[on hiatus] Metamorphosis of a Mean Girl (How To Rule Your High School Part 2)

Chapter 1: The Return to Clairview

A/N: For those of you who got a glimpse at the sneak peek in December, this is the same as what had been posted as the last chapter of HTRYHS...look for new chapters coming soon! :)

Mondays. I've always hated them, but for the first time in my life, I awoke excited. My alarm rang early and I made my way to the disturbingly organized drawer of makeup. An hour of cleansing, primping, buffing, curling, contouring, lining, and glossing myself into A-list perfection, I was ready to take on the world again. The face staring back at me was both familiar and foreign, a girl that had gone missing and had now returned...with a vengeance.

Friday felt like years ago. Seeing Ethan's face glued to Dakota's seemed like it had happened in another lifetime. Vicky had taken me out to the nearby luxury resort spa to get our hair and nails done on Saturday, gushing over how glad she was that I was back. As our fingers and toes soaked in richly perfumed water, she'd mentioned that she had a plan to retaliate against Dakota, but had refused to go into any more detail. Frankly I didn't care what she had planned, so long as it was brutal enough to ruin the bespectacled whore's entire life.

Vicky had also worked her magic on the social media front. Thanks to all of us teenagers being so smartphone friendly, almost the entire school (once again) knew what had happened to Madison Carlisle over the weekend. Surprisingly, instead of being peeved the heck off, I was finding the attention a huge relief.

"Even the misfits missed looking at you," Victoria chuckled, as our heels clicked amidst the adoring stares of the majority of the student body.

"Hell, I missed looking at myself," I joked.

"Well I think I know one person who missed it most," she said, nodding towards the front steps. Just as I looked, Brandon looked away, pretending to be engrossed in conversation with Mel. I said nothing, choosing instead to stare straight ahead.

"Oh come on Maddie, you know he's into you," Vicky persisted, "What's the hangup?"

"He's Brett's best friend!" I said finally, as we neared the tables. Vicky rolled her eyes.

"Your brother's a big boy, he'll get over it," she whispered, before plastering on her biggest smile to greet the group with air kisses and hugs. Just as she sat, Courtney pounced on me from behind.

"Maddie!" she shrieked, seeming close to tears.

"Yes, Courtie?" I asked, barely fighting a smile.

"Ohmigod I'm so happy you're back!" she gushed in one breath, "And guess what!"

"What?" I asked, as she kept my arm in a vice grip.

"Kyle!" she just breathed, her eyes suddenly looking past us, "Ohmigod, excuse me!"

With those as her parting words, she floated up the stairs towards the senior, who snatched her up in a hug.

"God, finally," Vicky snorted. But I was too preoccupied watching Mel's reaction. As Courtney and Kyle locked lips, Mel simply stood up and walked into the school, stone-faced as she passed them. Even though Courtney was my best friend and I knew she'd been chasing Kyle, some part of me wrenched inside at Mel's reaction.

After all, I knew what it felt like when someone you liked decided to be with someone else.

I tried not to look at Tyler as I hoisted my purse onto my shoulder and headed in to school. I lingered at my locker until the bell, closing it to find someone waiting for me.

"You look really great today Maddie," Tyler said simply, watching me with those hazel eyes of his as he leaned on the wall a few lockers down.

"Thanks," I replied, racking my brain for all those things I'd meant to tell him on Saturday. But caught blindsided like this, they'd all slipped right out of my brain.