Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 15: Don't be a Doormat

Rule #14: Don't be a Doormat

People don't tell us what to do, we tell them.

-()-

Monday is superhero day.

And, as a member of prom committee, I'm required to take a part in it. And all the other events that go along with, including every day of spirit week and homecoming itself.

Irene, of course, already has a costume ready for me.

"Unfortunately, most female superheroes are created as eye-candy, a tool for tragedies, love interests or all of the above," Irene declares, shuffling through her suitcase. "That's why I created a costume that will go against popular belief in what a female superhero's role should be. That is why I present to you - Catwoman!"

I stare at the fuzzy black suit for a second. "Wasn't Catwoman created to be a love interest?"

"Not today! With this costume, you'll be representing all the amazing female characters that never got a chance to show their true, bad-ass powers, because the producers were too busy making revealing costumes and putting them in sexualized scenes!"

"Irene," I start carefully. "The boys on the football team already whistle every time I pass by the locker room. What do you think they're going to do when I'm carrying a whip and wearing a cat costume?"

"Whip them! Show them the power of Catwoman?"

"Did you drink that energy drink again-"

"No. Peyton, come on, this is the perfect costume," Irene does a little jig. "It doesn't show any skin and it isn't too girly. Plus, you can go around telling people about endangered cat species."

I think about this for a second. "Hey. Maybe I can raise awareness for the Amur Leopards. It's the most endangered species in the world, you know. There's only forty of them left."

"Yeah! It's like feminism and animal awareness all wrapped up in one costume."

Then, within minutes, I'm heading towards to school with a black tail and cat years. Although, no matter how much Irene begs me, I refuse to the carry the whip.

Unsurprisingly, the costume gets me a lot of stares. There are plenty of Catwomans and other revealing costumes throughout the school, but still, I seem to get the most attention. And not in the good way. The only two boys who don't gawk at my chest all day are Archer and Sebastian.

Actually, Sebastian's stopped talking to me ever since I made fun of his Aquaman costume.Archer dresses up as his Sherlock Holmes costume again. Melody refuses to dress up, saying that she's her own hero. And besides one or two people, there aren't any Batman costumes.

Gym is torture since Derek wouldn't stop making fun of me. I kicked a football in his face but that just landed me a detention. In biology, though, the teacher let me make a three minute speech on the importance of saving endangered animals.

Overall, the cat costume caused more trouble than it was worth. I take it out as soon as the school day ends.

"You should've kept on the cat ears," Archer tells me, parking the car. "It really suits you."

"Shut up." I mutter.

His grin only becomes wider.

In front the pet shop, Jake, Irene and Andrew wait for us. I promised Andrew and Irene that if they wouldn't do anything drastic while I'm in school, Archer would give them tattoos. Luckily for me, Archer was more than happy to comply.

I glance at Archer's shoulder again. His ripped jacket shows off his realistic tattoo. The shading and coloring makes it seem like his skin has ripped apart. Instead of muscle, though, there's an image of a beach during nighttime inside it. I have no idea where he got the image from since it looks nothing like the one behind our houses.