Week 3: Storytelling -- An Obstacle to Unwavering Popularity

An Obstacle to Unwavering Popularity 

Once upon a time, in the middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma, there was a girl named Vee. As the most beautiful and popular girl in Athens High School, she was untouchable. People constantly wanted to be around her – there was always a crowd as she walked from class to class, as well as a daily stack of roses and gifts from her admirers in her locker.

Things changed her senior year. During first period one morning, as she was absently filing her nails, a knock at the door sounded. Everyone was goofing off in class, but turned their attention to the door as a figure walked inside.

The class suddenly got quiet.

A short but gorgeous girl stood in front of the class, raising two surprised strawberry-colored eyebrows at the stunned silence. In lieu of the ensuing silence, she tucked back a long strand of rich, auburn hair a little nervously.

The teacher cleared her throat. “Penelope,” she said. “You can sit in any of the empty seats.”

Penelope nodded and then quickly moved to the back of the room, choosing to sit near the corner. Even though she had picked the least noticeable, most forgettable seat in the room, people still tried to turn around and stare at her during class, as though they couldn’t help themselves. Vee tried not to notice.

Mercifully, first period ended. But by the time third period rolled around, Vee felt even more confused and angry. No one was there to give her compliments, or hold her stuff, or longingly admire her beauty. They all went to creep on this new chick, Partridge or Psyche or whatever her name was.

She’s not even that pretty, Vee thought to herself grumpily. Her frowned deepened.   

Well. If this airhead thought she was going to steal Vee’s popularity, she was mistaken. Pulling out her phone, Vee sent a quick text under the table. Meet me on the roof fifth period.

***

He came, like she knew he would.

“What do you want?” said resident bad-boy Colton Hayes, scowling at her. With his thick golden curls, green eyes and tall, muscular stature, he was known for breaking girls’ hearts almost as much as breaking school rules. He’d never been caught, but Vee was pretty sure he’d been the one setting fires everywhere on campus.

She leaned back on the door to the roof, arms folding and staring at him with cool eyes. “Just a favor, nothing much.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. Move.” When she made no move to, he glared. She raised an eyebrow in response.

“Look. You owe me one for covering for you after Matt’s party. If I hadn’t helped you sneak in, Aunt Viv would have freaked when she saw you drunk. And if you don’t help me,” there was a dangerous edge to her voice now, “I might just accidentally show her a video of you drinking. And making out with half the girls there.”  

His jaw twitched and he paused, considering. “Fine. What is it?”

She broke into a devious grin. “So, there’s this new chick…”

***

Colton shook his head in frustration as he thought of Vee’s plan. She’d had a manic gleam in her eyes as she said it, and while it usually scared him in normal people, it terrified him in Vee. But the plan only took a couple steps, which was good.

But it didn’t sound simple. It seemed like he’d actually have to use effort to put the plan into motion.

Get the most hated, most unlikeable, most ugly guy in the school – by which Vee definitely meant Norman – and turn him into Prince Charming. Even with his skills as a make-up artist, which were honed by a mother who spent a majority of her time at the local theater and constantly forced him to help backstage, he wasn’t sure he could do it.

And even if he could, he had to make sure new girl fell in love with Norman. And then he had to get Norman to turn back into his old self. That was going to be tricky. But if the plan worked, the new girl would probably break up with Norman. And her reputation, Vee had noted gleefully, would be shot to pieces. No one would want to be friends with a superficial snob. 

He scowled. Cousins.

And he went to set the plan in motion.

Cupid with his Bow

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author’s Note

This story is based on Cupid and Psyche. I was inspired by the chapter Psyche’s Beauty and the Anger of Venus, in which Venus gets angry that all her followers are abandoning her to worship Psyche and her beauty. Venus asks Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a man with no status, honor, or good fortune as revenge.

I also took the personalities of the characters somewhat from the story. Cupid’s known to be a bit of a troublemaker, so I made Colton kind of like that, except more discreet about his actions (at least to some degree). Venus is jealous and feels entitled throughout the story, so I matched Vee to that. As for Penelope, hopefully you can tell she doesn’t really enjoy the attention her looks garner, which is how Psyche is in the original story because no one asks for her hand in marriage, ironically because of her beauty.

Also, the makeup was supposed to be Colton/Cupid's way of getting people to fall in love. I couldn't just have a random, magical arrow make Penelope fall in love in the middle of my entirely non-magical story.

Bibliography:

Cupid and Psyche translated by Tony Kline (2013). Web Source: Apuleius' Golden Ass