Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn The Cheerleader

Popularity

Each one of the quadruplets had a different quality that made them extra-special. Nicky was the crazy guy, Ricky was the smart guy, Dicky was the cool guy and Dawn was the leader, though I'm sure we'd have a lifelong debate about that one with Ricky.

Anyway, Dicky, being the cool, outgoing, totally savvy, sweet-talking gangster dude was totally one of the most popular kids in school. He hung out with the right people, said the right things, went to the right parties and even played basketball, though he frequently checked his hair in the reflective gym doors during practice.

Popularity certainly had its perks. Dicky was almost always the center of attention, when not surrounded by his equally popular friends. Girls who would usually not want anything to do with a guy named 'Dicky' fawned over him, giggling and fluttering their eyelids when he used his dumb pick-up lines on them. Guys sauntered into the Harper's 'Get Sporty!" in hopes of Dicky inviting them in to play video games, and everyone always crowded over him at any time of the day.

There was this one girl in particular that Dicky had set his ten-year-old sights on. Her name was Kayley, and she was a cheerleader. She was tall for her age, which was ten years old, and had long, smooth brown hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled with something like mischief. To all the boys, she was perfect. She was really nice and was willing to help out a lot, according to Dicky. Dawn, Nicky and Ricky rolled their eyes at his obliviousness. He lived in a perfect bubble of popularity.

"She's a total suck-up, Dicky," Dawn told him. "What do you even see in her?"

"My instinct tells me you only like her for her hair," Nicky folded his arms. "You think it matches yours in the way that its so perfect."

"You're looking at her in a skin-deep fashion," RIcky said smartly, "You only see what's on the surface, and never care to see her for who she is."

"And that means..." Dicky said.

"You're shallow."

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

And back and forth it went, week after week, day after day, night after night in the Harper household. At school they wouldn't dare diss a girl as well-liked by the populars as Kayley.

"Hey, Kay, coming to the basketball game this weekend?" Dicky nodded at Kayley as she walked by the popular table at lunchtime. For some reason she was wearing her green-and-white cheerleading uniform. They must've just had a meet or something.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Dicky!" Kayley squealed, shaking her pompoms excitedly. "You'll do great, you're the star player!"

Dicky beamed and for once actually looked like he cared for something. Kayley's affection had shot him down a notch on the cool ladder, if just for a second. He caught himself immediately and regained his composure. "I'm sure I'm not the star player..." He said modestly, though he kind of liked the sound of that himself. "You'll be there cheering me--I mean, the team--on, I suppose?"

"Of course I will! That's what we train for!" Kayley did a quick spin and a simple cheerleading maneauver, ending with her kneeling on one knee with her hands in the air. She popped right back up and waved cheerily at the populars. "See you at the game!"

"Dang, Dicky, she's lookin' fine." One of his friends whistled. It would've been weird had the friend been a sixth grader like Dicky, but this friend was a fully matured eighth grader called Martin. Dicky looked up to Martin more than he looked up to his own father. Martin was experienced. Martin knew stuff. He'd felt love.

"I know." Dicky sighed, staring after Kayley, who'd hopped up to her cheerleader friends and was now chatting happily about who-knows-what.

Across the cafeteria, Dawn, Nicky and Ricky watched the whole exchange with narrow eyes. They'd seen how Kayley looked at Dicky. Like she was a hungry lion, and Dicky was a helpless little chicken. Dawn especially didn't like the way Kayley was talking with her friends. She had that gleam in her eye again, the one full of mischief. But maybe it was more than mischief. Maybe it was sinister.