I know this is dark and it's only going to get darker. I liked the idea of asking: What if Reid's daughter turned out to be everything he hated about high school? This is technically a YA redemption story. If you know my work, I don't like to keep things dark.

Chapter Two:

Gracelyn:

"Are my butt cheeks showing?" I asked as I looked at the back of my skirt in the bathroom.

"You're wearing leggings so it doesn't count," Lesley said.

I adjusted the V-neck to show maximum cleavage.

"Are you worried at all about your dad freaking if he sees you?" Amber asked.

"IF sees me," I said. "He hides in his classroom all the time. I don't think the other teachers even like him."

"Your dad is such a loser," Annie said. "I pity you."

"I don't need pity," I said. "I have everything I need right here."

"Oh Gracelyn, we truly are not worthy," Beverly said.

"You guys are the best," I said. "Now let's rule this school."

We walked out of the bathroom as if it was a runway. Guys stopped and admired us. Girls stopped and looked longingly, along with a few looks of disgust from the jealous wannabes. We were the it crowd.

I stopped at my boyfriend Liam's locker and waited. I let boys look at me lustily as I stretched and shook my hair out.

Then he appeared in his lettermen jacket with wavy blond hair. A hungry smile appeared. Liam dropped his backpack and kissed me passionately.

"Get a room," a few people shouted.

I touched his lower lip.

"Later," I said huskily.

He merely nodded.

Liam's mom was the principal. Unlike my dad, she was actually cool.

I walked off.

I saw a girl with purple highlights.

"Nerd, get over here!" I barked.

Tina appeared.

"Is my homework in my inbox?" I asked.

"Yes," she said obediently.

"Cleaner this time, as Ellison expected an improved paper on A Separate Peace."

"Yes," she said.

"Are the answers to Herkimer's 'pop' quiz in also?" I asked.

"Everything is prepared," she said.

"Good work," I said. "Elliot King likes you."

"He does?" she said gleefully.

"Cross my heart," I said.

"Thanks, Gracelyn. You're the best!"

She scurried off.

I've seen enough teen movies to know, that if you don't show some kindness, others will plot against you.

Jimmy, one of Liam's friends came up to me.

"We've got a great prank set up for your dad," he said excitedly. "Come and watch."

"Perfect," I said.

My dad was almost militant in the way he opened his door ten minutes before homeroom. There was a bucket on a string hanging above the door. Liam and the rest of his friends gathered.

"What's in the bucket?" I asked.

Teddy, the school prankster, smirked.

"Wait and see."

Kids had their phones ready. Right on schedule, he opened his door and stinky brown stuff with feathers covered him.

The whole school burst out laughing. He dashed back in and slammed the door.

"I bet he's crying," one kid said.

"I bet he keeps a change of clothes in his room," another said.

I patted Teddy on the back.

"Excellent work as always," I said.

He bowed.

"Thank you."

Okay, part of me did feel bad, that people were constantly dunking on my dad. But I had an image to maintain. If I wanted to stay on top, I had to show that I could take a joke.

I grabbed my things out of a locker and went to home room. Next week was homecoming and no one could shut up about it.

"I hear Felton is a plotting something super-sick for their prank against us," a kid said.

"They better have a good defense if they a have a chance at beating us."

I let the chatter fly as I adjusted my makeup.

For a second I thought about my dad covered in feathers and goop. I quickly shoved that thought down and focused on the day ahead.

…

"For your next English essay, I want you to write about your heroes," Ellison said. "Heroes come in all shapes and forms. Tell me about their motivation, their faults, and past hardships that make you admire them."

He stopped in front of me as I was doodling cheer formations.

"Do you have any heroes that come to mind, Miss Estlin?"

"Michelle Obama," I said. "I admire her desire to get healthy foods into the lunch room and advocating daily physical activity."

"Very good Miss Estlin," he said. "Who else?"

Tina had also emailed me the teacher's plan books, so I knew what to expect. Thank god for Google.

I ran into kids laughing at the video of my dad. Apparently, it got a thousand hits before first period and was now up to half a million.

Two periods later, I went to lunch. Beverly gave me her vegan wrap her mom packed and went to the get in line for food. Okay the vegan lifestyle seemed kind of gross, the more I looked into it. But I wasn't going to tell my dad that.

Liam sat down and I moved to his lap.

"So, anyone hear some good gossip?" I asked.

"Mackenzie finally lost her virginity to the Italian exchange student," Lesley said.

"I didn't know Italians had such low standards," I said.

"I hear she paid him," Sam said. "He came here on scholarship and his family is poor."

"Pathetic," I said next.

"Your dad is a viral hit," Annie said carefully. "A million views so far."

"Enough about my dad," I said dismissively. "If I want to talk about him, I'll talk to him. What else?"

"A freshman girl just came out of the closet," Beverly said.

"Steer clear of her," I said. "Going after her would lead to one awful anti-bullying session like last year."

"Noted," Jimmy said.

Everyone chowed down. I tuned out the boys discussing game play while pretending to listen to the girls talk about the latest celebrity gossip. Everything seemed so pointless at times. I loved my status, but sometimes, I wondered if there was more to life.

My dad wasn't on lunch monitoring duty. I had brought a sweater just in case. They must have really messed with him.

…

I never felt more in my element than at cheer practice. Waving my pompoms, leaping in the air, and shouting at the top of my lungs. It was a thrill to focus on something, and be good at it.

The girls threw me in the air and I landed perfectly.

"Okay, huddle up!" I shouted. "Next week is our biggest week until the championship. I want everyone on their A game. We're going to have the best pep rally and we're going to be the epitome of school spirit. Go Blue Eagles!"

"Blue Eagles!" everyone cheered.

The team dispersed.

Coach Kim approached me.

"Nice work Gracelyn," she said.

"I try my best."

"You run a fine squad," she said. "You shouldn't have any trouble getting into a good school a couple of years."

Coach Kim was the only mother figure I had. Her opinion meant a lot to me.

"Thanks," I said.

"I'll see you later," she said.

"Bye," I said.

I showered and changed. I didn't want to go home. Dad was probably making something vegan, that would be gross, and I'd go to bed hungry for refusing to eat it. Then I would sneak into the kitchen and eat pop tarts. The whole routine was tedious.

Most parents are lame, but I wondered why my dad is such a sad sack. He doesn't like sports, and plays chess with himself. I've heard from my friends that other parents in the PTA don't like him. There are days where I just don't get how I got stuck with such a miserable human for a father.