“Hey, it’s awesome that we’ve actually managed to find time to hang out,” Ophelia remarked.

“Well, I think we’ve all been kind of busy,” Valo replied, looking around the coffee shop.

“Yeah, especially what with me running for that damn Prom Queen position. Let me tell you, there’s been way too much drama at that school lately,” Ophelia said.

“So… what now?” Jade asked.

Ophelia shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said slowly.

“I know! How about if we talk about something that none of the other people at this table knows about you,” Valo suggested.

“Fine. You start,” Jade replied.

Valo thought for a minute, and then said, chuckling to herself, “My first word was ‘Ozzy,’ as in Osbourne. My dad was and still is a big fan.”

“You know, this explains a lot,” Jade remarked.

“What?” Valo asked.

“Why you have an obsession over long-haired musicians with accents.”

“No, it doesn’t!”

“Yes, it does!”

“Here’s mine,” Ophelia spoke up, to break up the argument. “My uncle got me and my cousin into a HIM concert a few years back, and Charise dared me to grab Ville, and… uh… well…”

Valo raised an eyebrow and said, “You grabbed Mini-Ville?”

“Yeah,” Ophelia admitted, blushing.

“So, that was you on that video I saw online? Well, your hand, anyway?”

“Yeah.”

“You have my envy,” Valo replied, eyes wide.

“So, what about you?” Ophelia asked.


Jade smiled a little and bowed her head. “I’m not going to say,” she responded.

“No fair,” Valo argued. “You heard ours.”

“Yeah,” Ophelia added. “Now tell us.”

“Fine,” Jade sighed. She blushed a little and replied slowly, “I think…”

“Yeah?” Ophelia and Valo said simultaneously.

“…I think I might actually have feelings for Graham.”

Ophelia grinned at Jade and said, “Aren’t you glad I introduced you two to each other?”

“Yeah.”


The trio strode down the hall, their lips curved into confident smiles, their heads held high. Students whispered to each other in confusion as they stared at the trio, who was acting as though there were nothing weird about them acting like they were best friends. The girls tore down their old campaign signs and began hanging up new ones that proclaimed, in bright, bold letters for all the world to see:

VOTE FOR THE LADIES OF CLIQUE NEWS CRASH. WHERE ELSE CAN YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT WOMEN WHO STAND FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN?

“Hey, pass me the tape,” Emily said to Ophelia. “This one’s about to fall down.”

“Okay, here. Just give it back when you’re done,” Ophelia replied. “We have a lot more of these to hang up and only one week left before the big day.”

“We’re going to win,” Tiffani said confidently. “I’m sure of it. One of us is going to be the winner.”


“Well, well, well,” Sherrie said from behind them. “I see you’ve changed tactics. Do you honestly believe that will be enough to make you win against me?”

“You’re damn right it will,” Tiffani snapped. “You’re going down.”

“Is that any way to speak to a friend?” Sherrie asked.

“We’re not friends anymore,” Tiffani replied. “We haven’t been friends since you took my place on the team. These are my friends now.”

“The nerd and the goth. You’re really trading down, aren’t you?”

Emily and Tiffani held Ophelia back, and Tiffani snapped, “They’re better friends to me than you’ve ever been, Sherrie. Now, go spread your misery elsewhere. I think Oz is missing their Wicked Witch.”

“Oh, bite me,” Sherrie muttered.

“Watch it,” Ophelia spoke up. “Last time one of you preppies said something like that to me… well…”

“Yeah… Sawyer still has a red mark on her arm from soaking her skin in hot water,” Sherrie said dryly.

“Wow, and all I did was touch her. Damn, does she think I’m contagious or something?” Ophelia asked.

“Look, weirdo, point is, you three are going down.”

“In your dreams,” Emily spoke up.

“See, I’m a step ahead of you three. I have a running mate. A male running mate. Lyle. And he’s guaranteed to win, since the only other guy running is that loser, AJ.”

“If he’s such a loser, why did you date him?” Emily asked.

“I was young and stupid.”

“That was last year!”

“Look, point is, I have a hot guy on my side. You three have… uh… nothing. A big zero, literally.”

The trio watched Sherrie saunter away. Tiffani growled, “Ooh, she makes me so mad!”

“Calm down,” Emily said quietly, patting Tiffani’s back.

“Yeah, channel that anger into beating her!” Ophelia added.