The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)

The Last Space in the Trophy Case

Previously: "Girl Bosses" 

"Well, I have some definite ideas for the rest of the masks," you tell Michelle in a confiding tone. "But you might have some ideas I haven't considered. So—"

You slip your arm into hers and pull her close.

"How about you give me some ideas? Girls that maybe you'd, you know, like to be. And pitch them to me." You squeeze her. "Then it would be a win for both of us!"

"Okay, I'll think about it," she mutters. "Is there anything else?"

"Well, one thing you could think about for me, is that I'd like to have you back on the squad."

That startles her. "You would?"

"Yes. I mean, 'Michelle Estrich' can't come back. But we have a vacancy I need to fill since Yumi quit, and the girl who fills it"—you touch her lightly on the shoulder—"could be you."

"After tryouts?"

"No tryouts. I've already told Coach Tesla I've got someone in mind. You could fill in the blank for me."

She looks skeptical. "Shouldn't it be Jack's pick to make?"

You smile. "Michelle. Jack just does what I tell him."

Her eyes widen, and she pales.

* * * * *

Maybe it was a mistake telling Michelle that Jack Li is one of your minions, and maybe it was a mistake telling her she could use a mask to get back on the squad. But maybe the two mistakes cancel out. If she does rejoin the squad under a new identity, that will show that she's swallowed her qualms about what you've done to Jack. And if she recoils from Jack's duplication and replacement, then probably she won't want to rejoin the squad.

She's at least giving it some thought, because later that night she texts to ask if you are open to having a junior join the squad, and when you ask if that junior would be a new identity for her, she says it might be. In which case, you tell her, you'd love to have a junior on the squad!

Monday brings unseasonably warm temperatures, and you take full advantage of it by dressing in shorts and a sleeveless top, which you cover with a pink hoodie. You put the morning squad through its paces, and if you curb your tongue when you'd like to lay it like a lash across Eva Garner's back, you remind the girls that although you are not squad captain anymore, you are still in charge of morning practices, and darkly warn them that you won't want to hear of any complaints lodged against you with Jack.

"He told me he doesn't want to put up with any bullshit," you tell them. "That was his main condition for taking over the squad. Maybe you think you can get me trouble by bitching to him about me, but you'll only be storing up trouble for yourself." You hold Cindy's eye as you say it, and she flushes.

Overall, it's a quiet day, but you know it's only the calm before the storm. Number Five will be showing that video to his friends, and Number Two will be having that talk with Anita Nuevo and Kelly Rinaldi. At lunch, you take advantage of the relative lull to try warming things back up between you and Gordon, simpering over him and rubbing his back. He reacts by draping a big arm around your shoulders, and nuzzling the side of your head. I need to work on this relationship, you tell yourself in a mental note, at least until I can find a way of getting him under control again!

As you'd anticipated, there's no gossip about Kelsey and her weekend when you meet last period with Gloria and Kendra, and neither girl has anything to say about the chatter going around school about your "demotion" and Jack's ascension. Possibly it's because they, like you, realize it's better to ignore it. But you're pretty sure it's on account of they think you've taken a bad hit, reputation-wise, and are waiting to see if they can twist it to their advantage.

Well, that's what Gloria is clearly thinking. A-Three will just be obeying Michelle's orders to act like Kendra.

But Gloria does ask if you've picked a new girl for the squad. You tell her that's for Jack to decide.

She cocks an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Well, I'm sure he'll listen to recommendations."

"Are there going to be tryouts?"

"That's up to him."

Gloria continues to look dubious. Kendra too is listening attentively.

"Well, I ask," she says, "because I've had a lot of people coming up to me to ask if there's going to be tryouts. Or if, you know, someone's already been picked."

"I know, I'm getting the same thing," you sigh. Kendra, too, nods. "Reagan Hackett came busting up to me at my locker just before lunch, just demanding to know what's going on."

"She also talked to me," Gloria says. "She's not serious, is she? I mean ... Reagan? On the squad?"

Kendra says, "She's asking because of Sydney McGlynn."

"Oh, Jesus!" You cluck your tongue. "Not her again!"

Sydney McGlynn is a newcomer to Westside. She is fit, tan, blonde, and buxom, but with a poise that Chelsea (whose natural effervescence tends to froth over violently) could only dream of possessing. She was a cheerleader at her old school in Kansas (or somewhere in the Midwest), and went to a national competition, and the specter of Sydney trying to join the squad has kept Chelsea in a state of nearly permanent panic, which she has only been able to deal with by stonily pretending she doesn't exist.

But Sydney is one of those people whom you have, in the back of your head, been considering replacing with a doppelganger. Sydney has so far shown no interest in joining the cheerleading squad, and she seems mostly to keep to herself and to a small, tight-knit circle of friends. But her beauty, and the fascination that a lot of guys at Westside have for her, intrigues you, and you can easily imagine her being useful.

So when you follow up your exclamation with, "Well, it's not going to be Sydney McGlynn on the squad, that's for God damn sure!" it's only for show. If you want her on the squad, it will be easy enough to get Number Seven to overrule Number One's objections.

Gloria and Kendra both agree that adding Sydney to the squad would only lead to more confusion and worse problems, but you can tell that underneath their protests, they are calculating how that confusion could help them.

* * * * *

Gloria and Kendra have gone, but you're still sitting on the bleachers studying your phone after basketball practice, when Steve—looking flushed and healthy and freshly showered—comes of the changing room. "Hey Chels!" he shouts up at you. "You going home, or you gonna favor us with your presence?"

You glare, but only reply, "I don't have to be home right away."

"How fucking lucky for your family." Then, graceful as a gazelle (though tall as a giraffe), Steve bounds up the bleachers two at a time, stopping at eye level with you. The insolence look vanishes from his face, replaced by the neutrally composed expression of Number Three.

"Coach wants Gordon's input about Rojas and the JV squad," he murmurs. "If you want something done there, you'll need to get him on the same page as me."

"Understood. What's the story you gave Coach?"

"Some bullshit about how unhappy everyone is. Coach says he doesn't see it on the court."

"I'll talk to Gordon. I'll do that now."

Number Three nods curtly as you put your phone away, then straightens up. There's a cruel and contemptuous look on his face as he says, in a loud voice, "If you don't want me around, Chels, just say so."

"I don't want you around, Steve," you retort. "Gordon won't say it to your face, but he thinks it's 'gay as fuck' that you're always around when we want to make out."

He flushes.

"You know, the only time I like being around you Chels," he says, "is when I got a case of the munchies I gotta get rid of." He hops down the bleachers. Gordon comes out just as he hits the floor, and with a jerk of his thumb in your direction, Steve tells Gordon, "She's all yours, man, and welcome to her."

* * * * *

Gordon asks you what that was about with Steve, but you brush him off with, Just the usual, and take his hand and lead him up to the loft. There you coo and caress and canoodle with him until you break down his reserves, and he grabs you and a handful of your breasts. You let him slobber over you this way while squealing that "I can't!" and "Not now! and "Gordon!" But of course you relent, and he lays back on the well-worn gym mat while you slip out of your shorts and underwear and slide yourself slowly down onto his flagpole-of-a-cock. You grunt and moan and cry with more ecstasy than you really feel, but it's still a disappointment when he rockets up inside you before you've hardly warmed up.

But it all works out, for afterward you collapse and sprawl atop him, whimpering softly into the crook of his neck. It's in this position that you lobby him to second whatever Steve has to say about the JV squad. Gordon wants to know why.

"Because," you tell him, "I can't stand Steve, but he knows what he's talking about. If you don't go along with him on this JV squad business, whatever it is, and things go bust, you'll look bad!"

Gordon grunts and says that he'll talk to Steve. "Just go with him to Coach Porter, go along with what he says," you urge him. "Don't make it hard for yourself!"

Then you giggle. "Just make it hard for me!"

* * * * *

After supper, Michelle sends you a text, saying that she's got a recommendation for the squad: Stacy Stahl. When you ask her to explain her choice, she only replies, Good for me and good for you.

You look up Stacy on social media. She's a popular junior, apparently, into gymnastics. Lots x2z activity connects her to Christine Miles, so you figure that's the angle Michelle is looking to play.

But would she be useful to you? And do you really want Michelle back on the squad?

Next: "Scandal!" 

*
"Table of Contents (Vol. 3)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)"