author's notes:

this is a bizarre story about popularity

tell me what you think, okay?

Chapter 1

Miranda

I was deeply engrossed over the John Grisham book I was reading, not noticing that someone was staring at me (with much disbelief) from afar. I kept on reading, oblivious to the sound of the bell ringing. Fortunately, the librarian noticed me and called me, saying, "Miranda, that was the first bell. You better go if you have class!"

I looked at my watch and reluctantly put the book in my bag and stood up. I bumped into someone.

Matthew Bryant.

I groaned with pure exasperation. The last thing I had wanted to happen was for one of my batchmates to catch me reading. Especially the guy I hated most in my class.

Matthew glanced at me and apologized quickly, being the gentleman that he was. "Hey."

"Hello Matthew." I smiled.

"So, what were you doing? It's lunch hour and you're in the library?"

"Er, um, well--" quick! Think of something, think of something..... "I had to do my homework for the next period because I forgot to do it last night."

"You forgot to do your homework?" It was said in a polite tone but it made me grind my teeth inwardly.

"Uh-huh," I said, smiling as if killing him was the last thing on my mind. "I had cheering practice and I was so tired that I forgot that I had an assignment in Social Studies."

"I see. Well you better go now, since you have class. Bye!" Matthew smiled and left.

I smiled in return. The smile turned into a glare. I hate Matthew. Abhor, despise, detest and loathe him.

I don't really know why. There is just something suspicious about him that I can't really figure out. Everybody likes him so I have really no choice but to hide my anger towards him. Besides, it would ruin my name and position in school.

Here am I babbling about him when you don't even know me yet! Pardon my manners. Anyway, I am Miranda Sommers; one of the "popular" kids. Even though I belong to that social status, everybody likes me because I'm nice and smart (cough, cough). Being popular has its perks, but it also has its unappealing side.

Popular people don't usually get straight A's in their classes; they're not supposed to be the teachers' pet and they are not geeks.

Unfortunately, I'm all that. Honestly speaking, I really don't mind being that -- a classic nerd, the teachers' pet, the valedictorian, being fat, having crooked teeth and freckles-- but the only way that I could be what I am today (president of the Student Council even though I'm still a junior, one of the best in the swim team and in the basketball team, the editor of the school's newspaper and the team captain of the cheering squad) was to become popular.

As opposed to common belief, popularity is not something one is born with -- in my case, it was something I had to work hard for. It's a talent in my eyes, and to accomplish it, one has to go to great lengths.

The great lengths included getting braces, exercising all day until I was fit and trim, eating nutritious food (yuck) and taking great care of my skin. To be popular, I had to have the looks.

I didn't mind those "great lengths"; I love being popular! But, as I had said before, there are some things that I do not like about being popular. The thing that irks me most is that being popular means I have to read my books in private, eat healthy food in front of people (pigging out with junk food in my room) and carry small bags (which irritates me to hell).

I don't understand why a popular kid shouldn't be smart; I already broke the rules of "the invisible and unspoken code of popularity" by being a genius so I thought that maybe I shouldn't push my luck by showing my genius.

And so this is me, the most popular girl in the whole of Edison High.

Now I didn't become popular for no reason, I wanted to be popular because I wanted to be the student council president and all that -- and that's all because I want to go to Harvard. And that means that I have to have the best grades and many extracurricular activities. And at the rate I'm going, I'll figure getting in won't be so hard after all. Oops, I'm running late...

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--mskitsune--