"We're popular, sure." Noah said. "But we don't have enough support from the students to make up for the opposition we have from the jocks and the school council."
In the school president's office (the former second floor janitor's closet), an urgency meeting was being held between School President Noah Stein, his advisors Trent Mayer, Joe Louie Regal and George Anthony and his "girlfriend" and beard Courtney Duarte.
"We can get more support." George said.
"How?"
"Me." Courtney said.
"And how is that, exactly?" Noah asked.
"Look Noah, I know the main reason I'm posing as your girlfriend is so that people don't find out you're gay, but I can also be helpful in other ways."
"Again, how would that be?" Noah asked.
"Noah, I have charm. I can be nice when I want to. I could talk the jocks into being less aggressive and I can definitely appeal to the stoners, nerds and pretty much every outcast." Courtney said. "Just show them a little skin and they'll do anything, even if they don't get to see anything much. They're all perverts. All men are."
"Excuse me." All other guys in the room said.
"Sorry." Courtney apologized.
"I guess she's right." Trent said. "Let's face it; she has more credit in this place than any of us. If anyone can sway public opinion, it's her."
"I guess so." Noah concluded.
The bell rang and the students in the office sighed.
"Back to class." George proclaimed.
The two advisors went their way to maths while Trent, Noah and Courtney headed off to their English literature class.
"I still think we shouldn't sit back calmly." Noah said while they walked. "Our position is still precarious."
"You worry too much." Courtney said.
"I worry too little, Courtney." Noah said. "We have a lot of enemies. A lot of very angry, very powerful enemies. Ignoring the fact that this is high school and that every problem we have here is petty compared to the problems we'll have in the real world…Our problems are very, very serious…within high school context. Seriously, everybody stresses out over high school problems like it's the end of the world, get a grip people…it's going to get much worse."
"Got a little off topic there, didn't you?" Trent asked rhetorically.
"I guess so." Noah acknowledged. "The point is that a lot of people want us gone."
The group arrived at their lockers and while they shuffled around for their things, Noah began to sing:
"Dice are rolling, the knives are out.
Would-be presidents are all around.
I don't say they mean harm
But they'd each give an arm
To see us six feet underground."
Courtney sighed and closed her locker door after pulling out her bag. She turned to Noah and addressed him.
"It doesn't matter what those morons say.
The school council is a feeble crew.
There's only eleven of them anyway
And what is eleven compared to dozens who
Are looking to you."
Courtney stepped in front of Noah and sang to him with a deep, reassuring conviction.
"All you have to do is sit and wait
Keeping out of trouble's way
You'll be handed absolute power on a plate
When the ones that matter have their say."
Noah closed his locker door after pulling out his things and began to walk towards class, followed by Courtney and Trent. He sang while walking.
"Then again we could be foolish
Not to quit while we're ahead,
For we have already done enough.
We helped control the bullies
And our reputations are not dead
They could really do harm to us
If we keep up this stuff."
Courtney sighed in aggravation and once again tried to convince Noah.
"This is crazy, defeatist talk.
Why commit political suicide?
There's no risk.
There's no cal for any action at all,
When you have the students on your side."
The trio stumbled upon a group of about twenty of Noah's supporters. Upon seeing him, the crowd of twenty smiled and began chanting.
"Noah! Noah! Noah! Noah! Noah!" They chanted.
Courtney's actual boyfriend, Duncan, who was originally planning to skip Literature class, saw what was happening and decided it was time to incite a riot. He strutted over to the crowd of Noah's supporters and began to address them through song, something which greatly surprised Noah, Trent and most of all Courtney.
"A new school system,
The chains of the outcasts untied.
A new school system,
The voice of the students cannot be denied."
Duncan's display attracted the attention of several dozens of students who were not aligned with them and Courtney, in her determination convinced that Duncan was trying to help them spread their idea instead of starting a riot, joined on the act. She walked next to Duncan and began to address the crowd of aligned and non-aligned students.
"There is only one guy who can lead a real students' regime
He lives for your problems; he shares your ideals and your dream.
He supports you, for he loves you, understands you…IS ONE OF YOU!
If not then…How could he love me?"
Duncan rallied the mob of aligned students around him and led them into their ferocious chant to the non-aligned students.
"A new school system,
The outcasts' battle song!
A new school system,
The voice of the students rings out loud and strong!"
Courtney once again took over in her propaganda singing.
"Now, I was an outcast and I've suffered the way that you do.
I've also been bullied and pushed down and I hated it too.
But I found my salvation in Noah…MAY THE SCHOOL
Let him save them as he saved me!"
Some of the nearby jocks saw what was going on and approached the crowd, particularly laying their attention of Duncan. They kept their distance but were close enough to act. Duncan did not notice them and sung on.
"A new school system,
A new age about to begin.
A new school system,
We face the world together and no dissent within."
The jocks approached him and one of them hit him in the head. However, the aligned students and several non-aligned charged for them and began to lay it into them, making them back-off and run away…something that displeased Duncan, since he wanted to see a far more fierce fight than that.
Noah looked on at this and pondered semi-silently to himself.
"It's annoying that we have to fight elections for our cause
The inconvenience…Having to get a majority.
If all our methods are thwarted by those pesky jocks
We'll have to find another way to establish authority."
When the jocks scattered, Duncan regrouped the aligned students and began his chant once again, stirring the crowd.
"A new school system,
The chains of the outcasts untied.
A new school system,
The voice of the students cannot be, and will not be, and must not be denied!"
The door to the Principal's office and Principal Flaggot stepped out. Upon seeing the mob of students chanting loudly he stormed over to them and yelled at the top of his lungs.
"STOP!" He screamed, making the children obey. "Head to your classes NOW!"
The crowd listened and dispersed, heading to their respective classrooms. Duncan remained behind briefly but after seeing the Principal's murderous expression he sighed in defeat and headed off to class as well.
"Jesus Christ! Children have been bursting into song spontaneously far too much recently." Flaggot complained.
"I have to tell you, Noah." George told his friend. "That girl of yours is a miracle worker."
"Our support has doubled this week because of her." Joe informed him.
Noah and his advisors George and Joe were in the school library. It had been a week since the march in the hallways proclaiming the "new school system" Noah had been browsing for a new book to read when his two friends showed up to inform him of his "girl's" successes in rallying support for him.
"Really now?" Noah asked, a little disbelieving. "And can you tell how exactly did she do that?"
"Why tell you when we can show you?" George pondered. "We have bunch of videos of the meetings she had to gather approval."
George pulled out his phone and handed it to Joe.
"Plug it into the projector and screen the videos titled 'Rainbow Tour'." He instructed.
Joe did as told and plugged the phone into the overhead library projector and began to play the videos they'd taped of Courtney's dealings while George sat Noah down on a nearby comfortable-looking chair.
Nearby, behind a bookcase, was Duncan. Courtney had told him to meet her at the library because she had to pick up a book before going on their date and he happened to stumble upon Noah and the screening his advisors were holding for him.
Upon realizing it was videos of his girlfriend's political displays and bootlicking of her fake boyfriend Noah, Duncan's expression became hardened. He would refuse to admit it, but jealousy brewed deep inside him when he saw her next to Noah and dissatisfaction whenever she refused his requests to publicly acknowledge him as her boyfriend.
The first video on the screen being shown by the projector was one of Courtney in the voluntary assembly that had been held almost a week prior where she gave a speech about Noah's great possibilities as school president. Duncan smirked and began to sing, Greek chorus style, by addressing the audience that he shouldn't even be aware off. Seriously, we have to fix the fourth wall; it's been broken for far too long now.
"The nerds have fallen to the charms of Courtney.
She can do what she likes it doesn't matter much."
George, standing to the left of Noah, sang to him.
"She's a new Heather Satana with a human touch.
She filled the auditorium, two-hundred twenty seater."
Duncan interjected.
"But if you're prettier than Principal Flaggot, that's not hard."
Joe, standing to the right of Noah, addressed him next:
"Flaggot's place with the nerds is pretty important
So you've just acquired some allies who
Will hold your current job as a post for you."
Then George:
"But more important, current political thought is
Your girl's a phenomenal asset, your trump card."
George and Joe began to sing together in reference to the images in the screen of Courtney giving her speech.
"Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour,
It's been an incredible success.
We weren't quite sure,
We had a few doubts
Would Courtney win through?
But the answer is yes!"
The video on the screen switched to one of Courtney giving a speech in the school football field five days earlier. A great amount of students in the audience cheered and rejoiced at her words, but another large portion, most of them jocks and jock enthusiasts were glaring at the sight in great anger.
Duncan snickered and sang again.
"Now I don't like to spoil a wonderful story
But the news from the jocks aren't quite as good.
She hasn't gone down like they thought she would.
The teams are unconvinced by musical glory.
They equate Noah with Al Lende."
He then snickered and spoke in the most sarcastic tone he'd ever managed:
"Can't think why."
It's not that bad, right?" Noah asked.
"They called her a whore." Joe said.
"I front of the audience?" Noah questioned.
"No, in the parking lot after the game before pushing her into a ravine." George replied.
The screen then showed the image of Courtney being "accidentally" shoved into a ravine by some angered jocks.
"Did you fish her out?" Noah asked.
"She got out by herself." Joe replied.
"Did you try to help her?"
"It was a very deep, very dirty ravine…and we were tired." George answered.
"Of course."
Duncan looked at the image of his girlfriend being shoved and despite initial rage he then smiled mockingly, happy that she'd gotten some comeuppance for pretending to be some other guy's girlfriend. He still made a mental note to prank some jocks soon, though.
George began to sing once more when the video showed the image of Courtney meeting football team trainer, Coach Torcher.
"More bad news from the jocks,
She met with the coach.
She only got a football, a kindly word."
Duncan smirked and sang:
"I wouldn't say the trainer gave her the bird,
But sports team decorations never, I hope."
Joe added:
"She still looked the part at the field.
She caught the eye!"
The two advisers began to sing to Noah once again, attempting to reassure him despite the mention that things weren't that brilliant.
"Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It's been an incredible success.
We weren't quite sure,
We had a few doubts.
Would Courtney win through?
But the answer is…"
Duncan finished the sentence to himself in a manner more according to the reality of Courtney's efforts rather than the way the advisors put it:
"…a qualified yes."
The screen depicted next the image of Courtney meeting with the school's rich kids.
The rich kids who weren't allowed into the school council were always prominent members since they had a lot of posers who did whatever they asked them to and thus held a lot of power. They were commonly associated with the school council, since they always wanted to get in, but now Courtney had promised them to form a new school council for them which would replace the old one, albeit they would have less power, if they supported Noah and her. The annoying rich kids of course agreed.
Accordingly, Duncan sang in a slower, different melody and rhythm.
"Courtney started well, no doubt with the rich dants.
Shining like a golden statuette, a beautiful image of what they wanted to get.
She should have captured the rich kids; she should have the chance,
But she suddenly seemed to lose interest…she looked tired."
The melody and rhythm switched back to the previous one as he sang again, more accusingly and mockingly as the screen showed Courtney walking away from the rich kids, bored and frustrated.
"Face the facts, the rainbow started to fade
I don't think she'll cut it with the goth kids now."
George commented to Noah, unaware of how appropriate the next phrase sounded if placed after what Duncan had sung:
"They never really liked her, anyhow."
Duncan leaned against a bookcase and sang again:
"You better get out the flags and fix a parade
Some ceremony of triumph is required."
George and Joe began to sing again as the film showed Courtney being cheered on by the nerds.
"Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour!
It's been an incredible success!
We weren't quite sure,
We had a few doubts.
Would Courtney win through?
But the answer is yes!"
From behind the bookcase, Duncan replied.
"…And no."
Then the advisers added, unaware that Duncan had replied to them.
"…And yes."
Duncan again:
"…And no."
Then the advisers again.
"…And yes."
Duncan sighed and stopped singing.
"Tisk, tisk. No."
The punk walked away and Noah did as well, getting off his chair and leaving the library, saying he had to get home. George and Joe were left alone and they began to sing melancholically and quietly as the film came to an end.
"Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour…
It's been an incredible success…
We weren't quite sure,
We had a few doubts.
Would Courtney win through?
Bt the answer is…"
They doubted briefly.
"Yes." George finally concluded.
"Yes?" Joe asked.
"I guess."
"Hurry up, James. Why did you bring me here?" Heather asked, annoyed.
"I was under the impression that here we addressed each other by our formal names." Annas said, annoyed as well.
"Shut up…Annas." Heather said mockingly.
"You'd best be showing some more respect, Satana." Gradaham spoke gravely.
"Why?"
"Because Heather, your recent actions have brought a lot of trouble and dishonor to our wonderful council." James said, angrily.
"How's that?"
"Your leaving Alejandro has given us a bad image. Plus, your actions in stopping Al Lende have led to Noah and his stupid girlfriend Courtney taking over, which has brought us incredible costs."
"You guys told me to bring down Lende!" Heather yelled.
"Look, we need a scapegoat and you work well enough." Annas explained.
"Heather Satana, you are hereby expelled from the school council! Get out!" Gradaham yelled back.
"You stupid rich bastards won't last a day without me! I'm the most popular girl in this school! Everybody loves me! Only the damn Goths don't like me but everybody else would do whatever I fucking say!" Heather yelled as Jonas Himmler and Simon Wilkinson grabbed her by the arms and dragged her to the door.
"Correction. You were the most popular girl…your buddy Gwen Daly replaced you!" Gradaham yelled at her.
Adam Gloucester opened the council room door and Simon and Jonas threw her out before Adam slammed the door in her face.
"Good riddance." Adam proclaimed. "Don't want that little rat here."
"Yeah." Himmler agreed. "Those Asian pervert girls are disgusting."
Instead of dignifying his racism with a response, this time Annas simply opted for breaking a chair over Jonas' head.
Outside, Heather yelled at the door of the school council.
"You dirty fucking bastards! Cocksucking dipshits! I fucking hate you! You won0t fucking survive without me!" She screamed, unheard.
Heather collapsed with her back against the lockers behind her and slid down until she was lying on the floor, crying.
"Heather?" She heard a voice say.
Heather looked up to see Courtney standing over her and looking worried.
"What do you want?" Heather asked.
"What happened?" Courtney asked.
"Those assholes from the council kicked me out!" Heather told her.
"Damn." Courtney said.
The brunette extended her hand and helped Heather to her feet.
"Come here." Courtney said. "Let's go talk."
Heather was surprised Courtney was being nice to her despite how cruel she'd been previously. She was genuinely shocked by Courtney' niceness but decided to focus and try to use Courtney's rising popularity to get hers back.
Courtney's actual main reason for helping Heather was also not so clean, she was actually helping her because she would be a valuable ally to have, yet, even though she didn't admit it, Courtney was a little worried about Heather upon seeing her slumped over and crying against the lockers in the hall.
Yet, despite their initial dishonest intentions…a strong friendship began there.
Alright my dear readers...Thank you once again for reading my story and I'll have to ask you once again to please review. Remember, if you don't review then Chuck Norris will terminate you. So…
REVIEW!
The song's parodied in this chapter are both from the musical "Evita", a musical about historical figure whom I really don't like but who's musical is awesome. The songs in question parodied are "A New Argentina" and "Rainbow Tour" respectively.
Gracias Totales,
Mr. Panama Red.