Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to How to Rock, blah blah, anyway; First off I need to mention that I am not the most reliable author, ask my "That's So Raven" shippers. But, I have had an unexplainable inspiration streak for this show, which means I'm already writing my third chapter!
A/N: Props to exnavybrat89 for being the first to break the gender barrier on this show, and to the completion of her first chapter. Okay, okay, I'm shutting up now. Read and Review!
P.S. The more reviews I get the faster I write.
Hey now, hey, now, everybody wanna be pop-u-lar…
"I've always hated that song," Kacey said to herself as she took a violent bite of her apple.
"Hey Kace," Stevie called out from behind her, "Good apple?" Kacey groaned and tossed the apple in the trash. "You miss them don't you?" Stevie asked, referring to the Perf's.
Kacey scoffed, "Heck no!" Stevie gave her a knowing look. "Maybe?"
"Kacey, you're better than them. I mean, contrary to popular thought, you do actually have your own mind in there," she laughed. "You know, once you get past your ego." Kacey sneered.
"Hey, look." Stevie pointed over to Grace whom had accidentally missed a step in their dance routine and bumped into Molly, whom in turn bumped into the stereo. "See?" Molly and Grace glanced around them to see if anyone had witnessed their embarrassing debacle. "They're not even perfect, they can't even get they're steps right!"
Kacey couldn't help but giggle, Stevie was right.
"They shouldn't even be called Perf's. They should be called…Erf's or….Oaf's?" Stevie grinned evilly.
Kacey was beside herself in giggles. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"
"Yes, but I think I can stand to hear it one more time." Stevie couldn't help but smile because Kacey was smiling, and you can't fight the feeling right? Right.
"You, Stevie Baskara, are the best friend anyone could ever have," Kacey finished her declaration with their signature fist bump.
Stevie blew on her nails before wiping them on her shirt. "Glad to see you like how I, hold it down." They both dissolved into a fit of giggles just as Molly made her entrance.
"Ahh, Confessions of a Teenage flip-flopper," Molly proclaimed.
"Get lost Perfy," Stevie snapped.
"Yeah, why do you have to be so evil all the time?" Kacey crossed her arms and put on her best, no-nonsense face.
"It's not an easy job I can tell you that much," she sighed in content. "Grace," the flaxen-haired, side kick stood at attention, "I'm feeling….linty." Grace quickly whipped out a lint roller and began swabbing Molly down. "You two have just been looking so adorb. lately, I just couldn't miss an opportunity to crush it." Molly smiled tightly.
"But… you hate Stevie's outfits," Kacey blurted, making a face.
Stevie looked down, frowning. "I look fine."
"Oh please. You look far from it hon," Molly then rattled off a list of short comings Stevie's outfit had. "Sevens jeans from last season and they're ripped at the knees." Molly's voice had an air of disgust to it.
"Wearing ripped jeans is kinda tacky…" Grace piped up, but Stevie threw her a look that meant stay down. And she did.
"Plus, I think my Dad owned a shirt like that once in his life time," she began to circle Stevie now, surveying the white, blue and black, plaid long-sleeved shirt Stevie was wearing.
"I love that shirt," Kacey chimed in. "It has character."
"Thank you." Stevie crossed her arms.
Molly scoffed, "Kacey you've lost your Perf-sanity, if this is your idea of fashion." Grace nodded solemnly.
Having heard enough, Stevie stepped to Molly—whom surprisingly didn't budge an inch—and growled, "Back off Perfy."
Kacey, sensing a smack down of epic proportions, stepped in to save he friend. Grabbing Stevie's shoulder she pulled her back, greeting her with encouraging words. "Whoaaa there Wonder Woman. She is so not worth it."
Stevie shook herself out and took a deep breath through her nose. "You're right. You're right," she took two extra steps back, holding her hands up.
"You don't scare me Loserberry," Molly jeered.
"Me either." Grace squeaked out before nervously biting her nails.
Stevie shook her head in shock and amazement. "You two are so, pathetic," she looked to Kacey, "I'm out of here." Shaking her head, she strode confidently to the bands clubhouse.
Kacey was about to follow before deciding on one last thought. "Hey. Molly." Molly directed her attention at Kacey and offered her fakest smile. "I can't believe we were ever friends."
Molly feigned hurt, "Boo hoo hoo. I can't believe you stooped so low on the totem pole. I mean Loserberry, Kacey? Even you can do better than that."
Kacey was beside herself, "Are you STILL on that? You're just mad because I wouldn't act your little minion and bring you coffee. And for your information, my friends, my real friends, are the best thing since sliced bread."
"Oh yay! I love bread!" Grace smiled.
Molly turned to face her beautiful yet idiotic friend, "No you don't," she whispered. "We don't eat carbs."
"Right." Grace sagged and began filing her nails.
Kacey shook her head and continued, being used to Grace's meaningless declarations. "Molly, if you were half the friend Stevie is…"
"Yeah Kacey, sorry to bring your little heartfelt "speech" to an abrupt end, but this conversation is so five minutes ago. Peace out Girl Scout!" she chirped, walking off.
"Wannabe," Kacey called out to her back. Molly slowed her stride for a second before continuing down the hallway and around the corner.
"I really do like bread," Grace confided.
"GRACE!"
"Peace out Kacey!" Grace sing-songed.
Kacey nodded and managed a half-hearted wave. She didn't hate Grace as much as she hated Molly. In fact, she didn't hate Grace at all. She was just a pebble in the bottom of the pond, and they always flowed with the current.
Meanwhile
Stevie slowly pushed open the door to her and the rest of Gravity 5's clubhouse and immediately ducked as a Nerf Ball went flying at her head, and struck the door where her head had once been. "What the hell guys?" she called out.
"Oh. Sorry Stevie." Nelson offered, "We thought you were Zander."
Stevie pulled her bag over her shoulder and smoothed down her hair. "Why are you guys setting up booby-traps for…" her eyes were averted to a 4ft sandwich stacked perfectly on the coffee table. "Why is there an over-grown sandwich on my footrest?" she was suddenly overpowered with the smell of bacon, "And how long as it been here?"
"About two hours!" Kevin smiled gleefully.
"Eww, gross. There is such thing as refrigeration. Lots of people use it." Stevie drew out he words slowly.
"We thought of that smarty pants," Nelson added. "It's too big for that, obviously."
"Yes, at 4 feet tall this baby is packed with…" Kevin looked to Nelson, "What's it packed with?"
Nelson pulled out his notebook and rattled off, "64 pieces of lettuce, 53 pieces of tomato—"
"We're trying to cut down on veggies," Kevin interrupted patting his rock hard stomach.
Nelson scoffed, "A tomato isn't a vegetable. It's a fruit."
"No its not, its—"
"Guys!" Stevie yelled, "Get on with it."
Nelson shrugged and picked up where he had left off, "75 pieces of bread and…" Kevin and Nelson both announced the last ingredient, "220 pieces of…"
"Crispy."
"Crunchy."
"Flavorful."
"Oh-so-delicious…"
"GUYS!" Stevie plopped down in her favorite chair.
"BACON!" they finished with a flourish and slapped each other five.
"How long did it take you to make this thing anyway?"
"Oh we didn't make it," Nelson dismissed shaking the hair from his eyes.
"Yeah, we ordered it from Colossal Foods Magazine!" Kevin tossed Stevie the equally over-sized magazine. "They have an onion ring in here, three times the size of Kacey's ego." Nelson nodded in agreement.
"Hey! I heard that!" Kacey screeched from down the hallway. Two seconds later the door swung open.
"Think fast!" Kevin and Nelson yelled.
Kacey instantaneously did a duck-and-cover as a second Nerf Ball passed over her head and zoomed out into the hallway were it smashed into an unfortunate student.
"Oww!"
"Sorry." Kevin and Nelson called out as they awkwardly tucked their hands in their pockets.
Kacey quickly extracted her mirror from her purse to check her make-up and hair. After being satisfied with her appearance she focused in on two very nervous looking boys. "You two," she motioned between them, "Out," she growled gesturing to the door in a very Kacey-like manner.
"Later Kacey," Kevin eked out before bolting out the door.
"Yeah. Later." Nelson waved as he headed after Kevin.
Before Kacey could close the door Nelson peeked back in..
"Don't touch the bacon." Kacey slammed the door in his face. "Touchy?" he queried. Kacey grimaced before pulling the blinds down over his face.
Stevie shook her head in amusement and chuckled to herself as she began to tune her guitar.
"Hey, what's with the…" Kacey pointed to the sandwich.
"Please don't ask." Stevie waved it away.
"Well, are you okay?" she asked, sitting daintily down on the couch.
Stevie rolled her eyes at this. "No Kacey, the better question is, are you okay?"
"I mean about what Molly said," Kacey continued. "You don't believe that stuff right?" Stevie didn't answer. "Stevie," she waved her hand in front of her friends face," Answer me. You don't believe it do y—"
"God! Screw Molly!" she exploded. Kacey flinched. "I can't believe you were ever friends with her…"
"I said the same thing earlier." Kacey dropped her head and quieted down.
Stevie took a long look at Kacey, "How long does it take you to get dressed in the morning?
Kacey did a once over on her outfit, consisting of black strappy wedges, a black cotton micro-mini skirt and black and lavender pin stripped button-down. "I don't know...hours."
"Hours…" Stevie repeated to herself, nodding her head cryptically.
Kacey was perplexed, "I mean, I don't have anyone to tell me if me jeans make my butt look huge anymore, and the mirror isn't my best friend all the time so…"
"I get it." Stevie held her hand up, silencing Kacey.
Several minutes of uncomfortable silence went by as Kacey was lost in her own thought.
Now that I think about it, I really do lose an hour of sleep some days. Most days. At least I look good. I do look good right? Kacey smiled to herself. Of course you look good, you're Kacey Simon—I mean, ugh! Kacey you're not a Perf anymore… but Stevie wouldn't have asked about it if she didn't think you looked nice. Stevie looks nice all the time, Kacey studied Stevie as she thought, Not my particular style but its…cute. In a retro way, yeah.
"Hey, V," Stevie looked up, "I really do think you dress cute."
A slow smile spread across Stevie's face, "Aww, Kace that was the sweetest lie you've ever told me. Bless your little honeysuckle heart," she cooed sarcastically.
"I'm not lying to you. Why are you antagonizing me?"
Stevie narrowed her intense green eyes at Kacey, "Antagonizing you?"
"Yes! You're mad at Molly but you're taking it out on me."
"No I'm not," Stevie replied tersely.
"Yeah, you are, and it totally sucks."
"I said, I'm not."
"You know what, whatever." Kacey crossed her arms and exhaled angrily.
"Yeah, whatever Kacey, look can you just back off? I need my space."
"Space? What are you talking about? All I was trying to do was to see if you were okay and then you just randomly get this snobby attitude—"
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait." Stevie sat up and set her bass aside, "I know you did not just accuse someone else of being a snob and your name is Kacey Simon." Stevie let her words hang in the air. They were fighting words and they both knew it.
"I am not a snob Stevie, that was a low blow and you know it. I know I haven't been the best person to be around in recent years but I've changed and you have got to give me credit because I am trying." Kacey hated the weakness in her voice but she couldn't deny how much that one hurt.
Stevie recoiled gently, "Look Kacey, I don't need you to follow me in here with a band-aid every time my feelings get hurt. You're not my mother."
"Since when do you let the Perf's get to you?" Kacey exploded, utterly bewildered at Stevie's sudden change of heart.
"Since I have to look at one every day!" Stevie jumped up and got nose to nose with Kacey
"I am not a Perf anymore—"
"Maybe not mentally, but every day, every day you show up with your perfect hair and your perfect outfits and shoes—"
"I can't help that I spend time on my appearance, unlike some people I actually care enough to see if I have holes in my jeans before I wear them to school!" Stevie's jaw dropped as Kacey continued, "If you have a problem with me—"
"Yeah, I do have a problem with you. If the Perf's hadn't dumped you, and they did dump you right on your ass, you would still be mindlessly buzzing around thinking everything is about you, thinking everybody loves you when really everyone hates you Kacey."
Kacey clenched her fists, determined not to cry, "That's not true," she claimed, "I am nothing like Molly."
"Yeah, but you were. And that's enough for me." Stevie crossed her arms across her chest and looked away.
Kacey couldn't believe it. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear the blood pumping in her ears; her stomach had somehow managed to take up shop in her throat, "What are you saying?" she croaked.
Seeing Kacey near tears struck a chord inside Stevie she didn't know she had, gently placing her hand on Kacey's shoulder she softened her words, "I just want some space right now… I'll let you know—"
"When you're ready to be a friend?" Kacey searched Stevie's brilliant green eyes and found her answer. "I'm outta here," she whispered as she threw Stevie's hand off her shoulder.
Not expecting to be dismissed, Stevie let her mouth run ahead of her mind. "Are you gonna run back to the Perf's now?" she instantly regretted her words.
"Fuck you." Kacey choked out as she pulled the door open that lead out into the courtyard and quietly exited.
"Damn," Stevie kicked the leg of the couch and plopped down, "Not your best move Baskara." Taking a deep breath she was once again bombarded with bacon fumes. On a whim she reached out for a piece as the door swung open.
"Don't touch the bacon!" Nelson ordered, slowly closing the door back whilst keeping an eye on Stevie the whole time.
"Reality bites," she sighed and buried her face in a pillow.
Okay my little fic monsters, you have your chapter one! Chapter two will be up faster than you can say, "Notebook!"
…Okay, not literally.
