This choice: Endorse: Infiltrate the underclassmen • Go Back...Chapter #51Operation: Downgrade by: rugal b.   You quickly disabuse yourself of that thought however. It might be kind of mean to just throw a person into someone else's life without warning just to see what happens whether it's out of genuine curiosity or just because it might be a little fun; and if you're thinking like that the others would probably think like that too. The same goes for the other ideas. Some people might need to be taken down a peg or two but there's something dark about engineering it yourself using the guises of people around them.
Playing Cupid might be seen as beneficial, however you can't help but wonder if the idea of trying to push together people who might not otherwise seem compatible could just as easily backfire and lead to massive drama.
So perhaps a bit tepidly you speak up. "Maybe we should go with Fairfax's idea," you say. "I mean if we're supposed to be making a social map of the school and all."
"Is that what you think we're doing?" Cindy asks.
"Well, it's what Philip said we'd be doing," you state with a meekness completely uncharacteristic of your current guise. "Manipulating people from the shadows like that just seems a bit weird and cruel."
"So we were being weird and cruel to you?" asks Eva.
"I mean I don't know about cruel but I guess in hindsight," you pause, "well it's kind of unnerving knowing that I wasn't really dealing with the real girls the whole time."
"Not like they'd know," states Jessica.
"But they would think that something is up if people they only barely knew or didn't know at all were trying to mess with their social lives or if their friends were doing things that didn't make sense," Maria says before turning to you. "Since nobody else's ideas have any traction that leaves your vote the deciding one."
"Great," you slump as you hear the others groan. You close your own eyes as you imagine six others being turned right at you and you don't want to risk experiencing that.
"We've already got our second betas picked out anyway," Jessica protests, "and Tilley already has his."
"If they want to do it so bad why don't they go first?" asks Cindy.
"I don't mind," states Maria, "but we'll do it in exchange for the rest of you holding off on your second betas."
"What?!" The loud yelp comes from both of fake Garners followed quickly but a solo cry from Jessica. "How is that fair?!" she exclaims.
"Only for a day or two," Maria explains. "Long enough for Will and myself to get things straight in our new identities and see if there's anything we might be able to do there beyond simple observation. If there is we can run some ideas by you and if not then you're free to do whatever."
There's more grumbling from the so-called sisters before they finally seem to reluctantly acquiesce. "Fine, two days max," declares Eva. "You make it sound like you already have someone in mind if the timetable's that short."
"I do and I'm sure I'll be able to get them by later tonight," is all Maria says. At that point things are dismissed and everyone proceeds to head home for the evening with not much more being said.
* * * * *
"Oh, um, Jenny! You, uh, you know Will right? Will Prescott?"
The question comes early in first period -- concert choir -- as everyone is warming up (or more accurately goofing off and chatting) before actual lessons and practice start. Paris Morrow, a girl with short hair dyed some kind of weird pastel color you wouldn't even pretend to recognize, nervously asks the question. You don't respond vocally but your glancing at her seems to make her even more jittery.
"Well, I've seen you hanging out with him at lunch before so I just was wondering, you know?"
Paris is a nice girl with a good voice who stands next to Jenny as part of the choir and while Jenny doesn't hate her or anything something about her leaves Jenny feeling lukewarm. Maybe it's the look which sparks in Jenny the feeling of a tryhard arty lesbian (is Paris one? Jenny certainly doesn't know) or the jittery, rabbity nature that reminds her so much of nobody less than, well, yourself.
"Are you interested in him?" you ask.
"Am I...? No way!" she protests. "He's just... he's not my type, you know? But my sister was asking about him--"
"So she's interested?"
"Huh? No, at least I don't think she is," she sputters. "But I guess her friend was out at the Warehouse on Friday and was dancing with him for a bit. So she was telling my sister because I think she was interested and Peyton was asking me if I knew anything since I'm in the same class as you and..."
"Okay, okay, I get it," you cut in. "So your sister's friend is interested in Will and you're asking me on her behalf right?"
"Well so she can tell her but yeah that's about it."
"I don't really have much to say. I only casually know him," you shrug. However what Paris has said definitely opens up something intriguing so you try push forward a little bit. "But that's still probably more than she knows. Tell your sister I can try talking to her if I've got some free time later."
* * * * *
"Paris Morrow's sister, huh? Oh right, Peyton," Eva says early on in third period. You've just finished explaining what Paris had mentioned to you earlier. "She's in the orchestra so I see her all the time. Really different from her sister so it's hard to believe they're twins."
"More twins? The hell is with this school?" you mutter. "So she's a junior too then?"
"Yeah and from what I hear she's pretty popular. Why, you thinking of trying to get her hooked up with you?"
"I already told you it was her friend not her who was interested," you state. "And I don't know, maybe? It seems like there'd be a good shot if she was prodded the right way but I'm kind of worried that it'd look bad."
"Why's that?" she asks.
"Well because she's a junior?" you reply as if it's not obvious. "Wouldn't that make me, well my beta but you know, look kind of lame for hooking up with a junior?"
"I don't see why not," Eva replies dismissively. "There's seniors dating underclassmen and it's not doing anything for their reputation. Plus she'd be a junior so it's not like the difference is that big. If Peyton's popular then her friend probably is too so if you're still worried about your own standing then getting together with a popular junior is way better than getting with nobody or developing a reputation as an immature playboy."
"I guess I can see that."
"Right. Besides it's not like you have anyone else in mind for a second beta right?"
"Philip said freshmen and sophomores right?" you ask.
But Eva is dismissive of that. "I don't think he'd really care," she says. "Besides do you, as in Jenny, know any freshmen or sophomores?"
"Not really," you slump. "There's a few sophomores in her fifth period class since it's just a basic phys ed one but she doesn't really know them."
"Well there you go," states Eva. "I mean if you think one of them's a good candidate and you can get them out then by all means knock yourself out. But Peyton seems like a pretty solid get so if you want her shoot me a text before eighth. I'll get her out there for you."
"Right, speaking of that did Philip get his second beta yet? He was pretty confident about it."
Eva's about to say something but her mouth quickly snaps shut as Audrey and Rachel, joined this time by Mindy McAdams who'd sat on your lap on the drive out to the Warehouse, come over and sit down at the table. The rest of the period is spent on pointless study and even more pointless gossip.
* * * * *
Your question regarding Fairfax and his second beta is answered almost immediately however. You're not far from the library walking towards the cafeteria when you're tapped on the shoulder from behind. You turn to see a girl: hispanic, pretty and slim with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and equally dark framed glasses resting on her face. "Do I know you?" you ask with a little bit of Jenny's naturally skeptical incredulity towards those she doesn't know.
"It's Philip," the girl replies in a voice that is higher pitched and sweeter than you'd have expected.
"So that's your second beta?" you ask. "Who is she?"
"Daniela Ramos; a big fish in the freshman class," she answers.
"Okay and how? You know freshmen?"
"She lives close to Maria and their families are old friends. Maria gives her rides to and from school a lot," she states succinctly. "More importantly do you have anyone in mind yet?"
"Maybe? I don't know, it's still up in the air."
"Well I'd like to have us both in place today," she tells you. "If you don't have anyone in mind or if you can't get anyone then tell me before the end of the day. My current identity knows plenty of people so I can certainly find someone good for you."
Daniela asks you to take out her phone and gives you her contact information then you watch as she disappears into the crowd of students going this way and that. You're surprised that Fairfax would go with a freshman considering the lack of freedom that might entail but you guess convenience and having Maria as a beta does mitigate some of it. Could he get you someone good? Well probably, you don't have reason to doubt him but would you want to be a freshman?  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2024 rugal b. (UN: rugal at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Seuzz has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author