stick it to Chelsea and show her that she can't control things like she wants, you want to eat lunch with us?"
"Us?" you ask simply.
"Me, Lin, Cindy, the twins..." she gives you a smile, "C'mon, you need to break out a bit. You deserve to. It'll be fun."
* * * * *
"I really do wonder what could've made her reverse course like that?" Jessica Garner asks as you eat lunch with half of the cheerleading squad. It's yet another instance of you getting something you'd long desired though not quite in the way you'd imagined it. "I mean when she heard you knew about what happened to Kendra... well, you know."
"It's fine." you wave her off, "I shouldn't have blurted anything out since I wound up putting Yumi in a really bad position."
Yumi, for her part, just shrugs. "Well it's my fault too. It would've gotten out one way or another anyway I just happened to have the loose lips." she states.
"Screw that!" Eva, Jessica's twin sister, exclaims. "It wasn't your fault Jenny and it wasn't your fault Yumi." she points to each of you in turn, "If Kendra didn't apparently have some kind of weird exhibitionist fetish or something stuff like this wouldn't happen. It's her fault."
"And Chelsea's." Lin Pol chimes in turning to look at Yumi, "She was just looking for an excuse to put the screws to you. You know it was only going to be a matter of time before she did something to fuck with you."
"I know, I know." Yumi sighs, "And like we've been over she relented anyway so it worked out I guess. Can't say the same for everyone else though." It's a comment that causes you to look at the empty, Cindy-less seat at the table.
"Poor girl." Jessica states solemnly, "I heard she saw Seth in the halls inbetween first and second and just kind of broke down to the point where she got sent home early."
"She's taking it really hard." you state and then realize, in embarrassment, that was kind of an obvious comment. Nobody seems to say anything about it though.
"It was probably Chelsea putting pressure on Gordon to put pressure on Seth." Lin states.
Eva shakes her head, "I don't know. I heard through the grapevine that her and Gordon blew up a bit yesterday." she says knowing that she has everyone's attention, "Something about how he wasn't going to let her push his team around or something."
"He says that once a week." Jessica retorts.
"Yeah but what about her relenting on Yumi and Jenny?" Lin asks thinking, "Who'd you hear this from anyway, Eva?"
"Hartlein." comes the reply.
Lin makes a face at that, "Eugh, he's such a gross little stereotype." she retches, "But he's pretty reliable when it comes to gossip. Shit, maybe the basketball team really did grow spines."
And that's when He comes over. Steve Patterson comes waltzing over looking for all the world like a big shot. That's a surprise but what he does next is an even bigger one, "Uh, hey! Jenny right?" he asks as he walks up next to you. You're suddenly feeling very self-conscious. Everyone else is just flat out stunned.
"Y-Yeah...?" you stutter. "Can I, um, can I help you?"
"Hey, so I heard that Chelsea put you through some shit right? I was going to come by and give you a bit of a pick-me-up after hearing that and running into you in Nurse Diesel's office. Ask if you wanted to chill with me for lunch." he looks over and sees Yumi, "But I guess you guys made up huh?"
You look over at Yumi and then back at Patterson. "We did but... oh, what the hell?" you say as you gather your things up.
"Jenny..." Yumi's voice is very stern.
"I'll be fine!" you state in a rather chipper manner. As you head off with Patterson you hear a faint commotion from the table but you can't make it out.
* * * * *
"You really are adjusting well." Patterson states as the pair of you lounge in the loft above the gym. "Sitting with the cheerleaders, being seen walking with Steve Patterson. You're kind of the popular girl right now, no?"
"No." you state plainly, "Because I'm not a girl." You notice Patterson's wry grin and roll your eyes, "You know what I mean."
"Well you're going to have to start thinking of yourself as one because you're there until the end of the year." he replies.
"The end of the year?!" you exclaim, "Wait, calender or school?"
"School."
"The school year!" you throw your hands up. "I'm stuck like this until, what, June?"
"Not stuck." Patterson declares, "If you want to switch into someone else you can. Do you?"
No, if someone was going to parade around in Jenny's body and life you'd rather it be you instead of one of these guys so you shake your head. "And what if I wanted my life back? My real one? Would you let me out?"
Patterson thinks hard about that for moment before shrugging, "We'd have to let you out I guess. I dunno, we haven't had anyone yet who's wanted to go back though. The whole purpose is to give people a better life than what they had." He leans back, "And so far is it better than what you had?"
You almost don't want to admit it, that these people could be right, but... "I guess so." you mutter. "But what about the real Jenny? What happens to her?"
"We let her out at the end of the year." he answers bluntly.
"The end of the--so Jenny's losing ten months?!" your voice rises once more.
"We give them the Cliff's Notes version, we're not letting them go back unarmed you know." he states while staring dead ahead and stonefaced, "Young people like us, we move on quick right? Especially when we'll be starting new things like college." He notices you're uncomfortable at that. "Look, if you want to, I dunno, get together after school or something and talk..."
"Get together after school." you cock an eyebrow, "Like... a date."
He seems taken aback. "No, I mean in a platonic--"
"I have a boyfriend." you've resigned yourself that, if you're going to be stuck here, you'll make the best of it. So now here you are, Jenny Ashton, teasing Steve Patterson.
"It's not a date!" he replies defensively as the bell rings. The both of you get up to leave and you suddenly see a sparkle in his eye. "Look, just meet up with me outside the gym after sixth, okay?" As he walks by you, though, he stops and gives you a small kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you then, Jenny." he winks and you're left blushing furiously... Jenny's influence no doubt.
As you head to class you wonder if you should even go. You'll meet him sure but to tell him thanks but no thanks... right? You still need to get used to things though. You still feel like you need to be filled in. It's probably better to just meet up with him and hang out.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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