9-2-11

11:39pm

Summary- Blossom wanders through her high school years, trying to find that someone... It's not about running away from who you are, but trying to find who you could be.

Disclaimer- I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which is copyright and belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.

xoxo

Title-Skins

1-Adjust

By-Moon Prynces

xoxo

"Are you nervous?" Her blonde sister asked as they got ready that morning.

Blossom paused in readjusting all the supplies in her bookbag. "Well, maybe a little."

"High school's so big. And different. You could get lost in there." Bubbles said wistfully across the kitchen table.

A hand reached out and landed on another. "You won't." She said confidently, though contemplating her sister's words more carefully.

xoxo

Her first year was spent transitioning from childhood to this almost-not-quite-yet-adult stage. She wore the same pressed white collar shirts underneath a cute sweater vest and pleated (sometimes even plaid) skirts of modest length (to hinder the schoolgirl fantasy).

She was kind, but not a pushover. She was obviously smart, but didn't show off. She had friends, but shied away from the spotlight called popularity.

In short, she was bland and could blend into the walls if necessary.

It was after she was bumped into without a glance or sorry by the exact same person the third time in two weeks that Blossom felt invisible, unnoticed, insignificant.

And she hated it.

The first change was small.

Instead of waking up two hours before school, setting her hair perfectly, meticulously picking out and ironing her clothes, and arriving twenty minutes early... she rolled out of bed two minutes after Buttercup (the perpetually late sister) and threw on a pair of jeans and tank top. She walked into school just as the bell rang, holding an unopened cereal bar between her teeth and tying her hair in a quick ponytail.

It was noticeable, but not enough that people were gossiping. They just chalked it up to "one of those days" and went on with life.

"How come you're dressed so... casually?" One of her friends had asked at lunch, days later when it looked like Blossom had gotten comfortable wearing whatever was within arms reach when she woke up.

The redhead just shrugged, not having thought twice about her actions.

The period right after that she walked into her math class to find someone had taken her usual seat, forcing her to politely (yet obviously in displeasure) take one desk closer to the board.

Invisible indeed.

xoxo

On a whim, one random day a month before freshman year would end, when the temperature rose enough to make students lethargic all day long, Blossom grabbed a dress from her closet that she would previously have considered too short to be worn without a pair of tights underneath.

She pulled it over her head carelessly, somehow not bothered by the length anymore.

However casually she walked up the school's front steps, though, did not reflect back at her as guys nudged each other before nodding in her direction and girls pointed and giggled before complimenting her.

It's just a dress, she thought while heading to her locker.

It was just a dress. And yet it was more than that.

Blossom noted the attention she got for her choice of outfit that day. How guys in her classes attempted greetings and casual conversations while glancing down at her legs. How her friends smiled at her enviously and girls she'd never even talked to grinned at her cheerfully for no reason. How teachers picked her raised hand more often than before.

By lunch she was admitting to herself that her clothes not only gained her more attention but kind of changed her a bit as well.

If it had been a year ago she would have blushed bashfully at the sudden recognition (especially from good looking guys, and girls she kind of admired). But she'd traipsed her way out the house that morning with her chin raised in easy confidence (because honestly, it was just a dress).

But... it was like slipping into another skin.

How was it possible that one article of clothing made all the difference in her persona? (Actually it didn't. It was just how she wore it. But she wouldn't realize until later.)

Whatever, she shook her head by the end of the day. It was just nice to be someone else for a little while.

xoxo

When sophomore year rolled around Blossom decided to try something new. After spending her time at the mall (vying for things she couldn't afford) and at the park (running herself in circles like someone preparing for a marathon) she realized the untapped potential to become anyone she wanted.

As long as she didn't go back to being shoved into walls like a nobody.

So on the first day back she strolled in in a pair of denim cutoffs and tee, sneakers laced up securely on her feet.

And then she proceeded to try out for volleyball, soccer and swimming. It was a good thing she got in shape during summer vacation; it was what got her picked for all three extra curriculars.

In the end though, she chose volleyball and swimming because they didn't seem to interfere with each other. She wore shorts, tees and sneakers with a hair elastic on her wrist (or in her hair) every day, cementing her image as The Athlete.

"Don't you think you're gonna tire yourself out?" Buttercup questioned after the first month, having decided on one sport herself (basketball).

Blossom just grinned. "I'll keep up, don't worry." And then she left for another run around the neighborhood.

It was after a lonely swim at the school's indoor pool, with the redhead dripping wet and grabbing her towel, that she came across something.

Or, well, she didn't come across something. Her towel was missing.

"What the... Hey!" She called upon looking around to find a figure leaning against the far wall with her towel hanging purposely from a finger. "Give that back!" She said while walking toward him. "And what are you doing in here? The pool's closed off unless you're on the swim team."

He grinned. "I'm just a fan, stopping by to admire-" And at this he let his gaze wander up and down her one-piece clad form. "Your technique." He said when his eyes met hers again, now only three feet away.

"That's great, now the towel?" Blossom held out her hand expectantly with a frown.

Instead, he put his hand in hers and introduced himself cheekily. "Brick. Brick Jojo."

She looked down disgustedly at their locked appendages. Last year her heart might be stuck in her throat at a hot guy looking at her, nevermind touching her. This year, however, she was a bit more crass with her words, impulsive with her actions, and uncaring about romance (maybe her sister was rubbing off on her).

When she finally pulled her hand from his, the towel was suddenly thrown in her face.

"See you around." He told her with a wink and left through the double doors.

She just rolled her eyes and turned away, proceeding to dry herself off.

And she continued to roll her eyes, sigh in exasperation and scowl whenever this- this guy showed up at her swim meets or volleyball games, cheering over-exaggeratedly to get her attention and then wink when she glanced over, as she almost always did (usually just to glare ineffectively). It became all too easy to spot his red cap after a while.

"I see Blossom's got herself a devout admirer." One of the girls teased in the locker room.

The redhead didn't even flinch while unlacing her shoes. "He's just some loser trying to mess me up."

"Actually, he's more like a flirt. And a pretty determined one at that." Another girl responded. "Why don't you just go out with him once? See what he's about. He's pretty hot." She laughed good-naturedly.

Blossom just made a face. "He's never even asked me out. A flirt for sure."

But calling him out didn't stop him. He just moved from subtly stalking her (otherwise known as attending her various sporting endeavors) to cat-calling in the halls and commenting on her sport and casual attire (because, well, it did show off her toned limbs).

Her irritation didn't go away, but it didn't grow either (like it would with Buttercup).

The rest of the year continued on in the same way. Blossom spent her time hanging out with her teammates at meets and one of the local pizza places, holding onto this carefree, almost tomboyish existence.

She enjoyed it as much as she could, and all the activity built up something in her, something more than just her muscles. (But she didn't quite see it til later.)

xoxo

"Shouldn't you be at the gym or on a jog?" Bubbles questioned as she watched her sister lounge around the living room with a book in hand on a blissful summer day two weeks before the next school year would begin.

"Why?" The redhead responded without glancing up.

Bubbles raised a brow as she was making her way to the front door. "To be ready for next year." She spoke slowly, her footsteps unconsciously matching that pace. "For volleyball and swimming."

All she got was a shrug.

Why? Well, because sports weren't going to be a priority this year.

This is what Blossom was thinking as she got ready for the first day of her junior year, deciding not to go so over the top so soon with her outfit (her new skin).

The first week was spent brushing off the pleas of her athletic friends trying to convince her to stay on the volleyball and swim teams, and devising a plan of attack for this year's image.

Student. Government.

It was definitely a surprise to anyone who knew (of) her when she announced she'd be running. You could only run for President and Vice President as a senior though, but she didn't mind.

Her campaign had been upbeat and yet professional. She walked in every day like she was ready for a job interview; sleek dress pants and skirts paired with seemingly casual blouses. Nothing that made her look too much older or worst yet, boring, but just more refined, confident and friendly (after all, you needed to be friendly to get votes).

It was no surprise that she won herself a position at the end of the race: Secretary.

But it was kind of... challenging, at first.

"You're two minutes late." The president said nonchalantly when she slipped in the room at their first meeting.

"I need you to make enough copies of this to stick on every bulletin board in the school and then to hand out at tomorrow's pep rally." The VP requested with an apologetic smile.

"Here's the list of my announcements." The treasurer began, holding out a piece of paper. "We gotta start saving up now if we want some really cool events this year."

Blossom nodded politely, feeling the weight of each task land on her head (even when they seemed easy). She was already a junior, worrying (see, researching) about the colleges she might apply to and working harder to polish her grades and relationship with teachers. Now she had all these other tasks to complete, and complete well.

"Hey, dinner's ready."

The redhead didn't look up from the sheet in front of her where she was trying to figure out a schedule between the boys and girls basketball teams for use of the gym, after some recent conflict arose.

Buttercup quirked a brow and stepped into the room, glancing at the opened textbooks on the bed where it seemed that only half of Blossom's homework had been completed.

"Sure." Blossom responded in a low voice, her brows together.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe, I should have just gone for class representative. She wondered after two and a half weeks. Maybe... I can still get out of it.

She was just about to fall asleep while walking to class when someone ran right into her and grabbed her upper arms to steady both parties.

"Uh," She started, looking up. "Oh." But then her surprise melted into an uncaring expression.

"Hey." He paused, as if unsure of her name. "Blossom."

She almost released a disbelieving look before tucking the unnecessary emotion away. "Sorry about that." She said, and started to walk around him.

"Wait, actually-" Brick stopped himself, looking a bit unsure. "Can I ask you something?"

Blossom blinked in surprise and then narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Sure." She conceded.

"How are you guys with funding?"

There was a pause as a few thoughts went through her head, all of which presented that she had no idea what he was talking about.

He was looking at her anxiously now, awaiting something that would ease his worries.

"Funding?" She finally managed.

"Yeah." He breathed out. "I heard they might cut some funding for music. Meaning the classrooms won't be open late after school, or even at all on the weekends."

"Oh!" Blossom said with wide eyes. "I- I don't even know." She shrugged helplessly, sorry to be of no use. And then she realized he was asking because she was on student government!

Now she felt even more stupid.

She threw out a face that said, 'Ya got me' before adding a verbal response. "I haven't heard anything about it."

Or had she? Part of her job was taking notes on every single meeting. (Or the in-between meetings at lunch. Or their random conversations in the halls.) But sometimes it felt like she was on autopilot, a machine just recording things and completing tasks.

"Why do you ask?" Pause. "You... you play an instrument?"

Brick brought a hand up to the bill of his cap. "Kind of. Started trying some things this past summer."

And she finally noted that he wasn't hitting on her or grinning mischievously. He seemed more down-to-earth and- and not irritating.

Trying things indeed, she thought to herself. "What instrument?"

At the prompt he seemed to become even more embarrassed, but quickly changed to another approach. "Well, it all started with the kazoo..." He began with a rueful smile. "And then... kind of turned into me trying to learn the harp."

Blossom nodded slowly in her shock.

"But then I gave up and went for something else: the piano." He rushed out. "I mean, sometimes they sound similar."

There was a slightly awkward silence as classmates around them were in motion; the bell would ring soon.

"But I mean- the harp." She said to herself, looking impressed. It took a moment to compose herself and form a real sentence. "You shouldn't just give it up so easily if it's something you really want."

Brick peered at her with a half-smile. "Yeah, I know. You too." And then he was saying goodbye and leaving her to ponder on her moment of insight.

Clever boy, Blossom admitted while finding her footing.

In more than one way.

It was still hard. Until she worked at it and became the best anyone had ever seen as student government's secretary, going above and beyond what was required.

Her notes were precise and to-the-point. Her date book (now a staple in her life) was organized with everything she needed to do (and everything the other SG members needed to do), down to the day and time. Her relationship with her fellow student government officials grew into respect, and then friendship, when they witnessed what she was capable of. After a while, it almost seemed that she enjoyed every bit of it; it wasn't just a job.

And suddenly (or not so suddenly)... it wasn't so hard anymore.

She could hold a conversation about what should be done about the student's desire for more vending machines just as easily as a chat about a few of her college choices.

"Blossom! I just heard!" Bubbles said excitedly as she threw open the front door and dashed over to her sister sitting at the coffee table. "That's so amazing!"

"What?" The redhead asked blankly, pen poised in the air.

"You're in the top five percent in our grade!" Bubbles replied in fascination. "You'll probably be valedictorian next year!"

Blossom looked down shyly. "Only if I keep it up."

"How'd you even manage? Months ago you were like pulling your hair out just because of student government and now you're on a roll! Secretary, class brainiac, and the faculty love you. I would kill to be able to ask any teacher for a recommendation." The blonde sighed happily.

The rest of the year was nothing to sweat over.

...Except for some reason Blossom could never find out what room Brick was practicing in (she overheard a few conversations about his harp playing from two teachers). It didn't quite help that she had become a bit fascinated with him, and they never had another real exchange for the rest of the year (discussing schoolwork in a few forced class assignments and labs did not count), which in turn made her more interested. But she wasn't going to admit such a thing.

She left the building on the last day of her junior year feeling proud of herself and fulfilled. Somehow, being on a sports team and being part of SG were completely different, even though at the core you still had people counting on you.

Also, she definitely inherited something different during her time in office, but she wasn't sure what it was exactly...

xoxo

No date for chapter end.

I've decided to go ahead and start posting this story even though it is not yet complete. Originally it was going to be a one-shot, but just a bit long. Now, though, I've realized there's a lot more going on than I planned and I had to split it up properly.

So far there are three completed chapters and I'm still working on number four. Hopefully it won't be more than five but I'm not sure at this point. The schedule will most likely be one chapter a week, which gives me time to finish things.

The inspiration was from, of course, Sarah Dessen's books. There was this line from the book, "Along for the Ride" on page 358 (which is below) but then I also read her latest one, "What Happened to Goodbye" which helped inspire me further.

"That's not why I'm upset with you," I told him, pushing more dresses aside. There was something so satisfying in the sound of the hangers clacking, all those colors blurring past. Pink, blue, red, orange, yellow. Each one like a shell, a skin, a different way to be, even if only for a day."

Tell me what you think, though this is just the opener. I kept losing momentum, which you might notice when I post the next chapters, so I would give up and come back to it. Also, the summary needs work but I'll figure that out as I get closer to the end, I suppose.

10-25-11

12:59am