Ethan M. Lawrence High's resident heartthrob and playboy senior Chase Hartell closed the door on his silver Corvette with the perfect amount of force. On his way into the school, he flashed a few freshman girls his trademark foxy grin, chocolate eyes flashing through longish black hair as he touched his tongue to the tip of an incisor. They blushed and hurried along, darting a few nervous glances back at him. He smirked. Pushing the door open with a single fluid motion, he came upon a tall, scruffy, naturally tan senior with black, chin-length locks and obvious Italian ancestry.
"Hey, Chase. What's up, man?" Jason Clarke bumped his fist against his partner in crime's with a friendly smile, white teeth contrasting sharply with his dark complexion. The two began to walk to their lockers, hands jammed in their pockets, bodies slouched at just the right degree as they ambled down the middle of the hallway. Girls shot them flirtatious, admiring glances, several of which the taller boy returned with a fun leer. Chase, however, kept his eyes forward.
"Nothin' much. I'm a little bored. Lookin' for a new lay, but the freshmen are too shy for me. Some doe-eyed virgin's not gonna cut it, you know?" Chase spun the dial on his lock a couple of times and opened the door on his first try.
Tearing his broken locker open unceremoniously, Jason grinned toothily. "What, you already slept with every girl in the school?"
"Geez, Jay, I'm not you. I only sleep with the pretty ones."
The taller laughed. "See, Chase, that's your problem. Your standards are too high, and even when you find a girl or two you like, you get bored after a week."
"Says the man who has never had a relationship last more than a night."
Tsk-ing in mock disapproval, Jason held up a finger to silence him. "We're not talking about me right now, Chasey-boy. We're discussing your commitment issues." The paler boy snorted, but Jay continued, "See, your name suits you too much. You like winning hearts. It's not the sex that gets you going; it's bagging the girl. Once you've got her, you stop caring."
"Don't be a shrink, Jay-Jay, your brain wasn't built for it," Chase droned.
"Shush! It's rude to interrupt!" Once he was satisfied that his friend would not argue further, Jason continued with a grin, "I'll cut you a deal. You find a girl who can keep you interested for a month, and I'll give you two hundred bucks in cold, hard cash."
"You don't have two cents in cold, hard cash, Jay, and that's assuming you remember to pay me. There's no benefit to winning this bet."
Pouting childishly, Jason whined, "You're no fun, Chase. Can't we make some kind of bet?"
Chase sighed. "Fine. How about... I give some random girl of your choice a makeover and go out with her for a month. Your reward is the sadistic satisfaction of forcing some fugly-ass chick on me. My reward is rubbing it in your face when I last out the month and get to dump her at the end."
Brow cocked, Jay replied, "That hardly seems fair."
"Fine. I'll pay you twenty dollars to do it."
"Sounds good!" They fist bumped again, and Jason instantly ran off.
"Where're you goin', bitch?!" Chase called after him jokingly.
"I've already got the perfect person in mind!"
"No, Jay."
"But Ace-"
"No. I am not going out with Chase. I know what this is," bespectacled junior Aislinn Teague grumbled, pushing neon blue bangs out of her sepia eyes as she scowled at some schoolwork.
"Please-"
"No. N-O. No."
Heaving a disappointed sigh, Jason sank into an uncomfortable plastic cafeteria chair and pushed his own glasses up his nose. "Can I at least inform you of the details of the bet?"
"You're going to anyway," she replied in exasperation, rolling her eyes in the perfect, practiced motion she was known for. Ace was far from 'popular,' but she was well-known and generally well-liked. Her intelligence was matched only by her sarcasm, her hidden rebellious streak, and her unpredictability. Hence the close-cropped, boyish blue hair.
"I have to find a girl for Chase, and he has to date her for a month. The goal is to actually see how long Chase can last with a girl."
"You're neglecting to mention the whole 'making over the fugly-ass chick' bit." At his openmouthed horror, Aislinn rolled her eyes again. "Jay, it's already around the whole fucking school. You and Chase aren't exactly subtle."
After managing to close his jaw, Jason rubbed the stubble on his chin awkwardly and began, "Ace, I really don't-"
"Save it, Jay. I get the picture." Her eyes flashed stubbornly as she finally looked up at him, but he saw the trace of hurt. "And I'd really rather not have my first boyfriend be Chase Hartell."
"Ace, the reason I picked you was because I thought you could teach Chase a lesson. If anyone could tame him, it's you."
With a snort, Aislinn returned to her work. "You give me too much credit. I'd lose patience and strangle him with a bike chain."
Jay winced and rubbed his neck. "I don't doubt that."
The blue-haired girl eyed him in sudden realization. "You want him out of the way so you can get at his regulars, don't you?" Jason kept his face remarkably impassive, but his lack of response was enough to make his friend groan in disappointment. "Jay..."
"What will it take to get you to do this, Ace?" he cut her off firmly, determined to get what he wanted out of one of the most stubborn girls in Lawrence.
"A good reason. Not one of these craptastic ones you keep spewing at me."
Jason took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "Underneath the sex addict, Chase is a good guy. He's loyal and kind to his friends, and he genuinely cares for people. You see potential in him; otherwise you would've smacked me already. And one of your many talents is bringing out the best in people." Another slow breath. "I think you could genuinely tame Chase. He just..."
"Doesn't find me attractive. I got that much, thanks," Aislinn droned sarcastically.
"...likes most things fast," Jason continued over her. "You're going to have to keep up with him, or he'll get bored quickly." He locked his emerald eyes with her sepia ones. "I think you can do it, Ace. If for no other reason, do it for the poor freshman girls you'll save from him."
She blinked at that proposal, then smirked. "You're smarter than we give you credit for. You know I'm too nice for my own good sometimes."
Spirits lifting instantly, Jason asked with enthusiasm, "So you'll do it?"
"I'll give it some effort."
Immediately, Aislinn found herself trapped in a one-armed hug. "Thanks, Ace! You won't regret it!" Jason shouted as he darted out of the cafeteria.
The petite, blue-haired girl waved until he was out of sight, at which her already reluctant smile faltered and her hand dropped. "I'm sure, Jay." She sighed and rested her head in her hands. "I'm sure."
"Ohmygod! I was sure, too! About... something... wait, what were we talking about?"
Ace grinned with relief. "Hi, Fae."
Fae Hartell beamed, flicking her medium-length sea green hair out of bright blue eyes. "Howdy doodles!" she chirped, plopping into a nearby seat. Suddenly, she gasped and seized Aislinn by the shoulders. "Ohmygod you'll never guess what's going on!" After a short moment of silence, she prompted, "You're supposed to guess now?"
With a characteristic eye roll, the blue-haired girl replied dryly, "You're going to win a prize."
"Pshht. No."
"You're not going to win a prize."
"Well, yeah, but no."
"You're going to steal a prize?"
"Oh, for the love of- Jay is going to get Chase-"
"A girlfriend; yeah, I know; it's me."
Fae blinked. " 'Scuse me?"
Slowly, as though speaking to a three-year-old, Aislinn repeated, "I am Chase's new girlfriend. Apparently."
The silence only lasted for a moment. "B-b-b-but that's so wrong, because y-you're you and he's him and... and... Wait, if you marry him, we could become sisters. Okay, nevermind, this is awesome! Just date him for three years and then he'll feel obligated to marry you! Okay? Okay!"
"Fae, let's get something straight here. I'm only doing this because Jay managed to coerce me. Your brother and I hate each other's guts, in case you forgot?" Ace reminded her.
"Yeah, but you hate his womanizing. And if he's following Jay's bet like he's supposed to, then he'll stop womanizing, and then you'll realize that you should be soulmates!" the green-haired girl chirped excitedly.
"You're starting to sound like a prep."
"Whaat?! Nuuuuuuu! Must... wash... mouth... of... preppiness!" Fae stuck out her tongue and swiped at it with her hands in an only somewhat exaggerated panic. Meanwhile, Aislinn took the opportunity to leave her permanently hyper friend in the cafeteria. As she walked along, the heels of her boots clicking loudly, she glanced down to dig her MP3 player out of her favorite (and only) purse. Since she wasn't looking where she was going, she was only marginally surprised when her face smacked into someone's chest. Cursing her petite height of exactly five feet, she looked up sheepishly and felt her face get hot. "Hey... Chase," she mumbled.
"Hey," he replied awkwardly. Things had always been tense between them - Fae and Jay were constantly claiming it was sexual and trying to throw them at each other (like now, Ace realized). In truth, it was mostly because they hated each other but had the same friends. As a result, they were often forced to spend time together, and attempting to be civil was a tenuous agreement. No one knew the real source of their mutual hatred - Chase was generally too easygoing to expend the energy required to dislike someone, while Aislinn perpetually sought out the best qualities in everyone and thus had something nice to say about all the people she knew. Most attributed it to their many differences and Chase's never ending sexcapades, but only they knew the real reason.
"So what's new?" Ace asked, fiddling with her bangs, the only hair she had that was more than an inch long.
"Jay wants to get me a girlfriend," he sighed obliviously.
"So I've heard," she replied, reddening. He didn't know yet, and Aislinn wasn't sure if that was good or not.
"Oh em gee Chaaaaaaaaaaase!"
While Ace cringed, the boy beamed and caught his sister in a flying hug. "Hey, babe, what's up?"
"Ohmygod guess what?!" Fae squealed. "You're dating A-"
"-Really nice girl you're totally gonna love!" Jason interrupted, clapping a hand over the girl's mouth.
Dryly, Aislinn twirled a finger in the air. "Woohoo."
Eyes narrowed, Chase snapped, "What the hell do you think you're doing to my sister?"
Fae bit the taller boy's hand. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted..." She slapped out a drumroll on her thighs, then made a silly 'ta-da' pose. "You're dating Ace!"
The silence was painful. Finally, Chase turned to Jay with gritted teeth. "What?"
Oblivious as usual, the green-haired girl began to ramble, "Isn't it exciting?! What if it works and you get married and-" She gasped suddenly. "I could be an aunt!"
Ace curled her fingers gently around her friend's shoulder and murmured, "Fae, I think you need to be quiet now."
Miffed, Fae replied, "Why? This is great!"
Meanwhile, Chase snarled, "Well, Jay? Got anything to say for yourself?"
The addressed sighed. "Chase..."
"First," he interrupted, "tell me what the fuck you were thinking, assuming you were indeed thinking instead of having your head up your ass like usual. You know what? Never mind. I don't believe you were." He turned to Aislinn. "I want to apologize. I never imagined he'd be retarded enough to try and drag you into a relationship with me."
Jason opened his mouth, but Chase held up a finger. "You. Zip it. I don't give a flying fuck what you were trying to do. You never drag Ace into something like this ever again."
As Fae yanked some popcorn out of nowhere, Jason attempted, "Chase, I never thought-"
"No shit, you never thought. I can't believe you would try to force her to date me. Isn't she your friend?" His hands balled into fists of their own accord. "You guilted her into it, didn't you? That's the only possible way you could get her to do this."
Ace bit her lip nervously, then stepped forward and seized Chase's right arm. "Chase, you're overreacting. It's not what you're thinking at all."
He stared at her. "Then what the hell happened?"
Meanwhile, Jason had noticed Fae's popcorn. She hissed at him and swatted his hand away.
Aislinn took a deep breath. "I agreed, Chase. I said I'd do it."
Narrowing his eyes, he growled, "I am not putting you through this. This is so in violation of our agreement-"
"It's just a stupid bet, Chase. We can do it, get it over with, and go back to normal." She tightened her grip. "I don't see why you're making such a big deal over this."
"You know damn well why I'm making such a big deal over this!" he snarled. "I made a fucking promise, and the only good thing I can ever say about myself is that I don't break my promises!"
"Chase!" Fae screamed suddenly. "Jay is trying inappropriate things!"
The brother wheeled around. "What?!"
"I am not!" Jay shouted, but it didn't matter.
"Impressive," Ace smirked, pulling the green-haired girl off the floor. "Hell hath no fury like an overprotective brother."
Pouting, Fae crossed her arms and grumbled, "Well, that's what he gets for trying to take my... pop... corn... which I spilled... goddammit!"
Mr. Calhoun, a tall, brown-haired, inexplicably thin history teacher who looked much younger and acted much cooler than his forty-seven years, yanked the brawling boys apart. "You two! What the hell is going on here?!"
"He tried to touch my sister!" Chase bellowed, ignoring his slowly blackening eye.
With a sigh, Mr. Calhoun turned to Fae, who was staring at something very absorbing on the floor. "Is this true?"
Fortunately, Ace jumped in. "Fae and Jay were arguing, and from Chase's angle, it looked like Jay was trying something. It's just a big misunderstanding."
Mr. Calhoun knew better - all their fights were 'misunderstandings' - but he also knew that Aislinn Teague had all the other teachers wrapped around her finger. Had they not lived on the same street since the girl was in diapers, he probably wouldn't have known she could lie like the devil. Even if he wasn't inclined to be lenient with her friends, no one else would doubt Ace. So he released the boys' collars. "Oh. Thanks, Aislinn. I'll let this one go."
"No problem," she dismissed him with a shrug, and off he went.
Chase waited until Mr. Calhoun was out of earshot, then asked, "So you just shouted that to get me to hurt Jay?"
Once again, Fae studied something on the floor. "Yeah..."
Chase grinned. "High five." Beaming, his sister slapped his hand as the bell rang.
"We should go before we're late," Ace informed them, avoiding Chase's eyes.
"Okley-dokley! See you boys later!" Fae chirped, pulling her friend to class.
"Bye," Jason mumbled, swiping at his bloody, broken nose. After a short, tense silence, he turned to Chase. "Still mad at me?"
"Very."
Clicky for pictures! -->
Ace:
Chase:
Jay (he should be much more tan):
Fae:
