Okay, so this was something out of randomness. I was running on two hours of sleep and jamming out to some No Doubt, and I realized the song Bathwater reminded me a lot of Brenda. So thus, this fic was born. My other fic, Lost and Found, has been killng me though. So just enjoy this for now!

Bathwater

"You and your museum of lovers

The precious collection you've housed in your covers

My simpleness threatened

By my own admission."

"That's what Amber said, Brennie. But I told her I wouldn't believe it until I heard it from you." Tammy Tramell hugged her pillow close to her chest as she sat at the foot of Brenda's bed, all the councilettes (besides Amber and Lu Anne, because Brenda had promised Shelley she wouldn't invite them as long as Shelley promised to actually show up) wide-eyed at the brunette. She smiled at them, twirling a pigtail between her dainty polished fingers, toying with the idea of confessing or lying. Shelley already knew, the two of them having been best friends since toddlerdom. Tammy had always been close, too, and lying to her would only upset her. Tammy was fragile like that.

"That's really sweet of you, Tams, to defend me like that." Brenda started off, watching as Shelley's red head turned to the side from her spot on the floor, looking up to see if her friend was going to lie. It wouldn't have surprised her any; reputations to keep and all that jazz. Brenda sighed. "And you really didn't have to. I personally don't give a damn what Amber says about me, truthful or not. And I'll just leave it at that."

Vicki scoffed, waiting impatiently for a straight answer. "C'mon, Brennie, tell us! Are you cheating on Brad with Corny or not?" It had been the hot topic of the councilette sleepover, must to Brenda's dismay. In all honesty, it wasn't a secret she personally wanted to keep; in fact, she'd tell everyone if she could. Being with Corny had been the greatest experience of her sixteen-year-old life thus far, and she wanted everyone else to share her happiness. However, Corny was satisfied with quiet happiness; people should not know that he's happy about bedding teenaged girls on his show.

"My romantic encounters are my business, and no one else's, and that's all I'm gonna say."

"'Cause I still love to wash in your old bathwater

Love to think that you couldn't love another

I can't help it

You're my kind of man."

"Here, Brennie! Answer it!" Tammy suddenly piped up after Brenda dropped the subject. The cheery young girl handed Brenda the phone, nearly dragging it off the nightstand as she pulled the cord with it. Brenda nearly jumped, saying, "What?" and raising the phone to her ear. It was ringing. "Tams, who di-?" She began to ask, but then a response on the other end made her stop her sentence midway through.

"Hello?" said the voice on the other line, and Brenda instantly recognized the voice. She glared at Tammy and the other girls who were watching in curiosity. "Oh! Um, hi Corny." Brenda said quickly, hoping not to sound too surprised to hear his voice. The girls wanted an answer, and it seemed that they were intent as hell on getting it. There was a sound of a throat clearing on the other end. "Oh, hey Bren." A pause. "It's nearly midnight, babe."

Brenda blushed slightly. "Yeah, um, I'm sorry to call so late. I was just…y'know, calling to see how you were." She nearly cringed at her pathetic excuse, hearing her bed creak loudly as the other girls (aside from Shelley, who stayed in her sitting position on the floor, who honestly had no desire to be involved in the conversation) scooted next to their close friend, hoping to hear the entire conversation. Corny replied, "Well, I was pretty good, considering the fact that I was sleeping…" He didn't sound irritated, not like Brad did when he was woken up unexpectedly. Brenda was quick to apologize. "I'm really sorry. Honestly. I didn't-"

"Bren, it's fine, I promise. "Corny said, a yawn following after his words. Brenda felt a little better, cozying up against the backboard of her bed. "Have any dreams?" She asked, and Corny replied, "Na, I don't usually dream…hey, aren't you supposed to be havin' some big sleepover tonight or somethin'?" Brenda bit her lip, thinking u pa lie quickly. Last thing he needed to know as that there was a group of girls listening in on him. "No, it's at Amber's place. I wasn't invited. She doesn't like me very much. But I think that's because of Shelley."

Corny chuckled lightly. "Yeah, well, I don't think too many people like Amber, either. But you didn't hear that from me." Brenda giggled in her usual girlish manner, and Corny kept talking, "So, what? You stayed home alone and didn't go out with Brad or anything?" Brenda looked up at her friends, who now wore sneaky grins on their faces as they listened intently. Brenda replied, "Ah, no. We're kinda…having problems right now."

It was quiet for a second, and Corny's voice became very solemn. "Does he know you're cheating on him?" Tammy covered her mouth to keep her excited gasp from escaping rather loudly, and all the girls looked thoroughly satisfied. Amber's rumor was confirmed; Brenda was fooling around with Corny Collins. Brenda shook her head slightly at the girls, her response to Corny aiming more towards them. "No, he doesn't. I don't wanna break his heart. I mean, he told me he loved me the other day."

"Really?" Corny said, sounding…almost amused. "That's a little surprising. But not the point. Do you love him, too?"

"Wanted and adored

By attractive women

Bountiful selection at your discretion

And I know I'm diving into my own destruction.

So why do we choose

The boys who are naughty?

I don't fit in, so why do you want me?

I know I continue, but I just keep tryin'."

Brenda bit her lip. No, she didn't. She didn't love Brad. She liked him just fine, but love was an amazingly strong word. Not one she'd use to describe her feelings for Brad Bailey. Not in a long shot. "I…I don't think so." She replied, and Corny was quick to jump on her response. "Well, then why are you still with him? Afraid to give someone else the chance to love you?"

Her heart was pounding out of her chest. This had become so much more than she'd expected it would be. What exactly was he saying to her, that he loved her or something? "I-I don't get what you're saying, Corny. We make love all the time…" She found herself feeling a little confused and overwhelmed, and Corny replied, "Yeah, we do. And because of that, Bren, I know you better than I could have ever imagined. But we've got limitations, and not just the age thing. Brad; he's a limitation."

"So what are you saying? You want me to dump him?" She asked, and she instantly fell all of the girl's eyes on her. Glaring holes into her flesh as they waited to hear the next string of words out of either of their mouths. Corny spoke again, and his words made all the girls practically squeal.

"Bren, I don't wanna be in love with a girl who's on someone else's arm."

"'Cause I still love to wash in your old bathwater

Love to think that you couldn't love another

On your list with

All your other women."

Ridiculous was the first word that came to Shelley's mind once she learned the reasons behind Brenda and Brad's break-up. She sat at her vanity on the sat two days later, shaking her head as Brad was undergoing a so-called cheer-up with Link and Sketch. Brenda was powdering her nose, telling Tammy what this could mean for her and Corny. Because they were in love. Right, and Shelley would suddenly become a huge pop star in Sweden and bear Elvis's sextuplets. The red head could smell the heartbreak coming, and she knew she'd be the one Brenda came to when everything crumbled down, per usual.

Maybe it'd be best to nip this in the bud before Brenda fell too hard. After all, it wasn't like Brenda hadn't been in what she considered love before. Shelley could easily just talk to Corny (as if any conversation with Corny Collins was easy) and get him to tell Brenda his real reasons for the break-up. Shelley had a theory that Corny was just being selfish, per usual, and getting whatever he wanted by any means necessary. It wouldn't shock her entirely.

Turning down the hallway to head towards his office, Shelley stopped in her tracks. Corny's office door was partially swung open, and she could clearly see two figures leaning against the doorway. One of them was Corny; his purple suit was unmistakable. The second person, the one whose lips were pressed against his as the gap between their bodies disappeared, was certainly not Brenda. Bitch, was the first thought that came to Shelley's mind as Amber Von Tussle's fingers slid up Corny's tie and pulled him into his office. The door shut behind them, and Shelley took a deep breath.

"Shells? What're you doing?"

Shelley whipped around to see her best friend standing there, a look on her pretty face that read complete confusion. Shelley looked at her best friend in all seriousness, not sure how to tell her best friend what exactly she'd just seen. It was going to break Brenda's heart to know that both the men who supposedly loved her could easily disappear in the blink of an eye, and the one thing Shelley hated was hurting Brenda. She was so damn fragile, so much more of a little girl than she liked to think she was. Shelley stepped a little closer, and a small smile pulled up on her lips.

"I was just talking to Corny. He said for me to tell you that he's gonna be busy after the show. Maybe you could come over to my house instead." Shelley offered. Brenda beamed, nodding her head. "Yeah, Shells. That'd be fun. It's a date." Shelley forced herself to beam right back, and the two girls began to head back out to find the rest of the councilettes. Anger still seeped through Shelley's system. Brenda deserved better than what she was getting, and she'd make sure that someday Corny Collins knew that.

'Why do the good girls always love the bad boys?'

FIN.

TADA! That's the end. Please review; positive critisism is really apprieciated! Thanks!