Smokin' Hot

Chapter 2: Meet Britt

“I still don’t even see what the big deal is” my other best friend Brittany said distractedly while examining herself in my mirror. “I mean like, I’m gonna miss Brooke and Miles a lot too, but you don’t have to like hide in your room to avoid your new neighbor. Didn’t you even say he’s like Ben’s friend or something?” She said facing me.

Here’s something you should know about Brittany Thomas. We’ve been best friends since the summer before 9th grade. She wasn’t as close to me as Brooke and Miles were, but I could always go to her for advice on boys, clothes, anything…well anything EXCEPT school.

That was Brittany’s downfall. She was gorgeous, friendly, and totally kind to everyone, but she was not at all smart.

I don’t blame her, I mean when you’re loved by everyone in the school, including teachers and parents, and you have a reputation to keep up, a girl like Brittany is only expected to have a downfall like that.

She may not be very book smart, but Brittany is totally street smart. She knows everything about everyone, and knows just what to do and say at just the right times. Everyone says we look like we could be sisters. We have basically identical facial features and the same long, thick, brown, wavy hair, but Brittany is a bit taller than I am.

We met at cheerleading tryouts before our first year in high school, and instantly clicked. I was actually pretty shocked at first that Miss Popular, Pretty Brittany would want to be friends with someone like me, but she said ‘she always saw something in me, and just knew we’d be best friends.’

She is cheer captain, and I’m her second in command, and together Brittany and I (along with a bunch of other friends) can kind of be considered the “Populars” of our school, especially now that we’re going to be seniors.

Now don’t go judging us thinking ‘oh Populars, you spoiled superficial brats who pick on freshmen and nerds!’ We’re not like that...well, not all of us.

Brittany and I certainly don’t go slutting around, bragging about our money, and picking on other kids. In fact, we’re pretty much liked by everyone (not to brag or anything, but you kind of have to be in order to be Student Body President).

That’s right. I, Jennifer Taylor, am Student Body President. So I guess you could say that Brittany and I eat at the top of the food chain, but we try not to let it go to our heads.

“Because Britt,” I said walking up to the mirror when she was done “he’s not just ‘my new neighbor’ or ‘Ben’s little friend,’ this is Matthew McClure!” I exclaimed frustrated.

“Yeah, and?” she raised an eyebrow at me. I didn’t expect her to remember Matt because after all she and I only became friends the summer he moved away. But Britt was already popular before we met, so she hung out with the popular jocks who would pick on nerds like Matthew McClure (although she thought it was wrong and would never take part in it).

I on the other hand was more of a rags-to-riches story, and became popular once Brittany ‘took me under her wing’ so to speak.

“Okay let me explain” I said more calmly this time while fixing my hair. “You know how before we became best friends and all, I only really hung out with Brooke, Miles, Ben and a few of Ben’s stupid friends?”

“Yeah, you weren’t really that cool in 8th grade…I mean like hanging out with 7th graders and stuff” she giggled. I shot her a look and she stopped “I was kidding Jen, you’re awesome” she recovered, attempting to hide her smirk.

I ignored her and continued “Well Matthew was one of Ben’s stupid friends, his BEST friend to be exact, and even though they’re a year younger than us, Matt was still one of the nicest boys to me…well with the exception of Miles.”

“Uh huh?”

“And so you remember the big middle school Valentines Day dance that they did every year?”

“Oh yeah! I totally remember, that was the first time Dylan asked you out! Awwww so cute!”

Well, I guess before I go any further, I should explain who Dylan is right? Dylan Johnson is my totally awesome boyfriend.

We’ve been going out ever since that 8th grade Valentines Day dance. I love him and all, but sometimes he does things that I really hate. Dylan is our football star, and with the jock status come the stereotypes.

He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, he's a bit of a bully, he's unbelievably popular, and he's COMPLETELY GORGEOUS.

“Yeah yeah okay Britt, so when I went to that dance with Dylan there was one song that Matthew wanted to dance with me for”

“Oh my god, now I think I remember! Matthew was that totally scrawny, pale, nerd kid with the headgear!” she laughed.

“Yeah, well you know I was nice to him since he was my brother’s best friend an all so I agreed to dance with him for a song, but Dylan came up and pulled him away from me and…” I trailed off.

“Oh no, Jen. He didn’t…you know. Did he?”

“Yeah” I said looking at the floor.

“Ugh I hate it when Dylan and his friends do that! It’s totally not right to treat anybody like that, even if they are like ultra nerds!” she exploded. “Was it a swirlie?” she asked referring to Dylan and his buddy’s tradition of dunking kids heads in the toilet and flushing it.

“Worse. They gave him a swirlie, then they took him out behind the gym and beat him up” I said ashamed.

“Wow.”

“Yeah, and what’s worse, is I was there for the whole thing…I watched silently, and didn’t say anything. I was afraid Dylan would dump me, seeing as he’d JUST asked me out”

“Oh.”

“Ugh I KNOW! And Matt was so nice, he didn’t deserve any of it, and I just STOOD THERE! He knew I was there too…I did nothing to help him” I said almost inaudibly.

“………And then he moved away?”

“Yep, and now he’s back.”