When break rolled around that day. No member of Brie or Daniel's group could be found in the ordinary gathering spot, nor could the so-called king and queen of the senior year be found in the canteen, loudly berating and tormenting students for choosing anything but the vegetarian or vegan options on the school menu. Only a few members of the combined group could be found wandering the school grounds. Rusev and Lana huddled up near the library with Tyson, Jinder, and Dana Brooke. All of them seemingly minding their own business, talking amongst themselves and occasionally playing random songs via youtube. One would hardly realize they were members of the popular group by just looking.
The rest of the group had gathered near the reception, waiting for Michelle to appear. All of them had been informed by the respective tutors they were expected to attend a meeting with Stephanie, over their plans for Homecoming. There was no clue given on whether it was good or bad. Although Daniel had chosen to believe it was a good thing as they'd requested it and it was a chance to voice their thoughts and opinions. Brie, on the other hand, looked to reality and quickly suspected it would be bad. After all the white binder folder confiscated from Natalya during the last committee meeting, had everything the girls had spent the summer planning. Including a list of students to be banned and their preferred dress code. Not even Serenity's often oblivious comments could lighten the mood. For those who could see the meeting for what it was. It was like they were prisoners waiting for the executor to swing the axe with the killing blow.
The moment Michelle appeared from the English corridor, the smiles Serenity, Charlotte, and Kaitlyn wore faded, as did that of Andrade, Lashley, and Cena. It was almost as if reality had finally hit them, as did the inevitable feeling of doom. The beautiful blonde teacher, soon waved the group of teenagers over, heading for the carpeted metal stairs as she did so. Not a single word escaped anyone, as they made the seemingly endless journey to the headmistress's office. Michelle held the door open for each to pass through with Stephanie's assistant Vicki Guerrero directing them toward the meeting room that joined Stephanie's office. The headmistress already waiting inside, on the table in front of her was the white carefully decorated binder folder. A laptop next to it, as if she was ready to take notes like it was any other meeting.
"Let's get straight to it" started Stephanie, making it clear although she'd made time for the group of students. She wasn't about to entertain them longer than needed. Nor was she going to give them the sense of control, some of them so desperately wished for. "So tell me why you all think, you're homecoming ideas are superior to the plans the chosen committee has in place?" asked the headmistress, wasting little time in skipping to the point. As she spoke, her icy eyes washed over each of them carefully, as if assessing them individually for the threat they'd pose to other students around them.
"The girls have been planning homecoming, since last year's disastrous one" started Serenity, as if purposely forgetting, the group of girls present around her, had also planned the previous year's one, which she had so heartily called a disaster. The dimwitted brunette soon began to trip over her words, the moment Stephanie's attention turned directly to her. "An under-the-sea theme to promote the swim team, charts music, VIP access, dress code. All of it to make it even better than previous years and way more memorable. It will be for everyone" voiced the newest teen to the popular group, twirling a few strands of hair between her manicured fingers. Doing her best to make it sound like the plans the girls of her own group had made were all-inclusive, even when she knew it was anything but.
"Tell me, Mr. Bryan. How are your group's plans for homecoming for everyone, when there's a list of banned students and you ignore what the rest of the student body outside yourselves want?" politely questioned Stephanie, directing her question to the leader of the jocks. Watching as his eyes widened in horror, he'd been trying so hard to blend into the background. His confidence had long since faded. "Additionally I wonder how the Under-the-sea theme has anything to do with the wrestling team. Or how it is supposed to inspire inclusivity after last year's disaster, which your group had been in control of" continued the headmistress, as she waited for the normally gobby teenager to speak up and answer her. She couldn't help but see the dear-in-headlights look Daniel, displayed. How the teenager who was so loud and always had an answer or opinion on everything, seemed so lost now.
"We were unaware the wrestling team was at the forefront this year" mumbled Daniel, as if thinking of an excuse on the fly. The small amount of confidence he'd gained, was quickly extinguished again when Stephanie cocked an eyebrow as if wordlessly questioning his excuse. Even more so when there had been posters promoting the team and announcements made "The list of names, are the weirdos, freaks, and oddballs of the school. Those who make everyone else uncomfortable when they're around" added the leader of the jocks, hints of frustration lacing his voice. He was angered this wasn't going how he wanted and expected. He was angered the headmistress hadn't done as they wanted. Instead, she questioned them and reminded them of the previous homecoming dance they'd planned as a group.
"Vicki, would you mind contacting the parents and/or guardians of these students? Inform them their child will be in afterschool detention until they've learned some valuable life lessons" casually spoke Stephanie, her tone polite despite her disgust in the group of students before her. Something Michelle to her side didn't bother trying to hide. The moment Stephanie turned her attention back to the group of students, all sense of kindness had disappeared, only her cold hard gaze remained. A look that sent a shiver down the spine of each teenager. Further cementing the dreaded feeling of impending doom. "Michelle, your request for a budget extension is granted. If you could kindly remind the students on the display list, the photographer will be here tomorrow to take photos throughout the day" softly added the headmistress, as if silently telling the group of teenagers before her, their callous plans weren't going to be entertained.
"What about our plans?" questioned Eva, speaking up with a sudden burst of confidence. Although her voice flooded with disrespect, as if she'd forgotten she stood before the headmistress of the school. The majority of her friend group looked at her as if she had lost her mind, with the small minority nodding, as if attempting to boost her sudden wave of confidence a little more.
"What about your plans?" repeated Stephanie, as if turning the question back to the group of teenagers. Eva and Serenity looked back in defiance as if challenging her authority. Although they were soon snapped out of it when Stephanie slammed the white binder folder closed. "You're right, there will be a banned list" started the headmistress, giving each of the so-called popular students a sense of false hope, as if they believed they had succeeded in getting what they wanted. "But it won't be the students that inspired hope and change in others on it. Each and every one of you before me will be" finished Stephanie, before standing from her seat and walking toward the exit. Satisfied now the smug grins had been wiped from the lips of the group before her. "Cena, Bryan. I hope you two think hard about your next course of action. Your place on the wrestling team depends on it" warned the headmistress, leaving the meeting room moments later to return to her office.
Michelle silently lead the teenagers from the meeting room, allowing them to enjoy what they could of the few minutes of break that remained. Her own attention returned to the homecoming. She had decorations to order and a DJ to book. Brie soon lead her group of girls away from the jocks, for the first time splitting up the larger group. It was clear to all who knew the younger Bella twin, she needed space and time to think. Time to come to terms with being banned from the homecoming dance. Daniel on the other hand only had one thing on his mind. Revenge. Since school had begun after the holidays, since becoming a senior year student, everything had gone wrong. First, the star athletes he'd once been associated with, had broken away and formed a rebellious group with the freaks of the year. From that his own group of jocks and cheerleads had begun to lose their own popularity. And now they were banned from the homecoming dance. What else could go wrong?
"I think it's time to teach the mix-and-match group a lesson" grumbled Daniel, leading the group of boys present down the stairs and out the glass metal framed doors leading to the quad. The group of jocks, soon took up residency on the furthest bench from the main entrance, neither questioning where Rusev, Tyson, and Jinder had gotten to. They'd slowly been distancing themselves over the previous weeks, breaking off on their own, as if inspired by the newest rebellious group of teenagers.
"You do remember what happened the last time we tried teaching some of them a lesson right?" asked Austin, using his fingers to make speech marks when uttering the words teaching and lesson. Although he wasn't normally one for learning from past mistakes, he had when he'd been on the receiving end of Echo's retribution the year prior. "Demon. Made us pay big time. We also come face to face with the Demonic Duo as well" spoke the handsome teen, finding it odd he'd become the voice of reason. He looked around at each of the boys present. How Cena shivered at remembering Aleister and Finn just appearing out of nowhere, preventing him from reaching Nikki after their break up. Drew had made his stance clear when he'd filmed and posted Echo's retribution.
Elias just turned his attention to his feet. Especially when it finally hit him. The Shield and Drew hadn't abandoned their friendships with the jocks and cheerleaders at the start of the new school year. No, Drew had openly abandoned his with them, when he'd chosen to help Echo and Nikki towards the end of their junior year. The Shield had likely chosen to walk away at the same time, they'd just not been as obvious about it. All four of them showed happiness now, as did Nikki, Carmella, and Corey. Even Miz and Maryse did. It was as if the shackles that held them back, had been broken the moment they'd chosen to leave the toxic friendships in the past.
"We're not gonna aim at Echo or Nikki this time" commented Cena, knowing where this was going. But more than that, none of them wanted to deal with the demonic ones again and certainly not have to deal with the retribution Echo would deal them, if they were stupid enough to try. "Carmella is the target this time" quietly added the once-popular jock, informing those there who the target would actually be. Someone who was a friend to all, and the main one Andrade, Daniel, and Cena believed was responsible for the rebellious group coming together and having the confidence to spark the fires of change.