Chelsea Corning hated everything about Mariah Brown. She hated her long coarse undyed brown hair, the dusting of freckles across her nose she never toned down with makeup, the fact that she came to school in basketball shorts and a baggy t shirt every freaking day. The hazel eyes with dark lashes most girls paid two hundred dollars biweekly for that on Mariah were genetics. That even though Mariah didn't appear to have many friends, outside of her soccer crew, she walked the halls with a confidence and self satisfaction Chelsea could never comprehend. Above all else, Chelsea hated how her boyfriend Trevor would call Mariah "best friend" and go out of his way to greet Mariah when she was lumbering down the hall. That despite the rumor Chelsea had masterminded about Mariah having fish smelling pussy, even going as far as filling her locker with partially opened tuna cans, nothing could distract Trevor from that socially awkward loser. All Chelsea wanted was for Mariah to go away, go pout and be ugly somewhere else, away from Chelsea's boyfriend, and let Chelsea just live her freaking life!
*******
Mariah Brown walked into the Halloween party with a sinking pit in her stomach. None of her friends from the soccer team had been willing to join her, this was a cheerleader and football party, WHY had Trevor been so insistent that she attend?
She and Trevor had been friends since diapers, with their mom's being high school best friends, Trevor had been the one constant throughout her life. And even though they had gone in separate directions when they entered high school, Trevor the popular quarterback but dumb as a box of rocks route, and Mariah the AP classes, soccer and track team route... Trevor had always made a point to respect the foundation of their friendship.
When he had used his puppy dog eyes to beg her to come to the last Halloween party of their high school career, possibly the last Halloween they would ever spend together, Mariah had caved. Though she would have preferred the home-made superhero costumes and candy indulgence of Halloween's past, Trevor was right; this was the end of an era. And Mariah wasn't doing anything else tonight besides studying anyway.
Her game plan was simple, slip into the party that no one else was expecting/looking forward to her presence anyway, have ONE drink of the famous Halloween Kukapoo, that supposedly tasted like cinnamon toast crunch, give Trevor a hug and slip out. And above all else, stay off the radar of his nasty side eyeing bitch of a girlfriend.
The fact that Chelsea Corning even knew who Mariah was blew her mind, but the vitriol for which she HATED Mariah, was something Mariah struggled to wrap her head around. Chelsea was everything Mariah wasn't, and who she would never in her wildest dreams be. While Mariah was a soccer player who had experienced a growth spurt in the sixth grade to 5 feet 7 inches with the body of a muscular boy, who had never figured out how to do her own make up or dress girly... Chelsea was not that.
A gorgeous lithe blonde, Chelsea was the captain of the cheerleading squad who spent her weekends being tossed in the air to the top of the pyramid, a graceful swan with decades of ballet training under her belt. While Mariah would forever be known as tuna fish girl thanks to Chelsea, Chelsea herself was known aromatically for a distinct sugar cookie smell being the daughter of a pastry chef, frequently coming to school after spending early mornings in her mom's bakery. She was literally known for smelling constantly edible! Though Chelsea was almost as tall as Mariah at 5 foot 5, the only other thing NOT dainty about Chelsea was her rack, which she loved to wear on full display. Chelsea loved and audience and the audience loved her. But why wasn't that enough?
At first Mariah had simply been cordial in their initial interactions, but her own insecurities Chelsea could sniff out like a hunting dog. Ever since Chelsea and Trevor had become official (though his nasty habit of unfaithfulness eroded their relationship like a necrotic toe) ... Chelsea had declared Mariah Enemy #1. Instead of opening her big stupid dumb eyes at her own slutty best friends, throwing themselves at Trevor ever time Chelsea's back was turned, Chelsea never missed an opportunity to punch down at Mariah.
