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Present. Still Friday, 12:14

Jodi

A wicked smirk was on my lips as I saw the most powerful clique of Ademar High. The Lip tint Warriors. Ever since I got in last week, I've heard tattletales about them. One was that their leader endorsed an insanely famous and successful beauty product- couldn't blame her; With those delicate features and platinum hair, she was definitely Neutrogena commercial pretty. Another was that her second in command had millions of disgusting acne vulgaris residing on her face and she couldn't get rid of them, resulting in her perseverance to expert makeup application.

It was hardly the Givens girl's fault though. We humans can be downright desperate with how we look to other humans just to belong to the "acceptable cluster" of the social standing.

But every time I heard their clique name I had to suppress a laugh. I mean, haven't they thought of anything better?

"Eeekk!" A girl on my right squealed. Her hair of brown had strands dyed pink, green, and yellow, tied in a pigtail. She would've looked a little less bad than she had if it weren't for those pins of various K-pop groups on her blazer like they were extremely important badges. Cheap.

"Look at him, he's so adorable! Karen Chu exclaimed. She adds to her clique, " The way he says 'pineapple' is really something, " and they all nodded.

School life here in Ademar wasn't really that different from my old one. There were pretending, dominance and submission, superficial politeness - the good ol' high school hierarchy politics.

It was never wise for the friendless, the dorks, and the newbies to get into a fight without a clique to back them up. It's practically suicide! So, in the end, you'll just learn to follow since everyone expected you how to act on a specific when and where.

Or maybe you could be the one to expect.

"Hi ladies!" I said casually. Only the dumb one and the girl who oddly looked exactly like Ariana Grande greeted me back; The platinum-haired chic just gave me a glare and appeared as stiff as a board. Except she wasn't really a board. Her breasts were the size of melons that I felt a pang of insecurity.

With a beautifully tanned hand, I handed her what she asked for. A brown envelope filled with school-faculty-only kinda shit. "I hope you'll be satisfied with what you find, " I commented as she received. "In there are student and staff records -filthy and nasty-, future examination papers... Answer keys."

Madison Colt checked all of them once again to see if they were, in fact, real. "Impressive." She leaned back and crossed her arms. "What's your name again?"

"Summers, " I replied and had a good feeling of her reaction. "Jodi Summers."

Then absentmindedly, "That doesn't sound like Asian at all!"

Bingo.

Adela looked scandalized on my behalf. Too scandalized since her mouth was too open. Of the three of them, I liked Chanel Givens more. She was so easy to talk to, helpful since she showed me all the ropes, and even with the façade of powder, truer.

I thanked her when she told Madison that this wasn't the time to be racializing.

"You see, " she continued, "Jodi is half Aussie that's why she isn't as Asian as you think." There was no reproach found in her voice but their leader made herself saw one.

"Well sorry, minion." There was a certain edge that made Chanel wince a little. She turned back to me. "Look at you. Bomber jacket and boyfriend jeans, really? You've got to be kidding me.

"Can you actually manage to be a girl?"

Doing my best to keep my voice calm, I said, "I am a girl!" Who was she to criticize how I looked? And besides, they're comfy. That doesn't mean that I haven't worn skirts as they did I'm not feminine.

"I mean like us. Fashionable and silly and annoying."

I picked a few strands of hair and twirled it. " 'Khay. " I mocked with Adela's twang.

"Anyway, remember that your tests aren't done yet, Summers. Are you ready for another?"

Without waiting for my answer she stood up. The rest of us did.

Eyes landed upon me as I joined their exit of the cafeteria. People were so focused that they could've forgotten all about their food. Girls' eyes twinkled and boys hooted. I even caught some words of a Wannabe. "I'm her alright? Pick another I've already booked a sunbed!"

So this must be what the Queen of Ademar High was afraid of losing.

Worship.

Two gentle taps were tapped on my shoulder. As I glanced to my left, Adela beamed me a smile. "Yhar next test is to insult or make a rumor 'bouts a titser. Can you dho'it's?"

Most of her words were confusing but I figured what she meant and wondered why she even asked. I honestly thought that they knew everything about me already. Every secret, every flaw.

Rolling my eyes, I wrinkled my nose. "Why'd you think they sent me here from the Philippines?"