tbh

8. Climbing the Ladder

"Are you Natalie White?"

The gorgeous brunette that had asked her the question was the same brunette that Natalie had bumped into at the first day of school. Back then, she had been scowling so fiercely that Natalie had instantly categorized her under BHHS' List Of Grade-A Bitches.

The brunette was smiling now, and she looked completely angelic.

Amazing, thought Natalie. Looks could really be deceiving.

"I'm Maeve," the brunette added. The way she said her name made Natalie think she should have known her.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'm Natalie. Why?"

She's one of them, she realized after a moment. Maybe even at the top rung. She's part of the in crowd.

It wasn't her beauty that clued Natalie in--although Maeve was certainly gorgeous--and it wasn't the way the brunette acted, like she was far superior than anyone in the room. It was the way eyes followed her, like there was a spotlight aimed at Maeve that Natalie couldn't simply see.

"Aislin's inviting you to come to her party later on. The details are all listed on her website, and you're free to bring a friend."

Maeve paused, her eyebrows suddenly meeting up together in a confused frown. "Although why she would invite a newbie like you is still a complete mystery. I love the boots though," she added as an afterthought, glancing at Natalie's Wellingtons.

"Um...thanks," said Natalie, uncertain. A had just invited her? The A? Was this a prank? As much as she wanted to believe that her complete transformation had earned her some certain appeal to the popular crowd, Natalie knew better. There was no easy way in. And the mere idea that A, who was at the very top rung of the social hierarchy, would generously offer her hand to Natalie, who certainly occupied the bottom rung, was laughable.

Natalie could already see the next post on A's website:

ROFL: Did the new girl really think she was invited? Newsflash, bitch: Pumpkins and rats disappear after midnight. Unfortunately, so do you.

And then a picture of herself underneath, looking pathetic as the crowd jeered.

"Hel-lo? Are you even listening to me?"

Natalie jerked back to the present, her cheeks flushing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and sweat had beaded on her forehead. Was this her fate for eternity? Forever snubbed upon, bullied, and rejected?

Maeve was scowling at her, dark blue eyes glittering in annoyance. "Look here, Natalie. A might have invited you, but don't think it to mean you're part of us now. Because you're not. After Aislin gets whatever she needs from you, you're--" she snapped her fingers--"forgotten. Capisce?"

Natalie knew she couldn't appear weak. Like last time, she should respond to the girl's mean remark with a clever quip. But her mouth had gone dry, and all she could so was nod.

Maeve seemed satisfied with that. "Good. And please do get a better outfit than the one you're wearing right now. You're A's personal guest, so don't even think of embarrassing us. See ya."

And with a quick, half-hearted wave of her fingers, she was gone.

"Oh Em Gee. You knew Maeve Rothschild?"

Natalie jerked up, surprised. It was the Jennifer Lawrence-look alike, and she was gaping at Natalie.

Suddenly, a passage from her #2 Must Read How to be Popular book popped into her mind: Thou shall always encourage associations with popular people. Even if it's a lie.

And acting with the reflex she hadn't managed to do earlier, Natalie shrugged nonchalantly. "Maeve? Well, she just invited me to A's party."

If it was possible, J.L.'s look-alike jaw dropped even lower. "You were one of the invitees? But you didn't even know A a few days ago!"

Natalie had always wanted to do this move, and after studying Nina's Dobrev all-knowing smirk as Katherine in TVD with the matching hair slide into the shoulder, she finally managed to perfect it.

"Well, I guess I got lucky." Then she did the move, and knew it was a perfect score by the awe that entered the girl's eyes.

"Do you have plans for lunch yet?" J.L. look-alike blurted. "Because we have an empty seat."

And Natalie thought that while the girl would be a perfect twin to Jennifer Lawrence, and Natalie the perfect physical opposite of Nina Dobrev, she was still the better doppelganger.

The old adage was really true.

Practice really does makes everything perfect.