This is my first JTMD fanfic. I don't own the movie or any of the characters.
Kate had always been invisible. She didn't really know if it was a good or a bad thing. It had its perks and its flaws. One good thing that came out of being invisible was that you could notice everything that was happening around you. The reason was simple. No one noticed you. You were invisible. She really only had one person who saw her. Who saw Kate. That person was her mother, the mother everyone took notice too. Especially boys. Kate had lost count on how many boyfriends her mother has had these past few years. Not that it would make much of a difference if she kept count. It would keep happening over and over again. They had recently moved to Portland Oregon and one of the first things she noticed was John Tucker and his three girlfriends. A tip if you want to have three girlfriends. Don't take them to the same restaurant. It's the easiest way for people to find out. Especially since some students actually worked. She wasn't so sure that John minded people knowing, as long as his girlfriends didn't find out. She let out a small yawn as she walked into P.E. this was probably her least favorite class. If she only knew that it would turn into her favorite. Why? Because she met Beth McIntyre. It all really began because of John and coach Claypoole. The woman had acute angina, but John probably didn't know that. It wasn't his fault completely, he had no idea that it was pre-existing.
"Coach Claypoole is in the hospital, so we're combining all first period gym classes.", with her words loud groans could be heard from the girl inside the gym. "Yeah, yeah, I know. We all hate each other.",
"No we hate you.", the coach however decided to ignore the girl's words, probably used to them by now.
"Okay, Jennifer, Alison, Molly, Sarah, Denise and Kimmi, this side.", she pointed towards one of the sides of the net.
"My name is Lucretia!", a girl clad in black said blankly.
"On this side, I want Beth, Carrie, Heather and what's-your-face?", that was one of the bad things with being invisible. Not even the teachers knew who you were. To them, you were just one of the kids in the school.
"I'm Kate, Kate.", she stood up and walked towards her side of the net.
"All right, ladies... let's play ball!",
"You're Heather, right? I'm Kate.",
"So?", with that the head cheerleader walked away. Kate had no idea how it happened but one minute things were quite calm and suddenly Carrie got a ball on her head. It all escalated quite fast. Soon balls were flying all over the place. As soon as a cart full with balls were knocking them to the ground Kate grabbed the coach's whistle and blew.
"Just stop! This guy is cheating on all of you... and instead of taking it out on him... you're beating the shit out of each other?!",
"Language! Detention, you, you, you and you.", the teacher pointed to her, Heather, Carrie and Beth.
It was the first time Kate had ever gotten detention. She didn't know what would happen when her mother found out about this. She had never really gotten in trouble in school before. Now she had gotten detention because of three girls she didn't even know. All because those three idiots took all their anger out on each other instead of the idiot who actually deserved it. Kate didn't really have much to do during the time waiting for detention. It was hard when you didn't have any friends. Usually she would be on her way home by now. That was the place she felt the most comfortable. She took a deep breath and walked into the library, there was no harm in being early, right? She frowned slightly as she heard someone singing to himself. She didn't know that someone else had gotten detention. Of course she didn't know much about who usually showed up here. She didn't really care about that.
Kate let out a sound when she noticed a brunette boy sitting by the table closest to the window. She hadn't expected someone to be there. He seemed to be very into his music and she couldn't help but wonder if he ever heard the term of being quiet inside the library. She guessed not.
"Uh... sorry, it's uh...", the boy began as soon as he noticed her. Kate could see that he was nervous. He was probably embarrassed that someone walked in on him.
"Cheap Trick, I understand.", she said with a small smile gracing her lips.
"Yeah, yeah, it is.", he quickly put away his headphones.
"Yeah, you can't really hum to Cheap Trick.", she said jokingly.
"No, once you've started... you're kind of obligated to-",
"To belt it out.", she cut him off.
"Yeah, I'm Scott.", the boy went quiet for a while. "You're from... chemistry, right?", Kate was slightly shocked, normally people didn't recognize her just like that.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm- I'm Kate.", she stuttered slightly. "So, um, where is everybody?", Scott looked at her with a strange expression on his face. "Detention?",
"You- you came early to detention?",
"Oh, um, well, it's, you know... I would hate to m-m-miss a minute... of being... detained.", she said nervously. Suddenly she let out a disgusted sound as she saw and heard what was going on on the other side of the window. John Tucker flirting with yet another girl.
"Oh, wow, that's not, uh, usually the reaction he gets from girls. It's generally more like a...", Kate smiled slightly as Scott tried his best to impersonate a girl.
"Yeah, okay. 'Jerk' isn't really my type.",
"Yeah, you're right. He can have his jerk moments.", at this she frowned.
"Oh, I thought he was you guys' ยด... god, or whatever.",
"You're close. He's my older brother.", his words left her stunned to say the least. He didn't seem to be anything like his brother. He seemed to be so much sweeter and not the cheater his brother were. Siblings really can be different. Of course she didn't really know him yet, but she could tell.
"Oh. You're the other Tucker.", she almost wanted to smack herself at her words. Probably wasn't the best thing to say. Compare someone to it's sibling. Never turned out well. Or so she heard.
"What is that? Is that, like 'the loser Tucker'?", she noticed a slight irritation in his eyes.
"Oh, no, no. That's not what I meant. I just... you don't look...",
"Hot, buff, or capable of inciting an all-girl smackdown? No, you're right.",
"Naw.",
"It's- it's cool, I'll let you in n a secret though. My mom... says I'm special on the inside.",
"Good for you.", this time she actually let out another small smile. Happy that he didn't seem to hate her for her words.
"Yeah.", with that Scott grabbed his bag and left the library leaving Kate with a small smile on her lips. As soon as he was gone the three other girls entered one by one. This was going to be a long hour, that much Kate could tell.
"Alright, detention has begun. I'll be right back, and no talking.", with that the teacher left the room leaving Kate alone with the three girls.
"So, I talked to John.", she suddenly heard Heather say. "It was so sweet. He felt bad for you. He said that you were just jealous because... we share something special, something that... we didn't have to label because it's-",
"Because it's our unspoken bond... and I love how secure you are.", Beth interrupted the cheerleader. Kate couldn't help but find this whole situation annoying.
"And it hurts me to hear you question it?", by now it was clear to Kate how angry these girls were. She didn't know if they were more sad than humiliated. Not that she really cared though.
"Because you're the only girl for me?!", the last part all three girls said together.
"Damn! He said the same thing to all of us.", Heather whined making Kate let out a small sigh. This was going to be a long hour.
"Figures. He makes up with us... and then he hooks up with us...", Beth seemed to be the angriest of them. She was probably more fragile than anyone thought. When Kate came to think about it. These girls really didn't seem to have any real friends. They only had people to hang out with. She didn't know what was better, being invisible or hanging out with people who only hung out with you because of the status.
"You guys hooked up?", Carrie said mockingly.
"John and I share something special.", she noticed the brunette scrabble something onto her paper.
"Oh, what, that you've both been in your pants?", Kate couldn't help but think that things were getting a little too far.
"We share a vegan/nonviolent outlook on life.", the girl sounded quite proud of it. Kate had no idea how Vegans survived. She had nothing against them but she would never be able to survive without her meat.
"Hippie slut.", Heather said with a fake cough.
"Oh, nice, Heather. It's not like everyone doesn't know... that 'Little Miss Cheerleader' brings it on.",
"Look-", Heather was quickly interrupted by Carrie.
"You too?",
"John and I belong together. He is the team captain, and I am... the head cheerleader.",
"I'm sorry what kind of cheerleader?", if this was what it was like to have some kind of status Kate was happy she was invisible. She wouldn't want to live like that. Fights between different clicks. They must get tired of it.
"Oh, like he'd ever take either of you two seriously!",
"Don not lump me with her!", Brooke pointed towards Heather.
"Oh, so, what... now you're better than me?", Kate had enough. She couldn't concentrate on anything she was doing with these girls fighting.
"Shut up.", she suddenly heard herself say.
"What?", Heather was the first to speak after the interruption.
"Excuse me?", Carrie followed right on and just as she finished the small sentence Beth let out a 'what?' too.
"Sorry. S-sorry.", Kate said quietly, not liking the attention she had at her at that moment.
"You have something to say?", Heather sassed,
"Uh... no, it's none of my business.", Kate played with her pencil.
"What?", she could tell that Beth was getting impatient.
"Okay, let me guess. Does he always use pet names like 'baby'... and 'sweetheart'?" Yeah, it's not out of affection. It's so he won't mix up your names.", Kate noticed that the girls finally was starting to take things in. "And-and he's all about an unspoken bond... or something special, but never about a relationship. A-and the whole arrangement was your idea... so you feel guilty that he cheated.",
"Oh my god. You're dating John too.", Heather suddenly interrupted.
"No, uh... no, I just knew a guy like him, Skip.",
"She's right.", Carrie suddenly said. "I mean he's always making me feel guilty.",
"Yeah.", Beth agreed quietly.
"It seems to me... that if a guy treats you like that, I'd-",
"You'd break up with him, blah-blah-blah-blah.", Heather interrupted.
"John would have another girlfriend in a second.", Beth said.
"No, I didn't say 'break up'. I'd get even.", she nodded to herself. If there was one thing she hated it was cheaters.
"Who are you?", Heather suddenly asked. Before Kate had time to answer Beth answered for her.
"I know! You're that girl who wigged out last year and got sent to rehab!",
"No, I...",
"Then you got taken away for bulimia.",
"No.",
"Fat camp?", this one she said more like a question.
"No, my name's-",
"Hey! No talking!", the teacher said finally coming back from his little errand.
"My name is...",
"No talking!", at that Kate gave up. It would have to wait. If they still wondered once this hour was over.
During the rest of detention Kate sat in deep thoughts. Glancing over at Beth a few times. She knew that it was a lot more to the girl than she let show and frankly Kate would like to get to know her better. Kate knew that after this, they would probably never speak to each other again. This was he first time in a long time someone else but her mother had spoken to her. Kate found it kind of refreshing. She knew that she didn't want to be like them though. Popular. People often lost themselves whenever they became that, they were scared to show the others who they really were. You never knew who your real friends were. Kate would never be able to live like that. Ever. Her eyes soon found themselves on the clock. Time seemed to be so much slower during detention. She really hoped this only happened once. She didn't need anymore of this. She snuck another look towards Beth who only seemed to be playing with her pencil while watching the clock tick by.
"Hey, honey! I'm in a big hurry, I've got a... big date tonight.", Lori, Kate's mother almost tripped over as she tried putting on her shoes while walking.
"Drummer?", Kate looked up from her papers too look at her mother.
"Doctor.", Kate raised an eyebrow. "Well, veterinarian. Technician.",
"So you're dating a dog nurse.", there was a slight humor in her voice. Her mother and her ways of finding men. It didn't take long before Kate could hear the doorbell fo off. She shook her head slightly. Her mother really needed to find someone who actually wanted a stable relationship.
"You've... got a friend at the door.", she suddenly heard her mother yell from downstairs.
"What?!", she couldn't help but whisper for herself as she got off the bed, heading downstairs. She noticed her mother standing in the hall with a blonde girl. It didn't take long before her mother's new boyfriend also showed up at the door.
"Have fun, girls!", she said as she rushed out of the house, grabbing her purse on the way.
"Kate, right?", Carrie asked as she turned around to look at the blonde girl. To say that Kate was shocked was an understatement. This wasn't normal.
"Yeah, Kate.", it didn't take long before the other two showed up too. First Heater and then Beth.
"I want to bring down you-know-who.", was the first thing Heather said when she had opened the door for her. Beth was a completely different story. She used her words in quite a different way. You could hear the anger between her words though.
"Normally I'm opposed to the slaughter of animals... but in John Tucker's case, I'll make an exception.", Kate couldn't help but shake her head slightly. This had been the strangest day of her life. She had never experienced anything like this before. She wasn't sure a lot of people had either.