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"Stapler-man could be cool, you staple anyones mouth shut who talks bad about you"
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The next day at school was the first trial for Spring Fling King and Queen. The nominees had to dress up with a theme and attempt to wow the teachers.
"Y/n! What do you think?" Mary yells out to me as her and Darci start posing in their outfits.
"Amazing! You guys look great!" I say with a smile making them squeal excitedly.
"Oh this is so exciting! I've never done this before! What if I mess it up? What if they laugh at me?" Mary asks with a horror stricken face.
"No one will laugh at you, and if they do, they'll be getting a soccer punch to the face" I say reassuringly, as I placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks, Y/n/n" Mary says with a wide smile, making me smile back before my eyes find Jim and Toby.
"I'll be right back" I say, before running after the two boys.
"Tobes, look, I'd love to be Spring King. Who wouldn't? But I'm just a little preoccupied right now with not getting killed." I hear Jim say to Toby.
"There are fates worse than death, Jimbo." Toby says before yelping as he walks off the bleacher.
I quickly step forward and grab the back of his shirt—lifting him back up as the boy sighs in relief
"Y/n! You saved me!" Toby exclaims before crushing me in a hug.
"You're. Welcome. Now. Let go!" I manage to stumble out as I struggle to breathe.
"Oh. Sorry!" Toby says with an awkward smile.
He then looks back to Jim and continues his weird conversation with him about popularity.
"This is our chance to get the school to finally recognize how cool we are!" Toby says to Jim making me raise an eyebrow at them.
"We?" Jim asks.
"If you become Spring King, it'll open up a whole new bracket of women. I'm talking cheerleaders, senior cheerleaders-" Toby starts before I cut him off by whacking him on the head.
"Toby!" I yell, making him mumble an apology before his eyes widen.
"Dare I dream? Community college dropouts." Toby gasps as me and Jim roll our eyes.
"If you don't want to do it for us, Jimbo, do it for me. I've always felt like I was destined to be a duke." Toby says while puffing his chest out.
"More like a Jester" I say with a roll of my eyes, making Toby huff.
"Fine" Jim says as Toby giggled in excitement.
"I'll try to throw some kind of costume together, okay?" Jim says to Toby.
"Thank you. And put some effort into it." Toby says.
"I can help you if you want!" I say to Jim making him smile.
"Yes! I-I mean yeah, I-if you want, I mean...I'm not forcing you to help it's just that I'd like it if you were there-" He starts to ramble as I smile at him in amusement, tempted to let him go on but also wanting to put a stop to his misery.
"Let's go" I tell him as I start to walk away, the boy just frantically nodding his head before following—casting an alarmed look to Toby before leaving.
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We walked over to a random classroom (hoping it will have something that we can use for a costume). Jim grabs the handle, jiggling it before smiling at me when he realises it's unlocked.
"After you M'lady" Jim says jokingly as he opens the door.
"Why thank you kind sir" I say, while doing a dramatic curtsy making us both laugh.
"Ugh! The things I do for Toby. Where am I supposed to find a costume? And what am I supposed to be? Stapler-man?" Jim asks as he holds up a stapler.
"Stapler-man could be cool, you staple anyones mouth shut who talks bad about you" I say with a laugh.
"Huh? What is that" Jim says as he looks out the window.
I start to make my way over before I hear coach Lawrence's voice over the PA system.
"Oh shit, I think the contest is about to start. We should head-" I start to say as I turn to where Jim was last standing, only to see nothing.
I quickly look to the door and catch sight of Jim's back before he goes running off out of sight.
"Yep! Okay! Meet you there!" I yell to him in a sarcastic voice, a small scowl on my face.
"Attention, teachers, and students! The assembly will begin in two minutes! - One fifty-nine, fifty-eight. Move it!" Coach Lawrence says."And now, for the boys, Steve Palchuck!!"
I grimace at the sound of Steve's name but continue my search in the cabinets for things that could be used for a costume.
"Arcadia Oaks High, I have two words for you." I hear Steve say, making me roll my eyes and tune out the speech.
I manage to find a feather scarf and a packet of glitter before I make my way back to the gym.
I see Toby and Claire sitting next to eachother near the top of the stands and decide to make my way over.
"Hey Toby, where's Y/n?" I hear Claire ask, making me decide to let myself be known as I plop down next to her.
"Right here" I state.
I laugh to myself as I watch Toby and Claire jump at the sound of my voice, but then realise that we're missing someone.
"Is Jim not here?" I ask, as I see no sight of the awkward dark haired boy.
"I thought he was with you?" Toby questions making me roll my eyes.
"He was, before he ran away somewhere" I sigh as I lean my head against Claire's shoulder.
"Wait, why was he with you?" Claire asks with a smirk, making me elbow her in the gut as she wheezes.
"We were looking for a last minute costume, get you're head out of the gutter you idiot" I whisper.
"What is he thinking? These things take time. You don't just win Spring Fling by throwing something together." Claire exclaims before her eyes widen at herself. "Why do I care so much about this?"
"Because it matters, Claire! This is the kind of event that can propel us through high school and send us off to college as winners!" Toby exclaims, making us shush him as people start to look at us.
"And now, Eli Pepperjack!" Coach yells.
An old stereo slid beside the microphone, Eli walking beside it as he nervously rubbed his neck dressed in gym clothes and black shades. Retro dance music begins to play as Eli dances to the beat, shocking everyone in the building.
Students began to murmur to themselves as we all watch Eli.
"Oh, my God!" A girl says.
"Uh, awkward." Another girl says.
After ending in the splits, he stood back up and called out to the audience.
"What's up righteous dudes and dudettes?" Eli yells, making me hold in a laugh.
"Huh?" A boy says.
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters! Let's take a blast to the past! Back to ancient times!" Eli says before doing the moonwalk."The 1980s!"
A large banner of the number 1980 was written on the screen in a funky pattern. The music stopped and just a lone clapper was heard.
"Boo! Go back to the luau guy!" Steve yells out.
"Mr. Lake? Anybody seen Mr. Lake? Well, I guess you forfeit-" Coach Lawrence's starts to say before Toby, Claire and I quickly run up and take the microphone.
"Hey, there!" Claire says awkwardly into the microphone, making me slap my forehead.
"Jim will be here" I say into the microphone.
"We're his opening act" Claire says, making my eyes widen.
I am not apart of this we're.
Toby pulled out a sock that smelled really bad, making me and Claire wave a hand in front of our nose.
"Who wants to see some magic?" Toby exclaims.
"Oh boy" I mumble with wide eyes.
"James Lake? Lake, are you here?" Coach Lawrence says into the intercom desperately as Toby attempts to do magic.
Toby was sticking his fingers into his balled fist, a student booing as Toby mumbled to himself.
"Okay, this is gonna work." Toby mumbles.
"Boo!" A boy yells making my eyes narrow.
"Boo, you!" I yell at him, making him hide behind a student.
Toby grunted and nervously closed his eyes as he held out his hands which were empty, shocking himself that it actually worked. He gasps before searching for the sock.
More kids start to boo making me sigh and lean against Claire.
"Oh, my gosh! It worked! Wait, where'd the sock go?" Toby asks everyone, although he was genuinely being serious and had no idea where the sock went.
Claire quickly stepped up, singing as Toby went along with it, acting like everything was meant to happen.
"Oh, say, can you see?" Claire sings, making my eyes widen.
She looks to me and beckons with her hand for me to sing as well—but I stand frozen and frantically shake my head.
"What are you doing? I'm in the middle of my act." Toby exclaims to the girl.
"By the dawn's ear-" Claire continued but the mic was ripped from her hands, Coach Lawrence turning to the crowd.
"Give me this. All right, enough! Jim Lake is disquali-" Coach Lawrence starts before the gym doors slam open revealing Jim...covered in mud.
"What the heck is that?" Toby gasps, not even recognising his best friend.
"What's going on here?" Coach Lawrence asks.
"Looks like you've been digging in the dirt, Lake" Steve says cockily. "What the heck are you supposed to be?"
"He looks like a mole!" Eli gasps.
Mary and Darci share a look before they both begin to chant Mole! And soon all the students were.
"Mole! Mole! Mole!" The students chanted.
"No, no, no! I'm not a mole! I'm just-" Jim tried saying but no one was listening.
They all continued to chant as Toby quickly took the microphone from Coach Lawrence's hands.
"Jim Lake Junior here to present his theme, Mole Mania!" Toby yells.
I quickly walked over to Jim and threw glitter all over him, making the students cheer loudly as Jim gives me a bewildered look.
"Did you just throw glitter at me" Jim asks with wide eyes.
"Yes, now your a glittery Mole" I smirk making him laugh a little.
Band music began to play as the Mole mascot came out and danced.
"Mole Mania is not even a theme!" Steve yells angrily.
"The people have spoken. Jim is the winner!" Claire yells into the microphone.
"Jim wins the challenge! Mole Mania is the theme, but if I see one drop of mud on my gymnasium floor- Just dress like normal!" Coach Lawrence yells in a huff.
Coach Lawrence then loudly cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention.
"There has been a sudden departure. I have heard word that Principal Levit has taken an indefinite leave of absence. We wish him well. But he sent an e-mail recommending an interim replacement, which we all support. Please welcome Principal Strickler!" Coach Lawrence yells.
Jim, Toby and I turned at the name, no one clapping but one person—Eli.
"Yeah! Woo-hoo!" Eli yelled.
The students whispered in confusion as Strickler stepped up to Coach Lawrence, passing through Jim and Toby.
"What is he doing here?" Jim whispers to Toby and I.
"Whatever it is, it can't be good" I whisper back.
"I thought you said he would be a fool to ever come back." Toby asks Jim.
"I guess he's a fool" I say.
Strickler grabbed the mic and looked back at Jim and Toby, his eyes glowing at them before turning to the crowd.
"I'm very glad to be back and excited to get started. But let it be known, with me in charge, things are going to change." Strickler says with a wide smirk.
"Oh fu-" I start to say, before Jim places his hand over my mouth.
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Authors note:
I may have to start making all the episodes in two parts because now we're in it a lot
Also it was so random how they made Claire queen even though she wasn't a contestant so I kinda just erased it...lol
I'm sorry if a lot of people get upset that I'm making Y/n take a lot of Claire's lines but I have to for the story!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!