Hi, just a short little introduction that revolves around Lil, but the rest of the gang will fall into the story more later. Let me know what you think?
Lillian DeVille studies reflection carefully. Her hazel eyes are squinting back at her as she stands, hands on hips, looking for any imperfections in her appearance. Her hair's perfectly straight, flowing down her back like a glossy curtain and shaped around her made up face in the style she and Angelica had admired in a magazine over the summer. Her fingers pinch at her hips, wondering if they seem swollen beneath the folds of her cheerleading skirt. She inclines her head, scrutinising before sighing heavily. Angelica was definitely a thinner when she was Head Cheerleader the two years ago.
There's a thump at the bathroom door, which causes her to jump, "Come on, Lillian!" Her brother, Phil, calls through the door loudly.
Lily, as she's now known, although she doesn't know why, sighs and snatches her gaze away from the mirror. She clicks the door open and scowls at her brother. He's a dumb jock who only cares about football; their mother's so proud of him. Lily being Cheer Captain isn't nearly as important. Phil barges past her and slams the door behind him for good measure. Down the hall Lily hears her Dad lamely attempt to tell them to keep it down.
She takes the stairs two at a time, still fascinated by the way her fan-tailed skirt flays with every step. She doesn't always feel like a hot cheer captain, but she knows she at least looks the part. Girls look at her enviously in the hallways and boys leer about her locker with lusty teenage eyes grazing over her cleavage.
In the kitchen she pours a glass of water and snaps on the radio. Her eyes catch on an old photograph, pushed into an alcove on the shelf. Almost nervously she reaches out and takes the fragile feeling picture between her thumb and finger.
It was only three years ago that the image was taken; on the first day of freshman year, yet she hardly recognises herself. She's wearing baggy jeans and an old jumper that's frayed at the cuffs because she used to chew it. Her hair's wild and wavy and she's grinning like mad. Her arm's around Phil's shoulder and she honestly can't remember the last time they showed any kind of affection towards one another. Around them, in a tight huddle are the rest of the gang. The Rugrats, as their parents used to call them, due to the fact that they were together since infanthood. Together since infants, and now they barely manage to exchange smiles.
She can see in the picture that her hand's grasped around Kimi's and they're wearing matching friendship bracelets. She doesn't even speak to Kimi now. Kimi's going through a whole 'dark and mysterious' phase or something. Lily doesn't know, she doesn't get it. All she knows is Kimi's always around the art department wearing too much eye make up and tapping her feet to music that no one else enjoys.
Over Kimi's shoulder in the photo Chuckie's grinning madly, his glasses reflecting the sun in the lenses. He graduated last year and Lily doesn't even know if he's going to college, she assumes he must be because he was a nerd and well, they all go to college, she thinks.
Next to Chuck, Tommy's smiling broadly, almost laughing even. It's a world away from the boy Lily now sees in the corridors in beaten converse, a black leather jacket and shades. She heard he even got a motorcycle over the summer.
On Tommy's right is his little brother Dylan, who's about to become a junior. He's probably the only one in the photograph who hasn't changed a bit; he still wears weird clothes and is into anything that no one else can be bothered to think about. Her friends gave up teasing him about it last year because he doesn't care what any of them think. Lily's considering how that must be when Phil ambles into the kitchen, his hair gelled in the latest fashion and his letterman jacket over his broad shoulders.
Quickly she pushes the photo into her purse and brushes her hair over her shoulder. Phil ignores her completely and puts a couple of PopTarts into the toaster. Lily wrinkles her nose and he takes the opportunity to throw one in her direction just to annoy her.
Lily's about to retaliate when their mother strides in through the back door. She wipes her brow with the sweatband around her wrist and smirks at her son, "Hey, Champ, first day as Captain, it's a big day, DeVille."
She claps her hand on his shoulder and he gives her a lop-sided grin in response. Lily rolls her eyes and strides towards the front door, "I'm getting a ride!"
She doesn't know if anyone hears her.
Out on the kerb she folds her arms over her chest and taps her foot impatiently. Luckily, the familiar VW Beetle rounds the corner a couple of moments later. It pulls up on the sidewalk at alarming speed and the brakes squeak painfully.
"Hey, Bitch," Angelica pulls her sunglasses on top of her blonde hair and winks, "Nice outfit."
Lily doesn't smile, she just falls into the passenger seat and Angelica pulls away before she has the chance to fasten her seatbelt. She doesn't know exactly when it was that she and Angelica became friends, sometime in high school, she knows, but she can't recall quite when everything changed. At some point through it all changed. Lily fell in with the popular crowd, of which Angelica was Queen Bee, and now that she's graduated, Lily's taking the crown.
"I got you breakfast," Angelica jerks her thumb over her shoulder, indicating to the backseat.
Lily smirks and reaches for the Styrofoam cup and inhales the scent of coffee. It's a forbidden luxury in her house, thanks to her mother's obsession with health and fitness. "Mmmm, that's so good."
Angelica cackles, "You are such a deprived coffee whore. I taught you well. So, DeVille, talk boys to me, I need gossip."
Lily squirms in her seat but Angelica doesn't notice. "I guess I'll have to see who's going to fight hardest to get with me." Lily manages to say in an even tone.
"That's my girl." Angelica grins, "But for the love of God, Lily, make sure you get some!"
"I will." Lily whispers. She knows that she can't hold out for another year without having a boyfriend, she must be the only Senior who's not had a boyfriend.
Angelica nods, appeased, "Good. You're too hot to be single."
Lily isn't sure that she agrees, but she knows better than to argue with Angelica Pickles, she learnt that a long time ago.
Angelica pulls into the parking lot and smiles wistfully at the old brick building she once used to rule, "Go and enjoy your kingdom, DeVille. You'll miss it next year, you know."
Again, Lily isn't sure but maybe Angelica's right. After all, the blonde is now stuck working at the mall for little money. Lily smiles at Angelica and waves before flouncing out of the car, her head held high. It's all about image from this moment on; she's head cheerleader and she has a reputation to uphold.
She crosses the lot and grazes her eyes over a group sat on the quad. She recognises the boy with head of messy purple hair and a cigarette hung between his soft lips. Lily curls her lip as a natural habit and averts her eyes. She can't let herself look into Tommy Pickles' eyes because they always make her feel bad, guilty for being the girl she's become. She doesn't understand why, that out of everyone it's Tommy who has that power, but he does.
Her attention's quickly stolen away by two of her fellow cheerleaders, looping their arms through hers and swiftly her persona of fearsome mean girl returns like a second skin.
Tommy Pickles falls to the back of her mind, for the time being at least.