Charlotte didn't know that it was physically possible to hate a building, yet here she was. This school had been her kingdom once. She had friends, any boy that she wanted, which had been none, and the help and understanding of the teachers. She was their star pupil. She was the star volleyball player, the head cheerleader, and on the gymnastics team, yet none of that helped her when everything went down at the beginning of junior year.
Her father was a big deal in town. He was one of the richest men in the city, and had many businesses that supplied a lot of the other kid's parents with jobs. Then the scandal broke. Since her father was such a public figure in the town, when he was caught having an affair with another woman who was not her stepmother, the whole town knew about it almost instantly. Her status at the school plummeted and she became the butt of every joke. Shunned in every group that she had. She still went to all her extra-curriculars, because dammit she was good at them, but her teammates would sit back and snicker at her.
She had tried to make different friends, but she had either pissed them off with how much of a favorite she had been, or they would do the same thing that her teammates were doing and would take the opportunity to push themselves higher on the totem pole by pushing the former popular girl down. She resorted to sitting by herself at lunch and keeping her head down in the hallways. That is, until the second semester started and the school got a new student.
Becky Lynch was a transfer student from Ireland, and no one was prepared for her. She came in the first day with bright orange hair, a brilliant smile, and these weird goggles on her forehead like some magic mechanic. She was bright eyed and didn't even seem phased by the looks and snickers she was receiving. Charlotte couldn't take her eyes off of her. She was so different and didn't seem to care. She smiled at Charlotte. Which trust me, under normal circumstances a smile only does so much, but when you spent the last four months getting nothing but sneers and condescending looks, that smile meant the world to Charlotte.
Becky took her seat loudly, throwing her feet up on the edge of the desk, looking completely at home. It was too bad that the smile wouldn't be seen again. Charlotte knew that it would only be a matter of time until Becky heard about her and her father's reputation. Then the sneers and mocking looks would start. Still, it didn't stop her from hoping she'd have one bright orange spot that she didn't have to worry about. Even if they were never friends, Charlotte would kill to have one person look at her the way Becky did. It would help her get through the school year.
Lunch came all too soon, and Charlotte made her way over to the corner table. It was dark and dirty, but no one had bothered her over here yet. She sat down and looked down at her healthy lunch, or as close to healthy as you could get at the cafeteria. She picked at her green beans before she felt a tray slam down just opposite of her. She looked up and saw that same fiery orange from earlier. She stared wide-eyed at Becky who was smiling at her.
Charlotte didn't know what to do, this was uncharted territory. Becky pulled a chair out and sat down. She waved to Charlotte goofily, "Hi!"
Charlotte waved back timidly, "Uh, hey. Are you lost?"
Becky frowned, "Nope, though you Americans really know how to deep fry stuff!" She grabbed a chicken tender and tore into it with such ferocity it almost made Charlotte want to puke.
"You know who I am?"
Becky shook her head, "Well, no. But you were sitting around by yourself and I don't know anyone so I figured I'd get to know you!"
Oh, this was fixable. She could still save this poor girl's reputation. "I'm Charlotte Flair." She tried to enunciate her last name.
Becky smiled, "Becky Lynch, but I saw you in homeroom so you know that already!" She stuck her hand out for Charlotte to take, but Charlotte still remained motionless.
"No, I don't think you understand. I'm Charlotte FLAIR."
Becky squinted, "And I'm Becky LYNCH. Is that right?"
Charlotte tried to fight down a smile at how serious Becky seemed right now. Girl was certainly making her day right now. "I'm the school outcast, you don't want to sit here or you won't make other friends."
Becky's eyes grew wide; there was the realization. Now everyone else wouldn't ostracize Becky. Instead of getting up and leaving, Becky leaned forward. "I thought that shit just happened in Mean Girls."
Charlotte couldn't help it; she burst into a fit of giggles. The first time she had done so at school in a long time. She saw several heads snap over to her table and gawk as she laughed. She saw Becky grinning like a mad woman through her tear filled eyes. "Oh God, I'm sorry. I think I've ruined you. That attracted a lot of attention."
Becky grinned, "If I didn't want attention do you think I'd have dyed my hair this color? I mean, at least we both have Flair. Get it? Like your name?"
Charlotte giggled again and finally stuck her own hand out to shake Becky's and the rest was history.
Now in senior year, and counting down the days until she and Becky graduated, Charlotte was a much different person than she was junior year, or even before that. Now, she and Becky were as tight as could be. Becky had joined Charlotte and her fitness regimen and now they could both out-lift most of the football players, something Becky found very amusing. Sure, they were the weirdos of the school and were still teased, but Becky always gave as good as she got and they still had each other at the end of the day.
Which is what brought her to waiting on the steps in front of the high school. She wouldn't dare go in with out her orange-haired best friend. She was literally the only bright part of Charlotte's day. Not just in the school either, but Becky had spent countless nights at Charlotte's house. They were basically inseparable, and were even planning on going to the same college and being roommates. Finally she spotted a fast moving orange blur and barely had time to stand before her arms were full of Irish fire. Becky always started the day off with a hug, and while Charlotte had never been an overly tactile person, a Becky hug was not something to be passed up under any circumstances.
Becky finally let her go and backtracked to get her skateboard that she had jumped off of to tackle Charlotte. Becky still refused to get her license because, "Americans drive on the weird side of the road. Not happening, Charlotte." Charlotte would always counter that Becky was a weird chick, but that just earned her a chuckle and a punch in the arm.
Becky grinned and pulled Charlotte into the school. They had the same homeroom together and that's where they needed to be in about five minutes. Becky was animatedly talking about her night; they had been separated last night by a family function of the Lynch's. Even though Becky had texted her through the entire dinner, and after, telling her everything, Charlotte had to admit that hearing Becky tell the story with waving arms and all her tangents was way more entertaining. Becky shot out a hand and knocked into a nearby locker. She hissed in pain and clutched at her hand. Charlotte giggled at her friend's pain and in doing so, didn't see the solid body that appeared in front of her.
She hit what felt like a brick wall and stumbled back in surprise. When she was ready for something she probably could have plowed over this person, but considering she had not expected it meant she was on her ass, her head hitting off the linoleum floor. She looked up at the ceiling in a daze for a moment before orange came into her view. Becky's worried face was staring down at her, bringing her out of her daze.
"Charlotte! Are you okay? How many fingers am I holding up? Do I need to call-" She probably could have gone on forever, but Charlotte had her wits back.
"I'm fine, Bex. Did you see the truck that hit me?"
Becky's eyes flicked up in a glare as a voice sounded from above them. "Well if you would watch where you're going and get out of my way, we wouldn't be here."
Charlotte knew that voice anywhere. Miz. She moved her head and tried to sit up. Becky spoke up, "Well maybe if you weren't making out in the middle of the hallway with Maryse no one would run into you."
Miz growled, "What do you even know about making out with anyone, you walking soda can? Why don't you keep your bitch of a friend out of my way, and let her go home to her embarrassment of a father."
Charlotte clenched her jaw, moving to get up so she could walk away. She didn't want to deal with this. She felt a hand on her shoulder keeping her where she was. She looked up to see Becky with that crazy look in her eyes. She turned to Charlotte and smiled. "Stay down. I got this." Then she stood and got into Miz's face, completely ignoring Maryse. Then she turned around to face Charlotte and gave her a small crazy smirk, then spun around and dropped to a knee and punched Miz right in the balls.
Charlotte's eyes widened and her mouth dropped as Miz himself dropped to his knees in pain. Becky and he were face to face, while Maryse had backed up in shock. Charlotte stared at Becky as she stood up and looked down on Miz. "I'd beat the shit out of you more, Miz, but I don't punch little girls. And it looks like I just made you one."
Becky turned and offered a hand to Charlotte who took it and stood up. Becky smiled, "So, as I was saying, my mum just had to bring up my cousin's new boyfriend-" Becky took Charlotte's arm and continued walking them to class like nothing had happened. Did Charlotte mention how much she loved Becky?
I guess it was true what they said: "When you fall down, friends will offer you a hand back up, but best friends will say, 'Stay down, I got this.'"