The Female Green

Chap 5 "This Is War"

Alexandra's POV
"What didn't I eat?" I asked.
"Oh my god," Hannah sighed. Gwen pulled up in her car with Nikki and her other two girls. "God."
"What's up, ladies?" Gwen asked. I stood straight up. "Oh, tonight's your big formal, isn't it? How's that working out for you? Toodles, bitches."
Gwen drove off. "Okay, they want war, they got it," Hannah nodded. "Alex, you in?"
"Try and stop me," I stated. The formal ended and we went inside the Kappa house. Blake went back to his fraternity. "Okay."
"I've put up with Delta long enough," Hannah stated. "This time we take Gwen down. There's only one way to do it. We've got to steal the tri-crown."
"Isn't that illegal?" Shawna asked.
"She didn't mean literally," Ange sighed.
"Alex, you know Gwen better than we do," Hannah looked at me. "What do you think?"
"I think I love it," I nodded. "Gwen needs this. Winning tri-crown, it's her only shot at becoming president."
"Steal it how?" Ange asked. "It's not like we've been letting them win it on purpose."
"No, but we never want it as badly as they did," Hannah smiled. "We just wanted to have fun."
"Now, it's more than that," I nodded. "This is more than just winning the tri-crown. It's about taking it from Delta."
"If we're going to do this, we've gotta nail them in the three legs of the crown," Hannah nodded. "Intramural, trivia, and talent show."
"Alex would kill at the talent portion," Ange smiled. "We've all heard her sing."
"Definitely," Hannah agreed.
"Uhm, okay," I smiled. "Sure."
"And I can cover volleyball," Hannah added. "We can totally do this, girls. Everybody in favor?" We all raised our hands. "Alright, first thing in the morning, practice! Come on." We put our hands in the middle. "On three."
"One, two, three," I stated.
"Go Kappa!" we exclaimed.
I went back to my room on campus and went to bed. The next day, I got up and dressed to practice volleyball. We sucked at first but got better. I had the girls sing for me so I can put together a group rehearsal for our vocals. Not one girl stuck out. Hannah and Ange were going to do background for me, so I wrote their names down. We tried the dance too. They were out of sync. It's going to take a lot more practice. After a good month and a half, we went back to volleyball.
"Deltas!" Shawna exclaimed.
They were shot with water guns and ran off. "Alright," I sighed. "That's it for today." I went to the art room. Blake joined me. "Okay, I need some advice." I finished my painting. "I'm dreading going home this weekend."
"Who dreads Thanksgiving?" Blake asked. "Maybe turkeys."
"Well, Nikki and her mom join us every year," I sighed. "And apparently, this one is no exception."
"Even though you guys are fighting?" Blake asked.
"Her mom is like the sweetest person in the world," I looked at Blake. "She thinks pumpkin pie and stuffing is going to magically make us friends again."
"Have you even talked to Nikki since the foam party?"
"No. I'm so angry, I don't even know what I'd say. It's going to be so awkward."
I sat in the empty stool next to him. "Just eat enough turkey for a trip to fan-coma and sleep through it. You're gonna have more fun than me anyways. I'm going to be stuck here on campus. It's too expensive and it's just me and my mom."
"Why don't you come home with me? It's perfect. You can defuse the tension. And before you read too much into this, this isn't me taking you home to meet the parents or anything. I mean, yeah, they'll be there and you'll meet them but -"
Blake held my hand and made me calm down. "I'd really like that," Blake smiled.
It was Thanksgiving and we went home. "Blake, I'm so glad you made it for Thanksgiving," JJ smiled.
We sat at the table. "Who wants a leg?" Hotch asked.
"Wait, we can't forget tradition, Aaron," Mrs. Summers held up a decorated stick.
"Do you guys beat each other for Thanksgiving?" Blake asked.
"It's a prayer stick. We all pass it around and say what we're thankful for," I nodded. "Nikki and I made it at camp."
"I think the girls should go first," Mrs. Summers nodded. "Alex."
"No, I'm not really feeling it," I nodded. Nikki scoffed. "Okay. I change my mind." I grabbed the stick. "Here's one." I smiled. "I'm thankful that this food hasn't been messed with and that I'm not one of the cowards who sabotaged our formal."
"Alex," JJ sighed.
"That's not what I meant," Mrs. Summers sighed.
"Wow," Nikki nodded. "Okay. My turn." She grabbed the stick from me. "I'm thankful I've grown up since high school and know how to let things go."
"I'm thankful this turkey," Blake interrupted us. "This lovely, juicy turkey."
"I'm thankful that I can still look at myself in a mirror," I shrugged.
"I'm thankful for all my new friends," Nikki looked at me.
"Yeah, well, you know what?" I asked as I stood up. Nikki stood up as well. "I'm thankful that I don't have my head stuck up -"
"Okay, well, let's eat," Hotch nodded as we sat down.
Nikki and her mom left after dinner. Blake went back to campus. I was doing the dishes. "I like that Blake," JJ stated. "Seems sweet." I finished the dishes. "Do you wanna talk about Nikki?"
"Not really," I sighed. "But thanks."
"How's your tri-crown prep going?" JJ asked. "You guys ready for the competition next week?"
"Mom, you digging for inside information?" I asked.
"Maybe a little," JJ smiled.
"What are you working on?"
"We've decided to put an alumni photo on the back flap of our charity cook book this year. So I'm just sifting through some old ones."
"You've been really working your butt off on this."
"Yeah."
"I just hope the alumni appreciate it. Can I see?"
"Oh, please, yes."
I looked at the photos with her. "It's really great that you made true friends. I can only hope to be as close to my sorority sisters in twenty years as you are to yours."
"I think I have more photos in the garage. I'll be back."
JJ left and I continue to look at the pictures. I even found cassette tapes of the tri-crown competitions JJ was in. JJ walked back in. "Can I borrow these?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
"Alright," I smiled. "Well, I'm going to head back to campus. I'll see you later." I got into my car and drove back to campus. I went up to my room and went to bed. Days passed and it was finally tri-crown competition. The first task was volleyball. We lost that game to Delta: 21 to 19. Nikki walked away. I followed her. "Nikki. They aren't your friends. They only bid you because of me."
"You're lying because you're jealous," Nikki nodded. "It's pathetic."
"I heard Gwen say it that night in the bathroom," I sighed. "That's why I quit. To protect you, you ungrateful spaz."
"You're right," Nikki turned to look at me. "You were a great friend as long as I stayed in her shadow."
"Nikki, I've known you for forever. You're the funniest person I've ever met. You're freakishly smart and you can't dance for crap. And you quote The Godfather like it's your job. Do they know this? Have they even tried to get to know you at all?" I looked at her. "Nikki, you are a lot of things, but you're not a follower. At least you never use to be." I went to the Kappa house and changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I sat in the living room with a notepad, pen, and watched JJ's tri-crown competition videos. Blake joined me. "Hey."
"What is this?" Blake asked.
"These are my mom's tri-crown competition tapes," I sighed.
"When you called me here for an evening of stolen goods, I was thinking of something more exciting."
"Sorry to disappoint."
"So, what exactly are we looking for?"
"Inspiration. We completely blew the volleyball game, now we have to win the other two events to win the tri-crown. Hannah's leaving the musical show to me and I'm totally blocking."
"What's the theme this year?"
"Looking back, moving forward."
"Oh, catchy."
I giggled. "I know, right."
I fast forward and hit play. "Look, it's the new Kappas on the block," Blake joked. I hit fast forward again. "Wait, hold on." Blake grabbed the remote and hit play. "I know her. The hot one on the right, isn't that your mom?"
"That's my mom," I nodded.
"Go Mrs. M," Blake stated.
"I got our show," I smiled. "You should go." Blake left. The next day, I walked into the Kappa house from my room across campus. Nikki was there. "No."
"I'm not here to fight," Nikki sighed as she walked up to me. "I just want to give you this."
"What is it?"
"Delta stole the questions to the quiz challenge. You deserve a fair fight against them."
"Them? Not us?" I asked.
"Not anymore. I quit Delta."
"Now you quit?"
"I only joined them because you told me I couldn't. Then you said we weren't friends anymore and I had nowhere else to go."
"Well, according to what you said at the game the other day, being my best friend was no great thrill anyway."
"It was great. It was just humbling. Come on, Alex. Every party I go to, every double date we had only happened because of you. You're so much better with people. It was just easier to follow your lead."
"Even if that is true, what does that have to do with Delta?"
"It was a chance to see if there's more to me than your sidekick. To find out who Nikki is without Alex. Found out she's kind of a douche. Seriously, it was lame. I miss the old me. I miss the old you too, Nikki, let's be friends again."
"You know I miss you but you, also, really screwed me over."
"Come on. I've had to live with Gwen for months. Isn't that punishment enough?"
"Close. Okay, just do one more thing for me. Give the judges an anonymous tip and tell them that the questions were compromised."
"Wow. That's pretty noble."
"Not really. I just want Gwen to know that we beat Delta because we're better. Not just better cheaters."
"Done. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an ass-load more studying to do."
"Nikki, you were right. I did take you for granted. I was an idiot." We hugged and Nikki left. I had to get ready for the challenge. I got on my Kappa shirt and my khakis with my converses. We went to the location of the trivia challenge. I saw Nikki, Blake, and Hotch there, but no JJ. Earlier, JJ had told me she had to step down from president elect of the alumni board because of what I did. "Hannah." We got on the stand? You ready to do this?"
"Let's do it," Hannah nodded. At the end of the game, we were tied with Delta with twenty points. "Tie breaker. Here we go."
"Which Greek house started the tri-crown competition?" the announcer asked. Gwen buzzed and I also pushed our buzzer. "Delta's first."
"That would be Delta," Gwen smiled.
"I'm sorry, but that is not correct," the announcer replied. "Kappa?"
"According to my mother, it was started by the school's first five fraternities," I responded.
"Correct," the announcer nodded. "Kappa wins."
"Yes!" Hannah smiled as she hugged me. Hotch was taking pictures. "We did it."
"Yeah, now, we have the talent showcase," I smiled. I saw Gwen talking to her mom. After her mom left, I walked up to her. "Wow. That was harsh."
"Mind your own business," Gwen stated.
"Look, I'm just saying, I still can't stand you," I nodded. "But you didn't deserve that."
"Whatever, your mom is just as bad," Gwen replied.
I clenched up my fist and then unclenched them. "Actually, she's not anything like your mom," I sighed.
"You're right," Gwen stated. "Your mom didn't even care enough to come."
Gwen left. JJ showed up and I followed her out on campus. "I can't keep doing this," I sighed. "Being the nice girl. Gwen, she's just so annoying."
"Alex, we still haven't close the case," JJ sighed.
"Look, all my drama that happened, and it got dumped on you," I looked at her. "I didn't mean for that."
"I should be the one apologizing to you," JJ stated. "You were expecting me and Parkers to behave like adults. The truth is, seeing you here, being back on campus, it reminds me how I felt back then. How much potential I had." We kept walking. "I only have the Delta house to show how much I've accomplished."
"Well, what can I do to make this up to you?"
JJ made sure no one was around us. "Look, our case is about the tri-crown trophy. There's a missing piece to the case inside it and we need it. So, honestly, what I need you to do, you need to grind Delta into the ground."
"Humility will be good for them and we can close this case."
"Okay. I'll see what I can do." I went back to the Kappa house. "Alright, Kappa's, tonight's the showcase. Hannah, what do we have."
"These," Hannah smiled as she handed me my dress. "You're the star. Everyone else is wearing a darker color."
"What song are we singing?" Ange asked.
"Thank You," I smiled. "Trust me, it's the only way to win. Looking back on all the times everyone has or had been bullied and we're here to make a change by moving forward with this movement." I nodded. "So, let's get going." We got dressed and watched the houses. I kept my black trench coat on. Delta was performing before us, because we had asked to go last. "Let's hope we win." We watched Delta. They were cowgirls and their dancing was pretty much out there. "What are they doing? It's like little whores on the prairie."
The performance ended and they walked off the stage. "Follow that," Gwen smiled.
"Bring it, blondie," I stated.
"Leave it on the stage ladies," said the lady who was our announcer. "You're up, Kappa."
The lights went off and we took off our coats. "Go on out there, Alex," Hannah replied.