This is bonus chapter part 1! YAY! It isn't anything like part 2 (which is what happens when I get bored). But you need to understand who Mindy is for part 2. My friend wrote this story for English (the only requirement was that it actually have a plot, and that it didn't use excessive bad language). There are no characters in here that I own; my friend owns them all. YAY, Pirate! Oh yeah, if you don't want to read this, you don't have to. It's just one of those times when I'm not feeling the enthusiasm for the story so pointless babble comes out. But in part 2, that pointless babble involves Mindy. Thus necessitating that you know who she is. And if you ever read this Pirate, I apologize with adapting the format to fit the format I was writing this particular story in. Except for the P.O.V. switches. I didn't change that ('cause that would have been, like, totally stupid, or, like, something). If you don't get what's in the parentheses, just read the story.

Ivy P.O.V.

I'm bored. Really REALLY bored. I feel like turning on the TV. Ugg… Nothing good. Just a Musical about nonconformity. People dancing around, shouting "Don't tell me what to do!" OMG. Bite me. I'll probably hear all about this tomorrow at school. School…

I forgot. I'm going to a new school tomorrow. Well, I won't have to worry too much about being dreary until the "New Girl" wears off. Personally I hope it wears off fast. Seriously, like 99.9% of people don't listen to anyone. Who wants to talk to people like that? Go and play in traffic or something while singing "High School Musical." I got totally ousted at my old school because I listened to people and took their advice. Only the teachers liked me, well, my cat Fiddlesticks likes me too…

My parents think there is something wrong with me. They don't have to constantly yell at me, because I do what they tell me to do. Scratch that. I MOSTLY do what they tell me to do. I have a couple of sneaky skills. I take Fiddlesticks out to the park all the time and my parents still think I am here! Son muy estupidos! Hey. That's a good idea. Off to the park I go!

Mindy P.O.V.

"Did you see that new girl?"

"Yah, she looks… different. All those other kids don't seem to notice."

I butt in, "Maybe she's one of us. I'll go and talk to her about drill team and cheerleading."

This is wonderful! I mean, maybe our group could expand. Nobody looks at me like they did my mom. My mom was, like, so popular… And I am like so … not. I have tried EVERYTHING. I am the head of the cheerleading squad and on varsity drill team. None of it matters. I am, like, shunned because I want to be popular. I know my kind are like a dying breed or something, but they could at least show some respect. I mean, I could, like, sell my outfit and buy a third world country, if any of those still exist. I had better get up and talk to her instead of daydream. It's a bad habit, and could, like, ruin my skin.
"Hey new girl. I'm Ethalinda, but you can, like, call me Mindy. I wanted to know what kinds of clubs you are planning on joining. You might just like drill team or, like, cheerleading or something. We would LOVE you on the team."

"That's very …nice Mindy. Drill team sounds like fun. I don't know anything about dancing. Doesn't that give you fat thighs?"

"Oh, that's, like, totally false. I mean look at mine. Aren't they divine? I wear like a size 2 or something. Dance and cheer are totally good for staying fit."

"Hey New Girl! Why are you talking to her? You should come and hang out with us instead of some mean girl." This is bad. Just when I had her where I want her. Now they have to come. Why couldn't I for once, like, get a friend? Just because I want to be popular doesn't make me mean, … does it?

"Back off, Citalaly. When have I ever like, been mean? I was just asking her about drill team or cheer."

"You back off, Ethalinda. I'm the one who's her sponsor. Go and bully someone else."

"Its Mindy." I watch them walk off with the new girl. She mouths sorry back at me.

Maybe this new girl won't be, like, having to be different. Maybe.

Ivy P.O.V.

What was this kid's name again? Citalaly? Whoever uses names like that? All our parents give us names like that, probably to try to help us to be singular. I mean, my name was Ives. Who names their kid Ives when there is the perfectly good name of Ivy as a variation??? Oh, I think Cit-a-something is trying to communicate.

"-then just ask me."

"Yah, whatever." I reply. She looks funnily at me. I hope she didn't figure out that I wasn't listening. That really would piss her off, probably.

School was boring. Teachers taught, students chatted or passed notes all class period, and Cit-a-something won the nationals in mobile crafting. (Who cares?)

"Thud!"
What's going on? I race around to the back entrance. There I see Mindy, surrounded by other students. She's standing in front of the drill/cheer closet, I think.

"Why did you trash our closet? We never hurt you!" Her face is red with fury.
"Because your kind always put down everyone else. You try to put everyone in categories, and we are breaking out."
"Ethalinda, there are no 'cheerleaders,' 'jocks,' or 'nerds' anymore. There are only singular people, all different. Its time you understood that."

"ITS MINDY! I like being a cheerleader. I like being in my box. I like being the same as others. What's wrong with that???" Mindy is almost in tears. I want to run and comfort her, but I probably shouldn't get involved.

They left.

"Whats wrong with that?" Mindy is really crying now. I decide to go over and comfort her. How can nice people be so mean?

Mindy P.O.V.

I totally didn't want to face Ivy today. I really didn't. So I have no idea now why I am, like, going to her locker this morning. Like, Really.

I find her trying to get into her locker or something. I take her schedule and, like, put in the combination. It opens.

"I'm sorry about the closet." Ivy looks totally embarrassed. She probably is, to have seen what, like, happened last night.

"Don't worry about it. We can always, like, get new equipment or something. What I am more worried about is you. You're totally not one of Them." None of Them would have ever comforted a Cheerleader or something like that. She totally looks down and, like, is silent for awhile, her face still red. Suddenly, she looks up, like, inspired or something.
"If They are all different, why are They a Them?" This was totally unexpected.

"Because there is like a, a pattern to it, kind of. They are, like, all different in the same way, sort of."

"Then they aren't truly different are they?" Her face, like, totally lights up or something.

"You do have a point there. I never, like, realized that or anything. I totally doubt they even realize that."

"Then we will just have to inform them of it, won't we?"

Like, oh dear.

Ivy P.O.V.

Oh, what am I doing? Why did I enter this stupid Talent Showcase??? I don't have any talents. I pride myself in dabbling a bit in everything. Why am I now going to confront the whole school?

Mindy P.O.V.

BEST. PLAN. EVER. Everyone, and I mean everyone, comes to the Talent Showcase, because they have to, like, show everyone how they all are different. (yah, right) So, Ivy goes up there and reads her little poem and everyone is, like, inspired or something. I just totally LOVE brilliant plans!

Ivy P.O.V.
It's my turn. I am so nervous. I can't believe I am doing this. How did I get talked into this? Oh no, I am walking out. Oh no, I am adjusting the microphone. Oh no, I am reading my poem. Calm face, Ivy. You can do this.

"Once upon a time
In a town very near
Something was happening
That was very queer."

People snicker. I ignore Them and continue.

"Everyone was different,
'Cuz that's what was cool.
But it wasn't just a choice,
It was the rule."

People are now staring at me. I feel so… stupid. But I shall continue!

"Since everyone was themselves,
They all felt free,
But there was a problem,
Something they couldn't see."

"All along when they thought
Conforming was bad,
Breaking Free turned out
To be just a fad."

"If everyone tries to be different,
What sets you apart?
Maybe some skills,
Or lip gloss for a start."

"When everyone goes about
Being different together,
What is the thing that
Makes you better?"

"The world needs people
To conform,
To be in boxes, and cheerlead
And to be the norm."

I smile at Mindy. I am so glad that I read this poem. Maybe they will listen now. "Thank you for your time." Everyone just stares at me.

Then someone yells out, "Why should we listen to you? You're just trying to hold us down!"

"Yeah!" People start to boo. How could they? I start to cry.

Then I yell, "Fine, be that way! You never listen to anybody! How do you think your parents feel when you won't take their advice? How can you like being different, when you really just want to go with the flow? Do you know how many people you have hurt? Some people like boxes. But you don't care, because you won't listen! You won't even give normal a chance! You never have!" I race off the stage and out to the parking lot, tears streaking down my face. Why did I ever agree to do this?

Mindy P.O.V.

I watched her, like, run out of the auditorium. It was totally terrible.

BIGGEST. FLOP. EVER.

For, like, the first time in my life, I totally know what to do. I'm going to kill them. If they think they can, like, crush not just my dreams, but, like, someone who I told to totally go out there and stand up to them, then they are totally dead. I, like, stand up, shaking so bad because I am totally mad. Then, I can like hardly believe that I say,
"Wow. And you call me mean or something. Do you have any idea what you, like just did??? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?? That girl could totally get run over and it would be, like, ALL YOUR FAULT. And you, like, call yourselves nonconformists or something. Not one of you, like, stood up for her. That totally says, like sooo much about your resolve to break free when all of you act completely the same. Don'cha know, that if, like all of you do the same thing, then I like win or something? Totally."

Yah, I, like, admit, I did get totally sarcastic at the end. The scary part is that, like, all these freaks are totally listening to me. Quite nice, or something.

"Hey! She's right! Lets go and find the New Girl!"

"Wasn't her name Ivy?"

"Who cares? Lets go!"

Like, holy cow. They actually listened. Who would have thought?

Mindy's Senior Year…

Ivy P.O.V.

I will miss Mindy so much. It's all thanks to her that I got some real friends. I can't wait until I get to see her again! She's an inspiration to us all!

Mindy P.O.V.

I'll miss Ivy. Its totally thanks to her that I, like, got the whole school for me.
Mom? Aren't you proud? Even, like, a cheerleader can get everyone to totally listen to her in this day and age. I like totally swear or something to carry on the stereotype boxes theory or something, if only for the fact that it, like, got our whole school back to the norm. Kids are finally, like, understanding that breaking free might have been good in the 50s or something, but there really isn't a need right now. Why not just stay in a box, when it fits you just right?

Kurama: In case you didn't entirely understand this story—

FCL64: I had to read it twice the first time to really understand it.

Kurama: Anyway, the basic idea is that all the kids are nonconforming in the same way, so the only person trying to conform to the norm is the only one who is really nonconforming. Not that that really makes much sense, but it's Pirate. Which explains everything.