Anti-Heroine

Secret Plans

A/N: So, if you see any familiar names I don't own them!

Jessie slid back into her seat immediately blushing. She let out a grunt of unrecognizable profanity. Now people would actually know who she was. She stole a glance at Ethan who was now joking with the boys he had met earlier.

"Hey man, isn't that the girl you were hanging with? Jennifer, Jasmine, Joanna…" Brian said. A stereotypical skater "dude" he had gone professional last year and was slowly building a name for himself. Shaggy blonde hair obscuring his face was a trademark, as were his baggy clothes, but this school didn't appreciate skaters. It appreciated football.

"Jessie," Ethan cut in curtly, "Her name is Jessie."

"Quick on the draw there, do you have something for her?" Kevin asked. "Cause I hope you don't, she's a bit frigid. I think maybe the elevator doesn't go all the way up if you know what I mean. Cute though."

Ethan's eyes flashed in anger and the other boys gauged his response. "Oh man, you have it bad don't you? You want to get with her!" Kevin said. He had had a crush on Jessie in eighth grade, but before had had even asked her out, she ran away. Kevin was just a normal guy, he had brown hair that he occasionally forgot to get cut, not too tall at 6 foot, and not too built, but he had some natural muscles. He was a lazy kid.

"Yea, but you don't have a chance," Brian added, "Sorry but, she doesn't talk to those of us with a y chromosome, or anyone who she hasn't been friends with since kindergarten."

Great, just great, Ethan thought, "But she talked to me."

"Well then, lucky you, you're one step ahead of the rest of us, every guy who tries to ask her out, finds himself without a girl in front of him before he even says hi.

"Yea, even I've tried," Kevin added, slapping his hand on Ethan's shoulder, "but don't worry, I think I have a plan. Bookworm meets homecoming court goes into action today."

"Oh God, what have I done?" Jessie said out loud, trying to hide behind her curtain of mouse brown hair.

"Well, I think you just made yourself a hallway name for all the high school," Emma said helpfully. Currently sporting mahogany hair, her rocker girl style attracted guys, and she changed them faster then she changed her hair color.

"Yea, are you regretting that statement?" Paige said helpfully. She was friends with the group because of her art talent, but she was a total prep. If she hadn't been so alternative, Adrianne would have had her in her group. Blonde hair and big blue eyes, she looked like a doll. Jessie always wished she could carry off her petite statue like Paige did. "Oooh you like him don't you!"

"No I don't!" Jessie exclaimed. "I mean he is cute but…" Did that just slip out? She thought, clapping a hand over her mouth.

"We have to get you guys together," Lizzie gushed. She had finally found a guy for her best friend.

"Lizzie, you know I'm not a boy fanatic," Jessie said, "Plus, I don't have time for a boy."

"Well, you'll just have to give up some book store time," She replied hopefully.

Jessie's jaw dropped, "But I don't even know him!"

"We can fix that!" Molly said, "Remember that I am dating Brian and they seem to be sitting at the same table." Molly fit Brian perfectly, with dirty blonde hair in beachy waves, she was a skater chick with attitude, generally seen wearing baggy pants and a skate or surf brand shirt.

"Yea, let's move, there's room at the boy's table," Emma put in.

Walking over to them, Molly gestured for the others to follow. "Hey boys," she announced as they neared the table, "Hey cutey," she said, sliding into the chair next to Brian, as he grimaced at the use of that nickname. The other five girls promptly sat strategically leaving the seat next to Ethan open for Jessie.

She sighed and readied herself for an awkward lunch period, about to sit down, Adrianne slid expertly into that seat.

"Ethan come sit at my table," Adrianne purred.

"The boy shifter awkwardly away from her gesturing around the table, "I'm fine here, thanks."

Adrianne let out a little growl, but quickly returned to her sensuous smile, she had never been denied. "Your loss," she said quietly, before joining the official "popular" table.

Jessie was still standing there blinking, a bit dazed by that exchange. Kevin noticed and smiled, "Hey come on and sit down."

Her eyes popped, he had never spoken to her before. What should she say?

"Oh come on," Emma stated, and Ethan promptly pulled her down into the seat.

Both factions of friends turned to eye each other, that was an advance in the plan. Molly, meanwhile, had progressed to P.D.A.s with Brian, but Kevin was still on the dating warpath. He did have a romantic side, "So Jessie, how do you and Ethan know each other?"

Thus began twenty minutes of torture. Ethan was practically leaking charm out of his pores, and no amount of coaxing could convince Jessie to answer him in sentences.

Lunch ended and the others dallied purposely trying to allow Ethan and Jessie time to get to know each other. Jessie mutely left the table, headed towards Photo while Kevin winked to Ethan in encouragement.

"Hey Jessie, why are you so quiet?" he asked.

Jessie shrugged noncommittally; he made her nervous, her tongue just tied up, she could feel how close he was, heat radiating off his skin, and it made her weak and her mind a buzzing rush.

"You weren't this quiet yesterday."

"Why are you even talking to me? I don't get it, you don't know me, and you could be talking to more popular people. You could talk to Adrianne or Lisa, but no, you just have to go and screw up the order of the universe!" she blurted out angrily. When she realized what she had said she bit her lip anxiously wait for his response.

He stood stunned. All day he had been working on her, and she still hadn't realized it. She was truly innocent, "Well," he said quietly, shuffling his feet, "I guess I like you." He had never done that for a girl. They always came to him. In hoardes.

A small gasp escaped her. She never had guy friends or boyfriends and here was a boy, admitting his feelings to the world. She was utterly dumbfounded. "But you don't even know me!"

He sighed, the image of her curled up in a giant chair with her book, so at peace. He had wanted to meet her, to know more about her, the moment he saw her. He just wasn't ready to admit it.

Jessie felt let down. He had just been saying that, she turned to walk away when Ethan grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to him, closer to his body. She could smell his cologne, the muscles that lined his chest. Jessie's eyes widened, she had seen this in movies, read it in books. In one moment, he would kiss her senseless, and she didn't know what to do. He leaned down towards her lips, and turned, whispering in her ear, "I know enough to want to know more." He finished before pressing a soft kiss on her jaw.

Letting go of her, a befuddled Jessie backed away before squealing and scurrying away, mumbling something about class. When she was out of sight the lunch crew burst from behind the corner clapping.

"Bravo Ethan," Brian said high fiving Kevin.

"Yea, step one is complete." Kevin said gleefully. "I didn't think you would get this far for weeks!"

"Wow, you do like her," Paige said.

"What plan?" Molly asked.

The boys just turned and shrugged which outraged Molly. "Brian if you don't tell me I won't kiss you for a week!" she screamed chasing his already retreating back down the hallway.

Ethan laughed and headed in the direction Jessie had gone, trooping down a flight of stairs to the basement where the dark room was located.

The class was already seated around a large worn table, waiting for the photo teacher, rolls of film from the summer assignment waiting in front of them.

"Hey guys," said a scruffy looking hippy clutching a coffee mug, "ready for photo?" The man sipped his coffee. "I'm Mr. Smith, now let's get developing those negatives."

The class of mostly girls stood and attempted to be the first to the sink. Developing negatives by hand was a long, tedious process. The other two boys in the class spoke to Ethan while agitating. "Why are you taking this class?" the taller of the two, and bulkier asked.

"I like photography, capturing a moment." Ethan replied.

"That's a little gay isn't it? We're taking it because we have to fulfill the stupid art credit requirement." The other smaller one said.

Ethan had already learned all about these guys. Jack, was the smaller, a junior with blonde hair and hazel eyes, that apparently made girls swoon, was the quarterback of the football team, and Ben, the large with a shaved head of what seemed to be black hair, was the captain of the team, and a linebacker. Ethan had already learned that they had slept with double digits of girls, and their favorite things were partying and sleeping with girls. "So, what do you guys like taking pictures of then?"

"Girls!" Jack happily exclaimed. He was dumb, but pleasant, almost like an over eager terrier.

Ethan rolled his eyes and glanced over at Jessie. She was shooting him a death stare. When she noticed he was looking at her she glanced back at her film canister and proceeded to rinse it out. Guess he wasn't getting any points for hanging out with footballers, or those who had been Adrianne boy toys.

"Don't bother," Ben said in a whisper, "she's a frigid bitch, it's not worth trying either, and she's not all that good to look at. I would only tap that if I was drunk."

Ethan gripped his film canister, his knuckle turning white. They had no right to talk about her like that. They had no right to judge her, they thought Adrianne was the best thing to walk this earth, and any of the little spies that followed her around.

"Yea, and from what I hear, Adrianne wants you to be her man candy," Jack said, "Are you going to take her up on that offer?"

The other boy bit back a no. He really could punch these two, if he didn't feel there was an unfair advantage of about 50 iq points.

"Are you going to play football?" Jack asked, ignoring his last question, "You are pretty built, you could do well."

"No," Ethan said tersely, "I play lacrosse."

Jack and Ben shrugged, they could have used someone of his stature and muscle build backing them up. They were dumber then doornails and didn't even notice the body language Ethan was displaying.

Jessie did a silent cheer. Ethan had just snubbed the most popular guys in school. Without knowing it, the plan had just inched forward.

The day ended, Jessie drove herself home and prepared for homework. Like usual, she finished as her mother came home. The day was like any other. She ate dinner, watched t.v., checked her e-mail, took a shower, and read. Currently working on A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, she could mentally imagine Kevin as Charlie Asher, slightly nerdy, innocent, but open to the weird, and thinking way too highly of himself. But that Jody character from Bloodsucking Fiends who made an appearance was definitely an Adrianne.

Jolting out of her literary reverie, Jessie's phone chirped out "It's 5" by Architecture in Helsinki. "Vanessa?" she asked. Great, she was stuck in book mode. Jessie's guilty pleasure was assigning book characters to people she knew. It was fun, plus, she could refer to some of them in derogatory ways in front of their faces. Gossip Girl's Vanessa seemed just like Lizzie, minus the shaved head and combat boots. They definitely had different fashion styles.

"Huh? This is Lizzie!"

Jessie may be a nerd, but she knew better then to admit her comparison to the general public.

"Yea, sorry, I thought you were someone else," Jessie said.

"Okay, well, I have a plan!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"Oh lord," Jessie muttered.

"Let's go shopping on Saturday!"

Jessie stifled a groan, "Do you hate me or something?"

"No, come on! You need new clothes, no more cardigans, no more turtle necks, no more corduroys! New year means a new you!"

Jessie groaned, she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I'll buy you a book," Lizzie said. It seemed she already had had a backup plan. Damn she knew Jessie too well.

Jessie was about to utter a refusal when she remembered "the ban" as she aws calling her punishment. "Fine, but I get to pick book."

A/N: Ok so here is chapter 2, sorry it's shorter then before but it was either 6 pages or about 14. I thought this was a better stopping point.

Architecture in Helsinki's It's 5 was featured, love them check them out! As was Christopher Moore and Gossip Girl. Nope, don't own them so don't sue!

Special thanks to my reviewer: Shadowgirl618