don't let go

Chapter 2: Cause I can't pretend

Daphne was dreaming of her past.

When she'd been younger, she hadn't been the beautiful, popular girl she was now. She had been a geek.

"Da-fee!"

"Da-fee!"

Her best friend had been Velma, and they had always got on well. She and Velma had tended to hang around with 'Shaggy', the guy who smelt of dog biscuits and tried to smuggle his new puppy into class. In these times, Daphne's red hair had frequently covered her face, and her fashon sense was lacking. Of course, the worst of it was done to her by Fred Jones and his "cool" pals-this was partly the worst because both Velma and Daphne carried torches for Fred, though both well-hidden. Fred had always acted nastily, but somehow his heart had never really been in it.

Eventually, in 5th grade, Daphne's family moved away from Coolsville, not to return until much, much later. Velma and Shaggy-with whom she had become very close-were sad to see her go.

"Daph, when ya coming back?" Velma had asked earnestly.

"I don't know." Daphne had confessed sadly.

"Like, Scoobs'll miss you." Shaggy had said quietly. It had become slightly obvious that Shaggy had a slight crush on Velma, which Daphne had found endearing, and it was generally her who listened to his problems about not thinking he was smart enough for her.

"I'll miss him, too." She paused. "And you."

Shaggy grinned. "Yeah."

"So, Daffy's movin'?"

Daphne turned around-Fred, the guy of her dreams, was stood at her gate, looking directly at her with the look he always gave the girl he liked. OK, Daphne thought, stay cool...

"I'm moving away. I don't have to deal with scum like you any more." She snapped.

"Pity."

"P..pity? Why?"

Fred leant towards her, close enough to kiss. "No one to tease." He moved back, laughing.

Daphne smoldered-and suddenly realised that chances were she'd never see him again. "You know, I'll miss you..."

Fred smirked-he'd always known the redhead had liked him. All the girls did. "Will you now?"

"Uhuh. Come closer."

Fred did. "Whatcha gonna do, Daffy?"

"This." She smiled sweetly, and slapped him across the cheeks. "THAT's for calling me Daffy!" She slapped him again. "And that's for Velma!" Finally, she slapped him, harder. "And that ones for Shaggy, and Scooby Doo!"

Fred looked at her, a hand to his stinging cheek. "Who's Scooby Doo?"

"You don't need to know. Now, get off my property!"

"Urm, technically, Daph, that isn't your property."

"Well, he can still get off it!"

"Don't have to tell me twice." Fred muttered, leaving.

"I got him! I got the popular guy!"

"You do know that if you ever come back, he'll be worse than ever..."

"He won't be. I'll find a way to make sure he doesn't."

"Daphne, he only leaves the pretty girls alone..."

Dpahne stamped her foot. "Vel, we are pretty! We're REALLY pretty! An...an we'll make him think so!" She nodded briskly before giving her friend a hug goodbye. "I'll miss you, and I'll write you-every day!"

"Me too!" Velma said, returning the hug.

"Yeah, like, me too!" Shaggy put his arms round both girls.

"Re roo!" The small great dane found his way to the center of the hug, leaping up to Daphne's shoulder.

Daphne smiled. "Scoobs, you can't write."

"Ri can learn..."

Daphne hadn't moved back to Coolsville until she was 14, and in 10th grade. By this time she had grown up, and looked amazing. Her hair was now sleek and managable, kept back with a purple hairband. She chose to wear purple, having fallen in love with it over the summer. She'd also met up with Velma, so she'd recognise her. Velma had been shocked at how much her best friend had changed, but somehow she'd not changed a bit-she was still the same Daphne, she just looked different.

She swept into class on the first day of the semester, directed to a seat in front of Velma. She gladly turned, and talked to the girl about her summer, and the fun they'd had.

Fred had seen Daphne too, but he didn't know who she was-that would change. Luckily for him (or so he thought) he was told to sit next to her. He immediately tapped her on the shoulder, which she ignored.

"Hey!"

No reply.

"Hey, new girl! Friendly advice-avoid that losergeek!"

She turned around, and Fred was amazed-she was beautiful!

"Don't call my best friend a losergeek. And besides, who are you to say who a losergeek is and who isn't?"

Velma beamed with pride at Daphne.

"I'm Fred Jones...I'm the most popular guy at school."

"Why?"

"Urm, you're lookin' at why."

She frowned. "No, I'm not."

"Hello? I'm hot!"

"If that's your delusion of choice, Freddie."

He frowned slightly. "Do I know you?"

"Daphne Blake."

"I kinda know it..."

"Daffy may be more familiar."

"You're that Daffy girl?!"

"Yes, I am."

"But...you're beautiful."

"I know."

"I...." He gazed at her. She wasn't like any other girl he'd ever seen before...she was turning him down! She had attitude. "You busy Friday?"

"Yes."

"Saturday?"

"I'm always busy if its for a date with you, Fred."

He continued to gaze at her all lesson.

"Hey, Fred! Who's the redhead?" Fred's best friend, Devon, asked the minute it was time for break.

"You know that Daffy girl?" Fred replied.

"No way!" Sadie, one of the girls of the group hissed.

"Yeah-it's her." Fred confirmed.

"Talk about ugly duckling!" Devon whistled in an impressed way.

"I love her dress..." Ann-Marie said wistfully.

"So do I!" Fred grinned.

"That's cause it shows off her legs." Sadie snapped.

"There is that." Devon commented thoughtfully.

"Men!" Ann-Marie muttered.

"I despair!" Sadie shook her head. "Hey, she's with that Velma girl. She could be more, couldn't she?"

"One of us?" Ann-Marie asked.

"Yeah." Sadie nodded.

"I'm all for it." Devon said

"I think so." Ann-Marie agreed.

"Freddie?"

His eyes were fixtated on her. The way she laughed with her friends, the way she grinned, the way she acted...the way she insulted! "Yeah...no question."

They all went over to where she was sat on a bench, surrounded by Velma and her friends.

"You should've seen his face! He was all like-You're beautiful! And I was like-I know... His eyes-God, he looked at me like Shaggy looks at tofu-no offence Shag."

"Like, none taken!"

"So he was asking me OUT! I mean, Fred Jones?!"

One of the "losergeeks" laughed. "I'm surprised he could string the words together..."

Daphne giggled, and saw the "popular" group arrive. "Well, looky here..we forgot the red carpet."

Fred gazed at her. "Daphne, we think you'd like to..to...to come to the movies with us Friday."

Daphne raised her eyebrows. "And why would I do that?"

Sadie smiled. "Cause we like you. And secretly-you know you wanna be one of us."

Daphne was taken aback. "You like me?"

"Yeah, we do." Ann-Marie said softly, sitting next to her.

"Why?"

"Cause you're a challenge. You're bitchy-but not too bitchy." Sadie's smile widened.

"But I don't wanna be like you. I don't wanna tease, or discriminate..."

"We wouldn't expect you to."

"Please, come to the movies..." Devon appeared, smiling.

The girls amid the group bar Sadie and Ann-Marie felt their hearts beat louder, and gently sighed. Daphne nodded soundlessly.

"Come an eat your lunch with us...Daph." Fred said quietly.

"O...OK."

The boys gasped (the girls were still under Devon's spell) as Daphne rose from the table and was lead away. Daphne turned. "I still wanna be friends with you guys..."

"Welcome to our world." Sadie said softly.

Disclaimer: Don't own them. I also don't own the songs in the last chapter (which were Acoustic 3 by Goo Goo Dolls and Hero by Chad Kroeger feat Josey Scott respectively), so I apologise for not saying.

Thanks for your reviews. They help ^_^

Just so you know, for now the chapter titles are lines from the chorus of Don't Let Go by En Vogue (hence the title) and that will be at least up until chapter 5. After that...well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it ^.^ Any ideas, I'll be brought great happyfullness!

*wigiis*