"I can't believe we're doing this," Meg muttered.
Vanessa finished hanging a flyer on the bulletin board then turned to face Meg. "Doing what?"
"Holding auditions for our band." Meg handed her another flyer.
"What do you mean? I thought you were on board for starting a band."
"I am. I guess." Meg sighed. "I don't know."
Vanessa taped the flyer on the door to the cafeteria. "Relax. It's just something to do over the summer."
Meg glanced down at the stack of auditions flyers in her hand. "I guess I'm more apprehensive about having the auditions at my house. I don't really like anyone at this school and I'm not looking forward to having them over."
"Well, my mom and I live in an apartment, so we can't have them at my place."
"Fine." Meg handed her a flyer. "Were you actually considering Rapunzel for the band?"
Vanessa shrugged. "If she's good enough, why not?"
"Because she's annoying." Meg emphasized her point by slapping a flyer hard against a locker.
"Annoying or not, our band needs the best. We can't play gigs and get paid if we suck," Vanessa said, eying the crooked flyer Meg just hung.
The girls continued walking through the hallways of AHS, hanging up all the flyers before school started.
"Nessa, can I ask you something?" Meg asked when they finished.
"Sure."
"Do you like all of Gaston's friends?"
"I tolerate them," Vanessa replied, rifling through her purse. She pulled out some lip gloss and applied it. "Why do you ask?"
"Thomas hasn't talked to me since I told him I don't like Rapunzel."
"I'm not surprised. It's important to guys that their girlfriends get along with their friends."
Meg slumped against the wall. "So, I'm gonna have to pretend to like the blonde cheerleader."
Vanessa tossed her lip gloss back in her purse. "Ex cheerleader."
"Either way, I'm starting to realize more and more that I just don't fit into Thomas' world."
XXX
"These morning practices are brutal," Tinker Bell stated as she dropped her gym bag on the bench in the locker room.
They had just finished their Monday morning practice and, as usual, Tinker Bell was ready to start on her "I hate mornings; Helga is a tyrant" rant. Esmeralda tuned Tinker Bell out as she finished changing out of her practice clothes.
"Es, I need to talk to you," Helga said, walking up to the two girls.
Tinker Bell immediately stopped talking and just glared at Helga. Helga returned the glare before looking back at Esmeralda.
"Walk with me," Helga said.
Esmeralda picked up her backpack and followed Helga out to the gym. "What is it?"
"We need to talk about the costumes for the competition."
"What about them?"
"Well, we have to pick them out."
"What about the costumes Giselle made?"
Helga shook her head. "No. Those were Jasmine's. We need something new."
"Those are new. Giselle designed those, like, back in January. They cost Jasmine $400."
"Exactly. Jasmine bought those and since she is no longer on the team, we can't use them."
"They're all we've got. The competition is less than two weeks away, how are we supposed to get all new costumes by then?"
"I want Giselle to make them."
"Okay... So, then why are you talking to me instead of her?"
"I already asked her. She wants $600 to do it and I don't have that kind of money. We need all the girls to pull their money."
Esmeralda put her hand on her hip. "Again, why are you talking to me about this?"
"I'm not an idiot, Esmeralda, I know they don't like me. They're not gonna agree if I ask them."
"Then why not have Giselle ask them?"
"Because she doesn't want to do it."
"Then there you go. Giselle doesn't want to make new costumes and we don't want to pay for them. We're using Jasmine's."
"No we're not."
"Look, Helga; I have a lot on my plate right now so I don't have time to deal with your ego trip," Esmeralda snapped. "You may be used to everyone just bowing down to your every whim, but I'm so over it. We are going to use the costumes Giselle made earlier this semester and that's final."
"Where do you get off talking to me like that? I'm in charge here."
"You're the head cheerleader, but I'm captain of the dance team. Whether you like it or not, we're both in charge. You're not the only one calling the shots anymore, Helga Sinclair."
XXX
"Ariel! I'm so glad I caught you."
Ariel closed her locker just as Charlotte reached her. "What's up?"
"I need to copy your science homework," Charlotte told her in a hushed tone.
Ariel rolled her eyes. "Charlotte..."
"I know! I spent the weekend with Johnny and totally forgot all about it."
"All right." Ariel opened her locker, pulled out her science folder and handed Charlotte the homework.
"I'll give it back to you at lunch."
Ariel shook her head. "No. Copy it now. I don't want to risk not getting it back."
"You don't trust me?"
"I do. But with the semester coming to an end soon, I don't want my grades to slip at all."
Charlotte sat down on the floor and pulled out her unfinished homework. "I get it."
Ariel sat down next to Charlotte. "What did you guys do this weekend?"
"Other than Philip's party, we stayed in mostly." Charlotte looked up briefly to wink at Ariel. "How are things going with Eric?"
Ariel smiled to herself. "Amazing. I really think he's the one."
"Ariel, I'm really happy for you. But, try not to move too fast," Charlotte said, not looking up. "You're only seventeen; most people don't marry the person they were with junior year of high school."
Ariel cocked an eyebrow at Charlotte. "Since when did you become realistic? I thought you were all about fairy tales and happy endings."
"I am. But you can't just make believe in you're in a fairy tale. Just keep your eyes and mind open, Little Mermaid."
"Are you trying to discourage me and Eric?"
"Of course not. I think you guys are super cute together. I've just found that being realistic helps to soften the blow if you do break up."
"Are you done with my homework?" Ariel asked, trying to change the subject.
Charlotte nodded as she finished up writing, then handed Ariel her homework. "Thanks. You totally saved my life."
Ariel laughed. "No problem. But, I think you should incorporate doing your school work into that 'being realistic' plan of yours."