"Um, maybe," Madison said. "I have an idea of how to avoid that, but... um..." She looked at me with upturned eyes, hands wringing. "Do you... do you not want me to get punished?"

I stilled, unsure of what to say. I hadn't thought about it, strangely. Well, that's not strictly true — I'd imagined the three of them getting expelled or spanked in front of class or something similarly humiliating more times than I could count. But I hadn't thought about anything like that happening to Madison; at least, not since our meeting yesterday.

Did I want her to get punished?

I thought about it. The answer rose to the surface. I didn't like it much.

"I don't know," I lied.

Madison shifted some more. "What does that mean?"

"It means I don't know!" Madison flinched, and I softened my tone. I shouldn't get angry with her; she might change her mind about helping me. But not wanting her to get punished just... it just didn't feel right. It felt like I was somehow betraying myself. Ugh. "Okay," I said, trying to think about something else. It was a little difficult. "So we deal with Sophia by going to the principal and giving her evidence. That makes sense, I suppose. But what about Emma? And all the others, like Julia and Alison?"

"I told you yesterday," Madison said. "The hanger-ons don't have any, uh... investment in bullying you. When Emma and Sophia leave you alone, they'll find something else to do. And once Sophia's gone, Emma will be easy to deal with."

"Right, the whole... blackmail thing." I sighed. "You know, I'm really not comfortable with that."

"You're looking at it the wrong way. Remember what I said? It's not blackmail. It's just payback. Getting your dues."

I shook my head. "I mean, I'm not really comfortable telling those things to you, specifically. I still don't trust you. And lots of those things involve me."

"I won't use that stuff for anything but getting back at Emma," Madison said. "I promise. But if you're worried, you could just tell me things that don't involve you."

"I know, I know, I just... I can't help but feel like you'd find some way to turn it all back on me. Like, I dunno, make everyone think I just give away people's secrets all the time, so then no-one would want to be friends with me because I'm such a blabbermouth."

Madison stared at me, eyes wide. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"You would have a month ago."

She flinched again, glancing down at her hands.

"Shit," I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to — "

Madison shook her head. "It's fine. I understand."

We fell silent. Madison finished off her sandwich and opened a little dish filled with assorted fruits. It struck me then how ridiculous it was that I was apologising to Madison Clements, that I was worrying about hurting her feelings. I almost felt like laughing. Or crying.

"Okay," Madison said. "What if I told you one of my secrets in exchange? With proof. So if I used what you told me against you, you could publish the proof and then everyone'd know."

"Like mutually assured destruction?"

Madison nodded.

I considered it. I couldn't think of a reason to refuse. "Okay," I said, leaning in a little instinctively. "What's your secret?"

"Ah, no," Madison said, shaking her head. "Not yet. I'll need a while to get the proof. I don't know when I'll get the chance. A few days, maybe a week, maybe longer. But it doesn't matter, since you wouldn't have to tell me anything about you and Emma until Sophia's dealt with. Sophia's dangerous, so she's stage one. Emma's not, so she's stage two."

It was my turn to nod. "Alright, that's good. In that case: I agree." I held a hand out. Madison clasped it with hers. "We'll work together to take them down."

Madison smiled. "I'm glad."

I released her hand and stood, thankful that the rumbling of my stomach was too quiet for her to hear. "Is that everything? I'd like to have lunch."

"Uh... you don't want to eat with me?"

"No," I said. Then, seeing her face fall, I added, "Not right now. Maybe later."

"Okay," Madison said. "Well, we should swap numbers before you go." She pulled a mobile out of her pocket and looked up at me. "What's yours?"

I recited it for her, and she typed it in. "It's our home phone. If I don't answer, my dad will. Just ask for me."

Madison nodded. "What's your mobile?"

"I don't have one."

She looked at me like I'd told her I was born on Mars. "What? How?"

I glared at her. "I just don't, okay?" I said. "What does it matter anyway? You have my number now." I slid my bag around to my side and withdrew a pen and a scrap of paper. "Hurry up and tell me yours."

Madison was still looking at me weird, but she nodded and told me her number anyway. "You should really get a mobile," she said as I was tucking my stuff away again. I folded up the scrap of paper bearing her number and put it in my pencil sharpener — that way it'd be safe from getting ruined if Emma decided to dump her soda in my bag. Again. "They're awesome. They can do pretty much anything nowadays. And if you had one we could talk whenever!"

I glanced at her. Madison was smiling, and she sounded sincere — which I was starting to realise was her usual state; being bubbly was just part of her nature. I sighed. Being obstinate when she seemed so genuine made me feel like a bitch. "We can't afford it," I admitted through clenched teeth. It felt like a defeat.

"Oh," Madison said.

I zipped up my bag and slid it around to my back again. "So, do you have anything else to say before I go?"

"Um... yeah, one thing. But you're not going to like it."

"No?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

Madison looked down at her hands. "This plan of ours is going to take time. I'm not sure how long. Could be two weeks, could be two months, but... until we manage to get Sophia out of the way, we can't let her or Emma start to suspect something's up."

I swallowed. "You mean..."

"You have to keep letting them bully you," Madison said with a nod. "Act like nothing's changed. And... I have to do that, too. I have to be mean to you, when they're around. Sorry." Madison looked up then, meeting my eyes. "But I know you can do it! Sophia says you're weak, but I don't think that's true. You're strong."

"Right... thanks, I guess." I rubbed my face for a minute, then I sighed and looked away. "Alright. I can deal with that. I agree it's necessary." Madison nodded. "When are we going to start?"

"Start?"

"Yeah," I said. "The plan. Are we gonna go see the principal after school, or during second break, or what?"

"Uh, sorry, can't go see her until tomorrow at the earliest. I need to get some stuff ready for that too."

"Oh." I turned to look out over the school yard. I didn't want her to see my face. "Tomorrow. Okay."

"Sorry."

I waved her off. "It's fine. Are we gonna meet here, or at Mrs. Blackwell's office?"

"Uh... we'll meet at her office. After school, once Sophia's gone. Can you follow her, make sure she leaves?"

"Me?" I said, turning back to face her. "Shouldn't you do that? You're the one that hangs out with her all the time."

"Right," Madison said, biting her lip. She still looked cute. How'd she manage that? I was pretty sure if I did that I'd just look like I was doing a poor man's impression of an ogre. "Of course. Don't worry then, I'll do it. No problem."

"Okay. Great." I walked to the door. "Well... see you later."

"See you!" Madison called after me.

I opened the door, then paused. Did I really want to leave it there? I had a hundred questions to ask her. Admittedly, they were mostly all just variations of the one main question, but that was a damn important thing to ask. I closed the door and turned to face Madison. "Hey, Madison?"

Madison looked up. "Yeah?"

"Earlier, you said Julia and Emma's other friends don't... you said they have no investment in bullying me." I paused. Madison nodded slowly. "What was your investment? Why did you do it?"

Madison didn't say anything for a long moment, instead choosing to fiddle with the plastic fork in her hands.

"Madison?" I took a step towards her.

"Emma's really pretty," Madison said, looking down at her hands. "I wanted her to like me."

I pulled up short, midway through a step. "Huh?" I said with a frown. "You... what?"

"I wanted her to like me really, really bad, but..." Madison looked up, meeting my eyes. Her expression was serious but cute, like I'd thought before. "That's different now. I'd rather be liked by you than her."

"Uh... y-you mean..." Something large and heavy appeared in my throat. I swallowed past it. "Seriously?"

Madison nodded without breaking eye contact. Her cheeks flushed red, just a little. "Yeah."

"O-oh. Um, okay... cool." I wavered a little and pulled my outstretched foot back to keep balance. "Well, uh..."

I turned and opened the door as calmly as I could. "See you tomorrow," I said, then stepped through the door, closing it behind me.

I stood on the other side of that door for a good five seconds, staring a hole in the ground, my thoughts whizzing every which way so madly that I could hardly form a coherent sentence except by accident. Then one of the last functional parts of my brain reminded me that Madison was still on the rooftop, and I was standing in front of the door. She could come out any second.

I half-ran down the stairs. My bag bounced against my back as I ran, and one thought rose above all others:

Madison fucking Clements has a thing for me?!

Jealousy

(автор: sahara)

Sooo, I made a thing. A VickyxTaylor thing. From Amy PoV. Yeah. Here it is. EDIT: Thanks to -perhonen— on Reddit for beta-ing for me.

Warning: This is a snarky, angry Amy. Not your typical fanon woobie. She's also probably snarkier than canon Amy; but hey, you win some you lose some. Also, Amy is not the most reliable of narrators.

* * *

It was another shitty day at Arcadia.

Sure, the campus was nice, and the teachers were nice, and the students were nice...

Look, it was shit.

I was too busy being taught things I'd never use to go actually do something. People were dying in hospitals and clinics across the city and all I could do was listen to the incessant, but oh so informative, droning of Dr. Miller. I don't know why they made me take a science class at this point. I had an honorary medical license and could probably go to any med-school I wanted.

I can't even tell if I care more about the people or the class. I'm a bitch.

Oh well, at least it was time for lunch. Maybe I'd stop thinking about my shitty situation for the next hour.

Lunch looks lovely today.

Yes, I would like a serving of those powdered eggs.

Yes, I would like some maple syrup with my pancakes.

Yes, I would like to know who invented breakfast day.

As I started heading towards our usual table I noticed someone new at our usual table. She was a tall brunette with curly hair; wide, thin and expressive lips; wire-frame glasses that made her look like a librarian; as well as a posture that was probably going to cause back pain some day.

Hey, I can't help but notice these things.

There were other things I noticed too. Like the fact that she was sandwiched between Vicky and Dean, and looked like she was about to have a panic attack. And how good Vicky looked today.

But only slightly more interesting to me was the fact that I had never seen her before. It was February. You just don't transfer into Arcadia in February.

I sat down across the table from Vicky and New Girl jerked a little when my tray hit the table (jumpy much?). Vicky gave me a brief "Hey Ames, this is Taylor." before going back to her conversation with New Girl— err Taylor. Maybe it was more of a conversation at her, but that wasn't too unusual for Vicky. She had a lot to say; it wasn't a bad thing.

Vicky was completely focused on Taylor right now, and I felt a pang of jealousy. I was hopeless, getting worked up over something stupid like this. I looked down at my food and did my best to give off an air of indifference, but I noticed Dean give me an odd look (empathic ass) before he suddenly changed the direction of the conversation.

"So Taylor, you said you read a lot, right?"

Oh, I see, he thinks I'm jealous of their conversation. Idiot.

"Umm, yeah. Not as much as I used to since... but yeah, I read."

Wow. I thought I had no social skills. Aaand there's another look from Dean. Does he want me to say something? Asshole. Fine, here goes nothing.

"What do you read?"

"Umm, mostly classics. My mom was an English teacher."

It didn't take a social genius to pick up on the "was" in that sentence.

She certainly has a talent at giving dead-end answers.

Dean looked at me expectantly.

Ohhh, is it my turn to change the subject?

"Sooo, are you new here?"

"Yeah."

I barely heard her there.

"How'd you get the transfer?"

She curled into herself while doing her best impression of a kicked puppy.

Shit. Way to go Amy.

Vicky jumped in for the save. God, I love her.

"Hey Tay, you wanna go shopping with me and Ames after school?"

"Umm, uhh, what?...I don't really have the money..."

Vicky smiled. I knew where this was going so I smiled with her.

"Dean'll pay. It's fine."

Hah, eat it Dean.

Dean looked at me again, a mildly hurt look on his face (hah, empathy's not always that great, is it?).

"I'm fine, I don't want to-"

"Tay, we're going shopping and you're coming with us. I mean, don't you want a new wardrobe to go with your new school?"

Vicky's smile was sickeningly sweet.

"I, umm...Okay, I guess..."

Nothing stands in the way of my sister.

=================================================?

Over the next couple of weeks both Taylor's outfits and her social skills gradually improved under the caring tutelage of my sister. (Images of my sister in a slutty teacher outfit making out with Taylor told me I really shouldn't have phrased it that way.) V-necks and tighter jeans slowly slipped their way into her wardrobe (sometimes literally when Vicky went over), and Vicky made her get ice cream and go to the mall with us.

It was a couple weeks later when Vicky first invited her over to our house. That wasn't good. Vicky only ever had a few people over, the Wards (especially Dean) and our cousins in particular. She preferred to take her socializing to the Boardwalk or to one of Dean's house parties. Taylor's response was predictable.