Ugh. It's four in the morning and I REALLY need to get to bed. :/ I'll have to re-read and look over this later.

Anyways, this is the Courtney/Miranda. It's on Miranda's feelings for Courtney. I feel like it's easier to write for Miranda, in this pairing. The way I see it is this: Miranda likes Courtney who likes Ginger who likes Darren/whoever I choose to put with her. ;D

Femslash. Here's a warning. Don't like, don't read. Thanks!

If you asked Miranda how she felt about Courtney, she would reply with the obvious 'We're best friends, duh,'. Anyone could see that the two were best friends, even from a mile away. They were always together. Miranda was always at Courtney's house or Courtney sometimes accompanied the girl to her Clarinet practices, and if Courtney was in the bathroom, you were bound to see Miranda in there as well. They were just your typical, normal best friends. That would be Miranda's reply.

But there were those people who always over looked and over analyzed things that questioned that so called 'friendship'. Why did Miranda try so hard to stay friends with Courtney? Easy. Popularity. Why did Miranda try so hard to push Ginger out of Courtney's life? Easy. Popularity.

In Miranda's eyes, popularity was the answer to all of those questions. Without Courtney Gripling, she wouldn't be popular. And if Ginger Foutley wasn't around, she wouldn't have to worry about that popularity being threatened. It was simple to answer those questions. Actually, it was just as easy to lie about it than to except the truth.

Miranda Killgallen really did value her friendship with Courtney. She didn't have to lie about that. But, it was the mere fact that she valued it a little too much. Scratch that. She didn't value their friendship, and she didn't love it either. It wasn't the friendship she was in love with; It was Courtney.

But, of course, she didn't want anyone finding that out. No; that would ruin her social status and, most likely, turn Courtney against her. Miranda learned to value the close friendship they did have and learned how to lie about her problems. Not that she didn't have evidence to hold her 'popularity' excuse in place; she had plenty! All it took was that risky move when she ditched Courtney for Hope. It wasn't like Miranda wanted to leave Courtney, but she didn't want it to look like she valued their friendship too much. It hurt to see Courtney have to use one of Ginger's lackeys to pretend she still had friends. Miranda would've done anything to be in Dodie's place, but she had secrets to keep and lies to live.

Miranda could care less about popularity, but what she did care about was the idea of everyone rebelling against her and hating her for how she felt. If that were ever to happen, Miranda wouldn't be able to take it.

But she also wouldn't be able to stand loosing Courtney's friendship, either.

And that's where Ginger Foutley came into play.

It was as simple as the sun rising every morning:

Miranda was jealous of Ginger.

It seemed like, the farther and farther they got into junior high, Courtney's interest for Ginger grew larger. Soon, it was hard to pull Courtney's attention away from the red headed girl. It was like some magnetic force pulled Courtney to Ginger. A magnetic force Miranda was still trying to obtain.

At first, Miranda was confused by Courtney's behavior towards the unpopular girl. Miranda blew it off as an experiment; Courtney just wanted to know how it felt to be 'poor'. That calmed Miranda down, at first. She though that after Courtney got a look at how people in lower classes lived their lives, she'd come running back, telling stories about how horrible it was.

But that wasn't the case at all.

Courtney seemed to fit into the lower class; not cry and complain about how horrible it was. After living Ginger's life, Courtney seemed to want more. She and Ginger became friends and, all of a sudden, everything was Ginger. 'The earmuffs look better on Ginger, Miranda.' 'Sorry, I'm going to the mall with Ginger.' 'Wow, Ginger's outfit sure does look nice today! I'd even call it fashionable.' Ginger this, Ginger that. Ginger, Ginger, Ginger.

It didn't take much for Miranda to realize what had happened.

Courtney had a crush on Ginger. Unlike Miranda, Courtney just wasn't good at hiding it.

Courtney seemed to advertise her crush. She even went as far as telling everyone how she knew Ginger's shoe size. Why didn't it bother Courtney? Maybe Courtney just hadn't recognized her feelings. Or, maybe this was Courtney's way of being discreet.

Maybe if Ginger wasn't in the picture at all, Courtney would forget about her. Miranda wasn't the type to kill for these types of things, but she did have connections to Mipsy who had connections to her cousin who went to school at Avalanche Falls who could get Ginger in. It was a perfect plan! If Miranda pried Ginger away, who would Courtney have to turn to as a companion? Miranda, of course! It seemed full proof.

No one saw it coming when Courtney turned to Macie and Dodie. All Miranda wanted to do was slam her head against the wall repeatedly. Why hadn't she seen it coming?

In the end, her plan backfired. She hadn't taken Courtney to be as smart as she really was, so it was only natural that the blonde princess found out and stopped it. Miranda thought that it was over. Their friendship, that is. Courtney had answered her call, only to say,

"Your best friend has moved on, so why can't you?"

Miranda felt like crumbling to her knees and sobbing. She always thought she had all the excuses for her feelings; always thought that she kept everything well hidden and locked away. In the end, her jealousy spoke in volumes.

But, once again, those who over looked and over analyzed would all agree:

Miranda's popularity had nothing to do with her feelings towards Courtney Gripling.