Sunday soon rolled around for the group of mix-and-match teenagers. The late hours of the morning saw those who had stayed at Carmella's make their way back to their own homes, ready to spend time with their own family before returning to school the following day. An ire of mystery surrounded the members of the mix-and-match group, each questioning how Monday morning would go. If it would be a success and their makeshift group accepted? Or if the social group caused havoc and lead to far more drama? Maryse had been optimistic about the social group, stating it would have a positive effect on those who needed the confidence boost. Most of them were well aware it wouldn't take the couple known as Beauty and the Goat long to set their minds on destroying the group if they saw them as a threat to their popularity.
As planned, Nikki returned home that afternoon, her little brother JJ, being the first to greet her, shortly followed by their mother. Brie in the background only staring daggers at her slightly older identical twin. No doubt Brie was still angered over being grounded for the past few days. Unable to do what she wanted that weekend until she thoroughly thought about what had led to the punishment. At the same time Brie had spent time wondering what her twin had been doing, Cathy, their mother had only said she was spending time with friends. Although the younger Bella Twin had generally questioned what friends. To Brie's knowledge, Nikki had only been taken in by the weirdos and freaks because they pitted her. Although Aleister and Finn, the pair to so often act like creepy bodyguards, didn't seem like the most fun to spend the weekend with. Almost instantly Brie had imagined some sort of cult rather than something she would personally class as fun.
"What were you really doing?" questioned Brie, driving straight into interrogating her older twin, the moment she barged into Nikki's room, as normal not bothering to knock and ignoring any boundaries Nikki had firmly put in place. Nikki had been lying on her stomach, in the middle of her queen bed, typing away at her laptop, no doubt trying to finish a school project. Music playing from the speakers, although Brie was quick to notice it wasn't pop music or anything she'd prefer to listen to. Instead, it was some kind of rock music, maybe even metal. The younger Bela twin had wasted little time in storming over to where Nikki was, forcing the laptop shut, with little regard if she broke it or not. Just as she had little care if she hurt her twin. "I asked you a question. So why not put your big girl panties on and answer it" commented Brie, with attitude lacing her voice. To her surprise, Nikki merely rolled her eyes and shuffled from the bed, walking from her room with Brie trailing behind her.
"With friends. You saw us at the cinema Friday night. There was a slumber party that night then we hung out around the pool the following day. The guys joined us for the second-night slumber party" casually voiced Nikki, purposely neglecting to say who had hosted the pool party and two-night sleepover. Her attention was drawn to her phone, the moment she heard the notification sound go off. A small smile coming to her lips to see both Miz and Maryse had followed her on social media, and tagged her in several photos taken over the previous few days. "Don't tell me you're jealous because you got your ass grounded again" commented Nikki, when she reached the bottom of the stairs. The older of the Bella twins soon turned towards the kitchen, opting to help her little brother set the table and give the family dog some much-needed fuss.
"Mum can I go out after school tomorrow?" asked Brie, in her sweetest voice, trying her best to act innocent in order to get what she wanted, maybe even get her punishment cut short. "It's Kaitlyn's birthday, and she really wants me to go to her little party at the mall" added the teenager, using one of her go-to excuses, or at least one that had never failed to work in the past. Brie watched as her mum made preparations for dinner, just like always there was a meat eater option and a separate vegetarian one. An expression of annoyance painted itself on Cathy's features, more to hear her youngest daughter attempt to get out of the well-deserved punishment. The moment she turned her attention to Brie, her annoyance only grew to see the teenager in question, push JJ out of her way, only so she could stand in Nikki's path, another attempt to make something Nikki was doing harder than it needed to be.
"Does Kaitlyn have two birthdays?" asked Cathy, turning to put the chosen veg into the steamer. Brie soon turned to her in confusion, clearly not understanding the question directed at her, and likely forgetting something she said in the past. "You said it was Kaitlyn's birthday party last month" commented the mother of three, as she watch as reality dawned on her youngest daughter, even more so when it dawned on the teenager she'd been caught in a lie. "Regardless your answer is no. You're grounded until you learn to treat those around you with respect. That being here at home and at school" simply stated Cathy, making it clear, there was no time limit to the punishment her younger daughter was dealing with. "Nikki you're uncle came over and installed a lock on your bedroom door, same with JJ" finished the bottle blonde, a soft smile coming to her lips, recalling when she'd made the decision, just days prior. She'd witnessed Brie just bargaining into both bedrooms and taking things. Normally she took JJ's things to get back at him for something she saw as against her. Whereas when it comes to Nikki, Brie would just take things just because she could, normally make-up and jewelry. Although a few other things had gone missing when Brie barged in.
"Thanks, Mum" responded Nikki, her normally appreciative tone ringing in her voice. JJ responded with a simple Woohoo! Finally being able to stop one of his older sisters from just waltzing into his room whenever she felt like it. Or at least when he was there and occupying his personal space. Nikki soon looked over the kitchen table, now neatly set up for whenever they had dinner. Quickly noticing Brie was now next to their mother, in the place once reserved for JJ. Brie could only complain, first, she had to spend her Saturday bored at home, doing chores and catching up on schoolwork she had already fallen behind on. All the while Nikki had a fun few days with her so-called friends and JJ got to spend the previous day with their grandpa, likely working on the woodwork project the pair had going. On top of that Brie had been denied her fun outing on Monday night as well, and now found out both her siblings had gotten locks put on their doors, likely to preserve what little privacy they had and keep her from entering whenever she felt like it.
Following the family meal, Nikki helped with cleaning up before returning to her room. The excitement began to radiate through her about the following day, although she also felt her nerves also beginning to take hold. Her smile returned upon looking at the photos Miz and Maryse had posted on social media, already there were comments from other students. Of course, Daniel had commented, demanding those who were considered popular return to their proper social group, instead of mixing with weirdos and freaks. Kaitlyn too had also commented, if only to body shame her former best friend and some of the other girls in the photos. Her comments had resulted in a video being posted to YouTube, the video showing Kaitlyn tormenting freshman students, only for one of them to give her a wicked taste of her own medicine.
"You know you're pathetic friend group isn't gonna last right?" rudely commented Brie, once again mindlessly waltzing into Nikki's bedroom, as if she owned it. As normal she didn't bother knocking, nor did she bother to care what her older twin was doing. "Might as well face the truth. Several members of the little group are popular, sooner or later they're gonna realize they've made a mistake and come running back to me and Daniel, they'll come back to where they belong" continued the younger twin, noticing the bright confident smile, Nikki had painted on her lips, an almost mischievous tint to it. Without uttering a single word, Nikki turned the silver laptop around, until the screen faced Brie, thrust revealing the group video chat. And the unimpressed looks, those considered popular were happy to send the entitled teen's way.
"Playing limbo again Brie" casually spoke Cross, as she put her left eye, right up against the camera, her unmissable laughter ringing out at the same time. Aleister merely rolled in his eyes at Cross's antics, suspecting there was more to her comment, most likely the start of a creative insult. A few others chuckled upon picking up on what the hyperactive teen was getting at. "How much lower can you go?" cheerfully added the Scottish teen on a near-constant sugar rush. Miz wasted little time in congratulating the Scottish teen, upon catching on to the creative insult, even more so to see Brie in bewilderment as she tried to figure out what Cross had meant. The teen nicknamed A-Lister soon took notice of those on the video call. How Echo was slowly warming to the idea of Seth being around, although it was just as clear she had her guard up. Just as anyone could see Drew had a long road ahead of him, as it was more obvious than ever Nikki had closed her heart off to the idea of love, making it near impossible for her to see the signs Drew so often sent her way.
"I can't believe some of you are on the Homecoming Committee. It's gonna be a complete disaster" muttered Brie, as if she was attempting to insult Echo, Seth, and Drew. Neither of which took any notice, although Maryse had quickly responded, stating the Homecoming Dance couldn't be any worse than previous years when Brie and previous attention-seeking cheerleaders had control. "With weirdos like you lot in control, it's gonna be anything but amazing" added the younger Bella Twin, as if she hadn't even heard Maryse's comment. At the same time, Brie tried to remind herself, Deputy Head Hunter Helmsley had ensured neither she nor Daniel was on the Committee, as creative punishment. Almost as if he knew she would suffer by not being in control of important events. The moment Brie turned her attention back to Nikki, she quickly took notice of the video chat, how each had continued on as if her words meant nothing, as if she wasn't even there. Only now did she realize Nikki was standing at her side, it being clear those on the video call could clearly tell which twin was which? Thrust quickly putting a damper on Brie's plan to switch places with her twin to get inside info.
"Aleister are you at Echo's again?" asked Nikki, taking notice of the background behind the pair, the similarities being too much to be a coincidence. Her suspicions were proven correct mere seconds later when both turned the devices they were using to the side, thrust showing the other. "No one pick you up again?" asked the older Bella twin, knowing from the sleepover the night before, the Dutch teen didn't have the most reliable parents. The Dutch teen nodded to her statement, chuckling when Echo began to pull faces at him. Nikki soon recalled the conversation, how it was implied Aleister spent more time with Echo's family than his own, to the point he had his own room, and often made jokes with Echo, about her being his sister from another mister. Brie soon grinned, as her curiosity began to grow, almost as if what she heard had given her an idea. Silently she began to concoct a few ideas with the newly learned information, hoping she could eventually use it against the duo in question. "Don't even think about it" commented Nikki towards her selfish twin, her dark eyes locked on her as if warding her away from the safe place.
"If she does anything. I won't have a problem giving her and the other entitled princesses more than they bargained for" voiced Becky, her Irish accent coming through thick. A sweet almost innocent grin upon her lips, although her dark eyes had a dangerous glint to them. Brie soon stormed off, throwing a comment over her shoulder about her own friends being more interesting to talk to. A few sarcastic byes were heard from Nikki's laptop. The older Bella twin soon returned to a comfy position on her bed, after locking her bedroom door. A soft grin appeared upon returning her attention back to the video call. Her phone was next to her with text messages from Drew, the two having their own little chat going between them.