[Past Crew] Look What the Cat Coughed Up...

[Mandi Lynn Collins]

Mandi made a confused face as she looked at Scarlet, “ So wait, are you a half virgin or not a virgin at all? How does that work?” she questioned, tilting her head as she walked into the classroom a beside Scarlet. “…. I think it means I’m not a virgin” Scarlet said with evident confusion in her own voice. “ Whatever, it’s Logan. It’s right,” she said with a nod of her head. Speaking of the handsome devil. Mandi smiled as she approached the classroom, setting her books down on her desk. “ The boys…” she said wistfully, leaning down to give Logan a quick kiss on the cheek before doing the same to Chad, moving to Riley and smacking the palm of her hand against his forehead. “ Why are you wearing a tie… you fucking freak,” she said Before she slipped into the chair behind Logan. Mandi looked up, noticing that Blake had entered the room. She had a different reason for disliking her. Honestly, she had no idea why Scarlet hated her so much. But from Mandi’s perspective.. have a little self pride. Respect yourself. Stick up for yourself. If you didn’t care enough about yourself to stand up for yourself, how could she respect you? She took in a deep breath and sighed, looking out of the window. There was so much better shit to be doing.

Outfit

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley jerked his head away as Mandi so lovingly hit her palm against his forehead. “ Real cute, Mandi.” he said out of annoyance before he started tapping his pencil. He smirked at Scarlet, giving her a wink as she passed by. “ Hey, give me your homework,” he said, reaching back to Mandi’s backpack so he could start copying the homework assignment that was due for class. Riley tapped his pencil along his desk to the beat of music when he was busy reading her answers before focusing intently on writing his own. “ Oh Logan, bro , I got some party favors for later tonight,” he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “ None for our star football player though,” he said, patting his hand lovingly against Chad’s cheek. But when the door opened he lowered his pencil slightly, seeing someone bending over to pick up a paper she dropped. “ Check out the skirt at 10 o’clock..whoa,” he said before the girl stood up, the blonde mess of curls falling over her shoulders. “ What the fuck…” Riley said before looking over his shoulder at the rest of them.

[Scarlet Rose Harris]

Scarlet smiled at Mandi as she followed her in the classroom. Sure.. she knew it was true that her and Logan had slept together a long time ago. But she’d also hooked up with Ryan. She scrunched her nose in guilt before she smiled to herself, making her way over to Logan, waiting as Mandi greeted the boys. “ Hey handsome,” she said, sliding herself into his lap as she leaned against his chest to kiss him. Scarlet placed her books on his desk before pushing her hair out of her face and giving a small sigh. Every part of her wanted to skip class, but she was pretty sure her dad was home and it wasn’t like she could go out into the city. If anyone saw her and took her picture he’d have her ass on lockdown. It was getting increasingly more difficult to continent hop when he was cutting off her credit cards. Scarlet made a face when Riley started talking and looked towards the door to see it. Blake Parker. A slightly evil grin came across her features as she watched her. “ Look at that… it bought a skirt. How cute. Tell me.. is it difficult trying the tuck-in method?” she questioned, feigning genuine curiosity as she tilted her head to the side. ” Where are your glasses… you’re not trying to dress up ..are you?” Scarlet said before giving a quiet laugh. “ We let the neighbors dress up too… and they always hit the tranny look just like you, too. But they’re six,”

Outfit

[Blake Emma Renner]

Blake pushed her glasses up on the edge of her nose before she looked into her locker. Humanities book.. it was in here somewhere. But there were so many notebooks written down lyrics in a hurry. Not to mention she had a post it note stuck to the front of her books. Just a simple smiley face. Some girls had locked her in a janitors closet the day before, and she’d found this when she got back to her locker. It was the little things. But just as quickly as she adjusted her glasses, she felt the slam of her body into her locker. “ Sorry!” someone shouted over their shoulder. Boys just rough housing in the hallway.. she wasn’t the intentional target. This time. “ It’s okay,”Blake said as quietly as possible, taking the glasses down to try and see the damage. Which she couldn’t really… since she was sort of blind now. But she could feel that they were broken. She gave a small sigh, feeling up for the shelf so she could place them on top of the locker. “ Is this my humanities book?” she questioned the blurry person to her right, before hearing them say yes. “ Okay,” she said, curling her notebooks towards her body as she did her best to try and navigate through the hallway with barely any vision. But she found it, she could tell because she could hear their voices. The popular kids. Blake took in a deep breath. Third row, second seat. She could count her paces and get inside without them noticing her. But people were going by her so quickly and she felt her papers slip. Great. Now you’ve done it, Parker. Why don’t you cover yourself in barbeque sauce and walk into the lions den? Of course she would make herself look like a loser and drop her things. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck. She was a fucking loser duck.She held onto her remaining books tightly, leaning forward to pick up all of her things. As she straightened, she heard comments. Scarlet’s voice. That was one of the one’s she hated most. And she didn’t need contacts to be able to tell that she was draped over Logan’s body. She felt a sting in her heart as she placed her books down, holding onto the desk as she sat down and avoided looking in their direction. Ignore her comments. She’ll shut up. Just make it through this class. But she could still feel the tears starting to form in her eyes. Letting them see her as weak would only egg them on. So instead she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Some day all of this would be over. That’s what she kept telling herself. Meanwhile heartless people like Scarlet won over the hearts of men, and more the man she wanted more than anything, who deserved so much more. But they could say what they wanted. Knowing he had his hands on her hurt more than any of it.

Outfit

[Logan Chase Renner]

Logan folded up a piece of scrap paper and lined it up on his desk, aiming it for the miniature posts that were Chad's hands, flicking the paper football across the aisle way. Logan could not believe he was sitting in school right now, fucking lame. He'd give up half his royalty checks in order to rewind and go back to this summer. Hanging out on the beach, bonfires, spending time with Scarlet... not to mention to have his friend back on this side of the country. Logan loved his friends in Malibu, Chad and Riley were his boys, but it wasn't the same as having Ryan and Shane with them. Those freaks. But he loved those freaks. And he knew Scarlet missed them too. Speaking of, Logan smiled when the girls walked over, "Hey Mandi," he said, letting Scarlet slide into his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist loosely. "Hey gorgeous," he said, kissing Scarlet and looking over at Riley and grinned, "Perfect, who's place we ending up at tonight anyways?" Pretty much wherever they could get away with bringing goodies. Logan looked over when Riley commented on some girl's skirt, recognizing those signature curls when she stood up. Logan gave a little sigh, here we go. Logan wasn't sure what Scarlet didn't like about Blake Parker. Blake had moved into Logan's neighborhood this summer, right directly across the street with her parents. Logan's step mom had made him go over with her and welcome them to the neighborhood. Logan didn't know they had a daughter in high school. Sometimes on the rare occasion that he was home, which he never was, because his jack ass father had shipped his little brother to England and Logan resented him for it, but when he was home, sometime's he opened his window and sneakily listened while she played music on her front porch. She had a lot of talent. it was a shame she got teased for exactly that at school. She didn't deserve all the bullying, quiet frankly she was a brilliant songwriter. Logan thought so, he was one himself. It wasn't like they were friends, they rarely spoke, but he liked to think they had a common dream, and so though his friends were a lot of her problems, Logan liked to make sure she felt like someone was believing in her, which he did. He thought she was really sweet. Logan rubbed his hand over Scarlet's leg, saying quietly, "Aw Scarlet, give it a rest..." Blake had gone to sit down, Logan noticed kind of carefully? She wasn't wearing her glasses. Maybe she thought wearing them was dorky. Maybe she was trying to fit in or something. He liked her when she was just being herself, band aid covered fingers and all. As he watched Blake curl herself into hopeful invisibility at her desk, he wondered if she'd gotten the smiley he put in her locker today. Yesterday she'd been locked in the janitor's closet. Probably by Scarlet. Logan looked round at Chad with a look of 'wait, what?' on his face as Chad said, "I like her skirt actually..."

[Chad Anthony Masters]

"I like her skirt actually," Chad said, raising his eyebrows suggestively and watched her cross the room. "I mean, she may be kinda dorky, but damn, girl has got mile long legs... that's kinda hot," he grinned, laughing and Riley turned to face him. "Dude you're such a fag. Fuck the skirt bro, I'd rather have my hands under it," and Chad laughed, "Kind of my point exactly man..." he shook his head and Riley continued, saying pointedly to Logan, "How much free candy do you think it'd take to get her in a van?" Logan laughed, shrugging, "Probably not much. Until she realizes what your intentions are." Chad nodded, "You think she's ever been past 2nd base?" "You think she's ever been off the bench?" Logan asked. Point taken. She was a good girl. That was kind of pretty damn attractive. Chad had his shit together, he'd like a nice good girl to have on his arm maybe. Plus she had killer legs. If anyone could date her and not be completely shunned, it was Chad right? People liked him. And he didn't care what people thought. He liked her, and he was gonna ask her out. "I'm gonna ask her out." Scarlet paused, asking carefully, "... As a joke? like.. who let the dogs out?...who...who..who..who..? " Chad sat back in his seat as their teacher came in, pointing at Logan and Scarlet, "Miss Harris, in your own seat please, I will not administer hand checks in this classroom." Chad laughed slightly as Scarlet climbed off Logan's lap and said back quietly, "Nope, I'm going to ask her out for real. And then I'm gong to take her on a date."

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley chewed on his gum, lifting his eyebrows up and down at Blake jokingly as she took her seat. “ Let them bad boys breathe, Parker.. OOwww” he said, looking up as the teacher came in. “ Wait what?” he said as he looked at Chad. Asking out freakshow? “ Dude are you high right now?” he asked out of genuine concern. But Scarlet was making her way to her seat and the teacher was walking up to the board, talking about todays assignment. Some paint bullshit. He rolled his eyes. This was not going to help him be a doctor. ‘Nurse, hand me that paintbrush. I need to liven up those trees’. But all he heard was ‘partner up’ and he looked over at Chad, giving a knowing nod. Scarlet would be with Logan. And Mandi? She always partnered up with Garrett. He took in a deep breath and sighed, casting Chad a ‘let’s get this over with ‘ look before he stood up to go get the paint. He could be the female in their bromance. Which was sort of ironic; considering they were both popular but he was an asshole and Chad was the sweetheart. “Let’s paint some boobs,” he said with irritation as he started setting up in annoyance.

[Mandi Lynn Collins]

Mandi leaned over, slapping hands into a high five with Garrett when the teacher said to partner up. When Riley booked it over to the paint she took it as an opportunity to interrogate Chad. “ Dude are you on a social suicide mission? What the hell do you get from taking her out?” she questioned as she stood in front of his desk. “ Have you lost your damn mind?” she said with a lift of her eyebrow, leaning down. “ Look I’ll probably be the last person in our group to give you shit over this because I just find her inconsequential… Just keep your shit in check. Think shit through,” she said with a lift of her eyebrow. Chad was her family. She couldn’t just let him hang out to dry on his own. With that she smiled and turned on her heels, running over to the station Garrett had set up perfectly for them. “ Gare-bear!” she said happily as she went over to him.

[Scarlet Rose Harris]

Scarlet looked at Chad like he had grown four heads. That had vaginas all over them. And lived only on cotton candy. “ What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked as he said he was going to ask out Blake. As a joke? To make fun of her ? Chad was one of the most popular guys in school. All three of them were sitting right here. What the fuck. She got up, moving to her own desk and slumped in it. What the fuck is wrong with people. Was she losing her mind? What was this world coming to? “Baby,” she said as she went to get paint ready for their canvas and looked over at Logan. “ …Chad’s insane…right? What is he trying to prove here?” she questioned with a confused look. Blake Parker was not meant to be a part of their world. Ever. And here was one of their pivotal people about to ask her to climb on in. What now, was she supposed to hang out with her on Friday nights? Ask her to hang out in the Collins’ basement with the rest of them? FUCK that. She worked hard to get to this place in high school. And apparently they were just letting everyone in to their group of friends.

[Blake Emma Renner]

Blake narrowed her eyes, trying to see an image out of what she was writing. Was she even writing on the same line? She gave a quiet sigh. She didn’t want them to know she was struggling to see. They would eat her alive. Like clockwork the teacher said to break into partners. She didn’t bother looking up for anyone to join her. They never did. So instead she stood up, holding onto her surroundings carefully as she tried to make her way to the paint supplies. Okay.. that looked like black. Or brown. “Yikesabee,” she muttered to herself, trying to figure everything out, and tried to squeeze some of the paint into place, managing to get it all over her hands. Don’t let them see you, don’t cry. Toughen up. Blake took in a deep breath and kept her head up, chin up. Blake stumbled her way over to her seat, sitting down before she reached up to push some of her curls behind her ear. Now she just had to figure out what to paint when she couldn’t see. Blake tried to ignore the sound of Scarlet talking to Logan, giving him kisses. It made her sick. Blake bit down on her bottom lip roughly, doing everything in her power to ignore them.

[Chad Anthony Masters]

Chad looked around at his friends, putting his hands up in defense. Riley wasn't asking if he was high, Scarlet wanted to know what was wrong with him, "What? Nothing..." he shrugged and the class quieted down so the teacher could get started on what they were doing today. Why was everyone making it out like it was social suicide? Was it? Did he care...? Maybe not. This was his senior year after all. He could date who he wanted. And half the girls in his grade and below were either taken, sluts, or bimbos. Being serious, looks wise, Blake was a catch. If you looked past the wild hair and the glasses, which she didn't have on today, she was really pretty. She didn't wear a lot of make up. And without those glasses it was pretty obvious how bright blue her eyes were. She was really understated, underrated. She had more natural beauty than half the girls in the school. And so what if she liked to play music and write songs? She was doing something she loved to do. Like how Chad loved football. And Mandi was dedicated to be a great lawyer. How Scarlet was a hurricane on the soccer field. Logan was a great musician and song writer, how the hell was he so popular and Blake so hated? was it just because she wasn't the same as everyone else? Were any of them really the same? Nope. Riley went to get paint and Mandi slid over, asking Chad about what he was thinking, "Why do I have to get anything from it?" he asked, "Maybe I just like her, is that so hard to believe, that shes likable?" Mandi went to sit with Garrett and Riley brought paints over, so Chad started painting a football and then he painted a football play before he set his paint brush down and stood up, "I don't care, I'm doing it." Chad walked over to where Blake was sitting, and sat down beside her, "Is it okay if I sit down here?" he asked, scooting his chair in and rested his arms on the desk in front of him. "I know this is kind of out of the blue, and you don't have to say yes or anything, but I was thinking maybe sometime I could take you out..." he said, looking at her while she froze, seemingly trying to make sure she heard him correctly, "I mean, you know like, on a date..." he said scrunching his nose at himself. She probably thought he was trying to play a joke on her or something. "Maybe Saturday night? Are you free? On Saturday...?"

[Logan Chase Renner]

Logan didn't say much when their friends tried talking Chad out of asking Blake out. Logan didn't see what was wrong with it. How knew, maybe that was all she needed. A little confidence boost, maybe people would see how cool she actually was. But that was the problem wasn't it? Chad was probably the most popular senior guy at their school and even he was getting shit about this already. Logan had a reputation for being a bit of a flirt, but people wouldn't take him seriously if they were going to rip on Blake Parker like they did, and anyone who associated with her. It was quite ridiculous. Plus Logan had a feeling it'd get him into trouble with his own girlfriend and it would just generally mess with his swag, which he needed if he was going to be a platinum recording artist. But still, it was stupid that kids in this school were so stuck in their little boxes. Logan followed Scarlet to go get paint supplies, listening to her ask about Chad. Logan shrugged, "I don't know, maybe he's not trying to prove anything. Maybe he likes her and was too afraid to ask her out before now. I have no idea." Logan really didn't know. "But say he does ask her out and she says yes, can we at least try to keep the Parker jokes to a minimum when he's around? I mean, he's our friend and all." Logan turned on the sink because the last class had done a poor job of washing the paint trays, "I'll be right over Scarlet, I'm gonna wash a new one of these." Logan turned around while he waited for the hot water, and saw that Chad was sitting by Blake, talking to her. Most of the class was eavesdropping. Logan didn't want to look. So he waited for the hot water to come in, picking at the dried paint on the tray.

[Blake Emma Renner]

Blake did her best to try and paint something that looked recognizable. But she could feel someone sitting beside her. When they started talking she recognized the voice and tensed. “ If you’re going to pour paint on me, please wait until everyone else leaves,” she said quietly, tensing in her own seat. But he wasn’t reaching for paint. At least, she couldn’t detect movement in the blurriness. How effing blind was she. Blake made an insulted face. “ … You want to take me out?” she questioned. But instantly she felt a rage inside of her. It wasn’t enough that they had to make her life hell at school, but now he wanted to carry it on after the bell rang? She couldn’t stop herself as the tears came to her eyes and she sniffled slightly. “ Why can’t you guys leave me alone? What do you get out of kicking the nerd when she’s down? It’s like pushing a kid down… and at the end you still don’t get their ice cream,” she said, pushing some of the tears from her cheek. "What? I’m sorry I didnt mean to offend you... I just thought, you know.... It's okay don't worry about it. I understand if you don't want to go out with anyone from school. I wasn't trying to be cruel." Blake sat there quietly, sniffling as she pushed some of the tears away from her face as she tried to collect her thoughts. Her tears felt hot, but so did the rest of her body. Enough was enough. They should know when to stop. She got it.. she wasn’t the prettiest. So why else would the hottest senior come and talk to her if it wasn’t some elaborate set-up? “ We can go wherever you want, and we don’t even have to tell anyone. Just give me a chance..” he said and Blake thought it over for a moment. Could she trust he was being honest? He hadn’t ever actually been rude to her ever. Him, Mandi and Logan usually just sat back. So if someone was going to intentionally hurt her wouldn’t they pick someone sadistic? Like Riley? She sniffed once more before giving a slight nod. “ Okay,” she said. “ Um.. I can’t really see. Jared broke my glasses. But.. um.. my number is..” she started off. But could she give him her number? What if they started harassing her at home? “ Um..” she said while debating. “ Maybe you could just meet me at my place. It’s by Logan’s” she said. Surely they knew that. They all saw her outside when they went to Logan’s. She sat there awkwardly for a few moments before she stood up. “ I need to go wash my hands,” she said, distancing herself from the awkward situation. Which is what the entire thing was. Awkward. Why would he want to talk to her. Blake did her best to make her way to the sink, tripping slightly. When she went to catch herself she placed her hand directly in the tray of paint, cursing to herself as she reached up to try and pull herself up – landing her hand directly on someone.. not just someone. Their crotch. Not just someone.. Logan Renner. She knew it from his laugh. “ Oh my god,” she said, feeling the nausea rise in her stomach as she stood up straight, her face more red than it had ever been in her entire life. “ I can’t…” she said, shaking her head. “ My glasses…” she gestured, pointing her paint covered hand up to her face. The girl who was so good with words.. suddenly had none.

[Logan Chase Renner]

Logan wasn't sure what was being said, because he was trying not to listen. He was tired of watching Blake get shit on and have to pick up the pieces. There shouldn't be a reason for him to have to do that. But he'd do it as long as she needed it. They might not be friends but she was his neighbor and somewhere in his mind that counted for something. or maybe it was the music thing. Or maybe it was watching the sweetest girl ever get hurt every day that bugged him. Logan ran the tray under the hot water, scraping it clean with a sponge and the water scalded his hands a bit before suddenly someone was tripping beside him, always slipping over a full paint tray and landed their hand right on his crotch, "Whoa!" he said, seeing it was Blake, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet before she hurt herself, "Are you okay?" he laughed. She was majorly blushing, and she couldn't seem to be able to explain herself out of embarrassment, but gestured to her missing glasses, "It's okay Blake," Logan said, "Can't see huh? What happened to your glasses?" he asked, reaching out and grabbed her wrist lightly before she put it in the water, "Oh hang on, that's really hot, I was washing paint off the tray." Logan turned the water down, making it cooler, "There. That's... lotion..." he smiled, shaking his head and picked up the soap bottle, pushing the little dispenser and getting soap on her hand. Logan went back to drying off his paint tray, and then handed her a clean paper towel when she was down washing her hands, and turned off the water. "Hey whatever you were playing yesterday when I came home, that sounded great by the way," he said quietly, wiping up the counter, and then paused before adding even quieter, "Chad's a good guy." Logan smiled slightly, nodding and went back over to Scarlet with a now clean tray with fresh paint. He was half expecting to be lectured about his behavior toward Blake, but good god, poor girl couldn't see a damn thing, she was embarrassed, half brought to tears. "Guys, I have been violated," he laughed, pointing at his pants.

[Chad Anthony Masters]

Chad felt really bad, to say the least. Not for asking her out, just at the situation. It's one thing to watch from your side and see people make fun of her all the time, but when you're with her and she's crying and frustrated and hurt, begging you not to torture her anymore, it's kind of heart breaking. Chad understood that she had half a mind to just tell him no. But it appeared she was going to give him a chance. She didn't give him her number, but still. that was okay. He did know where she lived. Blake excused herself to go wash her hands and Chad walked back to his seat and sat down. He hadn't even taken her out yet and he'd made her cry. And some junior had broken her glasses today, so she couldn't see. And now she had just taken a tumble by the sink. Chad really just wanted this class to be over to spare her what other tormenting was sure to come. Chad was almost grateful it was Logan at the sink she'd just fallen on, Chad at least knew Logan would be nice to her. Logan was weird like that. Being neighbors and all he guessed. Chad looked at Riley, "Well, I think she agreed to let me take her out. I think. I hope she doesn't change her mind." His luck someone would say something awful to her and she'd never talk ti him again, and he'd barely gotten her to speak to her now as it was.