Chapter 13 - "Don't You Know Who I Am?" - Michaela's Story
February 17th, 2000 - San Fernando Valley, California
"Kay!" Victoria called out. "Do you have the materials?"
"Yah-huh!" I said. "They're in my locker. I'm just going to get them now."
"I'll see you in the art room," she called back, walking towards the art building.
I quickly walked down the corridor towards my locker. Cordelia wanted to be Spring Queen and our entire group had taken it on, in duty, to help her win. My friends and I were spending lunchtimes, like today, working on making posters and flyers, encouraging people to vote for Cordelia. Because Tweedle-Tay did art, he was able to 'borrow' some materials from the art rooms, which made the entire exercise cheaper for us. And so, I was keeping the materials in my locker. I got my locker key out from my bra and unlocked the door. Cardboard, paints and crayons fell out onto the floor. I scooped them up and began to carry them down the hallway. I looked down at the floor to check to see if anything was falling out of my hands. Damn! I should have gone to the bathroom first so I could have checked my hair before I saw Rod, who would also be helping on the campaign. I would have to find some way to get to the bathroom shortly after taking the materials to the art room. Maybe I could say -
All of a sudden the materials and I were on the floor. "Shit!" I cried out, exasperated. I looked up to see a girl in baggy jeans and singlet top looking down over me. "Hi," I said awkwardly.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she said, helping me up.
"No really, it's my fault. I was in a hurry and I wasn't paying a lot of attention to where I was going," I lent down to pick up some of the art materials.
The girl smiled. "Really? I thought people like you didn't hurry anywhere. I thought you guys were too 'cool' for that."
I could see the stab but ignored it. "Well, you know, my friend Cordelia wants to be Spring Queen and everyone's helping her out. It's like a group project."
"Really? It must be hard work. I mean, stuff like that is based on work and talent, not something dumb like how much money you have, or how popular you are. I can't see how being head cheerleader could help Cordelia out in a situation like Spring Queen elections... These things take real integrity," the girl picked up the remainder of the materials for me. "Bye Michaela!"
She knew my name? "Do I know you?" I asked, confused.
"Oh, don't feel bad. I've only been in your music class since September," the girl said sarcastically. "My name's Skye. Skye Green."
"Oh yeah!" I said. "I DO know you. You sit behind me and TJ. You sit with, ah, Lisa and Josie and Natalie. You're the girls with the band."
Skye rolled her eyes. "Actually, I don't sit with Natalie anymore. She left after Christmas. So now we're not exactly a band anymore. But I guess you didn't notice..... you preps are a bit too self absorbed to notice anyone but each other."
"Sorry!" I said, pissed off. "I did only come to the school this year you know. I haven't had time to meet everyone yet." I paused. "So you've quit the band?"
"Well, not exactly. We still jam and stuff, but it's a bit hard to get gigs. No one wants to see a band without a singer...." Skye explained.
"So that's all you're lacking? Well, I might be able to help you out there. You know I sing?"
Skye looked uncomfortable. "I don't know, Michaela. We're a rock band and, well, you seem like a Backstreet Boys kind of girl."
I nearly slapped her in the face. "Yeah right! Give me some credit. Look, I'm interested in joining the band. You can take it or leave it."
Skye looked thoughtful. "I'll talk to Lisa and Josie. We'll get back to you this afternoon in music."
"Cool." I looked at my watch. "Shit we've been talking for ten minutes. Cordelia's going to kill me! I'd better go!"
"Oh no! You wouldn't want to suffer Cordelia's wrath!" Skye said sarcastically.
I ignored her and ran towards the art rooms. Everyone was already sitting round waiting for the materials. Kristy was sitting on Brad's lap, feeding him strawberries. No one looked especially pissed off that I was late, just pleased that they had an excuse not to work. I sat down between Maria and Rod. "Hi everyone!" I said, cheerfully.
Everyone said some sort of greeting. I turned to Rod. "Guess who I was just talking to?" I asked.
"Who?" Rod asked.
"Skye Green," I replied.
Rod just looked confused. "Never heard of her," he said.
February 17th, 2000 - San Fernando Valley, California
"Kay!" Victoria called out. "Do you have the materials?"
"Yah-huh!" I said. "They're in my locker. I'm just going to get them now."
"I'll see you in the art room," she called back, walking towards the art building.
I quickly walked down the corridor towards my locker. Cordelia wanted to be Spring Queen and our entire group had taken it on, in duty, to help her win. My friends and I were spending lunchtimes, like today, working on making posters and flyers, encouraging people to vote for Cordelia. Because Tweedle-Tay did art, he was able to 'borrow' some materials from the art rooms, which made the entire exercise cheaper for us. And so, I was keeping the materials in my locker. I got my locker key out from my bra and unlocked the door. Cardboard, paints and crayons fell out onto the floor. I scooped them up and began to carry them down the hallway. I looked down at the floor to check to see if anything was falling out of my hands. Damn! I should have gone to the bathroom first so I could have checked my hair before I saw Rod, who would also be helping on the campaign. I would have to find some way to get to the bathroom shortly after taking the materials to the art room. Maybe I could say -
All of a sudden the materials and I were on the floor. "Shit!" I cried out, exasperated. I looked up to see a girl in baggy jeans and singlet top looking down over me. "Hi," I said awkwardly.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she said, helping me up.
"No really, it's my fault. I was in a hurry and I wasn't paying a lot of attention to where I was going," I lent down to pick up some of the art materials.
The girl smiled. "Really? I thought people like you didn't hurry anywhere. I thought you guys were too 'cool' for that."
I could see the stab but ignored it. "Well, you know, my friend Cordelia wants to be Spring Queen and everyone's helping her out. It's like a group project."
"Really? It must be hard work. I mean, stuff like that is based on work and talent, not something dumb like how much money you have, or how popular you are. I can't see how being head cheerleader could help Cordelia out in a situation like Spring Queen elections... These things take real integrity," the girl picked up the remainder of the materials for me. "Bye Michaela!"
She knew my name? "Do I know you?" I asked, confused.
"Oh, don't feel bad. I've only been in your music class since September," the girl said sarcastically. "My name's Skye. Skye Green."
"Oh yeah!" I said. "I DO know you. You sit behind me and TJ. You sit with, ah, Lisa and Josie and Natalie. You're the girls with the band."
Skye rolled her eyes. "Actually, I don't sit with Natalie anymore. She left after Christmas. So now we're not exactly a band anymore. But I guess you didn't notice..... you preps are a bit too self absorbed to notice anyone but each other."
"Sorry!" I said, pissed off. "I did only come to the school this year you know. I haven't had time to meet everyone yet." I paused. "So you've quit the band?"
"Well, not exactly. We still jam and stuff, but it's a bit hard to get gigs. No one wants to see a band without a singer...." Skye explained.
"So that's all you're lacking? Well, I might be able to help you out there. You know I sing?"
Skye looked uncomfortable. "I don't know, Michaela. We're a rock band and, well, you seem like a Backstreet Boys kind of girl."
I nearly slapped her in the face. "Yeah right! Give me some credit. Look, I'm interested in joining the band. You can take it or leave it."
Skye looked thoughtful. "I'll talk to Lisa and Josie. We'll get back to you this afternoon in music."
"Cool." I looked at my watch. "Shit we've been talking for ten minutes. Cordelia's going to kill me! I'd better go!"
"Oh no! You wouldn't want to suffer Cordelia's wrath!" Skye said sarcastically.
I ignored her and ran towards the art rooms. Everyone was already sitting round waiting for the materials. Kristy was sitting on Brad's lap, feeding him strawberries. No one looked especially pissed off that I was late, just pleased that they had an excuse not to work. I sat down between Maria and Rod. "Hi everyone!" I said, cheerfully.
Everyone said some sort of greeting. I turned to Rod. "Guess who I was just talking to?" I asked.
"Who?" Rod asked.
"Skye Green," I replied.
Rod just looked confused. "Never heard of her," he said.
