PLASTIC

10

"Never in my 14 years as an educator have I seen such behavior.. and from young ladies. I've got parents calling me on the phone asking "Did someone get shot?" I oughta cancel your Spring Fling." Principal Duvall announces which causes whispers to erupt among the crowd.

All sophomore and junior girls are sitting on the bleachers in the gymnasium. All of us refusing to look at one another. Apparently there's only 3 girls who weren't in the book.

Karen, Gretchen, Cady

"Now, I'm not gonna do that because we've already paid the DJ," He sighs. "but don't think I'm not taking this book seriously! Coach Carr has fled school property. Miss Norbury has been accused of selling drugs. Now what the girls in these grades need is an attitude makeover, and you're going to get it right now." He points his finger at us, "I don't care how long it takes. I will keep you here all night!"

"We can't keep them past four.." The secretary speaks up, correcting him.

"I will keep you until four!"

A few girls laugh but we all mainly stay quiet. I look around and spot Cady sitting with Karen and Gretchen, Janis and Damien are right behind me.. I don't know how he got in here. And Regina is sitting in the middle of everyone.

Principal Duvall begins whispering to Miss Norbury about the situation. When she steps up to the plate, she begins telling us all to close our eyes.

When we do so, she asks us a few questions.

"Raise your hand if you've said something bad about a girl.. or a friend behind her back." I raise my hand, as does everyone else. "Open your eyes."

Everyone gasps and giggles with everyone. "Now close your eyes again and raise your hand if you've ever had someone talk bad about you to another person." Everyone's hands raise again. "Well there's been some girl on girl crime here.."

Suddenly Regina stands up and begins speaking. "Can I just say that we don't have a clique problem at this school? And some of us shouldn't have to be here because most of us are just victims in the situation."

"That's probably true." Miss Norbury says as she paces back and forth with her hands folded behind her back. "How many of you have ever felt personally victimized by Regina George?"

Everyone raises their hands including me and a few teachers. I can hardly even look at Regina right now, knowing that she wrote that about me. Even after last night.

"Good. Okay, moving on." Miss Norbury excuses Regina's comment and continues, "Who's next?" She looks around at all of us. "Cady, do you have anything you want to own up to?"

I turn and look at my older sister, she glances at me then back at the teacher. "No."

"You never made up a rumor about anybody?"

"No."

"Nothing you want to apologize for? Perhaps to your sister?" She motions over to me. I look at her then over at Cady.

"No."

"I'm really disappointed in you, Cady." She says with a frown, then she turns to me. "Elle Heron, what about you?"

"What about me?" I ask in confusion.

"Do you have anything to apologize for?" She asks with a shrug. "Anything at all?"

I ponder for a moment before I lock eyes with Regina, she frowns a bit. She looks sorry. "Um.. No, I'm sorry."

She nods and moves on. "Alright, so we're all here because of this book right? Well I don't know who wrote this book but you all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores! It just makes it okay for guys to call you that. Who here has ever been called a whore?"

Almost everyone raises their hands. "Exactly. And that hurt didn't it?" Everyone puts their hands down and laughs. "Alright everyone up, I want to try an exercise."

Ten minutes later, we all have an apology written on a flash card and we're taking turns going up on the stand and apologizing to one another before trust falling into the crowd.

When Janis goes up, her apology is directed toward Cady but it's really against Regina. She reveals how everything that Cady did to Regina was her idea. I had absolutely no clue this is what was happening. I just thought my fame chasing sister was the culprit for hurting Regina on purpose, not Janis.

So Regina goes up next. "Hi everyone." She waves shyly.

With a sigh, she begins to read. "So.. I wanted to get something off my chest before I apologize to loads of people." She frowns a bit and looks over at me. "I'm bi.."

When everyone goes silent and begins whispering, I can't help but smile reassuringly at her. "I know that many of you will turn against me for that but it's who I am. I'm not going to change myself just to fit in with everyone else.. on that note. My first apology goes to Elle."

Everyone looks at me and begins whispering, "Elle.. I'm so sorry for how I treated you in the past. I didn't know how to act when I found out that I liked you. The only thing I could do was try to convince myself it was hatred when in fact it was quite the opposite."

She turns and looks at Janis. "Janis, I'm sorry for outing you in middle school. You trusted me with your secret, personal information and I told everyone just to gain popularity. I love you so much, I never meant to hurt you."

Janis waves her off, telling her to stop her apology before she cries. Regina continues going along the line with apologies before she falls into the crowd and it's my turn.

"Um.. Hi guys." I wave awkwardly. "I just moved here with my older sister Cady.. I'm pretty sure all of you know her. She actually is one of the most known girls in this school." I scoff. "I want to apologize to Regina George.. I feel like everyone else should too. She never asked to be treated like a god in this school, yet everyone gets mad when she isn't perfect." I explain. "I'm proud to say that I got to know the real Regina. And she's so sweet and so caring.. and so different than what you all think of her."

I smile to myself and look over at Regina. "And I'd be really fucking happy if she'd like to be my girlfriend."

Everyone gasps but Regina has my full attention. Her lips curl into a soft grin and she nods, everyone cheers. I fall into the crowd and immediately run over to Regina.

"Hi.." She says softly as I meet my lips with hers.

"My turn." Cady goes on stage, causing us to pull apart. "I've been friends with Regina and the other girls since my first day here. I never wanted to be the villain but.. I guess it happened anyway. I'm sorry Regina, I took things too far when it was supposed to be a joke. I stole your friends, your boyfriend, your life." Cady sighs and looks at me, "I'm happy for you and my sister."

I smile big as Cady says that.. but then she continues.

"But what I'm not sorry for is the way you humiliated yourself, Regina. You're the one who wrote that book but nobody wants to believe it because you put yourself in it. All you are and all you ever will be is a fugly cow."

Regina visibly winces beside me. Cady's comment stirs the crowd against each other yet again. I try to take Regina's hand but she storms out of the gymnasium, Cady follows.