Chapter 6 - "Creep" - Michaela's Story
October 1, 1999 - San Fernando Valley, California
"Who do you think is better, Keats or Eliot?" I asked my friend Kristy as we walked through the quadrangle to the table where our group settled for lunch.
"Who cares? They both suck. My poetry is much better, you should read it sometime Michaela," Kristy said, checking out some ninth graders who were playing basketball.
"But surely you prefer one of them?" I persisted.
"No. Why do you care, anyway?" Kristy said, returning her attentions to me.
"I made this bet with a girl in my English class. So?"
"I guess Eliot is better," Kristy said, shoving past a bunch of guys who were sprawled out in a circle.
"Huh! I'm winning. No one likes Keats!" I said, jumping up with excitement.
"Whatever," Kristy said, shaking her head in a bemused fashion.
"And there's Kenny, and Poochy, and Micky, and Sam - isn't he cute - and look, there's Maxi and Sherbet....." Jenny was showing Victoria the pictures of the inside of her folder. Kristy rolled her eyes.
I smiled. "God, you have a lot of boyfriends Jenny," I said. "How do you manage to keep up with them all?"
Maria snorted. "Those aren't her boyfriends, Michaela, those are-"
"My dog had puppies last weekend! Aren't they adorable?" Jenny cut in, holding up her folder.
"Oh, how cute!" I said, sitting down to have a look.
Victoria flicked her hair. "Puppies, shmuppies! Did I tell you about my date with Jimmy last weekend?"
"Was Brad there?" Kristy asked eagerly, suddenly paying attention. Everyone looked at her. "Not that I like him or anything..... I just think he'd be really good for, um, Michaela."
Victoria rolled her eyes. "No. Jimmy wanted Brad to come, but you know how it is. I was like 'honey we need to'-"
"Have I missed anything?" Cordelia said, pushing Maria out of the way to sit down.
"No, just another fascinating discussion about Jimmy and Brad," Maria said, moving her lunch over.
"Anyway," Victoria continued, annoyed. "We went to see Scream 3."
"Was it any good?" Jenny asked, unwrapping her madeira cake. "Is Neve still alive?"
"God Jenny! It wasn't like we were watching the movie! Anyway, Jimmy was so sweet......"
"Don't you think Jimmy's a little..... effeminate?" Kristy asked with a sweet smile on her face.
"No! He's just sweet and sensitive," Victoria said defensively.
"Oh come on Victoria! He listens to the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls and Human Nature. He's practically a twelve year old girl, not an eighteen year old guy," Maria said, laughing.
"That's not true!" Victoria said, folding her arms. "He's just in touch with his feminine side. I swear you guys are so jealous, I bet you wish-"
"Whatever!" Cordelia said. "Can we please talk about something more interesting?"
"Yes! Please!" Maria screamed.
"Good. Well, last weekend I was at the Valley Mall and I saw the cutest little skirt and jacket. I'm thinking of buying them for my internship next holidays. It'll make me look really responsible and professional. Don't you think?" Cordelia said, munching on a celery stick.
Maria rolled her eyes. "Gee Cordelia....."
So these were my friends. Sure, I guess they were a little superficial, self-absorbed, shallow - okay - bimboey. And yeah, they did make my brother Tweedle-Tay seem like Albert Einstein, but they were sweet, if a little unreliable. They knew how to have fun and god knows, not everyone can be a genius. And, if truth be told, I wasn't exactly deep. At any rate, they were better than Gwen.
"Oh mi god! Oh mi god! Oh mi god! Oh mi god!" Kristy said. "Look who's coming over to our table!"
"Not Brad. PLEASE not Brad...." Jenny groaned.
Cordelia turned around. "It's Rod Rilkens*. Fix your hair, girls."
Everyone - even Maria - got out their powder compacts and began to fix their hair. I turned to Jenny, who was tying her hair into pigtails. "Who's Rod Rilkens?" I asked.
"Rod Rilkens," Jenny said, brushing my hair, "is only one of the best looking boys at San Fernando Valley High, besides being its hottest basketball star. He's tall and lean, with brown hair that curls down his forehead and the kind of deep, coffee-coloured eyes you could drown in."
I smiled to myself at Jenny's over-the-top description.
"Anyway," she continued, "if you want to be a cheerleader, you have to get along with Rod."
"But what if I don't want to be a cheerleader?" I asked, allowing Jenny to fiddle with my hair.
"Yeah Kay," Jenny said, thinking I was joking.
"Hey Cordelia," a voice considerably deeper than any of my friends' voices said.
Cordelia waited for a beat and then turned around, pretending to be surprised. "Rod! Fancy seeing YOU here!"
"Yeah," he said, allowing his gaze to go over all the girls at the table.
I shivered, and smoothed down my black Chanel cardigan. I looked at Rod. Jenny was right, he was good looking, which was strange as I was rarely attracted to athletic types. I guess I didn't mind basketball..... maybe cheerleading would be fun. Maybe I wouldn't feel like a performing monkey.
"So, how are things?" Cordelia asked, adjusting her shirt and leaning over to give Rod a, shall we say, 'view'.
"Ah Cordelia, one of your buttons isn't done up properly," I said, trying to be helpful.
"Oops! How silly of me!" she said, giggling. "Cheerleading tryouts are on next week...."
"So I hear," Rod said, nonchalantly. I felt his gaze return to me. I checked my cardigan to make sure it was all buttoned up. "Do you know who's going to captain?" he continued.
"Well hopefully -" Cordelia began.
"What are you doing next Friday night?" Rod asked suddenly.
"Washing my hair," Maria said.
"I already have a boyfriend," Victoria said. "But I don't think-"
"Feeding the puppies," Jenny said, smiling. "Why?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Fancy a spot of tennis?" Kristy said.
"I thought you'd never ask!" Cordelia said happily.
Rod looked at me. I bit my lip and looked down. Everyone at the table turned around to face me. I didn't know what to say. Rod was very good looking, if a little creepy. "Sure," I said eventually. "Why not?"
"Great," Rod said, "See ya!"
"See ya!" called out Kristy as Rod walked away.
"God Michaela, why did it take you so long to answer?" Cordelia said.
"Even Victoria said yes," Jenny added.
"I did not! I am 100% faithful to Jimmy," Victoria said, pouting.
"Well?" Cordelia prompted.
I shrugged and bit my lip. "I guess I prefer blonds," I said, giving a little smile.