AN: Trigger warning. Didn't feel like putting an art cover up due to the serious topic addressed in this chapter.
Catastrophes came in different shapes and sizes to people, whether it was in the form of a drunken text to an ex, death, overdue bills, or a toxic one night stand.
No matter what, the outcome was always the same, always detrimental.
Polly's catastrophe however, came in the form of Claire Dugan.
And the outcome, was more than detrimental.
"Yeah, Kenny told me he really liked you. He thinks you're super cute." Claire whispered in Polly's ear over the noise of the party as Polly took a drink of her red plastic cup in her hand, blinking at Harry's girlfriend with wide, gullible eyes.
"Really? He thinks I'm cute? That's so nice, he was really nice." Polly bashfully admitted with a small nod, ultimately not knowing what to say since she was still not used to having the boys who used to bully her for wearing skirts now lustfully fall for her with said skirt on after two years.
"I know right, he actually sent me down here to talk to you. Thought it would be nice to chat more upstairs, you know, away from all the noise." Claire slyly whispered, as if sharing an inside secret with Polly who paused, giving her a hesitant look as she nervously played with a strand of her long blonde hair.
"No- no thank you. Maybe he can come down and we can talk here." Polly politely offered instead, knowing what people did upstairs away from the rest of the crowd in parties before Claire pursed her full lips knowingly with a look of understanding.
"Don't worry, he won't touch you, I'll even be right there with you guys to make sure he keeps his hands to himself, promise." Claire proposed with a sickly sweet smile that made Polly rethink her decision at such a friendly face.
"Come on, we see each other all the time, do you think I'd do anything bad." Claire pouted her lips, batting her long lashes for emphasis as Polly smiled, taking in a shaky inhale.
"No." Polly admitted, and she believed it, because if this was the girl Harry gave his heart too, how bad could she be.
Claire gave her a subtle once over, the cogs in her mind turning as she gracefully flipped her hair over one smooth shoulder, realizing she needed a different approach.
"You know, me and the girls were actually just talking about you joining the team upstairs. We like your spunk and even when tempted with one of the hottest jocks at our school, aka Kenny just right now, you still have a strong mindset." Claire said with narrowed eyes and a cat like smile as Polly blinked at her in surprise.
"Me? In the school cheerleading team?" Polly perked up, almost everyone knowing that was her dream as Claire beamed at her.
"Why of course, we've been watching you closely and now that I know you've got some strong resistance, I think it's time for the next step in your initiation." She lowly whispered the last word as if it was some top secret, causing Polly's bubbles excitement to grow.
This was Polly's chance, to really be like one of the girls and even as Harry's girlfriend stood in front of her in her blue and gold cute cheerleading outfit it only made Polly want to join even more.
