A/n: Hey, hey! I really meant to update this sooner but what with school, work and plotting world domination, I didn't have much time. Anyway, to make up for it, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Love and Politics

If there was one thing Samantha Jane Diffy knew, it was politics. Which is why she was so sure she was going to win the race for junior class president right from the get go. She knew every political strategy there was to know and had read every book on political theory she could findexcept, of course, the ones penned by hardcore liberals. She watched CNN so much she could tell when Anderson Cooper got a haircut. Yes sir, Samantha Jane Diffy was the best qualified student government candidate H.G. Wells Jr/Sr High had ever seen.

Too bad none of that mattered in high school politics.

Sam's best friend, Logan Michaels, tried to explain this to her. "Sam, have you seen who you're running against?"

"Yeah, Beverly Richardson. She's a pansy."

"That may be true, John Cleese, but she is JV cheer captain."

"So?"

"So, she's popular, Sam, and let's face it, you're not."

"Thank you, Debbie Downer." Sam opened her locker.

"Look, all I'm saying is Beverly is not going to play fair."

"Who said anything about playing fair?" Sam grinned at him in a way that made him a bit scared but at the same time he couldn't help but grin back. She just had that kind of affect on him.

"If we're going to win this thing, we need a good strategy," Sam said to Logan a few minutes later as they sat down in the quad with their lunches. "Let's see, what make Beverly Richardson so appealing?" Sam looked across the quad where Beverly was sitting with her fellow cheerleaders. "She's a rich, popular cheerleader who just happens to be the prettiest girl in school," she concluded.

"That's not true," Logan said.

"What?"

"She's not the prettiest girl in school."

"Oh yeah? Than who is, smart guy?"

"You."

Sam was speechless, something very rare for her. She felt herself blush. Pull yourself together, Diffy! She thought. You have a campaign to plan! Now is NOT the time to sort out your feeling for Logan!

"Too bad the whole school doesn't think like you, Logan," Sam said, regaining her composure. "Seriously, though, how do you beat someone like Beverly? She's got the whole school eating out her hand."

"We outwit her. Beverly may be popular, but let's face is, she's not the brightest crayon in the box."

"Right. All her campaign is going to consist of is a few banners and maybe some buttons."

"Yup, that's where we come in. We pick up the slack, fill in the gaps. Believe it or not, there's a lot of people around here who don't want to see a cheerleader win again. All you have to do is get people to notice you."

Sam grinned. "That I've never had a problem with. By the end of next week, the whole school will know who Samantha Diffy is."

"If they don't already." Sam laughed and Logan smiled. He couldn't help it. She just had that kind of affect on him.

A/n: Y'all know where the review button is.

Next chapter: "Something Wicked This Way Comes" Mandy's coming to visit and Keely isn't exactly thrilled but with Phil by her side she just might be able to survive...maybe...