First Published: 9/6/13

Edited: 2/8/19

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Courtney sighed. "What the hell is wrong with you? After that day, you never talked to me! No phone call... No text... No casual wave when I passed you in the hallway... No glance towards me even though we frikin sat right next to each other in class!"

Noah listened as each words took a stab at his heart. She was right, and he knew it. That day, he made a decision. A stupid decision. A stupid decision that started the downward spiral that led them to where they are today. You're such a dumbass.

"You were my first boyfriend, Noah," she continued. Her voice started to crack. "But you know what's worse? You were my first true friend. Maybe my only true friend. And you broke my heart. You broke my heart and ripped it into tiny little pieces. And even to this day, I don't know why you did it. Why did you do it, Noah? We were friends! Friends don't hurt each other like this. Or maybe, I just don't know how friendship works."

She paused for an uncomfortable amount of time before continuing. "I thought when you came to the island that you'd finally explain to me what happened. But you never did. So just know that you lost your chance. You lost your chance trying to make things right with me. Goodbye, Noah."

Noah watched as the tape came to the end and mumbled softly to himself, "I know."

Bridgette walked back to the tape recorder inserting the second tape and pushing the play button. The others prepared themselves for Courtney's voice once again.

"Did anyone notice that I mentioned everyone's names in Noah's story except for the girl who bullied me on my first day of eighth grade and Damien's sister," Courtney asked.

Nobody answers.

"Nobody? Wow. Or maybe you just weren't paying attention to the story since it wasn't about you. Who knows? I'll certainly never know." She paused for a moment. "Anyway, those two girls that I mentioned are the same person. Because of her, I found a person who brought me happiness. And it was because of her, that the only thing that made me happy was torn away from me. Any guesses who it is?"

FIRST DAY OF EIGHTH GRADE RIGHT AFTER NOAH SAVES COURTNEY

By now, Noah was able to calm Courtney down from her first experience dealing with the school bully to the point where Courtney actually felt comfortable enough with continuing her adventure of finding her locker. I will get this map down! "So who was that girl," asked Courtney while letting the map lead the way. This has to be the hall, she thought while turning to her right. However, Noah grabbed her arm and shook his head while leading her towards the opposite hallway.

"That," said Noah. "Was Ms. Queen-Bee, Heather, the most manipulative, spoiled, popular girl in this school." He rolled his eyes. "She thinks that just because her elementary days were, in her words, horrible she is entitled to popularity."

"What happened?"

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

Heather couldn't sit still. She just couldn't contain her excitement! Today was her first day of school, and her parents brought her glittery crayons to celebrate her big day. It was also the first time that she got to carry a lunch box! She watched with glee as her mother packed her it with goodies like a sandwich, a juice box, and... celery sticks?

She stopped bouncing in her chair. What kind of kid would be excited for their first day of school when she had celery sticks in her lunch box? "No, mommy," shouted Heather. "I don't like celery. I want cookies!"

Her mother sighed. While she loved her daughter, Heather was starting to eat mostly sweets, and she wanted to stop the bad habit before it got any worse. "Heather," her mother said slowly. "Don't you want to be healthy like Damien? Look, Damien ate all of his fruits for breakfast!"

Heather looked at her brother, who slyly dropped the last of his fruits that he had hidden in his hand into the mouth of their dog. She rolled her eyes. Some role model.

She watched with agony as her mother put in carrot sticks... apple slices... a peeled orange... she couldn't take it anymore. She felt the tears running down her cheeks. "I want the cookies," she shouted. "Give me the cookies!" She jumped out of her seat, ran towards her mother, and stomped her feet to show that she meant business. Her mother just shook her head.

That's when Heather's father walked in. As soon as Heather heard her father's footsteps, she ran up to him and held her arms up waiting for him to pick her up. When he reached the kitchen and saw little Heather, he chuckled and bent down to Heather's size. "Hello angel," he said. "I can't believe my little baby is going to her first day of school." He noticed her tear stained cheeks. "What's the matter? Why were you crying?"

Heather sniffled and wiped her noise. "Mommy won't give me the cookies!"

Now, Heather's father knew the reasoning behind her mother's actions. In fact, they just had a discussion last night where he agreed to support her in trying to give Heather healthy snacks. However, that was all before he saw a grieving Heather in his path. And Heather had always been a daddy's girl.

Her father looked at her mother. "Come on, honey. It's her first day."

Her mother sighed. "Fine." She grabbed a zip lock and put two cookies in there. Then, she turned around and mumbled, "I need an aspirin" while walking out of the kitchen.

As soon as her mother left, her father opened up the zip lock again and put in five more cookies. He put it in the lunch box and gave it to Heather. "Don't tell mommy." He winked and walked out of the house.

And everyday, the same thing happened. And everyday, Heather grew a little wider.

BACK TO SEVENTH GRADE

"So how big was she," asked Courtney.

"It wasn't that she was big," said Noah while stopping Courtney from once again making the wrong turn. "She was more on the chubby side. Nobody really teased her about it. Except for Josh. He nicknamed her 'chubby bunny'. However, if you asked her for the same story, she would've complained about how she was 'so fat' and how 'nobody wanted to play with her' and other lies like that."

"Okay... But why?"

"Simple," he said while scanning the lockers for Courtney's number. "She wanted attention. She craves it. The thing about Heather is that she feels like she needs everybody's eyes on her."

"So how did she get so popular?"

"Well, the thing is, Heather always had one thing going for her. Her family is rich. So when Heather walked into school skinny in sixth grade while wearing, what they told me was, expensive clothes, every girl wanted a taste of that lifestyle. But Heather brushed every single girl to the side. I guess she decided that everyone needed to earn their place as her friend. So, Heather has a rule. If you stand up to Heather, you get to be her friend."

"Wow... How do you know all about this?"

"Seventh grade study hall. Worse class ever. I couldn't concentrate on working because all that the girls do there is gossip." He rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I will never understand people like that."

"So when Heather told me to fight her..."

"She was recruiting you. But, luckily, I saved you." He smiled at her.

"But," Courtney asked teasingly. "How did you know that I wanted to be saved? Maybe I wouldn't have minded being her friend. She did have great taste in clothing."

"Uh huh. Whatever you want to tell yourself." He then stopped and pointed to his right. "That one right there is your locker."

Courtney thanked him and walked up to her locker, thinking that Noah would leave. Besides, he was just being nice. However, when she turned around, she found him in the exact same spot he was in.

"I was thinking. It was really sad that you couldn't use the map to find your locker. Maybe I should guide you to your first class too."

Courtney smiled. I'm going to love this school. I just know it.

TENTH GRADE

While Courtney was facing family drama, Heather was facing some drama of her own. The only difference is that Heather never saw it coming. Day by day, Heather's friends went from being grateful for being the most popular girl in school's friend to realizing that she just treated them like dirt.

The realization came slowly. For Kiki, it started when she went to the mall with Heather after school just like they do every Friday. While scanning the clearance rack of a very expensive story that Kiki could barely afford, she became ecstatic when she found a pink floral dress. It's my size, and it's on actually in my price range! It's a miracle! However, the ecstasy was short lived once Heather saw the dress.

"No, Kiki," said Heather in a disapproving tone. "Remember, we agreed that pink was my color only."

Kiki rolled her eyes. She can't be serious right now. "Come on, Heather," she begged. "This is the only color left. And I can't afford anything else cute in this store."

Heather sighed. "Okay, fine..." Kiki happily picked up the dress again. "...If you don't mind walking home from school for now on."

Kiki weighed her options. On one hand, the dress is super cute. But if Heather doesn't drive me, then I'll have to take the bus to school again... Ugh...

"Fine," Kiki agreed while throwing the beautiful dress back on the hanger.

Heather smiled. Too easy. "Good girl. Now find me my size for that dress."

Kiki rolled her eyes as she went to work. Why do I hang out with her again?

For Chloe, it started whenever any homework would be due. Well, actually, it would start every time at a minute before midnight on the day before the homework was due. Every time, without fail, Chloe would get a text.

*Buzz*

*Buzz*

*Buzz*

Excuse me, several texts.

Chloe, previously in a deep and peaceful sleep while having a wonderful dream where she cut off Heather's hair, would slowly stir in her sleep until she finally woke up enough to roll over on her bed and looked at her phone that was buzzing. At midnight. Again. She rolled her eyes.

She should've ignored those texts and gone back to sleep. She knew that she should've. But she also knew that she had to answer her phone. She knew there would be consequences if she didn't. So every time, Chloe would sigh and finally open the text, which would always say the same words:

CALL ME ASAP

And so Chloe would.

"Hello," Heather would always answer in a chirpy voice.

"What is it, Heather," Chloe would always answer in a tired voice.

"You know that English essay?"

"You mean the one on Greek gods?"

"Yeah... I didn't start on it."

Chloe closed her eyes. She knew what was coming. She knew. And yet, she still humored Heather. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Heather used her sweetest voice. "Help me write it, please?"

"No," Chloe would always answer. "I'm tired. You gotta learn to do it on your own."

"But then I'll fail," Heather would always claim.

"Then fail," Chloe would always answer back.

"But then I won't have my car to take you to all those volunteering thingies."

She squeezed her eyes shut. Heather got her there. She needed to volunteer if she ever wanted the chance to go to a college far, far, far away from Heather. "Fine," Chloe would always fold in the end. "But I'm not doing the whole essay."

"I would never make you do that," Heather always promised.

In the end, Heather would alway get an A. The thing was Heather never lied. She would do her work as promised. Chloe just had to fix every single thing for Heather.

And just like that, Heather's friends reached an epiphany. They needed to get away from Heather. Fast.

Heather started noticing the change when she picked up Chloe from her volunteer program. After asking Chloe if she wanted to watch a movie before she took her home, Chloe hesitated before responding, "Sorry, Heather, but I really need to study for this class... It's killing me, and I need to get that grade up if I want to make it into college..."

Heather, with her eyes still on the road, raised her eyebrow. It wasn't like Chloe to need to study more in order to keep her grade up. What is this girl up to?

"Oh really," Heather asked suspiciously. "What class?"

"Oh, you know," Chloe replied absentmindedly as she searched her bag for gum. "It's one of those honor classes you're not in. I'm telling you. It's brutal." When she successfully found a piece, she held it up triumphantly before unwrapping it and sticking it in her mouth.

Heather's eyes narrowed. This girl is hiding something. I'll figure it out later. "Can I have a piece of gum?"

"Sorry, Heather. That was my last piece."

Heather tried to text Chloe the next day about the geometry homework, but she never got a reply.

Then, Kiki started acting weird.

Well weirder than usual.

It was Friday, and Heather was waiting by her car while tapping her foot impatiently. Where is this girl? Groaning with frustration, she took out her phone and texted Kiki.

Where the fuck are you? Get to the car now!

Just a few seconds later, Heather received her reply.

Sorry... But I'm just not into the same type of fashion anymore... Or maybe into fashion at all... ):

Heather stared at her phone in disbelief. Kiki? Not into fashion? That can't be possible. She always wants to borrow clothes from my closet. What is up with her?

Little did she know that Kiki was at the mall in that very moment buying the pink floral dress with a smile on her face.

But Heather didn't mind. At first.

However, when her friends started blocking her number, Heather came to the realization that she was friendless. So, she tried to recruit more people. Unfortunately, the intimidation method didn't work like it did before. When she would belittle people, instead of them trying to stand up to her, word spread that she didn't have her group anymore so they would just put an arm on Heather and say, "I know it's tough not having friends, but you don't have to lash out on me" before walking away to their class.

What?

Soon, Heather became the joke of the class. Again. Instead of being the girl that everyone feared, she became the girl that everyone laughed at. When she walked down the hallway, people giggled to their friends. No matter how expensive her shoes and purse were, people just shook their heads before making a comment to their friends. She never could hear the comments, but she could only imagine what they were saying. Look at that girl. Her friends ditched her. I don't blame them. Who'd want to befriend Ms. Chubby Bunny? Or look at that girl. So desperate for people to forget about Ms. Chubby Bunny. As if we'd ever forget.

However, that wasn't the reality. Indeed, people were still begging her to go shopping with them or begging her to let them borrow her clothes. Some people even offered her a place at their lunch table when she was sitting alone. But Heather always walked away. She didn't miss her friends. She didn't miss shopping with others. She didn't miss people wishing they owned her clothes. She missed being feared. She missed people knowing that she owned that school. She had to gain that title back.

But how?

She walked farther down the hallway and noticed a poorly made poster. It was a white sheet with a black marker that wrote the words: Vote Noah for President. She smiled wickedly. Bingo.

It was brilliant, really. If Noah was president, he would be the youngest one at their school, which means that a lot of attention would be given to him. And to his girlfriend. Right now, it was that CIT girl, but Heather scoffed. She won't know how to use that kind of power. She doesn't deserve the chance to find out. But how do I get Noah? I mean, I guess I could wait for them to break up. But they've been dating for a year now so who knows when that will be? Oh! Maybe if I put green jelly in her locker then she'll get scared shitless and transfer schools! Yeah! That'll work!

I know what you're thinking. But Heather wasn't crazy. She was just... Desperate.

"Come on in."

She noticed her brother, Damien, walk in with... Courtney?

She smirked. Or... Maybe the opportunity will present itself all on its own.

One picture was all it took. Noah was pissed. By the time she finished her conversation with Noah, Heather knew her plan had worked.

Noah winning presidency was a given. After all, he did run unopposed. Heather waited until he won for her chance to strike. She figured that by then he'd be so high up cloud nine that he'd just accept anything and anyone, who threw themselves at him. So, she got to work.

Step One: Sit next to him in every class they had together

Heather knew that Noah was always the first one in class. After all, he is nothing more than a nerd. So, Heather made sure that she showed up to class right before everyone came so that it'd just be her and Noah. And when she walked into class ten minutes before school started, she smiled triumphantly as she saw the only other person in the room was Noah, who was reading a book.

"Hey Noah," Heather said in the sweetest voice she could. "Do you mind if I take a seat next to you?"

"I really don't care what you do," he replied with his eyes never leaving his book.

Step one, check.

Step Two: Have him think he's my knight in shining armor by having him help me with my homework

Once Heather sat down in her seat, she took out her geometry homework and pencil. She skimmed it for a few seconds before loudly groaning and mumbling nonsense hoping that Noah would ask her what's wrong. He didn't. For a smart guy, he's pretty dumb when it comes to girls.

"This geometry homework is really hard," Heather whined.

Noah grunted in response. His eyes still did not leave that textbook.

Heather started tapping her pencil. "Do you think you could help me with it?"

"I'm in Algebra 2 Honors. I'm not in Geometry," he replied before turning a page in his book.

Step Three: Give him a gift

Okay, step two was a bust. But there's no way he'd reject step three.

"Hey, Noah. I wanted to give you a present."

"If it's for my birthday, you're nowhere close. If it's for Christmas, that day passed a long time ago," he replied in a deadpan voice.

This son of a bitch! Keep calm, Heather. "No sill," Heather said in a teasing voice. "It's a congratulations gift. You know? Since you won. I got you-"

"I'm allergic."

Heather was starting to lose her patience with this boy. Why does he have to make everything so difficult? "You didn't even-"

The warning bell rang, and her classmates started to walk into the classroom. She felt her blood boil.

To say Heather was angry was an understatement. She was fuming. Heather walked back to her house while taking extra care to glare at whoever dared to even glance in her direction. Eventually, she just looked at the ground to avoid seeing people. And that's how she ended up walking straight into a pole.

"MOTHERFUCKER!"

She looked up to glare at the inanimate pole, when she noticed a sign for an audition to a reality show. A reality show? She smirked. A place where nobody knows who I am? This is my ticket to popularity.

END OF HEATHER'S STORY