Upstairs in her bedroom, Bonnie rubbed her hands down the front of her skirt, examining herself in the mirror. She felt...completely different, some other version of herself that she'd never known existed. Something that had been buried deep down...someone, maybe, desirable?

Caroline's makeover yesterday had been a mixture of oddly condescending and very informative; she'd dumped everything on the top of the radiator, told Rebekah to stand guard and let no one in, and had waved her hand and in no time at all, Bonnie felt on par in terms of the face with the Heathers.

Okay, it wasn't no time at all. It had been nearly an hour, and despite the fact Bonnie had gotten up an hour and a half to do her makeup today, it still looked sort of like a toddler had done it while blindfolded.

Caroline had also given her a strict list of instructions on acceptable clothes. Bonnie had a feeling a shopping trip was in her future, as currently, the only items that matched were her skirts from 7th grade.

Stomach churning with a mixture of trepidation and excitement, Bonnie jumped down the stairs, two at a time.

She passed her father at his desk, scribbling furiously. She lingered a moment.

"I'm going to school, dad," She called, pausing at the threshold but no further.

"Oh, have a good first day," He replied back, preoccupied.

Bonnie bit her tongue, ready to snap that if he gave any shit, he'd know yesterday had been her first day of senior year. Part of her wanted him to turn and ask why her skirt hardly covered her bum and insist she go back upstairs. She wanted to yell at him, scream in his face, have him notice her.

Instead, she pulled her disappointment inside and left out the front door.

She didn't ask Elena for a ride and took an Uber.

She met Caroline near the lunch tables adjacent to the treeline and let her former best friend examine her.

"Hmm, it will do. The skirt's nice." She just said, deeming Bonnie a newly minted member of the Heathers, lack of middle name aside.

Caroline held Bonnie back until the bell had rung, and at first Bonnie didn't understand it. When they began to float through the halls, though, and everyone's head turned and the halls parted for them like the Red Sea, she understood. Caroline wanted an audience.

She was thrilled by the whispers that zapped from person to person, staring at Bonnie in wonderment and awe. She enjoyed pulling Bonnie close, laughing with her like Bonnie was the most hilarious person, and putting her claim on a person everyone had previously ignored.

Bonnie was a super-star.

"See you at lunch," Caroline waved Bonnie off a minute before the first bell for the day rang, pleased by Bonnie's introduction to the higher echelon of popularity.

Bonnie slid into homeroom just as her teacher was taking roll. He glared at her but paused when he realized that it was Bonnie Bennet, who had never been late before. He just waved her off and Bonnie reminded herself not to hunch her shoulders as she maneuvered through the desks. She was a Heather now. She was untouchable. People wanted to be her.

Liv's face was bright red, her scowl making Bonnie pause for just a second.

"Were you actually fucking sick last night? And what is that? God, I heard some awful rumor that you were giggling with Caroline this morning. Did your brain turn to mush?" She spun around as soon as their homeroom teacher had turned his back, her painted fingernails clenching the back of her chair. Behind her furious tone, there was a warble, a hint of hurt.

"I…"

Bonnie had taken off school right after 4th period, citing a new medication that made her nauseous to the Front Desk ladies. Since Bonnie was a perfect student, she'd been believed with little issue. While it wasn't explicitly stated, she knew Caroline wouldn't appreciate Bonnie hanging out with Liv anymore, who was a continual target of The Heather's tricks. Bonnie had already told herself that she would be neutral about it.

"Of course I was," Bonnie snipped cooly, reminding herself that just as quickly as she was in, Caroline could throw her out. She was going to stay protected for as long as possible.

"You wanna explain yourself?"

"I can have other friends, Olivia," Bonnie said in a low voice to not attract her teacher's attention, "Deal with it."

"Deal with...we're not talking about other friends, you're talking about a monster!" Liv said, eyes wild and wide.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Bonnie was offended on Caroline's behalf, though the blonde girl had been called much worse by many others, "I've never acted like this with your crush on Tyler."

"That's different," Liv's ears were pink, "He's nice, if I think we were alone, he just-,"

"Kettle black," Bonnie said, very pointedly picking up her textbook and flipping through it, like she actually had the intention to read it.

Liv stared at her a few more moments before turning in a huff, drawing little lightning bolts on the desk in front of her with a pen. Homeroom was as icy and tenuous for the two former friends as a Cold War.

In all the excitement of becoming a Heather, Bonnie had almost forgotten about Kai. She was very much reminded as she stood and nearly smacked into him.

Kai stepped back, settling her by grabbing her arms. His eyebrows rose and he gave something akin to a snort.

"Something shrink in the wash, Bonster?"

"No," Bonnie said, throat dry, "It's from 7th grade," She added, very lamely. Kai licked his lips and it was practically illegal in the way that it made her feel.

"Is it? You gonna skive off Chem again today?" He asked.

"You missed me, huh?" Bonnie caught her footing.

"One could say," Kai replied, teasingly, carefully, "I'm just worried about your grade, s'all."

"On the first day?"

"Get behind, never catch up," Kai shrugged, "Or so they say. Don't make me drag you from the halls, Bon." He said, but as he spoke, his eyes lit up. Bonnie couldn't think of why, but she was one very terrible second away from saying something that would be so embarrassing that she was glad when Rebekah waved Bonnie down in the halls.

"Who's the Neo wannabe?" She asked, referring to the very long duster jacket Kai was wearing, despite it being 80 degrees.

"New kid," Bonnie said, shrugging.

"Yuck." Rebekah gagged, "Reminds me of an old shoe. I'm not sure you want to hang around with him."

Disappointment pooled in Bonnie's stomach, but she pushed it away. Her face was emotionless as she nodded.

"Noted."

XXX

Setting down her lunch tray next to the Heathers was one of the most nerve-wracking things Bonnie had ever done. She expected the world to implode in itself, but the biggest thing that happened was that Vicky whined because Caroline patted the seat next to her. Sitting at the right hand of the father felt holy for sure.

"So Bonnie," Caroline drawled, pushing around her food but not actually eating it, "Forgeries, you said?"

Bonnie bit her lip. Of course, they were going to use her, that's what she'd offered. Still, she had thought maybe they'd wait a day or two but…

"Yeah. What do you need? More absence notes?" Bonnie asked, shaking off the feeling that she was disposable or useful at the moment to them. She reminded herself of a harsh truth...she was. Her entire place here at the table was under specific circumstances.

"Ever copy another student's handwriting?"

"I could," Bonnie said truthfully, looking around and realizing almost no one was eating. She was starved, damnit, and snuck a quick bite of her lasagna. Vicky rolled her eyes, as though it was a fatal sin she'd given her body sustenance.

"Vicky!" Caroline snapped and Vicky jumped, digging in her backpack. About eight pill bottles rattled around in there. Bonnie heard them.

"Here."

Vicky handed Bonnie a hand-written copy of Tyler's latest English paper. He'd completely failed it, by the way, citing that Achilles was 'a total fucking douche' and 'not rad'. His spelling was also something much to be desired...but Bonnie doubted she was here to critique and proofread.

"You know that homecoming is at the end of the month, right?" Caroline said, hands on her chin, a mischievous grin on her face, "And it's hush-hush right now, but Tyler's gunna throw a rager at his house. Need to know right now only, which is you."

Pride bloomed in Bonnie's stomach. She never thought she'd be the type to know these things not ten seconds after it had already begun. She was thrilled by the thought she knew an event still three weeks away.

"Really?" Bonnie asked, looking at his handwriting again.

"And, well, he pretty much invites everyone, but I feel like a specific invitation is in order. A personalized one. From him."

"Does he know you're doing this?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "Personalizing an invitation?"

"If he questions it ever, all I need to do is give him head and his mind is as clean as a blank slate," Vicky cackled, "Don't worry."

"Right. Okay...to whom?" She questioned, taking out a paper to start practicing his font.

Caroline placed her fingers on Bonnie's temple and swiveled Bonnie's head to the back of the cafeteria...pointing her right at where Liv was sitting alone, shoulders high and head low as she tried to eat her meal alone.

Bonnie's heart clenched. They usually ate together. Secondly, she shook her head.

"What?" No. I…" How could she explain that she'd given up their friendship but she wasn't sure this was a line she wanted to cross? Caroline did not look amused at her arguing.

"It's very simple." Caroline straightened her back. She seemed imposing though Bonnie was almost her height, "Write a sweet, loving, ooey-gooey letter from Tyler to Liv, begging her to attend his party. Confession of passionate love is optional," Caroline winked.

Bonnie felt bile in her throat.

"Oh, come on, her crush is harmless," Bonnie stuttered, "And how do you know?"

"Everyone knows," Vicky slapped her hand on the table, "Call me crazy, but I don't really appreciate others staring at my...at Tyler like that."

Vicky and Tyler certainly weren't dating, so to call him a boyfriend would be disingenuous. Still, she was ruffled by the fact Liv liked Tyler. Bonnie kept herself from saying that about half the population here liked Tyler, but she doubted anyone would care.

"It will be funny, duh." Rebekah sighed dramatically, "A total gas."

"I'm not sure," Bonnie blinked, "This wasn't really what I intended when I said I could forge stuff for you all."

"Bonnie," Carolien's voice was chilled, "So are you saying yes or no?"

Bonnie turned to look back at Liv, who looked fairly pathetic all alone. Not that they hadn't looked pathetic when she was sitting there too, but Liv was tensed like a hunched cat, eyes narrowing at anyone who got too close.

"No."

She turned back around to see Caroline's frosty smile had slipped away and immediately, Bonnie knew she'd made a very large mistake.

"Are we going to have a problem with...this little thing?" Carolien asked, motioning between them.

"I just...well you don't...Liv and I-," Bonnie started a few different times but felt her lips fumbling under the weight of Caroline's intense stare.

"You got a bone to pick with me? By all means, please, tell me," Caroline continued, though Bonnie had a feeling that if she tried, Caroline would drag her through the cafeteria by her hair.

"Look, I just think that there needs to be some boundaries. That's healthy, isn't it?" Bonnie said, looking back at the other two Heathers, hoping for some backup. It was a foolish hope. Rebekah was staring wide-eyed at her and just slowly shook her head, as if to say 'whatever you're doing, stop' and Vicky looked like she wanted to pop some popcorn for this interaction.

"Caroline-," Bonnie began again when Caroline was silent until she interrupted her.

"You've come so far from what you were even yesterday. I thought this was going to work. Really." Caroline said with a long sigh, "So why now are you pulling on my dick?"

The aspiration of the 'k' held in the air and shut Bonnie up. She nearly stumbled off her lunch bench seat, staring at Caroline as her mind tried to make sense of the question. She was silent now and Caroline, having gotten Bonnie to shut up, had Bonnie exactly where she wanted her.

"Normally, I'd slap your face off," Caroline said, staring at her manicure and holding it up to the light, "And everyone here would see you fall all the back down."

"Do it, Care," Vicky goaded, sniggering, "Smack that disrespectful little bitch up."

"I'm feeling nice, though," Caroline said, "We were friends once, so that counts. And, honestly, I just had these done. I would hate to break a nail."

Bonnie visibly relaxed, knowing how close she'd come to the ultimate public humiliation. It would be worse than before. She'd have to switch schools if something like that happened here, now, like that!

"Let me give you some advice though," Carline said sharply, telling Bonnie this was far from over. Crisis not yet averted, "And I'd think that you'd better listen."

"Right," Bonnie said, her throat raw and her mind reeling from the near public execution.

Caroline stood suddenly.

"Girls?" She said and Rebekah and Vicky stood in unison. Bonnie stayed, confused, eyes narrowing, "Are you coming?" Caroline asked slowly, as though Bonnie were completely stupid.

"Right! Yes, sorry."

She had no idea what Caroline was doing or where she was being led. She followed like a baby fawn as Caroline slid up next to Tyler, giggling and rolling her hair in her fingers. Apparently, Vicky only had a problem with flirty girls when they were weirdos. She didn't seem upset at Caroline's actions.

"Hey Ty," She crooned, "You like my outfit?" She asked, batting her eyes and biting her lip.

"Looks hot, Care." Tyler said, fingers skimming over her slightly exposed midriff, almost reaching her ass before Caroline slapped his hand away.

"Tyler, please." She rolled her eyes, pulling Bonnie along as she walked away, "Wanna guess how much this was?" She asked, motioning to her outfit.

"Uhm-,"

"More than you could probably afford, but it hardly matters. If I asked Tyler how you looked, even though we know you paid $8 for that skirt in 2005, he'd say you looked good too. One perk."

She reached her locker. She pulled out a water bottle and handed it to Bonnie. Bonnie, naively, sipped it, expecting water. Vodka and lemonade.

Bonnie sputtered in the hallway, gagging.

"Baby," Vicky said, taking a long, hard drink from the water bottle.

"Caroline! That's-that's…"

"You think I'm getting through school sober? Please. High school is a joke. If booze isn't your thing…" Caroline opened a book she'd hollowed out and held up a joint. Bonnie went red. She'd never had booze, more than wine at wedding or Christmas, and certainly never smoked.

"We're in school!"

"Yes, we are. And do you think any teacher is going to really bust us, except Saltzman, who has an entire lamppost up his ass?"

"Peaked in high school," Rebekah agreed.

Bonnie was about to say, 'well, yes, of course, they will!' but if they hadn't gotten caught yet… Caroline closed her locker, scrutinizing Bonnie a bit more. Bonnie still was waiting for some cosmic justice to be doled out to her. Caroline did know how to amp tension.

"Hmm, maybe you do need a new wardrobe. We could go after school. My treat. Or, well, my dad's. I doubt he'll care," Caroline said flippantly, "As an apology, he doesn't care what I put on this. Like I care he's gay, but I'm not going to tell him that."

Bonnie almost asked if Caroline thought that was immoral, but kept her lips firmly closed. She didn't know if she could say no to a new set of clothes and doubted Caroline would hear her warnings.

"Hey, Rebekah, do you feel like going to gym class today?" Caroline asked, referring to the one class they all had together. Bonnie didn't remember seeing them the day previous, however.

"Nope!"

"My thoughts exactly. Much more stimulating things to be done. There's a sophomore that's trying to be the new Queen B. I think we need to put her in her place. Terrify her a little," Caroline said, "You know, send a message." She added, smiling as she looked at Bonnie. Bonnie wanted to tell whoever had gained the force of the Heather's ire that they should back down before it became ugly, but she had no idea who they were referring to.

They continued through the halls, "So, do you like anyone, Bonnie?"

"How far have you gone? First base? Second? Third?" Vicky asked, "I doubt it's more than french kissing."

"Boys, I, well-," Bonnie remembered Kai, but Rebekah winced, telling her to keep her mouth shut. Bonnie wanted to rid herself of this ridiculously passionate crush anyway so she just winced, "No one."

"Shame. You could have any guy naked on your command. We'll work on that," Caroline decided, and it seemed she was mentally writing a reminder. They reached the end of the hall. Caroline spun, hands on her hips, "So?"

"So...what?"

"We just took a trip down the Yellow Brick Road. Just a small slice of everything I'm offering you, things you won't come across again. Money, clothes, notoriety, the slip of attention of teachers, everything...but, if you lack the balls, there's not much I can give to you," Caroline sucked in hard, wincing, "You can go and play dolls with the middle schoolers and let your mommy fix you a snack."

"I don't think that's necessary," Bonnie said sharply, though Caroline's comment irked her. Caroline knew that her mother was long gone.

"Or, you could grow a pair, smoke some reed, party a little and have any boy you wanted for some dirty deeds in the back of my Porsche, which I will gladly let you borrow whenever you want."

"For a price," Bonnie surmised.

"Call it initiation. Proof. You have to really want this. One little task and you will have the world in your hand. Boys will fall for you instantly, they'll pay for all your meals, they'll help you cheat so never have to worry about studying again. You could be us. You just need to write that love letter for Liz. Just that."

"And won't test me again? Please, what happens the next time I disappoint you?" Bonnie asked, placing her arms over her chest. She was in dangerous territory.

"She'd leave you to rot if we gave her a chance to be with Tyler for real. Don't think for a second she'd do the same for you," Rebekah said frankly, "We all know when someone has a weak spot."

"You're right," Caroline hummed, "Trust is important, isn't it? After this, she's off-target. We'll only make you do this once. But you have to do it now."

Bonnie weighed her options. It was entirely tempting; so tantalizing. She'd just negotiated with the Head Bitch, a nearly unheard feat. One day, Liz would laugh about it with her...right? Yes, she had to. And she'd understood, she really would, Bonnie told herself.

"If you don't care about all of this, go braid your hair with her. Maybe Sesame Street is on," Vicky said, gasping in faux excitement.

"Shh...she's deciding," Caroline stilled her guard dog, "Just do this, and we'll blow this place. Get in my jeep and go have some real fun. So...are you a pussy or are you a real Heather?"

Bonnie's fingers clenched at her side.

"I'm a real Heather." Bonnie said after one long second, "But she's off-limits after this. Shake on it," She said, throwing out her hand.

"I'll be interested to see what you do. Now, grab your backpack and get ready to walk out of here a free woman. I expect the letter in her locker by tomorrow, you understand me?"

"Crystal," Bonnie said, knowing she'd more or less signed her soul, but couldn't find the will to be fearful.

"Right. Now...about getting you some new clothes…"

XXX

The next morning, Bonnie was a nervous wreck. She had nearly chewed down the end of her pen cap and had completely forgotten everything she'd learned in History class. Well, if Care was telling the truth (and she likely was) she would have a whole platoon of nerds to write this paper for her.

She'd put the letter in Liv's locker early this morning, under the watchful eye of Caroline, who had proofread it to her satisfaction.

"You are the best at forgeries. Tyler, if he ever saw this, might even question if he got too drunk and forgot he did this himself. Flawless," Caroline said, and as soon as the letter hit the bottom of Liv's locker with a 'thunk' she giggled, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Nope," Bonnie lied, forcing a smile, "Easy."

She'd figured it out last night. She'd thrown in a line, an old inside joke between them, so that Liv would know that it was Bonnie who had written it. If Liv didn't believe it and never confronted Caroline, well, that was her prerogative to follow up with a letter or not. Bonnie would have done Caroline's bidding but also saved Liv from this cruel joke.

Liv paused at Bonnie's locker and for one bright, frantic second, she was sure Liv was here to let Bonnie know she'd understood the code.

"Not that it matters to you, but you're wrong," Liv said in a clipped tone.

"What?" Bonnie shook her head, truly not understanding.
"Tyler invited me to his homecoming party. Me, personally. Guess he does actually think about me," Liv gave a smile, "And I didn't have to become a whore and pass myself off as a faux-Heather to get him."

Bonnie's heart plummeted. Liv was so in love, so delusional and so much hoped she was right that she was willing to ignore every sign that this was insane and miss what Bonnie had thought was a very obvious clue to this deception. Plus, Liv knew she could forge things. Did she really like that waste of space so much?

"Liv," Bonnie grabbed her wrist, "He's an ass to you. Do you seriously-,"

"He probably has to wear a mask, just for the public, you know?" Liv said, wrenching herself free, "But this will all make sense soon. He wrote me a letter, Bonnie. It's romantic."

She inhaled hard, "We might be in a fight right now, but I didn't think you were so mean to not be happy for me."

Bonnie felt like screaming. But she couldn't tell Liv that she'd made that letter. Not only would that totally ruin their friendship, but she was terrified to think what Caroline would do to her.

"Color me stoked," Bonnie said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Liv gave a genuine smile.

"I'll remember to invite you to our wedding," She said, skipping away, a brightness to her step that Bonnie had never seen.

"Weird."

Bonnie nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to see Kai right behind her, inches away.

"Where the fuck did you come from?" She asked, hoping he'd leave.

"Oh, places," He narrowed his eyes at Liv's retreating figure, "Do you know how much I've heard about Tyler at family reunions? I feel like I knew the guy before I ever came here. And my entire opinion of him is he's a dick."

"Yeah, you're not wrong," Bonnie sourly slammed her locker shut.

"So I just think it's entirely weird," Kai stressed, "That one day, up and out of the blue...he'd just profess his love for her? Weird, isn't it?" He tore off some snacks with his teeth, "Oh, pork rind?"

"Hard pass," Bonnie nearly gagged, "And who knows? People are strange."

"Hmm," Kai nodded, but it was clear he wasn't buying a word of that, "It's just…" He studied her in a way that made her feel exposed and vulnerable, but she was thrilled by the intensity of it, "Very strange and so coincidental. Strange." He said, turning away, but not before meeting Bonnie's eyes one last time.

And she had a feeling he totally knew what she'd done, but for the life of her...she had no idea if he was disgusted or impressed. And she told herself that she shouldn't care anything about the answer, but deep down, that curiosity that had been flared by Kai's entire presence just grew.