The Death of Bea Stockwoods

Two Years and Two Months Ago, Before the Bonfire

As Vi and Bea walked through the halls, linking arms. They're both smiling, saying "hello" to everyone that waved or nodded.

"Vi, since I got cheerleading captain, nominated for president and won if I should add, and many more, we got up by seventy percent on the hot or not list from freshmen year.  Of course, Harlow Manley is sadly still on the top." she groaned to Vi as she laughed. "Oh Bea, like I said, I don't care about those stupid popularity things. I need to get the lead in the community theatre, and then I can add that to my application to Michigan." she said seriously. Bea blew a strand of my hair out my face, whistling, "Boring!" 

They continued to our lockers, both next to another. Bea reapplied her makeup, checking her mini mirror, brushing her hair after. Vi checked the taped script on her locker, making sure she knew each word back and forth. "Oh, Vi! You got to stop checking that silly darn script! You're going to make that crappy lead. Everyone knows that! Now, lets go to our homerooms and chill! See you at science, Vi!" Bea said confidently.

Bea strutted down her confidence hall, people smiling at her. She loved it. Ever since sophomore year, the Stockwoods sisters have become the grand prize, the stars. 

"Hey, Bea! Wait up! Bea!" as soon as Bea heard that voice, she turned around. It was Ally Ross, Bea's best friend since sixth grade. "Hi Ally. Anything new?" she asked as she gave her quick hug to her. "Not really. I mean, I did hear that Kaia Weed did kiss a girl at the Render's beach party. Too bad we didn't see it happen." she groaned.

"Does that make her bisexual or lesbian?" Bea asked, confused. "Bisexual. She hooks up with boys all the time. After all, she was on the hot or not list this month." Ally replies with obvious in her tone. 

The two girls talked their way to nineteen minutes of homeroom, and everyone knows that homeroom is a chaotic land. Their homeroom teacher never comes in time, and if he does, he doesn't care. "Bea!" she hears while she walks into the classroom. 

Looking around, she finds the most snob girl in Geyser Willows. "Bea! It's me! Harlow! I heard that you got some adventuring with Kaia Weed! Spill, hon!" she shrieked. "Heck no. I don't have anything against LGTBQ+ people, hon, but I'm straight. Is that a quote you can use for your online gossip blog?" Bea asked with a smirk on her face. Harlow swallowed a frown, putting a smile on her face. "Totally! You'll be anonymous of course!" she exclaimed happily.

She walked to her seat while Ally and five other people followed. "Ugh, of course Harlow has to ask you those annoying questions." Ally whispers when Harlow was out of ear reach. 

As Ally said that, Harlow found her way to her seat, right next to Bea. "So Bea! You're the first Stockwoods in Geyser Willows to dye her hair. Stockwoods have been in Geyser Willows since the beginning! I mean, your mother is a matriarch, right? Your mother must have said something about dying your edges purple. I asked my mother, the town historian, about Stockwoods hair color. It was originally light brown with blond edges, and your hair is, how do I say this, different from the Stockwoods." Harlow said, mockingly. 

Harlow brought up the Stockwoods hair  every once in a while, but Bea never let her get to her. "I chose to be different from my family. I, Bea Stockwoods, wanted to choose something that wasn't Stockwoods. Vi and I may be twins, but who said we had to look alike? It's nice not be called Vi for once. I'm Bea Stockwoods, not Vi Stockwoods." Bea told Harlow as she recorded their conversation.

Harlow was a beauty queen since third grade. She had an internship with her aunt's newspaper company. She also hated the Stockwoods sisters. 

When they were in the same fourth grade class, Vi got the lead in the fourth grade play while Bea won class president against Harlow. Ever since then, Harlow always acted nice to them when others were around, but when they were alone, she swooped.