Chapter 2: Ready, Set, Action!
"I don't know why you picked me. I'm just as boring as it gets," Matt ate some cereal.
"Yeah, but you're popular," TK filmed Matt eat his cereal.
"Popularity is overrated," Matt shrugged.
"Yeah, easy for you to say," TK rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious. Look, you're only as popular as you want yourself to be," Matt said.
"What do you mean by that?" TK asked.
"You could be popular if you want to, and I'm not just talking about you. This applies to anyone. All you have to do is make the right friends, wear the right clothes, and act the right way, and then people will like you better, right?
"Yeah," TK nodded.
"Wrong! Is that what you really want? Don't you want to be around people who like you for who you are, or do you want to waste your effort on people who couldn't care less about you as long as you look the part?"
"I guess I'd want to be around people who like me," TK sheepishly said.
"One of the shitty things about popularity is that it's hard to tell who your real friends are. If you show up to school wearing Toms, how many of your 'friends' would actually still want to talk to you?" Matt said.
"I wear Toms...," TK looked down at his feet.
"It was just an example. Look, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you're popular; it's all about whether people respect and genuinely you, and that's a lot more important than trying to fit in with the cool kids," Matt said.
"See? This is why I want you in my documentary! You really say a lot of wise things," TK nudged his brother.
"Our parents are always saying that I'm a wise guy," Matt winked.
*ding dong*
"Hey Teeks, can you get the door? I wanna finish this before it gets soggy," Matt held up his cereal bowl.
"No problem," TK opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" Mimi made a face at TK.
"Hello to you to, Mimi," TK sighed.
"Be nice. I'm just helping him out with a video project," Matt said.
"One of your little film dork things?" Mimi wriggled her nose in disgust.
"Hey! I'm going to be in his film, so it's gonna be awesomely wild. If his video happens to be one of the favorite picks, they're gonna show it at the film festival for the whole school to watch. Hello, Hollywood," Matt put on his sunglasses.
"You don't say...," Mimi pursed her lips.
"You know what? In fact, you should have Mimi in your movie. She sure is a hell of a lot more interesting than me," Matt said.
"I don't know if she'd be up for that...," TK nervously looked at Mimi.
"I'll have to think about it," Mimi tapped her chin.
"Okay. I'm not rushing you to make a decision, so take your time. Take all the time you need," TK said. Honestly, he didn't care if Mimi wanted to be in his movie. If she decided to, then TK would have an "interesting" subject for his movie, but if she said no, then that saves TK with having to spend more time with her. Either way, TK would benefit.
"Mattykins...," Mimi whined. "Let's go out for dinner."
"But I just ate some cereal, see?" Matt held up his empty bowl.
"Ugh, seriously?" Mimi shook her head.
"What? I have band practice in a half-hour," Matt said.
"Yeah, and we're supposed to be going on a date tonight," Mimi crossed her arms.
"No, we're going out Wednesday night," Matt said.
"I know this isn't any of my business, but today is Wednesday," TK cut in.
"Oh-oh my god, Mimi!" Matt stuttered.
"You always do this to me," Mimi whimpered.
"I'm so sorry! I-I-I don't know what to do! I'm so sorry!" Matt frantically ran his fingers through his hair. "Can we reschedule? This band practice is really important to us."
"Yeah, okay. I should be used to it already, right?" Mimi sniffled.
"I'm really sorry, babe. I'll make it up to you, I swear," Matt kissed Mimi on the top of her head.
"I have to get to work...," TK tiptoed away from the couple.
"Okay. Tell Mom I said hi," Matt said.
"Will do. Adieu," TK walked out of the door.
"I'm so glad you guys were free tonight. I'm like having the worst day ever. Matt canceled on me again...," Mimi slouched.
"I had to cancel my orthodontist appointment, but if it's to make you feel better...," Meg rubbed Mimi's shoulder.
"Thanks! You girls are the best," Mimi sniffled.
"So, which store should we hit up first?" Miki said.
"Albatross and Finch?" Meg perked up.
"As if! Their stuff is so stale," Mimi pretended to stick a finger down her throat.
"How about Eternal 21?" Miki suggested.
"Puh-lease. Even my dolls' clothes were made of less plastic than those cheapo, knockoff clothes," Mimi shook her head.
"Canadian Eagle?" Meg asked.
"Ew," Mimi frowned.
"Club Banana?" Miki said.
"Nein," Mimi shook her head.
"Khaki Barn?" Meg shrugged.
"More like Tacky Barn," Mimi gave her a thumbs down.
"Then where do you want to go?" Miki stood akimbo.
"How about Boredstrom?" Mimi suggested.
"I can't afford anything from there, but I guess it doesn't hurt to window shop, right Miki?" Meg looked to her friend.
"Shopping hurts in general," Miki said.
"Let's get going girl-oh no!" Mimi flung her hands up in the air. Her bracelet snapped off her wrist and fell into the huge fountain at the middle of the mall. "My charm bracelet!"
"Don't worry. You can always buy a new one. That's what you usually do," Miki said.
"You don't understand! That charm bracelet's really special to me!" Mimi frantically wrapped her fingers around her wrist.
"Yeah, and when next month comes, you'll be too busy liking a new bracelet, that you won't even remember that old one," Meg tried to console Mimi.
"But it's irreplaceable!" Mimi started to cry.
"That's the same thing you said about that Dolce bag, and the Versace glasses, and that limited-edition Hermes scarf," Miki listed.
"It's not the same thing!" Mimi shrieked. "Waahhhh!"
"Mimi, you're causing a scene!" Meg bit her lip.
"I don't care!" Mimi said and went back to throwing a tantrum.
"Stop it! Let's just go home," Miki said through her teeth.
"No! Someone needs to get my bracelet out of that fountain!" Mimi yelled.
"Why don't you do it?" Miki huffed.
"I don't want to get my clothes wet! Do you know what water does to silk?" Mimi shrieked.
"The only silk I have is the soy milk in the fridge, and I can barely afford that," Meg frowned.
"Ugh! You guys are so stupid!" Mimi screamed.
"Oh really? I guess I'm soooo stupid that I 'accidentally' ditched you at the mall," Miki stomped away.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Miki's my ride home and I don't want to cry in front of you...so, see you tomorrow!" Meg squeaked and chased after Miki.
"You guys are lousy friends!" Mimi yelled. "Someone help me! Please?!"
"So...we have a break together. Wanna go to Stick It?" Zoe tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I'll go but I'm not ordering anything. I brought food from home," TK held up his lunch bag.
"Oh, I'm so silly! Of course you brought food-I mean, what else could be in that paper bag? I'm such an idiot, I'm sorry," Zoe blushed.
"That's okay," TK said. Even though he liked Zoe best out of the filmmaking club, TK found her to be too talkative. Sure, she was friendly but she rambled a lot, hence making her annoying. Oddly enough, she only acted like that around him. When she talked to other people, she had this aura of confidence-and sometimes borderline arrogance, but when she was with TK, she was so fidgety and had such a motormouth that it made everything she said sound like gibberish. It's like she was intentionally trying to annoy him. TK would never say that out loud though; Zoe was probably the closest thing TK had to a friend.
"Um, so...how was work?" Zoe fiddled with her kabob.
"We were both doing cashier work...," TK gave her a strange look.
"Oh my god, I can be such a doofus!" Zoe gave herself a facepalm.
"You're not a doofus," TK said.
"You think?" Zoe eagerly looked at him.
"Yeah," TK nodded.
"Yay-ahem, so did you know that the rest of the club decided to enter the film festival contest?" Zoe changed the subject.
"That's good," TK opened his pudding cup.
"No! It's not! They were talking about melting action figures in their film!" Zoe gasped.
"I'd watch that," TK shrugged.
"Someone help me! Please?!"
"What's going on?" Zoe looked at the fountain at the middle of the mall.
"What the? Is that Mimi?" TK squinted his eyes.
"I don't know of anyone else who would throw a fit like that in public," Zoe said.
"I'll go check up on her to make sure she's okay. Ugh, I can never catch a break," TK sighed.
"Why bother? She's so mean and annoying," Zoe said.
"She's my brother's girlfriend," TK said.
"Yeah, she's your brother's girlfriend, not yours. Matt can take care of that," Zoe scorned.
"It's complicated, okay?" TK snapped. "If Matt saw my girlfriend in trouble, I'd expect him to help her out, even if she was a snob to him."
"Hopefully that would never happen," Zoe said.
"Hopefully what won't happen?"
"You dating a snobby girl. You're too smart, and sweet, and just overall too good to be with someone remotely anything like Mimi. I guess that's pretty much a given though, since you have the common sense to like Kari. She seems like a nice girl," Zoe rambled.
"Is it that obvious?" TK turned red.
"To me it is. I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I can usually pick up on energies. Sometimes it's good, but other times, I wish I were oblivious to it all," she sighed.
"Aaaahhhhhh!" Mimi's shrill scream pierced the air and the whole mall went still.
"You should get going. I guess I'll see you back on shift?" Zoe uptalked.
"Yeah," TK crumpled up his bag and threw it away. He walked over to the 'scene of the crime' to find Mimi weeping next to the fountain. "Uh, Mimi...are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay! Matt cancelled on my date and now my bracelet dropped into the stupid fountain! This is the worst day ever!" Mimi cried.
"I'll be back," TK took off his shoes.
"What are you doing?" Mimi picked her head up.
"I'm getting your bracelet," TK hopped into the fountain.
*rumble*
"Oh shit...," TK could feel the ground vibrating underneath his feet. Why did he have to pick this time to help a selfish, spoiled brat out? There was a little show that happened every hour where the fountain would have pretty lights and water shooting out in different directions. It was pretty to look at, but it wasn't so nice being caught in. If she weren't his brother's girlfriend, TK would have never helped her out-no, that was a lie. TK knew that he would always try to come to a girl's rescue, no matter how bitchy she was to him.
*splash* the fountain sprinklers gushed out and hit TK in the face.
"This is great," TK groaned as the water continued to gush in his face.
"To your left...no, more to the right...step back a little more-ugh! You just lost your spot!" Mimi shouted directions at him.
"Thanks, but I think I can handle it from here," TK said in frustration.
"It doesn't look like it," Mimi hollered.
"I don't need your help," TK got down on his knees and fished for her bracelet. The sooner he could find it, the better. "Aha!" he pulled it out of the water. He walked to the edge of the fountain and the water abruptly stopped. "Aw man! Why couldn't the water shut off earlier?"
"You got my bracelet?" Mimi eagerly said.
"Right here," TK dangled the bracelet on his finger.
"Thanks!" Mimi happily snatched the jewelry from his hand and tossed his shoes in the fountain.
"I get soaked for her and she pays me back by throwing my only pair of shoes into the fountain?" TK held his Toms up in disbelief. Not too long after his break, he was reprimanded and sent home for being dripping wet. Thanks to Mimi, TK had no dignity, no shoes, and no money. He gathered up all of his wet clothes and headed to the laundry room inside the apartment complex. He was too wrapped up in his thoughts to realize that his belongings were falling out of his laundry basket.
"Oh, you dropped this," Yolei picked up one of TK's shoes.
"Thanks," TK tried to shift his weight around to grab his shoe.
"I got it. Have a good day," Yolei put the shoe inside the basket and walked away.
"You too," TK mumbled to himself. He couldn't help but to shake the feeling that him and Yolei were nothing more than strangers now. Acquaintances was too strong of a word to describe their relationship. Never mind that they lived in the same apartment building. It didn't matter that they were good friends up until two years ago. By the way they acted with each other, it's as if their paths never crossed. He felt the same way about the rest of his old friends. Tai and Sora were nice to TK, but they didn't really make an effort to talk to him unless they happened to be in close proximity, as in a 5-foot radius. Davis was also nice to TK, but he was too busy playing pranks, nearly sexually harassing and flirting with Kari, and living a fast-paced life to notice TK most of the time. Sometimes Kari would say hi to him in the hallway, but that's as deep as their conversations got. Ken hung out with Yolei and Izzy, but he rarely socialized with people outside of the computer club. Joe was away at university, so it wasn't like they had any chances to talk anyways. Cody was still in middle school, but he was in a military training program that took up much of his time. Izzy went back to being a computer-loving recluse but even he had more friends than TK, and Izzy was as antisocial as one can get. The only one that remained a constant in TK's life was Mimi, and she wasn't exactly his most favorite person.
TK threw his shoes into the washing machine and put some quarters in the coin slot. He brought a book to kill some time while he waited for his clothes to get clean. He sat down in the closest chair next to the machine and started to read.
*rumble rumble rumble*
"Oh my god! What is that?!" a pregnant woman pointed at TK's washing machine.
"Oh shit..," TK's eyes grew big. The washing machine was smoking and it started to leak.
"I'll get the super!" the woman toddled out of the laundry room. In a matter of seconds, she was back and accompanied by a burly, angry-looking guy. He stomped over to TK's washing machine and shut it off. He unlocked the door and pulled out TK's soggy shoes.
"You idiot! You're not supposed to put shoes in the washer! You'll break the damn thing!" the super flailed the unfortunate shoes in TK's face. "Look! The sign says you're not supposed to put shoes in the machine," he pointed to a big board nailed to the wall. "You're also not supposed to put carpets, rugs, children, lipstick, or crayons in the machines! I'm assuming a bookworm like you should be able to read a simple sign and follow directions!"
"But I've washed my shoes in that before and nothing's happened," TK turned red.
"Don't say any more before I end up banning your apartment from using the laundry room," the super shooed him away.
"I'm sorry...," TK awkwardly said.
"Take your damn shoes with you," the super threw the shoes on the floor in front of TK.
"Just can't catch a break. Probably should make that my catchphrase," TK muttered as he put all of his stuff back into his basket.
"Vote for Natalie, get a cookie!" Natalie handed people boxes of cookies.
"You got my vote!" Takuya grabbed three boxes of cookies.
"No! One box per vote," Natalie slapped Takuya's hand.
"I'll vote for you three times-maybe even five if you let me get more boxes," Takuya bargained.
"That's not how it works," Kari said.
"Okay...well, you still got my vote!" Takuya flashed Natalie a thumbs up.
"Pathetic. I can't believe she's bribing people to vote for her. I can get people to vote for me without giving them stuff. Just watch and learn," Mimi flipped her hair and walked over to Takuya.
"Hi," Takuya said, munching on a cookie.
"How would you like to vote for me?" Mimi batted her eyelashes.
"Depends. Whatchoo got?" Takuya said.
"Nothing...," Mimi shot him a strange look.
"Then no," Takuya shook his head.
"No?" Mimi put her hands on her hips.
"Why should I? You're mean and you're not giving away anything cool. Call me back when you hand out Philly cheese steaks," Takuya took a bite of his cookie and walked away.
"I watched, but what was I supposed to learn?" Miki tapped her chin.
"If anything, you should totally take a page from Natalie's book," Meg held on to a pink bakery box.
"Meg! What is that in your hands?!" Mimi yelled.
"What? These cookies are to die for!" Meg exclaimed.
"Let me see," Miki grabbed a cookie and stuffed it in her mouth. "Oh my god! This tastes like babies in heaven!"
"That's not even the best part! They're vegan!" Meg squealed.
"That was vegan?!" Miki spit the cookie on the floor.
"Doesn't taste like it, right? Natalie said she'd email me the recipe! She's so nice," Meg said.
"Way to betray me!" Mimi slapped the cookie box out of Meg's hands.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" Meg whined.
"You're supposed to be my friend!" Mimi crossed her arms.
"I am your friend!" Meg said.
"Then why are you voting for Natalie?" Mimi asked.
"She makes amazing cookies," Meg said.
"Even if they are vegan...," Miki took another cookie. "She's a cheerleader who can bake good stuff. Look, unless you can instantly become more awesome than Natalie is, then don't count on everyone voting for you. I tell you this because I'm honest."
"Sometimes a little too honest. But you've got a point," Mimi frowned.
"I always do. Besides, just because she gave away cookies, it doesn't mean I'm going to vote for her," Miki reached for another cookie.
"Get your own box!" Meg moved the box out of Miki's reach.
"I will when Mimi leaves," Miki said.
"Would it kill you to be a little less blunt?" Mimi frowned.
"Yes. Yes, it would," Miki said. "Now let me have another cookie!"
"I would be really mad at you girls right now, but I just came up with such an amazing plan, that I'm too happy to rip your heads off! Auf Wiedersehen!" Mimi skipped into the cafeteria.
"What did she say?" Meg paused.
"Something about ripping being happy and wiener-seeing?" Miki shrugged.
"Ew. I could have never pictured Mimi as a pervert," Meg grimaced.
"Yoink!" Miki snatched the last cookie out of the box and ran down the hallway.
"Heyyyy!" Meg chased after her.
"Still having trouble with your film subject?" Zoe placed her head on TK's shoulder.
"What makes you say that?" TK tensely said.
"Because you basically burned a hole in that sheet of paper from all of that erasing," Kouichi observed.
"Dude, you'll come up with something. Maybe all you need is a cookie break," Takuya said.
"I don't think cookies are going to help me out here," TK snapped. "I want to make a film that'll expose the social hierarchy in school, but I don't know where to start. You guys already decided that Matt was boring."
"He was! If I wanted to watch someone eating cereal, I'll just put a mirror on my kitchen table and watch myself," JP said.
"Maybe you should start. Then you'd know what you'd look like when you scarf down food like a garbage disposal," Koji smirked.
"You boys are so ridiculous! Look, TK, I don't think your brother's boring. I like what he says," Zoe said.
"Thanks, but I think the guys are right. I need more...more people, more excitement. The problem is that nobody wants to be interviewed by a film club dork. Not even the drama club wants a part of it, and they like being on film," TK groaned.
"TK, I have considered your proposal and I accept," Mimi said.
"You two are engaged? How does Matt feel about that?" Takuya stupidly said.
"Ugh, please! TK offered me the main role in his movie!" Mimi said.
"I did? I don't remember-" TK looked confused.
"Now that I've given you the go, we have to come up with some terms and conditions. Move," Mimi nudged Zoe to the side and squeezed in between her and TK.
"Wha...?" TK blinked.
"For one thing, we only film outside of school," Mimi said.
"That's doable," TK nodded.
"Second, we pretend we don't know each other during school. I'm like jeopardizing my reputation just by sitting next to you," Mimi said.
"I agree with that. I'm jeopardizing my reputation by just acknowledging you," TK smirked.
"Ohhh, burn!" Takuya flailed his hand in front of his face.
"Cute," Mimi frowned. "Now, here's my last proposition. Nummer drei, I'm going to need a beauty budget of $50 a week."
"What? Are you freaking mad?!" TK jumped out of his seat.
"Aren't you underestimating yourself? You're gonna need at least $150 to cover up that mug of yours," Koji scoffed. The rest of the table tried to hold in their laughter.
"Why you even need money? You're already rich," Zoe made a face.
"Do you know how many hours I'd have to work to earn $50?! You can forget it, Mimi!" TK exclaimed.
"That's a bummer. I guess you won't have a movie to film then," Mimi shrugged.
"Yes. I'll just find someone else who is willing to be in my movie. Someone who will do it for free," TK said.
"Like who? No one else wants to even associate with you. That's how big of losers you all are. All of you," Mimi shot a menacing look at Zoe.
"I wouldn't worry much. I'm pretty sure Matt could hook me up with someone. I wonder if Natalie Kelly would be up for it," TK slung his camera bag on his shoulder.
"Wait! Ix-nay on the beauty budget! Meet me at the mall after school, okay? Good," Mimi grinned and walked off.
"Awesome...," TK brushed his fingers through his hair.
"You got your wish. At least you have something for your film subject now," JP said.
"Be careful what you wish for," Kouichi said as he struggled to open his pudding cup.
