AUTHOR: (always) krissy
DISCLAIMER: Everwood belongs to the ever cool WB.
IMPROV: #1 - reputation - truth - fortune - myth - promise
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Short Bright-vignette. Why isn't there more Bright fic? *pouts*
RATING: G
CHARACTER: Bright
"The myths of popularity here are astounding."
Colin Hart looked up from his text book, blinking.
"What?"
"Really, they are," Bright added, at his friend's dismayed reaction.
"If I tell you something, promise you won't tell anyone?"
Colin gave a snort, but nodded, cocking his head to the side, observing him. "Yes. You know I wouldn't blab anything about you. What do I look like, your sister?"
They stared at one another before bursting into loud laughter, which caused the head librarian to glare over at them.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to compare you to Ms. Amy "Don't tarnish my Reputation, Bright Abbott, or you're dead!" Abbott." Bright said, lowering his voice. He bit his lip, almost ashamed for admitting his truthful opinion out loud. Sometimes he hated his sister. And she never cared at all. Amy was two years younger than him, but only a grade lower. Sometimes it was just awful. He hated remembering third grade, when he did it twice, and watched Amy exceed in her second grade classes. He should have been smarter than her, not stupider. He was the older brother, and it was something he'd never stopped being bitter about.
Plus she was always throwing it his face.
'Did you hear about Janine's latest party? Only the in crowd can go. Which you aren't on.'
'Did you know junior math is so easy? Gosh, I can't believe I won't have to take math all four years. Aren't I lucky?'
And on. And on. And on . . .
"Aww," Colin cooed, "she isn't that bad. Really," he added at Bright's skeptical gaze, "she's not. She's kinda hot, too..."
"Ugh," Bright wrinkled his nose, "that is definitely not what I want to hear right now. Amy isn't hot. She's, uh . . ."
"Beautiful? Charming? Extremely pretty?"
"Nauseating," Bright groaned and flopped backwards, against his chair. "Spare me the details. But haven't you noticed how . . . uptight she is about this school?"
"Yes," Colin agreed seriously, "she takes her reputation seriously. If you aren't careful, Bright, Amy will someday own the president and be worth a fortune. And all thanks to high school politics."
Bright sighed, "The Government being assisted by Amy . . . Please, spare me the pain."
"Anyway," Colin said, easily changing the subject, "what were you saying before?"
"Oh," Bright shrugged. "Nothing important. Just that I can't believe how seriously Prom Queen is being taken. Amy's in the run and she's a freshman. I'm not even up for King, and I'm a sophomore."
"I'm a junior and not in the run," Colin shrugged. "Who cares? We never cared about these politics. Why start now?"
Bright sighed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say Colin."
Colin nodded, and opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when he spotted Amy walking towards the table. "Hey, Grover."
"Hi," Amy smiled at him. "Um, I hate to bother you guys," she smirked at Bright, who rolled his eyes, "but could you help me Colin? I'm having math problems."
"Oh, yeah, sure. Duty calls, Bright, see you later."
Bright nodded and watched them move to a table across the library.
Why did he get the feeling things were about to change? He suppressed a sigh and began to work on his own homework.
Things were never easy in his life. At least when it concerned his sister,
and he never realized how true that would always be.
--END