A Yearly Review
Cordelia lay on her sun lounger at the resort in Cancun. After the disaster of museums and art galleries the previous year she had at least managed to convince her parents she needed serious beach time, this summer. So here she was and - to all outside viewers - she just looked like a girl working on her tan.
But inside her head, Cordelia was working on far more than that. She was making a checklist, clearly outlining her goals from the previous year and ticking them off, one by one - reviewing them if they had not yet come to pass. Then she would set out her goals for the next year. You didn't get to be queen of the school just by drifting and hoping. It took work.
Let's see … she'd formed her own gang of super cute girlfriends of which she was the unquestioned boss. Check. They even had a name - 'the Cordettes'. And, everyone in school knew who she was - even older kids. Check. She would probably only get more school famous now she would be a sophomore, all those little freshman looking up to her, fearing her…
Secondly, she'd joined the pep squad and become a vital tool in enforcing school spirit. Which had got her front and centre in the yearbook and really raised her - already high - profile. Check.
Which led onto thirdly, she had been crowned May Queen at the May ball. Not many Freshman managed that. Like the Winter ball it was a dance for the underclassman to make up for their not going to prom, but still - the title was usually handed to a sophomore. Next year she was going to prove this rule by winning it again - just wait and see. So - check, crowns, titles, adoration and envy. Double check.
Fourthly, she had scored some dates with some cute boys. Nothing major, yet … Daryl had turned out to be a fiasco, what with him dying and all. But she was in the dating zone, and guys were starting to line up to ask her out. Check.
Finally - and this one she would keep on the down low, she had maintained a very respectable GPA. So she was not only ruling her year group with an iron fist but she was also paving her way for college and a one way ticket out of Sunnydale sweatyhell. Check.
A frown crossed her face, like a cloud blocking out the sun. OK - so much for the plus column, what she had achieved. But what was there still to work on? She needed to sort out her goals for the new year, and then lay out a plan to step by step achieve them all until the whole of Sunnydale high lay conquered at her feet.
Most important: she was not a cheerleader yet. That would have to be remedied - as soon as there was an opening on the squad, that place would be hers. And woe betide anyone that got in her way.
Next: no boyfriend. Sure, she had a date here - a date there. Boys knew she was ready and willing … as long as they matched up to her. But lasting recognition, glory beyond doubt would be much easier to achieve as a power couple. She needed to be the girl with the serious boyfriend.
So what did she need from a boyfriend? She took a sip of her lime and soda through her straw, as she drew up this secondary list. I mean, that was easy. He needed to be cute - tall and with a body that showed off his athleticism, and ideally a rugged jawline. He needed to be wealthy - and willing to spend. He had to make varsity on some team or other. If she was a cheerleader dating a quarterback, or whatever, everyone would know who she - who they - were. She would matter.
But checking off the boyfriend step on her list would take careful consideration. She didn't wanna get stuck with a dud. And, of course, that step would take her closer to another of her bullet points. A biggie. She was probably gonna have to … do it sometime next year. Britney Podell had already done it. With a junior no less. And Cordy had been key in spreading the rumour and letting everyone know what a tramp and a skank she was … but now the way was paved, and Cordy couldn't afford to get left behind. If Britney had done it, someone else would next and before you knew it there would be a whole gaggle of girls with sexual experience and Cordy would be on the outs. The virgin. God! Harmony might even do it before she did. She could not allow that to happen. A boy needed to be selected - carefully and quickly, and then Cordy would do what she had to do to maintain her position as alpha female of the Sunnydale pack.
And then somewhere between becoming a cheerleader and becoming a woman, she would have to win Queen of the Winter ball.
And when she had all that - then she would be heading into Junior year, ready to set her sight on the real titles that mattered, and take a shot at being head cheerleader.
So there was still work to be done. And she did not have time to slack. She took another sip of her drink and stared at the flawless blue sky through her shades, and ignored the little voice in her head that asked if any of this would work to make her feel less lonely.