Alice tried to keep her head down as she walked along the crowded school corridor. Two and a half minutes. She'd timed it, day after day, measuring exactly how long she needed to stay out of sight. To avoid being noticed by her. This was the only time of day that their paths crossed; on the way from Home Ec to Math, there was a risk, a chance that she'd be seen... but Alice had taken precautions. Her hoodie was loose and baggy, and she'd pulled the hood up in an effort to obscure her face. Practically invisible to everyone else, all travelling in groups and paying attention to their own conversations, she slipped between them, trying to stay unnoticed. She kept pushing her glasses up her nose, eyes darting around nervously. Two minutes now. She only had to avoid her for two minutes-
"Hello, darling," a soft, breathy voice cooed from just behind her. Fuck. Alice hadn't even heard the girl coming! It was almost like she was... well...
Supernatural.
Alice turned slowly and, trying not to betray a hint of fear, locked eyes with Megan Dusk. The girl was the full package; light blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail, piercing grey eyes set in a flawlessly made up face, all of which was balanced on top of a body that would have been difficult to ignore under three layers of winter clothing, never mind the black and grey cheerleader outfit her D-cups and bouncy bubble butt were packed into. She flashed Alice her most dazzling smile, and the girl felt her legs weaken. She had to stay strong, couldn't let her win.
"M-Megan," she acknowledged the other girl's presence, but other than that tried to keep her expression blank.
"Alice, how are you, my love?" the gorgeous girl stepped in closer, and Alice's breath hitched.
"Better since I quit cheer practice, thank you," she replied, stepping smartly backwards, keeping Megan at arm's length.
"Really? I'm so sorry to hear that, dear," Megan kept smiling and kept stepping forward, forcing Alice back.
"And to think, you were so excited when we first invited you! What happened to that enthusiasm?" A mock frown now, and Alice couldn't help feeling just a little bit bad... she shook her head. Fought the feeling down.
"I'm... I'm not coming back," Alice tried her best to sound defiant, and to her surprise she actually did. She took another step back.
"What you do... it's evil! It's not right!"
Megan laughed softly, and took another step. The hall was emptying out now, people heading into classrooms for the next period.
"Evil? As I recall, you were such a lonely little thing before we found you... eating your lunches by yourself in the bathroom, spending all your nights alone with those trashy romance novels... we gave you friends. We gave you a chance to be one of the popular girls. And we made so many good memories together... you really think we're that evil?"
Alice squeezed her eyes shut. It was true; two months ago, she'd been friendless, trying every day to convince herself that she wasn't bothered by her constant isolation. And to then be suddenly invited onto the cheer squad... it had made her so happy. But the price she'd had to pay was too high.
"You're a monster!" she shot back.
Megan smiled again, and ran her tongue across her teeth. Across the twin fangs which protruded down from the roof of her mouth.
"Maybe in the technical sense, but I'm not monstrous, per se... no more than you, anyway."
Alice gulped, and subconsciously poked her tongue upwards, feeling the smaller, less developed fangs that had been her reward for joining the cheer squad.