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The next day, Becky made her way to the science hall bathroom- which Rebecca had chosen because it was the least-frequented bathroom in the school-and excitedly arranged on the counter: contacts, eye liner, and tan spray(the spray that makes your skin slightly tan like on the show)...
The door opened a crack, and Rebecca's pale face appeared. She slipped inside and pulled a piece of cardboard out of her black backpack.
Becky's eyes widened as her sister held up the makeshirt sign: OUT OF ORDER.
"You wouldn't!" Becky said.
Rebecca flashed a devilish smile and said Wanna be? Opening the door a tiny bit, she screwed up her face in concentration and reached around to hang the sign on the doorknob, looking like a safecracker in a heist movie.
"Okay!" Rebecca returned, empty-handed. "Make me pink."
"Not pink. Natural," Becky corrected, handing her sister a facial wipe. "Start by taking off your eyeliner."
In a matter of seconds, the towelette was blacker than the rage Becky's dad used to shine his shoes. "Oh, my gosh, I knew you wore a lot eyeliner. But this is really-"
Rebecca gave her a look.
"Impressive," Becky finished and quickly change the subject. "Anyway, I can't believe how white your regular skin tone is," she said, shaking the can of slightly tan spray.
Rebecca grabbed her wrist."You are not putting that on my face."
Becky sighed and looked her sister in the eye. "Rebecca, natural means healthy. It means aglow with life, awash in sunlight. It means you woke up this morning on the morning beach in Japan with a hottie feeding you oatmeal. You need slightly spray on tan."
"Yami Muto doesn't like oatmeal neither do I," Rebecca said frostily. "I know for a fact."
"Well , this washes off anyway," Becky reassured her sister. "And who's Yami Muto?"
Rebecca just rolled her eyes. "Spray away." She sighed, closing her eyes and relaxing her face.
After the slightly spray tan, Becky did Rebecca's blush Becky's blush and lip gloss. It was the eyeshadow that really clinched it, though. Rebecca now actually looked like a living person. Becky grabbed hair bands and pulled it into two pigtails.
"Okay." She smiled, stepping back and admiring her work. "Let's switch clothes." She and Rebecca each took a stall. After taking off her glasses, Becky pulled off her pink shirt and orange skirt, folded them neatly, and slipped them underneath the blue metal divider. In return, Rebecca passed her dark blue shirt and black leather jeans.
A minute later, Becky opened the stall door and stood looking at herself in the mirror. Dark clothes and leather was so not her style. Then again, she did like the way it hugged her thighs. And putting on her glasses again.
Actually, she like to her collection of clothes.
Suddenly, the stall door besides her's opened. Becky watched her sister take in their reflections. Rebecca's eyes shifted her back and forth-Becky wondered for a moment whether Rebecca was having trouble remembering which reflection was her own-before settling on the girl in the pink skirt and the orange wrap top.
"Pretty awesome, huh?" Becky said.
A totally horrified look spread over Rebecca's face. "I never thought I'd look like..." she began hoarsely.
Uh-oh, Becky thought.
"Bulla Briefs!" Rebecca's face burst into a smile.
"Shut up!" Becky cried. "I do not look like Bulla Briefs!" She threw a cosmetic sponge at her sister's head in mock anger, but Rebecca batted it away just in time.
"I don't know-this top is seriously pink," Rebecca teased.
"I have way better fashion sense than her, and you know it!" Becky protested lightly.
"Okay, okay, don't pop a blood vessel!" Rebecca giggled, holding out her arms for Becky to spray them with slightly tan, too. Then she took the can and sprayed her lower legs and feet herself. "Geez, how do you wear short skirts like this all the time?"
"Well, you look great. Except for the thin combat boots. They sort of ruin it." Becky struck her tongue out at Rebecca.
Rebecca stuck her tongue right back.
They traded shoes.
Rebecca was peering down at Becky's sparkly pink flip-flops.
Becky finished lacing up the thin but heavy combat boots and tried taking a few steps. "Oh, my gosh." She shook her head. "It's like wearing cement blocks!"
Rebecca shrugged. "You never know when something really heavy might drop on your foot."
Becky paced back and forth, trying to get the hang of walking. "Okay," she said as she went. "Show me your best dance team hair flips."
Rebecca turned her head sharply. The two blond pigtails whipped out and smacked her in the face. "Ow!"
"Not that way," Becky instructed. "Do it with grace. Lead with your chin. Like, just pretend like you're watching a mouse running across the floor with the corner of your eye. That's better. Good. Now let's see you smile." Rebecca bared her teeth. "You look like you're about to eat me for dinner." Becky giggled. "Relax!"
Rebecca tried again. And again. "Okay," Becky said, satisfied. "Whatever you do, don't stop smiling. My sunny disposition is one of my best qualities." Rebecca's face lit up. "You bet!" She bounced, giving her a thumbs up.
"Don't overdo it," Becky said. "In fact, you should probably just limit your conversation to 'Really?' 'Really' is the most versatile word in English and Japanese language."
Rebecca widened her eyes. "Really?"
Becky tried not to smile. "Oh, you're going to make me look like a regular Einstein. I can tell."
Rebecca beamed. "Really?"
Becky tried to ignore her. "The other thing you have to remember is that I'm the new girl. So you can't talk about anything I shouldn't know. If you get struck, just ask about about the latest ... whatever."
Rebecca took a deep breath. "Really?"
"ENOUGH!" Becky cried.
Rebecca slouched back to her normal self. "My turn!" she sang, picking up her black bag and turning it upside down over the counter. A jumbled waterfall of stuff clattered out: cosmetics, pens, notebooks, chewing gum, contacts pencils, and paper clips. Rebecca shook the bag. A full-size stapler crashed to the counter. She shook it again. Out tumbled a small, black aerosol can, which Rebecca snatched up and displayed in the palm of her hand.
"Pale Beauty, the spray on whitener,'" She caressed the can like a model on a TV commercial. "For that extraspecial made of marble look!'"
"You're kidding!" Becky said. She grabbed the can and inspected the label.
"Lots of goths use it," Rebecca explained, "especially if they're not bleesed with a flawless white complexion like mine. Now close your eyes."
Becky did as she told. The spray was cold and moist on her skin, but it dried almost instantly. She glanced in the mirror. "I look like a clown!" she said.
"Careful what you say or I'll take your eye out," said Rebecca, pulling off Becky's glasses off leaning in with an eyeliner pencil as fat as a Sharpie marker.
Becky tried to hold still. She was focused brown spot on the ceiling and asked, "So what should I talk to your friends about?"
"Excuse me?" Rebecca stopped mid upper-left lid. "You cannot talk to my friends. At all. Bulla Briefs's one thing. But Akiza Izinski has been my best friend since we were 2 years old. She'd be able to tell you weren't me instantly."
Becky knew Rebecca was right, but she was stll disappionted. "I was sort of excited to be all gloomy," she said, pouting, pulling her hair down into the style Rebecca had yesterday(the style she had Waking the Dragons).
"Sorry," Rebecca said with genuine sympathy. "What about hiding out in the library? That's where I normally work on my articles for the paper."
"It won't be as fun as gabbing with Goths, but I guess it'll have to do," Becky conceded. "Luckily, I have apple and some chips to keep me company."
As Rebecca finished putting the contacts on Becky's eyes, she said, "Let's meet back here right after lunch and-"
The bell rang.
"Oh, my gosh!" Becky squealed. "It's time. You have to go!" She scooped up her cosmetics, dumped them back in her pink purse, and handed it to Rebecca. "I'll refill your bag once you've gone," she added.
Rebecca rested her hands on Becky's shoulders and looked her right in the eye. "Don't smile too much and don't speak," she said, and Becky felt her sister pressing her down toward the ground. "And, whatever you do, please don't bounce!"
Becky nodded seriously. She hugged her sister for luck. Then Rebecca plastered her face in a smile and headed out the door, clutching Becky's purse.
Becky did her best not to grin after her. After all, she was a Goth now.
Rebecca pushed open the doors to the cafeteria, curling her toes so that Becky's flip-flops wouldn't fly off her feet. She tried bouncing as she walked, but then she realized she wasn't smiling. She started smiling, but then she forgot to bounce.
Rebecca caught a glimpse of Bulla Briefs and her minions already at their table, and she ducked nervously into the food line.
As the line crept along, Rebecca decided to try a hair flip. She thought of a mouse running along the floor, just as Becky said, and followed it out of the corner of eye. Her pigtails swung around smoothly. Then the mouse ran under Bulla Briefs's chair. Rebecca imagined Bulla jumping up and down, screaming her head off.
There. That was better. Now it was suddenly easy to smile and bounce.
"A burger, please!" Rebecca requested perkily when it was her turn.
Her full tray in hand, Rebecca set her sights on the Table of Evil. Bulla saw her and waved excitedly, then rested her hand meaningfully on the shoulder of the boy next to her-none other than Duke Devlin. Even from this far away, Rebecca could see Bulla fluttering her eyelashes.
Rebecca made her way across the cafeteria bouncily. She was almost at the Table of Evil when she realized with a jolt that she was walking right past her usual table, where all her friends were eating lunch. She nearly tripped over one of her flip-flops and had to bend down to get it back on.
Akiza was saying, "It's seriously the most important night of the whole year" to Tea.
What am I doing? Rebecca thought nervously.
As Rebecca straightened, Bulla caught her eye again and mouthed, "Isn't he not?" She was leaning toward Duke like she was hanging on his every word.
I remember, thought Rebecca, turning her smile back on. I'm getting back at Bulla Briefs.
She plopped her tray down across from Bulla and Duke and unleashed exuberant, "Hi, guys!" Oops, she thought. I wasn't supposed to overdo it.
Fortunately, Alexis and Rio didn't seem not notice. "Hi, Becky!" they replied.
"I love your contacts you have on!" Alexis said, excitedly.
"Thanks!" Rebecca said.
Then Bulla said, "What do you think you're doing?"
Rebecca's heart stopped. "Uh... I'm, like," she stammered, "having... lunch?"
Bulla blinked in disbelief. "Since when," she asked wide-eyed, "do self-respecting dancers eat hamburgers for lunch?"
Alexis and Rio nodded in concern.
"Yes, well, you are so totally right," Rebecca said, her heart beating again. "And I don't know what came over me, but I just really wanted a burger today."
"I think it's cool," said Duke Devlin, smiling broadly at Rebecca from beneath his crew cut. "Refreshing, actually. A girl who really eats. All the girls I know won't even a French fry unless it's covered in fatless dressing."
"I love hamburgers!" Bulla said quickly. "Just not from the cafeteria." She giggled uncomfortably. "Anyway, let me introduce you. Becky this is Duke. Remember I was telling you about him? Duke owns a Dungeon Dice game shop not far from here."
"Really?" Rebecca said in wide-eyed wonder as she took a bite of her burger.
"Plus he is a great Duel monsters player," Bulla continued, savoring the words like she was eating a chocolate.
"Dungeon Dice, too," Duke added.
"You should see him Dueling."Bulla winked.
"Rea-lly," Rebecca said knowing with a smile. Duke chomped a French fry.
Rebecca wasn't about to stop now. "So , what's the latest in Duel Monsters?"
"I got a Orgoft the Relentless card last year." Duke swallowed. "It was a powerful card. This year, I'm going get a Strike Ninja
"Really?" Rebecca said automatically.
"Yeah." He cocked his head. "Hey, Bulla tells me you're trying out for the dance team."
Rebecca nodded coyly.
"She says you're pretty good," said Duke.
"For a new girl," Bulla put in.
"You sure look like you'd be a great dancer," said Duke, with what he he obvisiously thought was a winning smile.
I've sunk to a new low, Rebecca thought. Duelist Duke Devlin likes me!
The look on Bulla Briefs's face made it seriously worth it, though. "Duke!" she said, clutching at his arm like she was drowning. "Oh, my gosh, Duke. We forgot cooking!"
"Oh, yeah," Duke nodded, looking impressed. "I cook, too."
Bulla narrowed her eyes. Then she reached over, grabbed the last bite of Rebecca's burger off her plate, and dramatically popped it in her mouth, smiling at Duke goofily as she chewed.
Rio and Alexis looked seriously shocked.
This is going better than I ever imagined! Rebecca thought, wiggling her toes in delight underneath the table. Bulla Briefs is literally eating her words!
Becky was having a great time trudging back toward the science hall bathroom at the end of lunch period. Now that she was used to Rebecca's boots, every step made her feel really powerful, like she could march through a crowd of people and they would all move out of her way. Her mouth set firmly, she peered out at people from behind a wall of hair. A passing Goth girl murmured, "Hi, Rebecca."
"Hi," Becky answered without stopping. She tried not to let a tiny smile escape, but she couldn't help it. Being a Goth is so cool! she thought.
Her period in the library had flown by. At first, Becky had been annoyed that she's forgotten to bring Thrice Bitten, the latest Count Vira book, with her. But then she remembered reading an old French short story that, according to what she'd seen on a vampire fiction fansite, was one of the first vampire stories ever written. She decided to see if they had it.
"The Horla and the Other Stories of Guy de Maupassant. It looks like this isn't the first time you've checked this book out, Rebecca," the librarian had said when she'd looked at the computer screen.
Becky had shrugged as she'd thought Rebecca might, taken the book, and started reading... The story had been so awesome that before Becky knew it, the bell had rung for the end of the period. Now she was in a hurry to get back to the bathroom and find out from Rebecca how things had gone with Bulla Briefs.
Becky rounded the corner and crashed right into a Goth boy! Her book flew from her hands and skittered across the floor.
She looked at the boy as he bent to pick up her book. He was muscular, wearing blue leather pants and jacket ana a black tight shirt. His slightly tan skin has red/violet and black hair with blond bangs. He looked familiar, probably from one of her classes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, sounding concerned.
"I'm fine," Becky said. "Sorry. I guess my boots got ahead of me."
The boy handed Becky her book, and she finally figured out which subject they had together. "I know you," she said with a nod. "You're in my social studies class."
The boy gave her a weird look. He frowned, looking kinda cute, if you were into the silent type.
"Rebecca," he said slowly, "we've been in the same social studies class for the last four years."
"Uh..." Becky fumbled. "Of course. Just kidding?" She grimaced in a friendly way.
He glanced at the cover of her book. "Looks interesting," he said, holding it out to her.
She knew she should just take the book and go, but it really was something that people should read. "It is. The Horla's about this guy who thinks he's being stalked by a vampire. It, uh, really sucks."
"Yeah?" the boy said, clearly intrigued.
"Yeah. It's all told in diaries entries, and this guy doesn't know if he's going crazy or what," explained Becky.
He nodded. "I'll have to read it."
"You should," she said. Then she spotted Rebecca down the hallway. Gosh, she really does look fabulous in that skirt! Becky thought.
The boy was still looking at her. "What else do you like to read?"
Over his shoulder, Becky saw Rebecca stop and stare at her, mouth agape, looking completely panicked. Oh, no, thought Becky. Lunch with Bulla was a bust!
Rebecca stamped her flip-flop on the ground and frantically motioned for Becky to follow her into the bathroom right now! Becky mumbled, "Gotta go," to the Goth boy and rushed away. She heard him call, "Hey, Rebecca!" as she pushed through the bathroom door.
"Oh, my gosh, what happened?" Becky cried when she saw her sister's stricken look in the bathroom mirror.
"How the heck am I supposed to know what happened?" Rebecca demanded with wild look in her eyes. "That's what I should be asking you. WHAT HAPPENED? She washed the slightly spray-on tan off her face, arms, and legs, pulled her hair out of it's two pigtails, and abruptly disappeared into a stall to change.
Wow! Becky thought as she washed off the heavy eyeliner and white makeup. Lunch must have been really awful.
"I'm really sorry, Rebecca," Becky said, taking the next stall and unlacing her boots. "You were right. It was a bad idea. Bulla was never going to fall for it."
"Bulla?" Rebecca's voice rang off the bathroom walls. "Bulla fell for it like a skydiver without a parachute. I'm not talking about Bulla. I'm talking about Yami Muto!"
"But I thought you were having lunch with Duke Devlins," Becky said to the silver metal divider.
"I am going to strangle you," Rebecca said, clearly exasperated. Becky's clothes appeared at ankle level.
"You mean the guy in the hallway?" Becky asked, gradually piecing things together as she handed back Rebecca's clothes.
"Yes!" Rebecca said.
"You don't like him?" Becky guessed.
"No!" Rebecca cried. "I am utterly in love with him!"
"Oh." It all made total sense now. Becky felt like such a dork. "I get it," she said sheepishly.
"Well?" Rebecca prompted. "What did he say?"
"I bumped into him by accident," Becky explained. "He asked about my book. It's due back next Tuesday, by the way."
"Did he..." Rebecca's voice was suddenly much quieter. "Did he know my name?" Becky heard her sister emerge from the next stall.
Becky straightened her skirt and pushed open her own door. "You mean you've never even spoken to him?" she asked.
Rebecca sighed dramatically and shut her eyes. "No."
"Well," said Becky brightly. "It appears your unusual mating strategy worked, because I'm pretty sure the guy is totally into you."
Rebecca's eyes flew open. "Nothing. He just... he seemed like really wanted to talk to you. He was, like, hanging on my every word. He didn't want me-you-to walk away."
"Like how?" Rebecca demanded.
"Stop obsessing," Becky said, handing Rebecca her bag and taking her own bag. "If I were you, I'd thank me for breaking the ice."
"I told you not to talk to anyone!" Rebecca protested.
"Come on," Becky said, giving her sister a playful poke in the arm. "Will you please just tell me what happen with Bulla?"
Rebecca leaned back against the bathroom counter to lace up her boots. "Well," she said matter-of-factly. "It's safe to say you're not the only match-maker in this bathroom. In fact, lunch went so well that Duke Devlin asked you to go to the mall with him after school."
Becky's jaw dropped. "No!"
"Oh, yes," said Rebecca as she reapplied her makeup and turned her hair down hair style back to normal. "I said you were busy of course. He's too dumb for you. But you should have seen the look on Bulla's face!" She did a perfect imitation: chest out, mouth open, eyes popping out of her head. Becky laughed.
"Still," said Rebecca, letting her hair fall in front of her face. "I'm glad to be myself again. Talking about sports makes the lunch period seem eternal."
"Careful," Becky said as she pulled out the container of facial wipes. "Yami might like games and history.."
"Why?" Rebecca gasped. "What'd he say about history?"
End of chapter!