Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with PPG. PPG is owned by Cartoon Network. I do however own this story and would very much appreciate it if it no one plagiarised it. Thank-you.
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Chapter Three
The next few days as school weren't any easier for the girls. Even Bubbles, who was taking the 'easy' subjects, found it hard to get her homework done on time. She and Boomer had become close friends, and she often vented her worries out to him. She felt a bit silly, confiding almost everything to him when he kept so many secrets from her, but ignored the feeling.
She was walking to her basic maths class with him when a notice pinned up on a large board caught her attention. She stopped to read it, and Boomer stopped beside her, following her gaze to the brightly coloured poster.
Cheerleading Tryouts! If you think you're worthy to represent the school then meet us at the football field during lunch. Only six students will make it on the team!
"Cheerleading," she mumbled softly to herself.
"Are you thinking of trying out?" Boomer asked.
"Maybe," she said. She had never really considered joining a cheerleading squad before, but then again the opportunity had never arisen. "I mean, I am good at gymnastics so it couldn't hurt..."
"Unless you fell from the top of the pyramid," Boomer piped in and she smiled.
"Yeah, but I won't fall from the top of the pyramid," she said. "If I tried out would you come and watch?"
"Sure," he said. "If that's what you want."
"Yeah, I could use the moral support."
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Blossom brushed a few stray hairs off her face, tucking them neatly behind her ear as she walked towards her locker. She was determined not to be too early to class anymore, so she had begun taking quick tours around the school before gathering her books. She reached her locker and spun her combination into the lock. As soon as she had swung the door open, one hundred or so small pieces of paper flew out and to her feet. She gasped and stepped back, watching as the last of the papers fluttered to the floor.
"What...?" was all she managed to say.
She bent down and picked up a handful of the papers. Each had different phrases on them, ranging from 'Boss 'em, Blossom' to 'Bossy Blossy'. From behind her she heard a familiar and unwelcome snicker. She spun around, her face bright red – this time from anger, rather than embarrassment – and glared at Brick.
"What is your problem?" she shouted, causing a few heads to turn.
"Don't you like my notes?" Brick asked, pouting and walking towards her with his hands buried deep in his pockets. "I made them just for you."
"Clean this up," she said, her voice shaking with rage as she pointed to the paper around her.
"Listen, sweet-cakes–"
"It's Blossom!"
He raised his hands in a mock surrender. "Obviously someone didn't get their eight hours," he said with a crooked grin. "Although it kinda shows that you don't get any beauty sleep."
"Just clean this up!" she repeated angrily. Her hands had clenched into tight fists and her mouth had become a thin white line.
"No," he said bluntly, his smile disappearing.
They stood in silence, glaring at each other. They only stopped when the tardy bell rang.
"Well, I'll see you in chemistry," he said, and began to walk off.
Blossom reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait," she said, all anger gone from her voice and instead replaced with desperation. "Can you please just help me clean it up?"
He examined her face, his eyes showing no sign of emotion whatsoever. "I said no," he finally said, pulling his arm free of her and walking away.
She watched him walk away, anger boiling up inside her once again. She then looked back down to the papers on the floor. Everyone had made it to their classrooms by now, leaving her alone.
'At least that's one advantage to being late,' she thought as she began gathering the papers with super speed. 'No one can see me using my powers.'
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"Shop is a very dangerous class and it is important for you all to know how to use the equipment in a safe manner–"
'Look at that dick, Butch...'
"–if you have acquired an injury, this is where the first aid is located–"
'So arrogant and self conceited...'
"–if a person around you has acquired an injury you must report to me immediately–"
'God I hate him!'
"Miss Buttercup, is there a problem?"
Buttercup jumped and looked to the front of the classroom. The shop teacher was staring at her impatiently, tapping his foot with his hands placed firmly on his hips.
"Uh... no sir," she said.
"Should I continue the lesson or would you like to stare at the back of Mr. Butch's head for a few more minutes?"
Butch turned in his chair to smirk at Buttercup and she scowled. "Continue the lesson, sir," she mumbled.
"Very well," the teacher said, before turning to his bench and picking up an electric drill. "Now, this is a very dangerous tool indeed, and you must be careful with it–"
Butch blew her a silent kiss before turning around to face the front again and she gritted her teeth.
'Great, now everyone thinks I'm in love with him!'
The lesson passed slowly and Buttercup's mood didn't improve. She had been working with power tools since before she could remember and found the teacher's dull monotone voice unbearable to listen too. That combined with Butch sitting directly in front of her was almost enough to make time slow to a stop. It seemed like hours (though in reality it was probably only forty minutes) before the ring of the lunch bell interrupted the teacher mid-sentence. She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder heading for the door. She had only just left the shop classroom when she felt an arm sling over her shoulder.
"I know I'm irresistible," Butch said, examining his nails cockily. "I just feel bad that I'm distracting you so much in class."
Buttercup angrily shrugged his arm off her and turned to face him. "The only reason you're distracting is because you're so damn ugly," she hissed through clenched teeth. "You're lucky I don't kick your ass right now!"
"I'd watch my mouth if I were you," he spat back. "I don't have a problem with hitting girls."
"So you can hit a girl but you can't give her a stinking rematch?" she asked indignantly. "Well I say we settle this after school. A proper fight this time."
"You're on," he said. "Just don't think I'm gonna go easy on you."
They glared at each other for a few more seconds before turning and marching away. Buttercup had never agreed to fight a fellow student before, but this guy was practically begging for an ass-kicking. Revenge was going to be sweet.
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Bubbles stood nervously on the football field as the rules of the tryout were being explained. She could see Blossom and Boomer on the stands, but Buttercup hadn't shown up. She had half expected it though, Buttercup loathed cheerleading.
"Okay, just remember to have fun and give it your best shot," the head cheerleader, Cecilia, was saying. "Let's start off with... Michelle Graywood."
Bubbles and the other students who had shown up quickly moved aside to make space for Michelle to do her routine. It involved a lot of cartwheels, splits and jumps – stuff Bubbles was could easily do blindfolded.
The cheerleaders wrote down a score for Michelle before Cecilia stood up again. "Now can we see... Bubble's Utonium?"
Bubbles took a deep breath before walking onto the empty section of the field. She preformed her routine, trying hard to get her cartwheels and back flips as close to perfection as she could. When she had finished Blossom applauded politely and Boomer shouted out: "Yeah! Go Bubbles!"
The other contestants preformed their routines as well, and Bubbles could feel herself getting more and more nervous and excited as she watched them. Everyone seemed good, but Bubbles knew that four of the ten people trying out would have their dreams shattered. She just hoped it wasn't hers.
"Now that we've seen your routines we just want to know why you all deserve to be in the team and what 'team spirit' means to you," Cecilia said.
One by one the contestants stepped forwards and talked for a minute about the topic. The common things were said: "I have a great outlook on life!" "I'm fun-loving and energetic!" "Team spirit means always trying your hardest for your friends!"
By the time it was Bubbles' turn her hands were shaking. She didn't know what to say, and for a few moments all she could do was open and close her mouth silently. She looked over to Blossom who gave her the thumbs up, and managed to find her voice.
"Hi, my name is Bubbles and I've always had a passion for dancing and gymnastics. I've never been a cheerleader before, but I'm eager to contribute ideas for the team. I take orders really well and I'm also a really good listener. I think that 'team spirit' isn't just about being in a team and trying your hardest, it's about having fun while you do it. I reckon that everyone here would make a good cheerleader, but if I was on the team I know I'd try my hardest to be a great one!"
She didn't know where the words had come from, but she had said them and by the smiles on Blossom and Boomer's faces she could tell that they had been good ones. She stepped back into the line and Cecilia stood up.
"Okay, thank you all for trying out. It'll be a tough decision, but I guarantee that you will all know by the end of the week. Until then try hard at school!"
The group segregated and Bubbles made her way over to Blossom and Boomer who were both beaming.
"Bubbles, that was great, you really knocked 'em down," Boomer said, patting her on the shoulder as she giggled and blushed.
"I'm so proud of you," Blossom said. "If you don't get on the team I'll be really surprised."
"Ugh, don't get my hopes up," Bubbles said, attempting to be modest in her time of pride. Secretly, she too would be shocked if she didn't make it onto the team, but didn't want to get her own hopes up by admitting it to herself or anyone else.
They walked back to the school building and Boomer explained that he had to go and meet his brothers. Blossom and Bubbles walked towards their lockers together, not really talking, but basking in the joy they so rarely felt anymore. Their smiles were quickly wiped off their faces, however, when they reached the lockers to see multiple signs posted on each locker door, each saying the same thing.
Come one, come all to the car park this afternoon to witness the undefeated champ – Butch – take on the tough tomboy – Buttercup – in the fight of a lifetime! Be there or be square!!
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A/N: Sorry for the slow update. Blame my brat of a brother who thought it would be hilarious to delete all of my PPG fics as a pre-April Fool's joke. Oh well, it's re-written and eager for reviews. And a big thanks to the many many people who have reviewed in this long break between updates.