Make Believe

Chapter One:

False Pretense

"The world's got a funny way of turning round on you

When a friend tries to stab you right in the face

Losing faith in everything I thought I hoped and knew

Don't sweat it, set off false pretense"

-Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, False Pretense

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the brand names. Nor RJA :[

All characters/theme/story/etc. belong to Crimsom Tears and shouldn't be reproduced in any way without Crimsom Tear's consent.

Now read on =)

~~I tried fixing all the grammar and spelling mistakes, sorry if I skipped a word or something, which is knowing me is highly likely.

X

August 11,

Dear Diary,

Ah! It's finally here! Heh, believe it or not I'm actually sorta excited for my junior year! Yeah, yeah… I mean I hate having to get up all early in the morning and everything and having all the responsibility and crap but … this is like our last year of high school where we can actually relax, you know? We don't have to swallow down loads of text books (you know SAT and such), apply for collages, we even don't have to choose our career yet (Well… we should be thinking about it…) And, I just have this good vibe going… Which is why I'm writing at, before my first day of eleventh grade at Hill Crest High… at the ungodly and not to mention insanely early time of exactly… 7:19. School starts at 8:00… gah gotta go… finish my make up and stuff… so… yeah… Hopefully today will be awesome

Love,

*Hayden Brookfeld*

X

Hayden closed her worn and tattered notebook, the dear thing which she calls her 'Diary' hides in her closet, on her top shelf, under a set of clothes that hadn't fit her since she was thirteen. That way no prying eyes or snooping parent can 'accidently' find it… Although, her nineteen year old brother didn't care most likely… and her parents hopefully didn't read her words.

With a sigh, she made her way to the bathroom and resumed applying her make up.

Hayden knew she wasn't that pretty. You know plain looking… She didn't feel ugly but around all her friends she sure did. Like she didn't belong, because she wasn't born with unnatural exquisite beauty. She had brown eyes, brown hair, -which she swears looks exactly like Hermione Granger's in the first Harry Potter movie-. It was with the magic power of Herbal Essences frizz-free conditioner, spray stuff and the 'mighty' straightener; that made her hair… not so ugly.

In all honesty, Hayden thought putting make up and doing her hair was excruciating long, pointless, and tedious. But she did it anyway… just because…she didn't know why herself. Well actually she had a clue but she was too stubborn to admit it.

School was another world entirely. It was like there were two 'Hayden's: The sophisticated, shy, quiet, prep. And the true Hayden: stubborn, outgoing, sarcastic… she didn't know why she was even considered a prep. Well… she did dress like one… and her two best friends were the 'preppiest peppy girls around' but Hayden just didn't feel like a prep. If that made any sense whatsoever.

Nancy and Morgan were her best friends… Nancy was your bleach-blonde, stereotypical airhead… who was the captain of the cheerleading team. And, Morgan… was basically her twin, think of a golden retriever with their tail always wagging when Nancy is in the room, wearing slutty outfits.

How they were her best friends was beyond her. They backstabbed every one of their 'friends', so Hayden knew they gossiped about her as well. They met in the seventh grade, Nancy was Hayden's best friend then… but in the middle of the year when Morgan came in the picture, Nancy got that Hitler power-hungry glint in her eyes and… thus shows by the time they reached their freshman year; she had basically brainwashed the whole student body. Hayden guessed she considered Hayden her best friend was because of all the secrets they had shared since seventh grade… You know… keep your friends close but your enemies closer? Or something along those lines.

A car honked impatiently from the driveway, startling Hayden. She jumped, smearing her lip gloss across her left cheek.

"Arg! Coming!" Hayden huffed, not bothering to think about the fact that they couldn't hear her.

She ran to her bedroom while scrubbing her cheek. Hayden grabbed her white book bag and then stopped suddenly.

Her mom had bought her a new Dooney and Burke purse just the other day. Quickly, she unzipped her current Coach purse and dumped its contents into the new purse; ignoring the consistent beeping of Nancy's Mustang, BMW, or whatever freakishly expensive car Nancy's dad had coughed up.

Hayden ran down the front steps, and reached the new, shiny, hot pink… Beetle? Since when did Nancy even like Beetles? Oh well, Hayden dismissed it, Nancy is a rich spoiled bitch.

"Gawd, Haydie, what like took you so long?" Nancy scowled. Hayden silently boiled, she hated being called 'Haydie' and Nancy knew that.

As usual, Nancy looked perfect. Not a hair out of place, beautiful long lashes, green-feline eyes, olive-toned skin, the only thing different was that her hair which was... less platinum blonde.

"Sorry I was-" Hayden was interrupted by Morgan's sneering voice:

"She was busy covering that humongous pimple, see it? On her forehead" Morgan giggled.

Hayden tossed a glare back at her, before doing a double-take. That was Morgan Sierra Beam? The blinding white hair with black layers at the bottom, or whatever the hell it was… Hayden was reminded of a skunk.

"Oh! My hair! Don't you just like love it? Isn't it so… cute?" Morgan squealed after Hayden gazed at her hair for minutes in horror.

Hayden gulped, "Oh yeah… It's… eye-catching."

Nancy grinned, "Morgan and I almost got the same hair style! That would've been awful, then it would like we were trying to be twins, how humiliating right? Ugh." She ended with a shudder.

Oh yes, how that would ruin Nancy's precious reputation, Hayden thought cynically.

"Anyway, don't you just like … love Nancy's new car? It's so adorable, when I first saw it I thought I was going to like pass out or something…"

"Yes, it's relatively cute" Hayden commented softly.

Things like this happened often. Nancy got something new, Morgan spent every breath of air to whisper compliments over everything. It was so entirely, mind-numbing. Hayden was surprised her mind hadn't been sucked in to whatever black hole there's was in.

"And the color! Like ohmahgosh! Hot pink, you are like Barbie, Nancy!" Morgan rambled on and on.

Nancy tossed her perfect hair behind her left shoulder with a flourish. Hayden inwardly sighed, this meant she was about to go into a long tirade of how much her dad spent on her and other worthless crap. Nancy didn't disappoint Hayden's expectations.

"Oh, yeah, my car. I almost forgot about it" She giggled. "Daddy surprised me, as you know a back-to-school present. I was like so shocked, I think I just stood there for like a full minute when I saw the color. Do you know Daddy made this car just for me? He inscribed all these cute little designs on like each part of the car… there's even like special tires, did you see, the rims are pink?" Nancy cast a look at Hayden.

Hayden, suddenly was cued in this was her big moment to ramble about how 'pretty' they were.

"Oh yes! You are so lucky; my dad would never have bought me a car…"

Morgan coughed in the back seat loudly and Nancy and her locked gazes.

"Now, Morgan… just because some of us can't afford…"

"Oh. ." Morgan sounded horror-struck.

This was so unlike Morgan to interrupt Nancy when she was about to insult anyone, that they both glanced back to her.

"What Morgan?" Nancy sounded aggravated.

Morgan wordlessly gaped at her purse.

Nancy flicked her eyes to the object in question and shrieked.

Shrieked. Have you ever heard someone shriek before? It was loud, high-pitched and sort of sounded like a train-whistle, which basically meant it was incredibly annoying. Hayden could feel a migraine coming on. She briefly wondered if she had any Advil in her purse, maybe she unconsciously slipped them in or something.

Nancy looked like she was hyperventilating.

Hayden glanced at her purse, she didn't think her purse was even remotely that ugly, but what did she know? There might be a price sticker on it that says: From Wal-Mart proudly. Once, Nancy 'fainted' when Hayden had bought her a card from Wal-Mart instead of Hallmark. So her freak out sessions were rare but not entirely impossible.

Morgan was anxiously patting Nancy on the shoulder, "Umm, Haydie-babe, like you have the same purse as Nancy…"

Just like that the breath whooshed out of Hayden as if a massive sumo-wrestler had tackled her to the ground. Shit. This was bad. Very bad indeed.

"Oh." Was all Hayden could splutter, shielding the evil purse under her legs. "Umm… Green light?"

When the cars behind us began to honk, Nancy rapidly bolted back to life and looked forward.

Hayden could tell by the attention Nancy gave to the road that she was calculating different scenarios in which them having the same purse wouldn't look like some elementary school friendship test.

Once they pulled up into an empty parking space in Hill Crest's parking lot, Nancy exhaled slowly. "Alright, Haydie-bug, keep your purse in here 'kay? We'll just… pretend like it never happened, hmm?" Nancy nodded to herself and was reapplying her eyeliner in the mirror.

Morgan was running a small comb through her white and black locks. This, of course was the first day of school, and their reputations were fragile. Hayden rolled her eyes, but redid her lip gloss.

"Okay. Ready? And, Hayden… don't worry. I'll forgive you about this whole purse deal" She rolled her eyes as if it actually meant something to Hayden of her 'generosity.'

Boiling beneath, Hayden smiled gratefully, "Thanks Nancy. Sorry about it, I didn't think you would have…"

But Nancy and Morgan were already out of the car and slammed the door. She was about to put away her compact mirror, but thought better of it and scrutinized her forehead with an artist's eye and saw no blemish. Sighing with relief, she quickly pulled her cell phone from her cursed purse and stumbled after her two best friends in her heels.

X

With a happy flourish of her hands, Nancy fanned her schedule in front of Hayden. "Ha, look I have Spanish One for fourth period!" She squealed obviously delighted.

Hayden folded her schedule neatly, while raising an eyebrow, "And why are you prancing around?"

Nancy continued to grin, looking beautiful as always. "Silly Haydie! David is in that class!"

Hayden, still bewildered, scrunched up her nose. "David?"

Nancy moaned in exasperation and gave her a look that clearly said why-are-you-so-incredibly-dense-and-retarded? "Okay, I heard from Stephanie who heard it from Vivian who heard it from Fred who overhead it from Daniel's conversation with Johnny that was about David and that he was supposed to be taking Spanish One fourth hour."

Hayden gawked impassively at her. "David…? Wait…what? When did you get this latest gossip?"

"It's called texting my dear Hayden, welcome to the twenty first century. And its David as in you know The Quarterback, ultra hot, Popular David Wood!"

"Wait… What about Kyle?" Hayden asked, referring to Nancy's track-running-star-athlete boyfriend of the week.

She snorted and pulled a compact mirror from her purse. The purse that Hayden should've been holding, not the sin-clad claws of Nancy. Why she needed to gaze at her reflection was beyond her, she looked completely like Barbie and Hayden was pretty certain Nancy knew that. But hey, if you were as flawless as Nancy North was, you probably would have all your walls replaced with mirrors just so you could admire yourself.

"What about him?" She snapped her compact clicked shut piercingly. "I'm not going to break up with him… yet at least. I mean, like what if David somehow rejects me? Then I would be like single…" She trailed off and gave Hayden a pitiful onceover; her eyes said it all… She would be like Hayden Brookfeld.

"Well if you like Kyle so much why are you trying to get with another guy?"

Morgan scoffed suddenly appearing. "She's just like trying to keep her options open, you know?"

Nancy patted Hayden's cheek, "Haydie-babe, don't worry your pretty little head." She cocked her head to the side, feline eyes meeting light brown. Hayden barely managed to hide a grimace.

"So, like, did you guys get your schedules yet?" Morgan piped up, shoving her paper up slightly.

"Oh my God, yes! And I have fourth hour with David!"

Morgan began to jump up and down and squeal, throwing her arms around both Hayden and Nancy. "Let's see… Nancy do we have any classes together?"

After a careful silence Nancy nodded, "Yeah. First and sixth hour as well as … second lunch!"

Morgan exhaled loudly, "Oh thank the Lord! I was so like terrified I was going to be like sitting at lunch by myself in the creepy corner where the kids there like never talk and write something and like cut themselves…" She shuddered. Then she turned to Hayden, "Do we have any classes together?"

Hayden unfolded her schedule and eyed it.

Schedule

For Hayden Brookfeld

Hour One – A.P. Algebra II – Poles

Hour Two – Art – Greene

Hour Three – A.P. U.S. History – Griffin

Hour Four – Biology – Smith

Hour Five – A.P. Language Arts - Brown

Hour Six – French III – Williams

Lunch- Second

Locker Number – 212

Locker Combination-

22-10-31

"We have lunch together and… Biology" Hayden said slowly.

Morgan squealed, "Yay! My two best friends and me all have at least one class… Too bad we all don't have like the same class like together though, you know? Wait… do you have any classes with Nancy?"

Nancy shook her head, "This smart-ass is only with us at lunch, better have fun stealing her in biology" She pouted.

Morgan began fussing over her, promising she would never steal Hayden from her… This was so stupid. Hayden picked at a hangnail with apparent provocation.

That was when the five minute warning bell rang. Hayden heard the 'Hallelujah' chorus from above. Thank God, was all she could repeat in her head repeatedly.

She waved Morgan and Nancy off before departing to the joys of math.

The classroom was empty. Hayden glanced around the room, wondering if they had a seating chart or not. As more people began to file in the room, she quickly sat down and lowered her whole body in the plastic chair, willing herself to be invisible. She didn't see anyone she knew, and silently fumed. One good thing about being in A.P. classes was most of the immature idiots weren't in it. But it still didn't mean some snobby girl or arrogant guy won't fight if you disagree with them.

Second period, art, was Hayden's favorite. And right when she walked into the classroom she automatically knew this; the atmosphere seemed different, problem-free. But then again, she always felt like that whenever she entered an art room.

Mrs. Greene was writing something on the dry-erase board with remarkable penmanship. Hayden took a moment to observe her, a lady about thirty, wearing black slacks and a baggy white shirt. Her red hair was tied up in a messy ponytail.

Hayden looked around the room and saw a guy located in the nearest corner. He had black hair, under the lighting it looked somewhat blue, with two eyebrow piercings and a lip ring, if it wasn't from the light reflecting from them she wouldn't have noticed them. He was reading a paperback novel, legs crossed on the table, chair leaning back; one wrong movement and he would go toppling down.

When the guy raised his head, Hayden looked at her feet and quietly laid her book bag next to her chair and sat down, sitting as far away as possible from the gothic-punk-dude. She brushed her bangs behind her ears and propped herself up with an elbow.

Once everyone was in the room, Mrs. Greene turned and got a clipboard from her desk. Her emerald eyes then skimmed the teenager's looking at her, some with curiosity, frustration, or like the emo kid, just blankly.

"Hi… I'm Mrs. Greene…" She said, staring around, making sure to lock eyes with random people.

A murmur rose from the class, Hayden guessed in greeting, she remained silent.

Mrs. Greene immediately noticed Hayden's lack of participation and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Well, class" she smiled, "I've written nineteen numbers on the board. One through nineteen. You can go in any random order; I just need to learn all ya'lls names, and this way we can all learn everybody's name."

Hayden hated introducing herself to the class; she always froze up and stuttered.

"We'll start with this young lady…"

Of course. Of course she would choose her to go up first, 'Thanks Mrs. Greene; you really are sympathetic' Hayden thought derisively.

Hayden stood with trembling legs, her face ripe in an unhealthy red color.

"What's your name?" Mrs. Greene asked kindly.

Hayden didn't look up from her spot on the white tiled floor and muttered, "Hayden Brookfeld…" quietly.

"Sorry, dear, what did you say?"

Hayden gritted her teeth and lifted her chin a centimeter higher and repeated her name.

Mrs. Greene read through her list of names and nodded, "Alright, good, just write your name up there… yes on number one… good, Miss Brookfeld…"

Hayden made her way back to her chair and sunk into her chair, wanting to crawl under a rock when people's gazes followed her.

!

There were only three people left, the emo kid included. Mrs. Greene called on a girl named "Chelsea Banden" and she eagerly flaunted herself up to the front of the room and wrote her name with bubbly letters.

When Mrs. Green pointed to the kid in the corner, Hayden stiffened, attentive now more than she ever was.

He stood up with one elegant movement and flounced up to the front of the room with fluid movements. His heavy combat boots 'thunked' against the floor, everyone was deathly quiet. He had everyone's interest and he was reveling in it. He picked up the black Expo marker; Hayden noticed that he had chainmail around each finger and wrist. He wrote his name with small, slouched handwriting.

Jess Turner

Jess turned after capping the marker and tossed it to Mrs. Greene. He observed the room; eyeliner outlined his gray eyes, until they settled on Hayden. His lips flickered upward at the corners; he noticed how she was staring at him, and winked.

Winked. Hayden's heart thudded in her chest and she looked at the wooden table with agitated eyes.

The bell rang, and Hayden scurried to her next class without another glance at anyone. She didn't want to be noticed, and being noticed by a 'Jess Turner' was not on her to-do list.

!!

Guess what, whoever is reading this? I have my moments with this story. I get so obsessed with it that I write a chapter every day. Or I get sick of it and just let it sit –virtually collecting dust- I have three more chapters done. Also have a website up for and playlist, just click my profile and follow the link.

Thanks for reading.

And review if you want.

I'll be happy :D

Oh.

This story will definitely have some stereotypical clique crap so if you get offended, I sincerely apologize in advance.

But, at my school people like the preps aren't, you know, as stupid like Nancy and stuff but they make fun of the emo people.

And the gothic people talk trash about preps.

I have friends on both sides of the cliques.

You know, if you wanna know.

Have a good weekend.

Love,

Crimsom Tears