By the time eighth period rolled around, Peso was eager to attend math class. He excelled at math, understood it thoroughly, and felt confident that nothing in the class could trip him up.
As he focused intently on the lesson, a girl seated in front of him rummaged through her bag in search of a pencil. She was an iguana with striking blue scales and deep brown eyes, dressed in an indie outfit. Her orange dinosaur scales stood out sharply, complemented by her blue glasses. Unable to find a pencil, she turned to Peso, and their eyes met.
"Disculpe?" she inquired of the penguin. "Do you have a pencil I could borrow?"
Peso felt a blush warm his cheeks as he reminisced about a childhood crush that didn't pan out. Yet, this girl struck him with the force of a big yellow school bus. Handing over the pencil, he watched her turn back to her work.
"She's so cute," Peso mused silently.
"Peso?" the math teacher called out.
Snapping back to reality, Peso glanced at his paper before sheepishly looking down at his feet.
THE NEXT MORNING...IN THE CAFETERIA
Peso was sitting with The Plastics, all adorned in shades of pink. Dashi was stylish in a white blouse, pink cardigan, matching skirt, and vibrant pink heels. Shellington wore a pink sweatshirt, black khakis, and dark loafers, while Barnacles chose a pink t-shirt, brown khakis, and dark shoes. Peso himself sported a pink tie-dyed shirt, blue jeans, and a pink beanie to complement Kwazii's sister's shirt. It was slightly tight, but he pulled it off. Dining with The Plastics was akin to entering a teenage fashion realm, governed by more rules than a board game.
"Wristbands are allowed for two days at most. Caps or beanies? Only once a week. Tank tops and pigtails for Dashi? Never on consecutive days," Shellington explained the dress code to Peso.
"Pigtails are reserved for Fridays," added Dashi.
Barnacles and Shellington nodded in agreement, and then Shellington noticed Peso's pink beanie.
"Chose to wear a beanie today?" Shellington remarked. "Remember, Fridays are for knee-length shorts and sweatpants. Deviate from this, and you'll find yourself dining with the outcasts."
He pointed to a table where the burnouts sat, lost in their own bubble. Dashi got up to grab a drink.
"Encountered any heartbreakers recently?" Barnacles asked Peso.
"There's a girl in my math class," Peso replied, hinting at something more.
"A senior?" inquired Shellington, with a smile.
Peso nodded, beaming. "Her name's Selva."
Suddenly, the smiles on Barnacles and Shellington's faces disappeared, replaced by expressions of alarm.
"Stop right there! That's the danger zone!" exclaimed Barnacles.
"That's a serious mistake. Selva is Dashi's ex-best friend," Shellington added, his head shaking in disapproval.
As Barnacles ventured off to fetch something, Shellington and Peso exchanged glances.
"Don't fret, Peso," Shellington said with a grin, "this will stay just between us. You know you can count on me, I mean, Barnacles slept with the whole Cheer Squad and I haven't told a soul, you don't need to worry."
Peso has gained Shellington's confidence for a while.
YOU ARE READING
If The Octonauts were Mean Girls (COMPLETED)
FanficTeenage Peso Penguin was educated in the Antarctic by His scientist parents. When his family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, Peso finally gets to experience public school and gets a quick primer on the cruel, tacit laws of popularity that divide h...
