I chew on my bottom lip thoughtfully, mulling over everything that'd been said. I'm done with my code-red panic attack now, but there's still some serious considering to be done about this Hana girl. "Well, your Plan A isn't really going so well, Hana. Sorry, girlie, but I don't think you can get rid of the cliques that easily. Sure, you could pretend to be obnoxious and desperately unattractive," I muse, considering the idea Jake had thrown out. I take another glance at her porcelain features, and the idea disappears as quickly as it conjured itself in my short-attention spanned mind. She could try and feign whatever repugnance she thinks she can pull off, but there really is an art to being, well... unattractive. With my quirky personality and preference for pixelated avatars as opposed to skin and flesh, I've got a natural talent for being a major cock block. It's a bit harder to ward away the hormone-fueled wolves in this school, boy and girl alike, when you have a face like Hana's.

"It's a little harder than you think to escape that social ladder out there." I jumped off the power box, strolling casually towards Hana. I shook my head in an admittedly cliché fashion, clicking my tongue as the distance between us was diminished. I probably looked like the antagonist from Mean Girls, minus the little dog and pink overkill. "I don't think you realize what it's like to not have a clique. When you're alone in Elton, that means you're prey for everyone, even the bottom-feeders like me. Though I'd rather be at my laptop than antagonizing you," I add quickly, shaking my finger at Hana. I'm completely honest here; this girl just screams "I don't take shit from anybody." I wonder if she rides a motorcycle to school. With the leather jacket and combat boots, it would complete the bad-ass look.

"Point is, you're road kill when you're alone. It's why the system works so well... Nobody wants to face the world by themselves. It's like getting in a 1v5 trap tryna' snare the enemy jungle." Of course no one understands my League reference, but I continue anyway. "As tough as you look, you'll crack," I admit, shrugging my petite shoulders lazily.

"Plan B: I try my hand at the Jedi mind trick," I spin on the heel of my weathered, beat-up knock off converse, walking back towards my throne on the power box. Even though I'd just shut her down, Hana had definitely given me something to think about. The Cliqueless was more like an extracurricular activity than anything, but, well, what if we did something with it? We can use this redhead with a rebellion locked mindset to our advantage, can't we? The gears in my head begin spinning, but my academic deficiency is determined to keep me from orchestrating the Cliqueless' opening night. I look toward Izzy expectantly. With her intelligence, she can probably read minds by now, right?

As hard as it was sometimes to tell when Izzy was playing or not, this time it showed loud and clear. That smile on her face coupled her words directed to me were pretty direct, and I found myself grinning despite being the butt of the joke.

“I could be subtle if I wanted,” I muttered, but even to my ears the attempt to sound sullen failed miserably. I was too pleased at the mood beginning to lighten – life was so much easier when everyone was happy. Even being put down by Hana shortly after didn’t dampen my mood; I wasn’t expecting much else anyway, most of the time girls thought I was joking when I did put that foot forward. I usually went along with it for sake of making things less awkward.

Of course the promise of being introduced to some of her ‘prettier’ friends made me color a little. Oh. So maybe she did realize.

The others were beginning to get friendlier, or as friendly as they were going to be to a stranger intruding upon us. Feeling rather accomplished I let the others introduce themselves and even make remarks about being helpful as I instead moved to sit and draw my backpack around in order to rummage through it. All of this excitement and I hadn’t even got to eating my lunch yet. Luckily it was always packed – cafeteria food was never healthy and I had to stay in shape. Nothing says ‘I buy pizza every day for lunch’ like being last in a track meet. By the time I had unwrapped my sandwich and took the first bite Hanna was leaving though. Trying to leave, I suppose, since she face planted in the attempt. Wince.

“Dude, she’s going to be a jock in no time,” Jake quipped, and I was quick to swallow the food I had in my mouth in order to comment – I was going to help Hannah up as well but she was quick to be back on her feet.

“There’s a guy on the tennis team who can’t go more than five feet without tripping over air. It’s quite amazing to watch him compete – you’ve never seen athletics like his acrobatics to get to the ball after falling flat on his face. He does surprisingly well.” It seemed Hana leaving was put on the backburner as Sarah got her turn with the girl, stalking towards her like some sort of urban predator. Maybe it was just that I never felt threatened around her, but it was quite amusing to watch actually, like a puppy barking. I better not ever tell Sarah I referred to her as a puppy though.

She did seem to have something brewing in her mind though. Knowing me? I’d probably go along with whatever crazy plan she had working up in her mind. I’d like to think of myself as reliable, if not too great at the whole making the plans part … or some of the references she was dropping.

Besides, it’d be nice to be more open about our friendships.

“If you’re really set on that Hana,” I finally added and turned my attention back to the girl, “I’m with Ray – just tell me if us jocks get too pushy. Me and my buddy Ryan can muscle them back into line - he'll be confused, but he'll do it.” Oh, I’m really getting better at English now that I can make puns. That was a pun, wasn’t it?

I smiled softly at the plans to make sure I was somewhat safe. It made me feel as if I had "friends", but at this school those feelings are dangerous. I couldn't help the small, unhumored chuckle that escaped my throat. It sounded sad and foreign, like someone about to cry after laughing about something nostalgic they did with a lost loved one. I looked at the Jedi "wannabe"."You guys sure are close. I wish... heh never mind. Let's save the saddness for another intrusion, shall we? Anyway, I don't need anything. I can handle myself. I promise on my grandmama Belle's grave, I will never join a clique at this school. No one can break me, so I'm okay with just being me."

I smirked slightly and walked over to the door, leaning against it. "I can prove a way that I won't be taken by a group. If you want to see, that is." I grinned slightly at my little idea. Oh, this was going to be too much fun. I might even give Ray and Izzy a small heart attack. I smiled mischeiviously as I said "it's a show you won't want to miss" in a sing song voice. I opened the door and held it open for anyone that wanted to come with me. I really hoped they would come. I wanted them to get a front row ticket to the one and only cafeteria show in Elton.

This was going to be too much fun.

The girl was nothing if not confident, it takes some manner of cocksureness to recover from a trip and still manage to come across as Little Miss Badass. I find it telling that she is so adamant about being able to handle herself. My grandma is a fan of cinema and in watching some with her, there's a trend where the loner main character inevitably learns to rely on others. Movies are grandma's forte, mine is literature. Sighing after Alena's pun fully works its way through my brain, I give a small nod of understanding to Sarah. I may not necessarily agree with the growing sentiment and potential use of Hana, but it's in my nature to be the negative one. I blame the part of me that over thinks and over analyzes things. Every idea is a bad idea except for the one that works.

"You know," I say, grabbing my backpack and attaching it - yes, I'm a two-strapper, cliche I know - and I approach the exit into the school building where Hana is currently leaning, "I once said that I'd never get anything less than an A, but then I took a class in Impressionist art and got a B." I contemplate tapping Hana on the shoulder but decide against it. I don't have her confidence to directly touch a stranger. However, I do look in her general direction, not making eye contact per se, but not looking away. "Point is, I doubt your conviction will hold up when attacked from all sides."

I turn and look towards the other Cliqueless members and I remember Hana's earlier words about going it alone, going it solo like Mario Van Peebles. Wait. Bad analogy. Solo was an android. Thanks, grandma.

"Look, I'm not going to stand here and try to win you over because honestly I know I'd be wasting precious breath. If you want to go off and be on your own, that's your deal. But how are you on your metaphysical allusions?" I don't even have to turn and look at the others to know at least one of them is probably scratching their heads. "'No man is an island entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.'" I knew those Friday nights reading classical poetry would pay off one day, and not just on tests and essays.

"Just think about that for a while, it'll sink in. But until it does, I admit to being slightly curious as to what you have planned, so I guess I'll take a look."

Short of punching out every single clique down in the gallery below, I doubt Hana's statement can live up to the hype. Call me a lover of schadenfreude, but I want to watch this go up in flames. It'll be like the Hindenburg, only without all of the casualties.

I've been hanging around Jake too long. I'm getting morbid.

"Alright, but I doubt whatever you do is going to have much effect in the long run." 

I offered no other words. She was pretty determined to make her point and it would either be false bravado or something extremely clever. Either way it promised to be entertaining.

So I chugged the last of my beer, tossed the empty can over the side of the building, grabbed my lunchbox and left the roof.

Once down one flight of stairs, however, I left and headed for the stairwell at the other end of the hall. I couldn't risk being seen with the others. Even the smallest of slip ups could have me labeled as a poser.

I made an excuse of atempting to seduce Mrs. Dietrich, so I made an effort to appear as though I was returning from that. Even stopped by her empty classroom and planted my lunchbox in it.

I got back to find several of my friends sharing poorly concieved notions of blasphemy and occult practice. I swear, I'm the only one who actually studies and understands this shit.

The idiocy of my own often makes me cringe. Perhaps I've been haging out wth Izzy too long...

Those who speak do not know, Those who know do not speak I recited the old axiom in my head as I held my frustrated tongue from correcting them. Not only would it my efforts to enlighten them be in vain, but according to the new girl, a show was about to begin.

“Well, if you’re sure,” I scratched at my cheek, head tilted to the side as I started at Hana puzzled. Honestly I wasn’t quite sure if I liked that she had some sort of plan – who knows who’s bad side that could put her on? Then again in the cliques you were guaranteed to be against at least eighty percent of the rest of the school anyway. Was it eighty percent? Math isn’t my forte. I shake the thoughts of numbers out of my bed – I was already embarrassed by those once today – and instead focus on packing up my things. There was probably little I or anyone else here could do to change Hana’s mind, so at least it would be best to go watch the show. That and be there in case things go wrong – who knows what the other redhead was planning?

“Alright, I’ll watch,” I added on for good measure, even as I went to follow after Jake’s path – a little bit after him of course, otherwise that might be suspicious. I gave one last nod to Hana as I went passed her – thanks for holding open the door – and ducked my head as I descended back to the main body of the school. It didn’t take long to find my little group of people I called friends, Ryan beckoning me over with a loud voice that dominated the air as soon as he saw me. The whole section was like that, actually – loud, a little obnoxious, a little competitive but all comfortable with each other. After all, this was our ‘family’ in these walls.

“I knew you couldn’t stay away,” Ryan quipped as soon as I took my seat by him, and I couldn’t help but snort and playfully shove him with my elbow.

“Well someone has to be the buffer between your dumb and the rest of the world,” Ryan laughed good naturedly at my comeback, some of the others around us joining in. He shook his head and ended on a low chuckle before leaning in, voice lowering – as much as someone like Ryan could lower his voice – to speak in what I supposed was supposed to be a conspiratorial tone.

“So, you hear there’s a new girl in school? I got the best idea for her – between my manliness and your – well, your [you[/i]ness I’m sure we’ll have a leg up on all the other dorks around here,” He sounded so earnest that I had to hide my grimace, instead just nodding along as I glanced around, finding that most of us were in our usual spots – though I glazed over the cheerleaders to instead crane my neck around to look around the crowded area. Yep, if there was ever a time to put on a show, now was it – and fast since rumor was spreading. Hope she knew what she was getting into.

I smirked and followed behind everyone who left. They were in for a show and I was excited to perform it. I quickly walked to the cafeteria and grinned. A lot of people saw me and stared as if they were ready to see who I finally decided to conform too, but that wasn't happening today. I walked over to an empty table and climbed to the top of it. "Yo! Everyone! Listen up, walking clichés!" I saw as a few of the popular girls glared, but I payed no attention.

I looked over at the popular group, then the goths, jocks, dorks, know-it-alls, and then kept my eyes in front of me. "I have decided on who I want to be." I watched the expectant eyes of the cliques and grinned. "I'm not going to be in any of your cliques.[/b]" I saw eye rolls from many and I smirked before jumping off the table and onto the ground. I walked over to the nerds and hugged one from behind. When the others thought I chose them, I walked over to the populars and kissed a guy on the cheek. After the initial shock of that, I walked over to the jocks and sat on a guy's (Ryan's) lap who was next to my new friend. I grinned at her mischeiviously before getting up and going over to the dorks.

I hugged one dork there. Then I went over to the goths and shook one of the girl's hair, apologized, and walked back toward the table I jumped off of. "Now is it safe to say that I don't give a crap about your stupid clique system? Or do I need to show more evidence" I leaned back against the table with a huge smirk.