Peach Goes Punk

Chapter Two: Drastic Changes

Two sophomore girls approached the high school's doors. Before they went inside, one of the girls stopped the other and said nervously, "I hope you're expecting the worst."

"Oh, come on, Daisy, be reasonable. It's just a change of wardrobe."

The other girl, Daisy, just shrugged, and the two girls entered the school. Everyone stopped in their tracks to look at this girl. What they didn't know was that underneath the dyed black hair, black baggy clothes, and lack of crown, was the dainty little princess that they knew and love—Peach.

Daisy looked around nervously at the hundreds of stunned, curious pairs of eyes staring at Peach. In comparison, Peach walked down the hall confidently and took long, slow strides, trying to look tough.

Peach strolled casually into biology class and took her seat in front of Mario. "'Sup," she said to Mario in an abnormal, deep voice.

Mario took one look at her and yelled pathetically, "Please don't hurt me! I don't want any trouble, o great one!" He cowered behind his biology book.

"Mario, it's me, Peach!" she said in her high-pitched, normal voice. Mario's blue eyes dilated. Then he started to laugh hysterically.

"That's a good one, miss punk sir, I mean ma'am! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!!!"

"Mario, it's really me!"

"Prove it!"

Peach thought for a moment and fumbled through her large mass of dyed black hair to find a blond strand. She found one and shoved it in Mario's face. He could recognize that golden hair anywhere. "Peach?" Mario asked feebly.

"The one and only," Peach laughed shyly.

"But, but, w-what happened to you?" he stuttered.

"I changed my look, that's all."

"But why?"

"Why? Because of that one over there," Peach said as she pointed at Tilik next to her. Before Mario could respond, she turned away from him and struck up a conversation with Tilik. "'Sup," she said coolly.

Tilik did a double-take and turned a little pale. "What happened to you?"

"I changed my wardrobe," Peach answered calmly. "Isn't this much better?"

"Uhhh...." Before Tilik could think of an answer, the bell rang and class begun. Instead of listening to every word the teacher said like the old Peach, she drew pictures of skateboards instead and thought about her next move to impress Tilik.

Mario set his lunch tray on the table and sat down. "Hey, guys," he began, "did you notice that Peach is, well, not exactly herself today?"

"Who didn't notice?" Toad exclaimed. "She's a freak now!"

"Hey, that's my best friend you're talking about!" Daisy shouted as she sat down next to Luigi. He blushed like he always did when she was around.

"This must have been you're crazy idea, Daisy!" Mario barked.

"It certainly was not, you meathead!"

"You wanna go?"

"I could take you on any day!"

"Well, let's go then!"

"You're on!"

"Guys, guys, calm down!" Luigi begged as he restrained Mario and Daisy. The two scowled at each other and finally lowered their clenched fists and sat down. There was silence at their lunch table for a couple of minutes. Mario kept staring at Peach, who was sitting with Tilik on the other side of the cafeteria.

"I'm not hungry," Mario said as he pushed his tray away from him.

Luigi gasped. He took out his journal and said aloud as he wrote, "Monday, eleven thirty-two: Mario is actually not hungry."

"Shut-up, Weege!" Mario shouted. He didn't take his eyes off his only love, who was sitting with a guy whose heart she will never win.

Toad broke the silence with his squeaky voice. "Who ya lookin' at, Mario?"

"Uh, Peach," he admitted.

"You miss her, don't you?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah."

"We all do," she comforted. "She'll be back, just you see."

"If you're wrong, you owe me a pizza," Mario said. His stomach growled at the mention of food, so he shrugged and pulled his tray back toward him. They watched in disgust as he stuffed his mouth with mashed potatoes, country-fried chicken, and banana.

Luigi pulled out his journal again and wrote, "Monday, eleven thirty-nine: Scratch that last entry."