Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own anything from Rocket Power. I also do not own Away From Me by Evanscence
I hold my breath as this life starts to take its toll
I hide behind a smile as this perfect plan unfolds
But oh, God, I feel I've been lied to
Lost all faith in the things I have achieved
And I
She smiled as her friends caught her after a perfect basket toss. She knew that there were pretty good odds that her squad would win state for the second year in a row. The music died and they ran off the floor.
Eighteen-year-old Reggie Rocket straightened her cheerleading outfit and waited with the rest of the Ocean Shores High School squad. She had changed significantly over he last few years. She now stood 5'4". Her body had changed too. While she still had an athletic body, she now had hips, a definite waist, and C-cup breasts. She was the object of attention for most of the guys at OSHS.
"And this year's champion football season squad is….Ocean Shores High School." Reggie gave a sigh of relief. It was her senior year and she wanted to be remembered as a good captain. She smiled and accepted the trophy for her squad and her school. She secretly couldn't wait to leave the high school competitions behind. But there was still basketball season to get through.
Reggie was getting tired of her life. She was the perfect student, perfect daughter, perfect friend, perfect girlfriend. Winning was the perfect end to a perfect season. The struggle to be perfect was taking its toll on Reggie. She was starting to get burned out on everything that she tried so hard to be good at.
People were always telling her how great she was, how much they wished they could be like her. She was tired of having people worshipping her. She wanted to tell them that they really didn't want to be her. But she just smiled and went along with them.
She was sick of her boyfriend. She was tired of him always telling her that she was more beautiful than the other girls. She was beginning to feel that people were lying to her just because she was Regina Rocket.
"Regina! Wait up, sweetheart," she heard her boyfriend's voice call down the hallway. She waited for the tall, blond haired quarterback to catch up to her. She had been dating David for two years and was ready for a change. "Are we still on for tonight?"
"Sure," Reggie replied distractedly. She was trying to think of a way to break up with him that night.
David didn't seem to notice her preoccupation. "Okay. See you tonight," he said with a kiss on the cheek.
Somehow, having the quarterback boyfriend, her 4.0 GPA, and very popular friends just didn't seem to be worth it. She always thought that if she had a perfect life, that it would make her happy. Yet, she had everything and was still unhappy.
A sudden commotion drew Reggie out of her thoughts. She went outside to see a familiar redhead and her brother skating. The redhead was one of her "old" best friends. He still hung out at her house and she still talked to him, but not like they used to.
Twister, the redhead looked over to see a very familiar, very nice looking girl watching. He eyed her for a minute, once again taking in the changes from the young tomboy he had once known. She no longer wore a pink Rocket tee and camo pants. Instead she had on a pair of tight, fashionably ripped jeans, black flip flops, and a tight black halter top. Her long wavy hair had been curled and hung halfway down her back. Her naturally beautiful face was accentuated with makeup.
Twister tore his eyes away, telling himself that there was a difference between the Reggie he used to know and this Regina that had taken her place. There was even more commotion as a sports car with the top down pulled into the parking lot. Twister turned and frowned at the car. It was a very familiar vehicle.
Reggie found herself longing for the boy that she had known her whole life when he stepped out of the car. She had been drawn to him and his badass attitude for years. The 5'10" boy looked good in his baggy jeans and black muscle tank. The tank clung to his body and showed off his obviously good physique.
Most of the girls were drooling over the older boy. He had graduated two years earlier, so all the upperclassmen knew him from when he ruled the school. The sophomores and freshman had never gotten to attend school with Lars Rodriquez.
Lars walked over to Twister and Otto. "Hey, Rocket Dork."
"What do you want, Lars?"
But Lars didn't hear his question. He as busy staring at his neighbor. His eyes traveled down her body, lingering on her exposed lower stomach and the spot where her halter top plunged. He gave her a smile and pushed his shaggy hair back out of his eyes.
"Hey, Reggie. What's up?" Several girls started to give Reggie evil glares since Lars chose to speak to her.
"It's Regina."
"Since when?"
"Since forever."
"Sorry. Didn't know that."
I've woken now to find myself
In the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you
(away from this place I have made)
Won't you take me away from me
Lars calling her Reggie brought her back to the world she used to live in. Where days were filled with bikinis and surfing, hockey, skateboarding, just kicking back and chilling after school with her best bros. There was no cheerleading squad, no worries about her popularity, no quarterback boyfriend.
Reggie realized what it was that she was longing for. She wanted to be her old self, live her old life. Be the girl that had been shadowed by this Regina that had taken over. Live for herself in the moment, not for what everyone else thinks.
She wanted to be with a guy like Lars. Wanted to be lost in someone like that. Totally uncaring of what everyone said. She wanted to be away from everything that she was right now. She wondered if Lars could be the one to take her away from her life.
Crawling through this world as disease flows through my veins
I look into myself, but my own heart has been changed
I can't go on like this
I loathe all I've become
"Regina, is this guy bothering you?" David asked her, putting his arm around her shoulders. Lars just glared at him. David glared back, though Lars could tell that he was intimidated by him.
"No, David." She shrugged his arm off of her and turned to him. "To be honest, you're bothering me. It's over." David gave her a hurt look that had some underlying anger.
"Fine." He said coldly and walked away. Reggie was surprised that she felt nothing. She became aware that the whole group of people outside the school was staring at her. Then she became even more aware that Lars was staring at her.
"Want to get out of here?" he asked. Reggie just nodded. She never skipped school, especially not to hang out with a guy like Lars. She followed him to his car and hopped in.
They drove in silence for a minute. "So, where are we going?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"Um, how about my house first so I can change." Reggie had to get out of her clothes. She suddenly wanted nothing more than to be in a bikini, riding the waves.
"Okay. Then what?"
"Do you have a board I can borrow?" At Lars's nod she continued. "Then, we hit the waves. I haven't surfed in a while, but I feel like doing it again."
"Sounds good to me. So what was up with you and that lame-o back there?"
"You mean David?"
"Is that his name?"
"Yeah. You know the high school fairy tale. Cheerleading captain and quarterback, the perfect couple. I've spent the last four years trying to be perfect. I've gotten so sick of people looking up to me. Regina is perfect, she'll know what to do. I'm tired of it all. It's not who I really am. I thought that it was, but I was so wrong. I've spent so much time lately thinking about the good times I used to have with Twister and Otto and Sammy. Back when our biggest challenge was beating your Lasers in street hockey. I just couldn't do it anymore. I can't keep being Ms. Perfect. It's driving me crazy. I actually hate everything I am right now."
"So change it. Nobody is making you be what you are. The Reggie I remember could kick any guys ass on a board."
Lost in a dying world I reach for something more
I have grown so weary of this lie I live
"I don't know if I can be that girl again. She was so alive and carefree. I think that I've forgotten how to be her."
"You can do it. Just do what you've always done. Try it."
"I know. But I can't just try. I have to do it. I'm so sick of this lie that is my life."
I've woken now to find myself
In the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you
"Go change and meet me back here."
"Alright" Reggie ran up to her bedroom and found a bikini that she could surf in before she dug out a pair of old board shorts from her closet. She put them on and grabbed her flip flops. She ran back across the road to the Rodriquez house.
Lars was just coming back out the door. He had changed into his swimming trunks and was shirtless. He motioned to Reggie and she followed him around back to grab the boards laying there. The stuck them on top of Reggie's SUV and headed to the beach.
Reggie already felt better as she handed Lars her keys. She climbed in the passenger seat and relaxed against the warm leather. She let a smile creep across her face as they drove toward the beach, the wind from the pen windows blowing through her hair. Lars glanced over and saw her relaxed face.
"See, girl, this is the life for you. Not all that cheerleading crap." Reggie's smile only grew as they got closer to the beach.
As soon as the car stopped, Reggie was out and reaching for her board. Lars grabbed his and they headed toward the ocean. They paddled out and sat, waiting for a good set to roll in.
Reggie eyed Lars's muscled chest and arms. She longed to feel those arms around her. She wanted Lars. Her brother's old enemy.
Her thoughts were interrupted as a set rolled in. They both took the first wave and rode it to the shore. They jumped off their boards in the shallows and Lars wrapped Reggie in a hug.
"That's the girl that I know."
I have woken now to find myself
I'm lost in shadows of my own
I'm longing to be lost in you
They surfed until the sun started to set. Reggie was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. She had found herself again. She knew for the first time in years exactly who she was. When they were done, they went to the Shore Shack.
Ray seemed surprised to see his daughter soaking wet in a bikini and board shorts. He hadn't seen her wearing board shorts in several years. For the first time in years, his daughter had on no makeup and obviously didn't care what her hair looked like. He was even more surprised to see her with a surfboard in her hand and Lars next to her. But she looked happy, so Ray said nothing.
They ate and went to walk on the beach.
"Lars, thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't think that I would have had the courage to try this."
"Sure you would have. It probably would have taken a little longer, but you would have done it."
"No, I wouldn't have. The only reason I even broke up with David was because of you."
"What do you mean?"
"I saw you and I realized that I was sick of my life. You reminded me of old times. Honestly, I wanted you."
"Good, because when I saw you, I knew that the old Reggie was still under there. Reggie, you are the example of my idea of a perfect girl. I wanted you for so long, but I didn't want Regina. I wanted Reggie."
Lars wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. Reggie knew that she wouldn't go back to perfect, preppy Regina. She was too happy being Reggie.
Away from me.
Sorry for any typos. Let me know what you think.