Chapter #85A First Choice by: Seuzz   "Oh, you were going to be the new slut," Will Prescott laughs when you tell him what Chelsea had outlined for your new appearance.
"Something like that," you say, and feel yourself turning very red. "But fucking with guys, not just fucking them."
"Whatever, dude," he says. "So you yourself are off-limits to me?"
"Maybe you could be one of the guys I'm fucking with," you retort. "Actually," you say in a more conciliatory tone, "I think that was one of the ways we were going to try rehabilitating you. Chelsea was going to make me the new, popular girl. I could use that popularity to kind of lift you up, since, you know, I wouldn't have that history or baggage with you that the rest of the school has."
"That'd be nice," he says with a trace of lemon in his tone.
He really knows how to push your buttons, you think to yourself. But of course he would. You grab him by the shoulders. "Look, just know that starting this week things are going to get better for you, because the good guys are back in town and they're starting to move. We'll talk more later. But right now give me one person--just one person--we could replace, who would make your life easier. Someone we could be connected through."
"Dad?"
"Dude! No!"
"Alright, alright. I could use some female sympathy." He stares off into the darkness. "If you can't think of someone," he says softly, "I'm damned if I can."
"I'll surprise you, then," you say. "But it'll have to be someone plausible."
"Gee, thanks," he grumbles.
* * * * *
There's a message from Kim Walsh when you return to the house. "You want to do the honors tomorrow?" she asks. "It's all on your behalf, you know." You ask what she means. "I mean, do you want to be running my controls?" she explains impatiently.
"I wanted you to say it out loud," you reply. "If you're offering, I accept."
"Good. I told Andrea and Joe you might be taking their controls too."
You're slightly taken aback at the way she's made those arrangements on your behalf, and call each of the others just to make sure it's okay. Neither one is very enthusiastic, but they accept that you should be the one doing it. So you go to bed early, and set the alarm early as well.
* * * * *
Kim Walsh's hazel eyes stare back at you intently from the mirror; your hand is frozen halfway to your face, gripping the blush. Your lips whiten slightly.
A muffled noise brings you out of this brief reverie caused by your sudden appearance in Kim Walsh's body. (Well, technically, Chelsea Cooper's Kim-disguised body.) Kim's dad will almost be done fixing breakfast. You finish getting ready: putting on the light makeup, slipping into a tight pink sweater, and triple-checking the hefty backpack to make sure you've left no homework behind. The important "homework" is in a side pocket: three fresh mind-bands.
You have a quick, quiet breakfast with Kim's dad--her only immediate family--and step lightly out to the car for the quick ride over to Westside. You're relatively early--as Kim usually is--and have your choice of spots. Your gaze is fixed distantly on an invisible horizon as you march into the school; there is the calculus homework to go over again, and the chemistry assignment--
You jerk as two laughing figures leap out of a side hallway, nearly sideswiping you. "Oh, I didn't see you there, Kim," Chelsea Cooper simpers with a tight smile. "How was your weekend? Did you have fun at Jamie's party?"
You glance between her and Kendra Saunders, who smirks back knowingly at you. "I had lots of fun," you say neutrally. "I noticed you weren't there, Chelsea."
"For some of us, it's a party when there's only two of us. Like with me and Gordon." Her eyes gleam smugly. "I heard other people had some one-on-one fun at Jamie's, but I guess you didn't--"
"I had fun," you repeat. "But now I've got to get to the library."
"Yeah, lots of fun there," Chelsea chortles. She and Kendra sail off toward the gym, their heads close together. Briefly they glance back at you, and titter.
You turn very red, even as a glow of warm satisfaction spreads through you. The latter is certainly from Chelsea, whose psyche is thrumming along synchronously with your own. I played Kim's part perfectly, the thought forms. Just like the golem played my own. No one will be able to--
But you can gloat later, and hurry off to Mr. Hagerman's classroom
He's looking very handsome, with that golden mane of hair. His eyes glimmer with faint recognition. "Hi Kim," he says. It's nice the way he knows the names of students he's never had, you think.
Oh my God, does Kim have a crush on him? You glance around the classroom, ensuring that it's empty. "Do you have something for me, Mr.--"
Now recognition does click in his eyes, and from a drawer he pulls out two baggies that clink faintly. "Three from me, and three from Frank via someone who was looking like Chelsea. Which surprised me, but I guess that you're--"
"Right. You wanna hang onto your own? Have any students I should be checking out for myself?"
"Ah, so it's you looking like Chelsea looking like--" He shrugs. "There's some cuties, but I should leave the choices to you. You bring your own?"
"Couldn't arrange it, they're back at Jonathan's. But I've got the one's Chelsea made last night." You slip the baggies into your pack. "These nine plus the one's Andrea'll have-- That'll be more than enough for today. Gonna be busy." You glance back up, to drink in his handsome features. "See you around, Mr. Hagerman."
"I'll be looking forward to it," he smiles.
* * * * *
Yes, you're going to be busy, even without trying to get the mind-bands onto people. Chelsea has mischief of her own to make.
But even before classes start you're able to pull off two jobs with one blow. In the library after leaving Hagerman's, you find Kim's AP coterie: Kelsey and Amanda and Megan Farris and Brooke Galloway, sitting at a table with Martin Gardinhire and Ricky Golia. Ricky and Amanda are sitting next to each other, but they're not touching or anything; but then, they never do. Relations between them don't seem any more frigid than normal, though you watch them carefully.
You see your chance when Amanda excuses herself for a trip to the restroom inside the library. You follow at a distance, ducking briefly inside the stacks, before heading inside the join her. She's fixing her makeup, standing next to Emmy Keller at the sink. You scope out the stalls before squeezing in next to Amanda; she doesn't make room for you. "That was a nice party on Friday," you say as you take out your own makeup kit.
"I guess," Amanda says abruptly.
"People who weren't there were talking about it."
"It wasn't that much of a scene."
"Chelsea seemed to think it was. Kendra was there, you know."
"I know," Amanda snorts. "Looking for molehills to turn into mountains."
"She didn't find you standing on one, did she?" you ask.
There's a long silence, and during it you can sense Emma straining to listen to an unspoken conversation. But when no one says anything further, she reluctantly packs up and leaves. "I don't know what you could be talking about, Kim," Amanda snaps.
"It's none of my business, Amanda," you say, and slip a mind band into your palm as you return your makeup to your pack. "But Kendra and Chelsea are the sort to make things their business, and if Kendra saw you and Fred--"
Amanda swings on you, her eyes narrow. "If you like spying on people, Kim--"
"I don't spy, Amanda," you retort with a heat that takes her aback. "But I see things and I worry. Are things okay between you and Ricky?"
"That's not your business. Ricky couldn't go to Jamie's, and Fred was there, and so fucking what?"
You grab her by the elbow and haul her back into a stall, pushing her until she falls back onto seat with a sharp squeal. "Was there fucking, Amanda? Because I don't spy and I didn't actually see you and Fred--"
"So why are you making such a production about it?" she snarls.
"Because you basically just confessed. And the only reason I knew to ask is because I ran into Chelsea on my way to the library, and she-- Oh, you know Chelsea, she's about as subtle as Godzilla--" You feel that you've surprised someone inside yourself with that outburst, but continue unbroken. "And if what she said got me thinking that you and Fred did more than talk, you can bet what some of Ricky's friends will be thinking once she starts dropping hints in front of them."
Amanda's eyes widen and her nostrils flare, and since she seems so excited anyway, you grab the chance to seemingly push her over the edge. Rudely, you slap her forehead; the mind band burns briefly before vanishing, and Amanda topples to the side.
You wedge her place and close the stall door, and murmur quietly so that anyone who comes in will think it's a private conference. But no one enters. After the band reappears, you pocket it and chafe Amanda back into consciousness, slipping into what should sound like the last half of a conversation: "So unless you're thinking hard about ending things with Ricky, you should get ready for a real shit storm!"
Amanda blinks with confusion, and turns scarlet. "Well, you can think whatever you want to think, Kim," she blusters.
"I've already forgotten about it," you say. "But you should remember what I said."
You leave her with that gnomic warning and return to the main building, dodging the crowded library. You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
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