Chapter Text
"Regina George is not nice." Janis Ian had once said during Cady's first day at Northshore High. "She's a back-stabbing, conniving, attention-seeking whore whose only hobby is to lie and manipulate people so she can keep her golden crown!"
Cady hadn't really believed it, for on her second day, the Regina George herself had rescued her from an uncomfortable (and rather awkward) conversation initiated by Gretchen's summer fling, Jackson (or was it Jason?), and had even invited her to sit with them.
Then after a few casual exchanges of talking about whatever, she'd even extended an invitation for her to be part of the Plastics.
So really, Cady shouldn't have anything to worry about at all. Because whatever horrible rumours that followed Regina George was completely and utterly false.
The Queen Bee is nice, it's probably just her intimidating stare that throws people off.
…Right?
Even if the Plastics forbade her from doing things like joining the Mathletes, or hanging out with Janis and Damien (in their vicinity), or having to follow a strict set of rules in order to function within this school's social hierarchy all in the name of not committing social suicide, Cady would gladly do it twice if it meant that she could be accepted by her new friends; after all they were only looking out for her.
And they were accepting! They taught her all about Girl World, which was a lot to take in for Cady who basically had the social intelligence of an 8-year-old child, but they were patient enough to help her understand what was happening around her.
Over the next few weeks, they dragged her to the mall for protein shakes and dresses (she also snagged a cute, glitter pink lipgloss with the cutest tube), and they also let her tag along with them to the George Mansion (and god, was it really huge) where they resumed their 'gossip sesh' and complained about everyone whilst practicing makeup on each other. They even showed her the forgotten Burn Book; a hot pink sketchbook full of crass complaints about everyone in their year.
And Cady had truly believed that the Plastics were nice deep down…despite their contrasting exterior. Well, for a while.
Until that fateful encounter with Aaron Samuels. He was the captain to the soccer team, and:
a) he was ridiculously popular,
b) he was ridiculously rich,
c) worst of all; he was ridiculously handsome.
He managed average grades (At best, some As and most Bs) and generally is a sweet guy. He treated everyone with respect, listened and did his work in class, and kept a polite but reserved distance to most strangers. Once, during Miss Norbury's class, he turned around to ask her what date it was.
It was October third.
That interaction left her in a daze.
She'd carelessly let herself glance a little too long at him during lunch one time, and Gretchen caught the gesture. There, she confronted Cady lightly (but she felt an impending weight crashing down on her. Hell, could they be frightening smetimes…) and told her about the off-limits thing.
Cady hadn't known that he was supposed to be off-limits to every girl (and guys too, because you never know) in the school due to his short-lasting, on-and-off-putting relationship with Regina George. Hell, even if she did know she wouldn't had cared much; after all, he was just a guy, right?
Wrong.
Apparently, she should've cared. She should've guessed. She should've known.
Because Regina called hours later, in the evening, to confront her about her crush on Aaron Samuels. And while Cady felt a little intimidated by the whole phone call, the blonde had passive-aggressively reassured her that her little crush was…acceptable, and to not worry about it. Hell, she'd even put in a good word to Aaron about her, which was technically a win right?
So Janis was definitely just bluffing. Regina George is not some conniving master manipulator, she was nice and kind. Nothing to be worried about!
.
.
.
Yeah, right. That bitchy skank of a blonde.
Cady should've just listened to Janis.
The day after that eventful phone call, school had resumed normally or as normal as it could, in North Shore High.
Weeks dragged on and before long, Halloween was approaching. Regina had personally extended an invitation to Cady about Chris Eisel's party on the 31st, and she'd even told Cady to wear something specifically scary to commemorate to the spooky season.
This was Cady's time to shine! She'd hadn't had a clue of what the new trends were for Halloween (since she'd spent more of her time in Africa rather than Illinois) but she had made the mistake of trusting Regina's advice instead of surfing the web.
She spent her time getting ready two weeks early; she shopped with her dad at the costume store at the downtown mall and bought a frizzy black wig with some body paint and fake blood. She had begged her mom to let her borrow her old wedding gown, and she had begged everyday, to which her mother finally and reluctantly agreed just to get her to shut up.
The afternoon before the party, she had fussed over everything; because she had to be perfectly terrifying! She styled her wig atrociously, applied and reapplied the fake blood on her lips and fingers to much it ached, and kept smoothing over the old dress just to make sure it was kept in its elegant and clean conditions (as agreed in the deal).
Then after Damien and Janis dropped her off at the George Mansion, she was welcomed in weirdly by Gretchen (dressed as Catwoman) and Karen (dressed as a…sexy mouse?) and…dozens of other people who were dressed as slutty imitations of animals or the typical Halloween figures (like sexy witches).
Apparently, Halloween was that one annual night where girls could dress up as a total slut and no other girl can say anything about it.
Unfortunately, no one told her about the slut rule.
So she stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the endless waves of provocative mice and cats. She felt embarrassment clinging onto her like second skin, but it fades away by a fragment when she sees Aaron Samuels approach her. The guy was dressed as a football player, and although it felt a little too basic for her liking it suited him!
And when he complimented her zombie bride costume, it sent a jolt that tumbled through the pit of her stomach as he looked genuinely amazed at the effort and detail she put for the costume. They manage to make some small talk before Aaron excuses himself to grab a drink for her. She watches him as he slides down the corridor to enter the kitchen when he is intercepted by Regina. And…
She also watches as he is pulled into a kiss initiated by none other than Regina George herself.
The feeling of dread washes everywhere in her body, before humiliation sweeps in and settles in, simmering next to an unprecedented fury that resonates deeply within her guts. Sweat trickles down her face as tears brim in her eyes, and next thing she knows, is that her legs are moving by its own. Dragging her frozen body somewhere, anywhere, just to get away from that scene.
How could she?
No.
How dare she?
She'd gone to Janis and Damien all heartbroken, who immediately comfort her despite having been jumpscared from her costume. There, they started formulating a plan to destroy Regina George's perfect reputation which was to destroy:
1) her followers
2) her "hot" body
3) her eye candy; Aaron Samuels
…And now here they were, a week later after the Halloween party.
Apart from the obvious failed attempts to destroy Regina's reputation, things were fairly normal.
Except for the fact that…
Aaron Samuels sits at the Plastics' table, but he's not next to her — he's next to her. He laughs at her jokes and listens to all her whining and crap with such intensity it makes Cady barf internally. As Gretchen talks and talks and talks about all the latest gossip circulating the school at this very second, Cady stabs a piece of her cucumber and forces herself to chew it lest she glances at the duo again — she cannot take it,seeing Regina enjoy her misery.
Schemes and plans float about in her mind as she tunes out Karen's confused stance on why she cannot date Seth, her cousin, so that she can finish the rest of her plate.
When suddenly, an almost familiar voice rings out in the cafeteria;
"Heron, is that you?"
The mentioned redhead turns her head back in surprise to see a brown haired, messy-looking punk boy begin to approach her. Deep brown eyes stare back at her in astonishment. Behind her, she could feel the Plastics all look in her direction. But, she doesn't care right now.
In a daze, Cady Heron rises in an uneven stance, not caring about the whispers and stares pointed in her direction. Specifically, Karen's confused gaze, Gretchen's perplexed glance Regina's bewildered stare and Aaron's baffled expression all watch the redhead tune out their chatter to stare at this…emo freak.
After all, a Plastic—albeit still a newbie—doesn't randomly (and abruptly) stand up whilst Gretchen Wieners ("the queen of gossiping", as Damien would say) is talking about all the shit that happened during first, second and third period.
A Plastic will not randomly walk towards a random punk boy who probably hasn't showered in a month with such incredibly fast speed that she rivalled the Flash.
And certainly, a Plastic would not randomly break out in a stupid, goofy grin and wrap her arms around said punk loser, tackling him to the ground as they slammed their bodies together to hug each other.
But yet, here she was. Hitting the cold floors with a loud thud as Cady and said punk were laughing loudly (and groaning terribly as the impact of their fall settles in their bones seconds later). By this point, she's got real tears in her eyes from laughing, and her internal organs are aching alongside her sore back and knees.
"Rodrick!" She squeals in delight.
"In the flesh," Rodrick harrumphs as Cady swats his arm for the cringy sentence. "Caddy— and oh my god."
The girl purses her lips into a thin smile, embarassment radiating off her. Right, she is a Plastic now…back in Southview—or was it Plainview?—she was a plain-dresser (yes, pun intended). She threw on anything that still fit her and hadn't spared a single thought about what others may have said about her lack of fashion sense.
But now, she must've looked out of place, with her curled ginger locks, blotchy make-up (she's been learning fast, alright?), tight-fitting shirts and fringy miniskirts.
In comparison to Rodrick, who still wore those dingy striped flannels over his black band tees and ripped skinny jeans with Converses caked in mud and grime and dirt.
Cady laughed at the thought; they were now two worlds apart.
"Still the same as ever, drummer boy." She says as she playfully punches Rodrick's arm. Pausing, she deflects to where the smudged eyeliner is littered across his eyelids and thinks that it looks quite messy, but it also looks cute on him.
"Is that your cousin?" Karen interjects, and Cady is whipped back to reality as whispers and murmurs echo in the background. Helping Rodrick up, she gives him a last hug, mouthing a tell you later. Fortunately he gets it and winks, walking away…to Janis and Damien. Hell, she's going to have explain later.
She pulls her chair back with a deafening screech as the cafeteria goes back to normal, with their loud chatters increasing in volume incessantly. Turning to Karen, she forces a fake smile. "I don't have any cousins."
"Oh. Well, that sucks."
"Yeah, but who was that?" Gretchen leaned in with interest flashing in her brown eyes, fishing for whatever lore Cady had with this boy.
"Yeah, don't be shy to tell us," Regina smirks snarkily. "if he's really your cousin. I promise we don't bite."
Cady purses her lips in half-annoyance and half-plotting. On one hand, she could just spit out the truth, but it wouldn't interest them anyways. But on the other hand…maybe she could use Rodrick as leverage to spite the beast (aka Regina). There's always a ninety-nine percent chance she could be caught in her revenge and face extreme consequences…but right now?
She's not really thinking straight when she glances back to Aaron who sits next to Regina uncomfortably, whilst the blonde glares at her.
Oh, fuck it.
"That's Rodrick." Cady flashes a smile at the trio and man, hands clasped together as she leans towards Gretchen. "My boyfriend."