I won't admit he broke me because that would imply that I had indeed fallen to pieces and I can assure you, witnesses all accounted for and the evidence stacked, that the result of this misdemeanor was not any sort of falling apart but rather a careful, cruel, and deliberate conclusion to the act itself. They'll ask me months later if I regretted the outcome and, with sardonic smiles, question our sanity. Here again they imply that sanity had anything to do with it in the first place. And yes, perhaps it is the equivocal and irrevocable truth—love makes you do some crazy things. Which is why for our purposes (and my intent) that we must bypass this word and ignore nature. Forget the truth here because my fact remains the only thing that will let this story be told. And when this is all over I dare you to prove that love is real.

"I wouldn't go touching tongue tips if I were you." And that, ladies and gentlemen, introduces the statement that is the equivalent of an obsolete earthquake in the world that self-proclaims itself as Natalie Land. Welcome. I spin the dial of my locker mindlessly, trying to remember why I should be paying attention to my frowning best friend.

"Nat? I don't want to be cruel, but I have certain obligations that I cannot skim over and if the subject in matter is not paying attention to my informative reel then my whole purpose here is rather pointless, isn't it? Why else would you need me? I feel completely irrelevant." She adds another frown at the end of her premature rant and waits while I sort through binders and textbooks.

"Mia," I finally say, "What are you talking about? I mean if you're complaining about having 'unfulfilled responsibilities' then you've definitely skipped over the clause that says you have to tell me just what the hell transpires in that flighty little head of yours." She gives me a blank look and follows on lithe feet as I weave through the hallway.

"How about the fact that Nick hooked up with Jasmine this weekend?" I stumble only enough for her to notice and nearly curse. Throwing up my armor I spin quickly and pull her into an empty classroom. She smirks knowingly.

"I don't care who the hell has been added to Nick's panty collection. Isn't it bad enough that I actually…" I trail off, unable to even think it. Mia drags us back into the real world as she clicks her way into the library and settles us down at one of the computer pods. Mrs. Pierce gives us a stern look as we walk by, no doubt recognizing that study hall for us consists of minimal studying and maximum frivolousness. I mean come on, four years of this routine. She really should know better by now.

"You really don't fool me for a second Nat. If anything, I worry about your obvious frigidness." Mia can be such a bitch. If I didn't love her so much…well no wait. I don't really love her all that much, do I? My frown sinks somewhere between lower lip and kneecap.

"Frigid? Hello, I hooked up with Shane this weekend. Thankfully it was before he had sex with Tara and got that nasty ass STD. Like eww." We both share a shudder moment and feel relief that I got out of that debacle. It's a long story, really. I hadn't meant to but Shane was so eight-pack hottie and I was so horny. Honestly! Like love me long time. I'm seriously lucky I made him keep his junk in his pants…which isn't to say I went totally unsatisfied. Cue smirk.

"That doesn't even count! I mean relationship wise. When are you going to stop sulking after Nick and get a life?" Cue stabbing.

"I have a life, thank you very much. Besides, what does this have to do with anything? I broke up with him. I could care less where he's sticking his dick these days." Mia snorts and pulls out her phone from her pocket. It takes her a couple clicks but when she shows me the picture all I can do is roll my eyes.

"So what if I sabotaged Trish? She is a class A skank and you know it."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't even have bothered catching her in 'action' if you hadn't heard that she and Nick had fooled around a week after you broke up."

"Can we point out to the jury that its girl code to at least wait another week before shoving your hand down a boy's pants, who, for all intents and purposes was still rightfully mine since we had not had our post-break up talk?"

"Excuses, excuses. You know you were jealous when you saw his hickey."

"That bitch marked him good!"

"I rest my case." Mia says, smug smile.

"Oh, shut up," I mumble. "I was vindictive, I'll admit it, but damn if it didn't feel good posting that picture all over the school website."

"Yes, we are rather evil aren't we?"

Our laughter catches the attention of Mrs. Pierce who glares until we quiet down and pretend to do homework.

"So what are you going to do?" Mia asks, no doubt plotting our next adventure in the destruction of yet another one of Nick's conquests. Its a pattern. He screws girls over...and under and sideways, while I...well I just plain screw him over. It's a fool-proof system, one that entertains me to no end. His revenge is never as good as my attack, however, but the look on his face when he knows I've caught him again...well now that's the real treasure.

"Don't you sometimes feel like we do enough to the poor kid?" I question, biting softly at my pen cap.

"No!" she scoffs. "He's such a man-whore and his whorettes need to be taught a lesson. He's practically untouchable now. Or well, for another few days. That herpes rumor we had Alex spread about Kristia really got him good. I heard he didn't get so much as lip action until Jasmine." Lucky witch. Prostitute or not, Nick is such a good kisser. He has a way of holding you that makes it seem like he'll never kiss anyone else for as long as he lives. Pft. Yet, like everything else about him, it's a clever lie.

"I don't know. I need a break from all of this. As amusing as it is to watch him go down in flames, I really do have better things to do. Like Trig homework maybe?"

"Whatever. I already have the idea ready in case you change your mind. And trust me Nat, you will."

"Why? What else do you know?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Mia Spencer, don't you dare omit information from me. What are you hiding?"

"Like I said, obl-"

"To hell with your obligations!" I hiss. Mrs. Pierce smacks her pencil down and points to the door just as the bell rings. Too late Mrs. My-Junk-Hasn't-Been-Touched-Since-Lincoln-Was-President. Mia makes a wild lunge for her bag and sprints towards the exit.

"All in good time Natalie! All in good time!" She calls over her shoulder. I scowl and take my time collecting my things. My next class is with Alex and I know if I want to crack Mia's secret, it will have to come from her cocky boyfriend.

I strut down the hallway catching greetings and waving when a hand slips into mine. I stiffen but relax when I notice its Alex's little brother Jared. He craves the attention that comes his way from even spending five minutes with me. The student body watches my every move, so I'm careful to act like he doesn't even faze me. Being Queen Bee is a job that doesn't come easy, but I'd be damned if I didn't admit I loved the power.

"Well Natalie you are looking luscious today. Dare I say, fuckable even?"

"Jared you know all your dirty talk won't work on me."

"I have a little something that will work on you though."

"Little is right," I laugh. For being such a squirt, Jared is pretty mature even though he's a junior. Still, his blatant come-ons never get any less shocking.

"Laugh now, but your vixen-like self will be positively begging for-" I place a soft hand against his mouth. Mature or not, Jared will always be a baby in my eyes and there are just some things I'd rather not hear.

"That's enough hot-shot. I got your point. Now scamper off to class." We part ways with lazy grins and I walk into anatomy with a foreboding sense of doom. Even Jared's entertaining display isn't enough to distract me. The fact that Mia won't tell me something about Nick worries me because I've seen him at his worst and I can't imagine what's so bad that my best friend wouldn't tell me. Lost in my thoughts, I'm startled out of melancholy when Alex shouts my name from the back corner of the room.

"Hey Natalie baby! What's cracking?" I make my way to his jubilant voice as he seductively waggles his eyebrows at me. Like brother, like brother apparently.

"How's my second-favorite girl? Have you been thinking about that threesome like I asked?"

Mia and Alex have been going steady for a little over six months. By this point, nothing that he says can unsettle me. Alex is harmless and completely devoted to Mia, and that girl does not settle for anything less than eternal obsession. I should know. I taught her. Alex is the quintessential 'good boy.' Loved by the school, Vice-President, co-captain of swim team, track, baseball, and founder of the Celibacy Club (not that he follows it but finds extreme amusement in the fact that the others haven't noticed yet). Mia is a lush. She would never agree to the terms set forth on a sex embargo.

Yet, if Alex is co-ruler of everything that is Vardian High, then Nick is the reigning king. Anything that happens in his territory, is his business. Nothing that happens here goes without approval from Nick and his court of jesters oh, and of course, me. Powerful? Oh, yeah. Unbeatable? Well, I am a testament to the feebleness of that statement. Only I can make him sink so low.

"Sorry Alex, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to skip. Mia warned me about your little 'premature' action and I gotta say kid, I'm not impressed." He laughs uproariously at my verbal abuse and reminds me why I like him so much. He never lets me get to him. It's part of the reason Mia and him have survived so long. They have crazy, violent fights and then rough make-up sex, but at the end of the day if I didn't approve of Alex, well then he'd be Gone with the Wind. But like I said, I like the little tool too much to make him go away. That, and his mom makes the most fuckgood awesome brownies ever.

"Mr. Rhodes, is there a problem?" We look up as Mr. Atwood strolls into the room looking as sexy as ever. Mm mm mm. Can you say, grad student? I cross my legs and watch as his gaze travels up to catch the movement of my skirt riding up. What can I say? I'm a terrible tease.

"Oh no Mr. A. Just busting on little Natalie here. And God knows we all understand how feisty she can be." I scowl when he calls me little, but quickly recover as I see Mr. A give me the once-over again.

"Indeed." Did I mention how he positively makes me want to purr? No? Well, he does. I'm shameless.

Mr. A begins his lecture as I finish my Trig homework and pass Alex a note. I realize the blunt approach is always underrated.

What the hell is Mia hiding from me?

Certainly not her underwear drawer I hope. You don't happen to have those crotchless ones she misplaced at your house a week ago, do you?

Ew, you little pervert. I am not harboring Mia's panties. And even if I was I definitely wouldn't tell you. Your imagination is way too big. Now spill.

Spank me.

If you'll fess up!

Oh baby, oh baby. It hurts so good.

Alex! Be serious or I'll tell Mia who exactly dipped her vibrators in that coconut massage oil.

Come on! It was one time! I was just curious!

You're sick.

You love me.

Alex...

Alright, alright. Word on the street is Nick might actually ask Jasmine out.

I don't even bother to answer. Just crumple the note in my fist and shove it in my bag to look over later because that last sentence has definitely taken away all sense of my coherency. Its one thing for Nick to whore around, but its entirely another one to mess with our hierarchy. There has not been a Queen Bee switch in Vardian High since I replaced Amanda Carter when she moved away sophomore year. And even after I broke up with Nick the title has never gone away even though its the king's partner who gets the role. And why isn't this true for me? Because I rule this school and people know who the real ringleader is. Just like Nick rules the breasts, I rule the male population.

Now, this heifer is threatening my kingdom and Nick is changing the rules? Oh no. You see that just will not do. If its a war Nick wants, then its a war he'll get. Never underestimate the wrath of an irritated Queen Bee.