Lily loved having friends but there were days she dreaded that she even tried to have one. Some days she wished her best friend would just shut all the hell up.
"Lily, this is killing me! Can't you see I'm super curious?" Jean kept tugging on Lily's sleeve. "Tell me. Spill the beans already!"
"Oh, Duncan, she's dying." Lily dryly remarked, waiting for Duncan to say or do something. Tugging her sleeve back away from Jean, she complained, "Stop. This is my favorite t-shirt."
The redhead knew how to force the issue, obviously impatient. "Duncan, convince her. She's hiding something from us. I just know it."
"Come on, Lil. I'm with Jean here." Duncan sat next to Jean and sipped a taste of a Nickel Penny latte. "We have all the time in the world. Never had a mystery before that piqued my interest this bad. Now start talking," he winked.
"Traitor," Lily glared at him.
Today was one of those days Lily dreaded. She thought about killing Ray Carter the minute she saw him. The Bugle's List was officially released earlier in the morning, and she stared at it atop her table and wondered how the hell it all happened. She regretted she even got herself involved in the first place.
The poll results were almost the same as last year's as usual. The popular students got their names listed but there were also new names and developments. By developments, they meant unexpected and what-the-hell-you-gotta-be-shitting-me results.
Jean picked up The Bugle's List--for the third time that afternoon. "Lemme read the list again, okay? You can then give me the tea!"
1. Coolest Guy - Daniel Pierce
2. Hottest Girl - Hilary Monroe
3. One Special Cookie - Holly Maxwell
4. Everybody's Friend - Pete Mendez
5. Ms. Fashion Week Snub - Mari Anders
6. Mr. To The Nines - Rich Jackson
7. BULLY - Jake Wright
8. Best Cheerleader - Hilary Monroe
"Girl... Hilary is quite popular," Jean commented while twirling a lock of red hair.
That was interesting for Lily. "She's popular, all right. You don't sound convinced."
"Oh, I don't know. I'd like my name on this paper instead."
"Ha ha ha," came Lily's sarcasm.
Jean continued reading.
9. Madam President - Sophie Baker
10. Einstein Freak - Paul Dean
Jean reacted, "Not Milo?"
Both Lily and Duncan nodded.
11. The Home Team - Arrows Baseball Team
12. The Loser Dude - Frankie Bosworth
"I hate this part right here." Jean was referring to Frankie being the loser dude. She wished Missy wasn't laughing about it because she wanted to ram things with the cheerleader's face.
"Go on," Duncan urged her to continue. "He'll live."
13. If I have a girlfriend, she's... - Alicia Morris
14. If I have a boyfriend, he's... - Daniel Pierce
Jean whined, "I just don't understand why people like Dan more than they like Frankie. I mean Frankie's on a whole different level. Why should he be stuck with being the loser dude? I mean Dan is handsome, obviously, don't get me wrong, but Frankie is handsome too. If you ask me, he's way more handsome. He's awesome! I mean Frankie can be a bit on the rough side but Dan? He makes me want to be a nun. I can't sin with that guy. He's too good."
Duncan answered her, "Right there is the answer you need."
She asked, "What? Where?"
He replied, "Your bias. Your crush. Your fangirling. Stop whining about the supposed injustice Frankie Bosworth is getting. Go on and read."
15. "Wait For It" Freshman - Charlotte Hanne
16. "Keep It Up" Sophomore - Chunn Teller
17. "Almost There" Junior - Ronnie Sawyer and Charles Dais
18. "Legendary" Senior - Duncan Teller
With a glare directed at Duncan, Jean read the last line, suspicious of her friend. "At least yours is positive. What did you do to deserve this?" Pointing to Duncan's name printed on the paper, "This is an anomaly. Your little brother is even there. I like Chunn though."
Lily added, "Legendary my ass. What are you, Barney Stinson? Boy, why I let you term the questions is a mystery to me. Or complacency on my part. Legendary, seriously?"
Both of the girls received a nonchalant shrug from Duncan. "Man, this latte is good. Want some?"
He got nothing from the girls instead.
19. Smartest Cheater - Jim Nichols
20. The Favorite Teacher - Ms. Ruby Anderson
21. Skipping Class - the "Pee Sick" class
22. Does Jackie Watson cheat? - YES
23. Suspension or expulsion for Jim Nichols? - Suspension
24. Student of the Year- Pete Mendez
25. Do you agree with the President? - HELL NO!
26. Is the Student Council doing its job - YES
27. Changes for Next School Year - bigger swimming pool
28. Prom King (candidates) - Daniel Pierce, Jude Wallace, Rich Jackson, and Ray Carter
29. Prom Queen (candidates) - Sophie baker, Hilary Monroe, Alicia Morris, and Lily McQueen.
*There are no official results for these two categories. It will be announced on the night of the Spring Dance.
Lily felt her friends staring at her, waiting for her reaction or any long-overdue clarification. "What?"
Jean replied, "I had to skip those two numbers 'cuz I still can't believe my eyes your name is on there. Duncan, what's wrong with my eyes?"
Duncan rolled his eyes. "Nothing. Stop skipping. You're ruining the suspense."
"I answered question number 27, you know. The food should be better next school year," Jean said, clearly disappointed that food was not a priority. "Anyways, I am about to read the last question. Any warnings before I proceed?"
Lily looked at her best friend. "My eyes are rolling so hard at you right now."
"Mine too," Duncan added.
"Okay. Here I go."
30. Fram Hill High's Cutest Couple - Ray Carter and Lily McQueen
There was an awkward silence between the three friends. They kept looking at each other, waiting for someone to break the ice. But it was Jean who couldn't resist anymore.
"Whaaaat?! The school's cutest couple is... Ray Carter and Lily McQueen. Ray Carter and Lily McQueen! Ray Carter and Lily McQueen... I've already read this list maybe a hundred and four times and you know what? The cutest couple is still you and Ray Carter. I wonder why. How? I'm shocked! See my eyebrows moving all on their own? Now tell me. Oh yeah? I get it, Lil. You've been rolling your eyes at me all day!"
Annoyed, Lily answered her, "No. I don't know. You tell me. I did the survey, yes, and you did your part after as you promised. Remember your more interesting plans with the loser dude? When I checked for editing, my name wasn't even there. You explain."
"Well, yes. But, Lil, have you forgotten that I did a second survey with Katie and when you were finished with the first edit, I did another round, and that I passed directly to Duncan for printing? When I started asking about the cutest couple and the prom king and queen questions, the kids gave me your name, and I was like, 'What the hell? Hey, squirt, are you even sure you want that stiff McQueen to be the prom queen?' Your last name sounds like a queen, by the way, but whatever! And the folks were like 'Oh yeah. She and Ray Carter are so cute together!' That statement should only end with one conclusion--the cutest couple in the whole school campus and, at the same time, candidates for Spring Dance King and Queen are the highly unlikely people on this freaking planet! Bam! The Stiff and Ray 'Freckles Boy' Carter!"
"Thank you very much for explaining your side of the story, babe. Wowzers. You even have your own nickname for the guy," Lily said dryly and turned to Duncan. "Now what?"
"Come on, Lil. It's not a bad thing. In fact, you should be flattered because now you are popular, not that you are not already popular before. This is good publicity, absolutely good publicity." Duncan reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I need an explanation from you about you and Ray Carter though. I am intrigued. Nobody told me you and he are a thing. Last time I checked, my girlfriend and I are the cutest couple ever."
Someone, a certain redhead, in the room made a choking sound. Obviously, it was not Lily. "No, you weren't"
Ignoring Duncan's joke, Lily was mentally writing a different list--a "How To Survive An Embarrassment Caused By A Guy Named Ray Carter."
Ray Carter--his name now was most probably synonymous with headache. Lily never wanted to meet with him anymore.
All this wouldn't have happened if he did not ask and meet up with Lily at Nickel Penny, a popular diner. It was just one afternoon of coffee and chocolate cake and a little of getting to know you.
It was not a date. Period! I was just hungry. That's why! Lily wanted so bad to explain.
Inside The Bugle's office, Jean pouted like a five-year-old asking for a cookie, and Duncan, who Lily expected to be a more sensible friend compared to Jean, was trying to annoy her even more by drinking a Nickel Penny latte. She was beginning to dread the place, especially now that she found out that Ray Carter owned it and actually lived there.
"Nothing is going on between me and Snow White. We just talked at that diner in Concord. Okay?" She shrugged and stood up from her chair.
Jean looked confused. "Wait. Who's Snow White? I thought we were talking about Ray Carter."
"Okay. Snow White is Ray Carter. He's the palest person I have ever seen." She searched inside her bag for her Physics notes and books.
"Hey! You gave him a nickname too. But Lil, I guess the right word for it is not 'palest'. It's fair-skinned. He is fair-skinned. He has great skin... for a guy. And the freckles? They're adorable, I admit. And take note. He isn't a redhead like me."
Lily looked at Duncan for help, but he was obviously having fun. "Don't ask me, Lil. I prefer to look at females."
"Dun, Dun, Dun, you are an epitome of TDH," Jean touched his right shoulder and giggled.
He raised an eyebrow. "What's TDH?"
"What else? Tall, dark, and handsome." She winked at him. "Right, Lil?"
Lily just rolled her eyes, getting unnecessarily exhausted with all the questions. "I'm done here. I need to go to the library because, as much as I don't want to be seen right now, I have a Physics tutorial session with Pete and his friends. Bye, bitches."
Before Lily was even out of the office, Jean stood up and hugged her.
"I just want to warn you. Some girls might be throwing daggers at you when you pass by the halls but hold your head up high and stay strong. I am here for you. Duncan as well." She let her go and went back to the chair beside Duncan's.
"Seriously?" Lily asked Duncan who nodded. "I'm really out of here. I thought Jean was the one dying a while ago. It turns out it's me!" She turned around and went out.
When she was finally out of the office, Jean and Duncan both broke out obnoxious, loud laughs.
They high-fived behind my back! And they're laughing at me! Why are they even my friends? Despite feeling a little annoyed with the teasing from the two of her closest friends, Lily felt laughing as well and as loud.
***