Chapter 11

Rich Bitch

Fifth Grade

Princess heard a glass shatter while she was on her way to her father's office. "I will leave," her mother said, in a shrill tone. They were arguing, as usual.

"Daddy," Princess called once she had reached the office.

"After everything I do for you? Fat chance!"

"I will walk right out the door. I swear it!" They fought at least once a month, usually when they had to see each other. Princess never knew what it was about, adult problems she guessed. But it never made sense, they had all the money in the world.

"Daddy," Princess called again.

Princess' father smiled at her mother. "You remember our prenup. You'll leave without a scrap of fabric to your name."

"Daddy!" Princess screamed.

"Then you can kiss my bare ass for the last time." Princess' mom turned away from him with her hands on her hips.

"DADDY!"

Princess' father reached into his pocket and pulled out the Praetorian Black credit card. "I love you," he said with his hand extended to Princess.

Princess loved him too. He always knew exactly what to say.

Sophomore Year - October

Princess woke to the sound of birds chirping and waves crashing into the shore. She arose and put on a dressing robe to let Juanita in. Juanita was waiting just outside her door with a pot of hot tea and a single teacup as usual.

She took her morning tea on the balcony overlooking her private beach. Juanita dutifully filled and refilled Princess' cup until she was done enjoying a relaxing morning.

When she was finished, she dismissed Juanita and inspected the three outfits Gwen had laid on her bed for her to choose from for the day. The first was a dress, a variant on one some movie star had worn to an awards show Princess didn't care about. The second was a safe but drab number. Sure, it was classy, but it was also boring, like she was some pretentious socialite from Megaville. The last was much more casual, skinny jeans, layered tops, and a pair of Louis Vuitton d'orsay pumps.

"I like this one," Princess said, running her hands over the fabric of the last outfit. "But we need to make some changes. I have someone I need to seduce today."

Gwen subtly arched an eyebrow. "Are you thinking of a low-cut top or short skirt?"

Gwen knew Princess far too well. "Why can't I do both?"

"You need to leave a little mystery, darling. Give him something to work for."

Princess thought for a moment. "How about a thigh length jean skirt and only the outermost top." She separated the flowy gold crossover from the rest of the layers.

"This will make you look like a common trolop, dear."

Princess tilted her head and tapped her heel. "What do you suggest, then?"

"We can keep the jean skirt if you're married to the idea," Gwen said, retreating to Princess' closet. "Why don't we find you a top that will not constitute a substitute for your bra."

"So help me Gwen, if you come back with something with ruffles-"

"Of course not, darling. You are not hosting a fundraising banquet for old ladies."

Princess relaxed. She was probably Princess' best friend. Not that Princess had many actual friends. Most people were only useful as servants. Gwen, however, had a keen sense of style and could be super bitchy when she wanted to be.

Gwen came back with a sequined sleeveless top with a low neckline. "I assume you like the gold." It sparkled in the light as she slowly let it spin in her fingers.

"It's passable. Barely."

"For anyone else I would suggest something mundane, but you can afford to be bold." Gwen went to Princess' bathroom and returned, having prepared Princess' makeup. "How to create the drama without speaking out loud." Gwen tilted her hip. "One cannot go wrong with the smokey eye."

"I'm not a whore, Gwen."

"Says the girl who wants to attend school in her underwear."

"Do something else," Princess demanded flatly.

"Fine. You will wear the winged eyeliner under something that will match your top."

Princess sat down in her makeup chair and Gwen went to work on her face. "Tell me about this boy."

Princess smirked. "He's smart and he knows it."

"Is he cute?"

"He has a certain boyish charm I find appealing."

"The boyish charm is fine for a while, but it can become so irritating rather quickly. With a boy this young it must develop into..." Gwen waved the applicator in the air, looking for the proper English translation from her native French. "...Rugged suaveness. Or are you looking for something more sophisticated?"

"Sophistication can wait. I'll take rugged suaveness any day."

Gwen left when she was finished, unlike the rest of Princess' servants, she had an actual job as a stylist in Citiesville. Princess' hair stylist came in next with a flat iron and curler. She straightened Princess' hair with the flat iron and curled the ends to give it a little bounce. Her work was technically adequate, so she wouldn't be fired, at least not that morning.

Princess retrieved a pair of elbow length gloves and went downstairs to go to school. Juanita bowed, offering Princess her loaded Prada purse and she stepped into the car. Milo drove like one of those old ladies Gwen was talking about, but she didn't mind with a mimosa to keep her company.

First period went as usual. The teacher wouldn't stick to any one topic for more than a minute. Suzy kept sighing. Brick and Soyun whispered back and forth, knowing Mr. Luzinsky couldn't hear them. Princess joined them with a few snide comments here and there. The rest took notes on the lecture. Blossom was the only one who was off. Usually she was taking her own notes using super-speed, but today she kept looking at her pencil. She studied it, spinning it in her hand like she had never seen it before. That made Princess smile. It was going to be a good day.

She arrived at her second period Chemistry class before her lab partner. There was equipment assembled on their tables, probably for something gross that she would be able to pass onto him.

Speaking of her lab partner, Brick walked in and set his backpack down on their table. It was time to make her move. He usually hated when someone talked to him for no reason, it annoyed him. Princess never modified her behavior around him, he could deal, but this time she needed something. "I need to switch lab partners."

Brick swung his head toward her and gave her that knowing smirk. "You want to partner with Hanout again? I keep telling you, he's gay." He sat down and got comfortable in his seat.

Princess shook her head, that jawline with that complexion, talk about rugged suaveness. Princess had had a crush on him the year before and insisted he be her lab partner. But that wasn't it. "No, I'm not switching with Robin. She can drool all she wants. He's gay. Can confirm."

He turned and squinted at her. "Who do you want to switch with then?"

Princess pouted, knowing he was about to hate it. "I'm sorry."

He pursed his lips. Dragging out the torture would only make him hate her more, but Princess relished the power. "If it's not Soyun, I will take Suzy, Hanout, Dexter, even goddamn Mordecai. Do not tell me..."

"I'm afraid so." Princess arched her back and gave him the puppy-dog eyes.

"Robin. At least she's not-" Then he got it. Brick's eyes widened as he finally understood what Princess was saying.

"Sorry." Princess gave him her best head tilt and concerned look. She really hated doing this to her future husband, but it had to be done. He would understand when they sat on their thrones at the top of the world.

"No." Brick chuckled and shook his head. "I would never agree to that."

Princess looked him in the eye. He looked right back. "You will or I'll inform her about those three little jobs you pulled for a Mr. Winthrop Mangrove."

Brick snorted. "Go ahead. We've been pardoned for all of our crimes."

Princess tilted her head. "And your priceless reputation in the upper-class underworld will be tainted before it even began. No one in high-society will risk working with a known lawbreaker, pardoned or not."

Brick jerked in his seat, took off his hat, smoothed his hair, and put it back on. "You're a fucking bitch, you know that?" he seethed.

That was all the consent she needed. She really did have to send Mordecai a thank you gift. The right information really could hold anyone in check. Still, Brick and Princess had chosen to be partners because Soyun wanted to play mind games on Mordecai all year. She owed him at least a little explanation. "I need Dexter. Dexter is Blossom's partner. That means you get Blossom."

"Why the fuck would you need Dexter?"

"That's for me to know, cutie." She rubbed his jaw and sauntered toward Dexter.

"I hate you."

"You'll be over it by next week." She said over her shoulder.

Dexter sat at his table writing notes in his lab book before he and Blossom began the experiment. Blossom had arrived early then removed herself from the classroom for one reason or another.

Princess bent at the waist, resting her elbows on the table and giving him a good look. "Hey Dexter," she said in a breathy voice.

Dexter froze like time had stopped completely. He stared at her with wide eyes.

"I really like your lab coat." She caressed the lapel. "It's like you're ready for anything."

"G- Greetings Princess." He managed to give her a half-smile. "Thank you. I am pre- prepared for any eventuality."

"I bet you are." Princess tilted her head, letting her hair cascade all over his table. "I bet you even have a lot of great ideas for the semester project."

"Y- Yes." He coughed. "I do have a number of ideas. However, Blossom have already begun planning a relatively mundane project-"

"What!? A serious scientist like you would never settle for something mundane. You must have so many life-changing ideas."

"Well yes, but-"

"If you were my lab partner, we could change the world."

Dexter took another peek down her blouse. "We could indeed."

"Let's ask Mr. Chryniszzswics if we can switch."

"What about your-"

"Brick? He doesn't like me very much and I think I can do better." Princess turned to look at him, focusing Dexter's attention.

Brick was sitting back in his chair giving them the finger without looking.

"So you'll switch? I think we'd work really well together."

"What will Mr. Chryniszzswics say?"

"Why don't we find out?" Princess pulled him by his upper arm to the teacher's desk.

The teacher was engrossed in whatever was on his computer. "Mr. Chryniszzswics, Dexter and I would like to work together as lab partners. May we be allowed to switch?"

Mr. Chryniszzswics looked up at them, blinking several times like they had appeared out of nowhere. "I suppose it's fine. As long as your current partners agree. Brick is this alright with you?"

"Yeah," Brick said from his desk. The situation clearly wasn't fine given his tone. "Whatever."

"And Blossom..." The teacher looked over the classroom. "Where is Blossom?"

"She needed to take care of something," Princess said.

"Oh that's right. Well, she is so agreeable, I'm sure she will be okay with the change." He went right back to his computer, forgetting about them.

"Let's go to your table, Dexter." Princess took her bag from her former table while Brick flipped her off the whole time. Dexter must have noticed, but he didn't say anything.

At Dexter's table, Blossom's stuff was in her way. Her notes were neatly arranged on top and her gaudy backpack leaned against one of the table's legs. Princess decided to kick them away and refused to give them any more attention.

She smiled at Dexter and they read through the assignment together. Blossom paraded into the classroom like she owned the place. Her chin was high so she could look down her nose at everyone.

Blossom took a haughty breath and tried to act disaffected. "Princess, care to tell me why my things are scattered over the floor?"

"Are they?" There were books and papers scattered on the floor where Princess had kicked them. "I hadn't noticed."

"I'm sure." She walked up to Princess and Dexter's table. "Why are you in my seat?"

"You're mistaken. This is my seat. Right next to my new lab partner." Princess rested her hand on Dexter's arm. "That's your seat." She looked over to the empty chair next to Brick.

Blossom crossed her arms over her chest and leaned down. "Pick up my things and place them where they belong."

Princess leaned forward to get in her face. "No. Maybe next time you shouldn't put your things where they don't belong."

Blossom glared at her. Princess gave her a shark-toothed smile knowing she couldn't do anything.

Blossom went up to the teacher's desk. "Mr. Chryniszzswics, I need to speak with you." They talked briefly, not loud enough for anyone else to hear. Princess winked at Dexter.

"There must be some mistake." Blossom lost her composure. "I cannot be partners with Brick. I need to switch."

"You already switched once today," Mr. Chryniszzswics said.

"I didn't-"

"You can't switch again, it wouldn't be fair to the other students. Please move to your seat so that we can begin today's lab."

Blossom straightened, pushing her chin into the air again. She marched over and picked her things off the floor.

"And just how was the prude convention, Blossom?" Princess sneered.

"Princess." Brick glared at her. "Shut up."

Princess gave him an innocent look. Poor angry baby. She'd make it up to him eventually.

Blossom and plopped into her seat. She and Brick read the assignment, turned slightly away from each other, not speaking. The situation was quite satisfying.

The second part of Princess' plan required a little more luck. Boys were so easy to manipulate, girls were a little more difficult, though not by much.

Princess' chef met her in the cafeteria at lunch. His offerings were shredded brussels sprout on ricotta toast, as if Princess needed the carbs, endive cups with beet, persimmon, and feta cheese, the most bland food on Earth, and lettuce wraps with filet mignon and water chestnuts. Honestly, Princess was beginning to believe everyone was offering her two terrible options, so she'd have to settle for the third.

Princess took the lettuce wraps and let her lackeys have the rest. Julie scooped up the ricotta toast much to Princess' amusement. Julie Smith was Princess' 'friend' Not a person she actually gave a second thought to, but Julie hated Blossom almost as much as Princess did. That made her useful as Princess' lackey.

They sat in the cafeteria near the cheerleaders. The girls gabbed back and forth about nothing, but Princess' target had super hearing. After a few minutes of chatting, Princess made her move.

"God, if only we could get a competent quarterback. Tyler's replacement is a joke."

Bubbles turned around in her chair. "What?"

Princess rolled her eyes and turned toward Julie. It only made Bubbles want to hear what she had to say all the more. "You know who they should get, Butch."

"Mm hmm." Julie nodded her head with a mouth full of food. She finally swallowed. "He'd make a great quarterback."

With the seed planted, Bubbles turned back toward her group.

After school, Princess arrived at Dexter's minuscule house as planned. She couldn't understand how people lived like that, but she was glad they could. He showed her inside and into his room. It was a typical boy's room, Princess was glad it didn't have much of a smell.

Dexter tilted a book out of his bookcase. Princess expected it to swing open. Instead, a remote control dropped from the ceiling. He pulled on the string it was attached to and the ceiling fan folded out, surrounding them. They began moving down at a high speed and a door opened.

"Behold! My Laboratory!"

"Wow!" Princess let herself take it in. The equipment was uniform with an off-white casing. Bright sun lamps were spaced in a hexagonal formation on the ceiling. The lab had a pale blue atmosphere. "So you built all this?"

"Indeed. I had completed construction before I was six."

"Take me on a tour."

Dexter bent his elbow for Princess to take, and she held very loosely. "This front section is a showcase of my latest inventions. My Lead Zeppelin." He gestured to a blimp made of a dull gray metal. "My Iron Maiden." It was a fighting robot. Such a shame that Princess couldn't take her for a spin. "My Guns and Roses." It was just a pile of assault rifles and long-stemmed roses on a table. "My Twisted Sister-"

"Hey Dexter." A blonde girl said.

"Dee Dee! What are you doing here?"

Dee Dee rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Dexter. I'm just looking for an extra phone charger." She waved the charger in his face, dangling it by the cord. "Who's your friend?"

Dexter shook his head. "No one you need to concern yourself with. Now, please give us some-"

"Is this your girl-friend?"

Princess tilted her head.

"Not at all. We are simply lab part-"

"Does your girlfriend know you watch Pony Puff Princess?"

Dexter strobed like he had just been electrocuted. "Dee Dee! No! I certainly do not-"

"Don't they have a special name for guys that watch Pony Puff Princess? Pony-boys?"

Dexter stomped his foot. "Princess, please take a look around and let me know if you see anything that would make for a winning science project." He walked up to Dee Dee and yelled at her. Princess didn't care.

She meandered through the lab, careful to not get lost. She found the power generator, an armory full of ray guns, and the particle accelerator. She must have been in the physics section, not what she was looking for. She saw some green and figured it was hydroponics.

A few aisles down and there it was, between the biology and chemistry sections, all Princess had ever wanted, Dexter's genetic modification plant. A quick perusal confirmed he had plenty of compounds they'd need. Though he was missing the most-important one.

"I apologize for my rude sister's interruption. Now, where were we?"

Princess stifled her excitement. "What's that?"

"This? Ahhh, this may be too advanced for a rudimentary science project."

"Not at all. It looks like you could..." Princess didn't know how much she should allow Dexter to know how much she knew. He probably liked smart girls, as long as they weren't smarter than he thought he was. "modify an organism's DNA."

Dexter puffed up his chest. "Indeed you could."

Princess studied a nearby hologram and took her notes out of her bag. "To make our project compelling, we need to pose a captivating question, then provide a solid answer."

Dexter paused, considering her words. Princess resisted rolling her eyes. It was basic method. "I believe I am following. In that case, what do you propose our question should be?"

Princess turned to him and smiled. "How could we give someone superpowers?"

"Superpowers?" Dexter thought for a moment. "The super I am most familiar with is Major Glory. He was a normal man once, who was enhanced with a blast of concentrated energy while defending the Statue of Liberty." He rubbed his chin. "A through study of this incident would be most intriguing-"

"It needs to be more consistent, something that could be replicated. I know, what about the Powerpuff Girls? The procedure that created them was repeated on two separate occasions."

"The Powerpuff Girls? They famously use Chemical X to fuel their powers, as do Brick and his brothers. However, I am unaware of any other-"

"And as I recall, they successfully infused Chemical X into a squirrel. If they could do that, you and I can infuse it into a human. Okay. So all we need to do is get some Chemical X."

"Only Professor Utonium knows the formula for Chemical X, and it is a closely guarded secret."

"There's got to be another way." Princess tapped her heel. It was becoming tedious leading him by the nose for this long. "Isn't there something that counteracts Chemical X?"

"Ahh yes, Antidote X. If we could obtain some Antidote X, we could study its properties to discover how it reacts with other compounds. In that way we could design a substance very much like Chemical X. Although..." Dexter rubbed his chin. Princess tapped her heel. "It is as unobtainable as Chemical X itself."

"Don't be so sure. You'd be surprised how often people leave it just laying around."

Sophomore Year - September

Some bald-headed old man simpered his way out of Princess' father's office. "I'm sorry, Reginald," he said before running down the hall to the foyer.

Princess didn't take any more notice of him than that. She opened the heavy oak door and started talking like usual. "Daddy, I need-"

"Who gives a fuck?" He hissed pouring himself a drink.

Princess blinked. Her father had never spoken to her like that. He stood on the other side of his desk with his back to her. A cloud of cigar smoke built over his head. "You do not get to speak to me that way," she growled.

He only turned his head to speak over his shoulder. "I'll speak to you in whatever manner I choose."

Princess grit her teeth. "Daddy-"

"You need! You need! You need! That's all I ever hear from anyone these days!" He balled his fists and began to pace the room as he ranted. "All anyone cares about is what I can do, what I can give, how I can help them." He took a long drink. "I didn't ask to wield this much power."

Princess crossed her arms. Something must have happened, a bad business deal, a falling out with one of her father's contacts, another fight with Princess' mother. Where was her mother anyway? Why should she have to endure his tirades? She wasn't the one refusing to fuck him.

"And now, in my hour of need. You are going to start doing things for me." He pointed the cigar at her. "You, Princess, are my newest employee."

"I don't work for-"

"Quiet! Stop interrupting your boss if you know what's good for you." He sat in his chair, the leather squeaking at his weight. "You are sixteen, aren't you."

Princess tapped her heel. Her upcoming birthday party was the very thing she wanted to talk to him about. "I'll be sixteen in eight months, not that I should have expected you to know that."

"I can legally employ you then. But I will be relinquishing your allowance and trust fund immediately." He stood up again, letting the ash from his cigar fall to the floor. "You will be well-compensated and hopefully you won't turn out like your whore of a mother."

Princess's heart went cold. She understood what had happened without her father needing to say any more. A quick glance at the stack of papers on the desk confirmed it. Her mother had threatened to abandon them for years. She had always used it as her ultimate threat against her father during their arguments. Her father was always so giving, so loving. Princess never thought her mother could give up everything her father provided for them, the ungrateful bitch.

Princess sat in a chair in front of his desk, crossed her legs, and set her hands in her lap. Her fingers felt strangely naked, making her want a pair of gloves. "What do you need me to do?"