Wanna-Be (chapter 1)

The next day went just as planned. Brittney hung out with Dave, Lorelei, Nicollet, Caddy, and me, and we talked like there was not going to be any Ceremony. We walked out to recess and Dave said his line, “Where is everybody?” “I don’t know.” Lorelei said. “Are we early?” Caddy asked. “No.” I shook my head. “We were…late. Weren’t we?” Brittney nodded in response to my question. Just then, Steffen, Kay, Katherine, and Ally came out from behind a wall wearing jet black capes that tied around their necks and each had a hood that was pulled over their heads. Slowly, from behind the bushes, trees, the playground, and other places, kids came out and onto the blacktop. Kids from ages 5 to 18 sat around the blacktop to see a Ceremony that hadn’t taken place in a little over 10 years. They sat tense and wide-eyed. The lunch ladies didn’t dare interrupt or come near. They knew, even after 10 years, that interrupting the Ceremony would get you beaten from the older, stronger boys and girls. Ones that wrestled and played various rough sports. Especially at a Ceremony for the Popular Group. 15 large, muscular, boys and girls were spread out behind the group surrounding the blacktop. If anybody rushed in or out disruptively, they would get beaten half to death. “What’s going on???” Brittney asked. “Ceremony.” Our clique said in unison. “Ceremony.” Brittney breathed. “Sweet. For who?” “It’s for YOU, Brittney!” Dave hissed. “Oh.” Brittney said quietly. Brittney knew all about the Ceremony from other kids who had older siblings who’d been to the one 10 years ago. Steffen and his clique escorted Brittney to the middle of the blacktop, and our clique followed. We stood 5 feet apart. “Brittney Hynz,” Ally began, starting the Ceremony. Everybody grew quiet. “You have been chosen to enter a clique. A clique is a group, as you know. Now, which clique have you been chosen to enter?” “The Popular Clique.” Brittney responded. “Ah…The all-famous Popular Group. And who has selected you join this clique?” “Alexa.” Brittney answered, pointing to me. “Ah…Alexa. Alexa, please step forward.” I did as I was told. “Now, Alexa, which of your group members agreed to have the Ceremony?” “Nicollet,” I responded obediently. Ally beckoned Nicollet forward with her finger. She came to stand next to me. Kay stepped forward to have the next words, and Ally stepped back. “Has the entire group decided that Brittney Hynz should join your clique?” Lorelei, Dave, and Caddy nervously looked at each other. I stared at them with pleading eyes to let my new-found-friend in. This was big. Nobody had ever said that somebody could not join once the Ceremony had started. Even the clique’s nervous glances at each other made the crowd jumpy and unsure. That was new, also. Finally—thankfully—Lorelei spoke, “We agree.” I sighed with relief. “I see. Brittney Hynz, do you have any objections to joining the Popular Clique?” Kay asked. I held my breath again. The nervousness was not over yet. But in a heartbeat, Brittney answered, “Yes, I would like to join their clique. If I am welcome, that is.” I gave Brittney a look that said: Of course you’re welcome. But nice line. She gave me a responding look that said: Thanks, and I know. Kay cleared her throat for everybody’s attention and stepped back. Steffen stepped forward. “So that is settled, but the Ceremony is not over yet. It is time for vows.” “Vows?” Brittney asked. “Vows.” Steffen said. “It’s like a prayer, almost. Or a promise.” Brittney gave him a shaky nod, and let Steffen continue, “Brittney, do you promise that since you are joining the group and are not originally in it, that you will not—at least for a while—try and make any decisions or get anybody into the clique?” Brittney gulped. “I promise.” “Popular Group, do you promise not to back down if Brittney wants something that most of the group is against? Do you promise not to give her what she wants if everyone else is against it?” “We promise.” We said, our smiles beaming at the thought of having power over another group member. Brittney saw our looks and frowned like a 3 year old knowing that their 15 year old brother would have complete power over them for a very long time. That made our smiles wider. As if reading our thoughts—or our smiles—Steffen said, “Popular Group,” Our attention snapped back to him as he spoke. “One last promise. Do you promise that you will not take control over Brittney completely? That you won’t treat her like a slave?” Our devilish smiles faded but we nodded. “We promise.” We said in unison. “Good. Vows, over!” Steffen declared, and stepped back as the final speaker, Katherine, stepped up. “Alright. Now for the final part of the Ceremony. It is long, but the most important part. This is the miscellaneous part of the Ceremony. It’s where we ask any questions that don’t fit the other categories.” We nodded and stepped back into our original line up. “Now,” Katherine continued, “The normal amount of people in a clique is five. Some have four. None have six. You will be the first. Is that okay with you?” “That is fine. We are popular and I have a feeling that if we do it first, others will follow our example.” I said before anybody else could answer. “Okay then. If s—” before Katherine could finish, somebody rushed out of the school to see a gigantic circle of children on the blacktop. “Sorry, I had a stomach ache. What did I miss?” They asked. “Ceremony,” Everybody answered—in unison, using a monotone voice. “Who with?” The voice asked. “Populars adding Brittney,” Everybody answered in unison, still speaking in a monotone voice. They were annoyed that the Ceremony was being interrupted. “My clique? Oh! You should have gotten me; I was just sitting in the hall!” It was Melody. “I would have s—” “Is she with you?!” A big muscular boy that looked like he was in college interrupted. “Oh of COURSE I’m with them! They’re my best friends!” Melody answered. “Shut up! I didn’t ask you!” The boy roared. “Now I ask again, is she with you?!” “Of c—” Melody started, beginning to push past the boy into the circle. “Don’t you dare!” The boy growled. The boy didn’t seem to have much patience. He turned around and punched Melody across the face as hard as he could, which was quite hard. “Now I ask for the last time,” He growled. “Is she or is she not with you?” he finished in a calm but heated tone. “Of course I am. Right guys?” Melody asked weakly, beginning to get up and tried to push past the boy again. He simply held out his strong arm to hold her back. “No, she isn’t.” Brittney gulped, knowing what would happen. Melody stopped struggling and gave us a sad, I’m-about-to-cry-you-can’t-really-mean-that face. “But we can, and we do.” I whispered to myself. “You can’t go in.” The boy growled to Melody, not caring that she had a huge bruise across her face. “Fine,” She whispered unhappily. She began to sit down, but she was faking. She ran over to another entrance where a girl was guarding. Melody obviously thought that the girl was weaker. “DON’T YOU DARE!!!” The girl screamed. “I’M STRONGER, FASTER, AND BETTER THAN ANY BOY OR GIRL HERE!!!” All of the other guards nodded, agreeing with the girl. She gave Melody another punch across her cheek. The lunch ladies didn’t dare step in. That would happen to them if they tried. Either way, Melody was bound to get beaten. Melody still struggled to get in the circle. Soon, the other guards circled around Melody, giving her series of their hardest punches and kicks. Nobody left or entered the circle even without the guards there. They were too busy watching Melody get beaten, paralyzed with fear. “Don’t you ever do that again!” The boy who Melody had originally tried to get past warned. “Ever!” Melody couldn’t move. She was in too much pain. Getting beaten half to death never looked so...painful. Because only Melody is stupid enough to try it, I thought scathingly. All of the older children sneered and went back to their stations. “On with the Ceremony,” The girl who had started the beating growled. “Right,” Katherine nodded, and quickly went back to her miscellaneous questions. Nobody dared to give a second thought about Melody, lying half dead on the sidewalk.