Lauren to Lozza

The fucking COVID pandemic has ruined my life. My father's business has absolutely been ruined, leaving my father to be unable to afford even the basics, so now I have to attend a shitty run-down college because he can't afford to fund my lifestyle. But the worst is that we lost our home and had to move to a run-down estate. The house was crap, and the neighbours seemed like a bunch of losers. I've moved here with my father, mother and brother who is a year older than me, I'd just turned 18 and thought the rest of my life would be a breeze, but now I'd need to find a part-time job while also studying.

My name is Lauren, I'm 5"5, long brown hair and blue eyes. Not to brag, but I'm stunning and smart, but my downside is with my privileged life, I'm not street smart.

At college, I stood out like a diamond in the rough. I'd gone to private school, and if I knew what was going to happen to my father's business, I would have found myself in a better place than this, but it seemed the best out of limited options. I noticed my neighbour, who I hadn't spoken to yet, went to this college; she was a big, loud girl, rough-looking.

All these losers here looked poor; their uniforms (why did a rundown college even have uniforms?) were faded, and they didn't even wear them properly; loose ties; shirts were unbuttoned and untucked; nothing like the standards set at my school. Reghill college uniform was cheap-looking; I knew I still oozed class; I entered the college toilets and felt like running right away; they utterly stink; there is graffiti everywhere; a group of tough-looking skanky girls barged in behind me, including my new neighbour, with a mix of curiosity and disdain; they eyed me up and down before my neighbour spoke.

"Hey, posh girl, your uniform's all wrong," her tone dripping with mockery.

I refrained from speaking, my heart beating wildly in my chest as I tried to control my trembling lips. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I made a quick assessment of the situation.

One of the other girls jumped in, the super skinny and most slutty looking one and said, "Hey, I'm Jess. We basically run this college, but lucky for you, we are giving you a chance. Do you want to be part of our gang or one of our victims?, I didn't really know what to say, but I quickly made a decision: if these losers run the college, then I'd quickly take over, so I'd keep them close for now, so I agreed.

My neighbour smirked and said she was happy I'd agreed. She then introduced herself (Becky) and the other girls (Jess, Dani, and Aimes). Her next few sentences made me furious, but as I was surrounded in the small bathroom by all of them, I saw no way of disagreeing. "So first, you will have basically an initiation phase into our group. The first thing is, your nickname will be "Lozza." It will help knock the posh out of you, and we are going to spread a little rumour, and if anyone asks you about it, you'll go along with it, agreed?.

What is the rumour? I asked nervously, and Becky just smiled and told me, "Don't worry about that yet; first, you are wearing the uniform all wrong; we'll help you with that.

I gulped and held breath as Becky and her gang (well, maybe my gang too) went to work.

They wasted no time in taking charge of my transformation.

My shirt was untucked and my tie pulled off me, leaving my collar open and casual. Then, they undid the top two buttons of my shirt, exposing more skin than I was comfortable with. But just when I thought they were finished, Becky smirked at me and said, "Tights off too, Lozza." Her tone was deadpan serious.

Before I could protest, Dani stepped forward. "Hold still," she said, her fingers deftly reaching for the hem of my skirt.

With a swift flick, my skirt was up slightly as Dani grabbed my tights and slid them down my legs; they pooled at my feet. I stood there, stunned, feeling exposed and vulnerable, not knowing what to do or say. I just followed orders and stepped out of my shoes to remove the tights. The sensation of my bare feet on the dirty bathroom floor sent shivers down my spine, and I fought the urge to recoil in disgust.

"There you go, Lozza," Becky said with a satisfied grin. "Now you look like one of the gang, but I feel like something is missing."

Becky tapped her chin, thinking before the lightbulb moment, "I know, Jess, pass your lipstick." Jess lipstick was definitely too loud for me--ruby red glitter lipstick. I thought it was tacky. Why don't I speak up for myself and stop this? But I was just frozen. Lost in my thoughts, I found myself just following Becky's order as she applied the lipstick to me.

Becky beamed, "Perfect; we'll give you the tie back at the end of the day."

I glanced down at my bare legs, feeling a mix of embarrassment and shame. Aimes got her phone out, and we all got in a bathroom mirror selfie, looking back at me in the cracked bathroom mirror was a far cry from my former polished image, what on earth was going to happen next and will I finally stand up for myself.

I spent most of the day with what I guess you could call my new friend group. I keep asking myself why I am allowing myself to be involved with them. These people are far below me, but it was difficult after my father lost the family fortune and moved here.

I felt distant from my old life and friends. It wasn't the same just having the odd text with my old friends, and I now lived a much poorer lifestyle, while they went on skiing holidays.

But I think the fear of getting on the wrong side of Becky and the gang led me to listen to them. One example of why I was fearful came when I settled into my seat in the only class I had without Aimes, Dani, and Becky.

As the teacher launched into their lecture, I tried to focus on the material at hand. One girl seated near me talked to me in a hushed whisper, "Hey Lozza, how did you get into Becky's gang so easily? You are so lucky. She was basically the boss at school and now college," Yes that horrible nickname had spread very quickly,

Earlier in the day when i was with the gang, you could see how it would be easy for them to spread the word, if it weren't Jess flirting with a bunch of guys, it would be Aimes gossiping with a bunch of girls somewhere else or Dani chatting with basically everyone, Becky usually stayed with me quizzing me about my family, she actually said she thinks my geeky brother Ben looks cute, guessing she must of spotted him from living next door, that made me worried, I didn't want Ben near her, she would eat him alive, anyway I've gone completely off topic, back to this girl she continued "don't piss them off though, last girl who tried fucking with them, her house got bricked and her family basically had to run away" my blood ran cold at news, what have a got myself into, i kept telling myself that i was better than Becky and the others and that would ensure I'd be fine but I'd play it safe for now and not annoy them

Shortly into the class, a guy who was sat in front of me, turning around with a small smirk on his face. "Hey, Lozza," he said, theirs that nickname again. His tone hesitant, he continued, "I heard a rumour about you. Is it true?"

My heart skipped a beat at his words, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach.

"What rumour?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising tide of panic threatening to overwhelm me. This is definitely the rumour Becky mentioned earlier, I thought to myself.

The guy grinned and looked suggestively at me. "I heard you got caught sucking a teacher off at your fancy school, and that's one of the reasons you found yourself coming to this crappy college."

A wave of nausea washed over me. Why on earth would Becky spread this clear lie as part of some stupid initiation into a group I didn't want to be in?

"Erm, that's not..." I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. I tried to deny this fake rumour, but the fear kicked in. I was kicking myself almost instantly for not being braver. "Just don't tell anyone else", I told him.

The guy nodded and said, "Sure, you can trust me, Lozza; my name's Mark; I've got your back," and with a little wink, he added, "or your front," I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair wash over me. In that moment, I thought about some of the suggestive looks I got from guys earlier in the day, I had at the time put it down to myself being self conscious with the outfit adjustment, but now I think about how many people had heard this fake rumour.

The teacher then suddenly singled me out and asked me where my tie was, this happened earlier in the day in another class I had with the girls but Becky had spoke up before I could answer and made an excuse which teacher accepted, but now instead of Becky it was the voice of some girl from the middle row "Lozza's probably got a guy tied to her bed with it" which got a big laugh, I just put my head down now determined to confront Becky, after college.

The girls we're stood by the exit doors at the end of the day, I marched over but Becky stopped me in my tracks, she beamed as I got to them and gave me a massive bear hug while giving me a wide smile "Lozza welcome to the group, a little initiation is needed to be in our great friendship group, and I'm happy i heard you went along with it, don't worry about what some losers say, you are one of us and we'll look after ya".

My brain instantly went back to what the girl in class said to me about Becky's power earlier, I decided I really needed to think things through, getting angry now would foolish until I really thought through everything, just then my phone rang, my mother was telling me, her and my father was going out tonight, i was happy for them, After all the money troubles they still both seemed to power forward, although i cant imagine anywhere they were going will be what they are use too.

I finished my call and Dani spoke up "hey the plan was to go to mine for a study session but we should go Lozza's if her parents are out the way" they all agreed but I tried to dissuade them by telling them my brother Ben would be home, Becky was delighted by this 'oh yes i get to chat with Benny", seeing no way out of it, I thought of the positives, I can show all of these while studying how much smarter than them I am and gain their respect, why do I even care what these girls think of me, i ask myself.

Becky then pulled out my tie and handed me it, Jess pointed to her own tie and told me to wear it like they did, loose and like they didn't give a fuck, Aimes told me to make sure I wear makeup similar to them tomorrow (it's like this group have uniform rules themselves, I'd always had more of a less is more makeup style, looking at Jess even compared to the others, her style was heavily layer it on), Becky gave me a quick swot on my behind as we walked out of college, telling me I looked much better with my legs free from tights, Dani jumped in too "yeah girl, you'll have the guys queuing up, now let's go get some drinks for our study session".

I returned home, Well this house I'm now forced to call home, I just returned after our visit to the store to buy alcohol, I shouldn't have been surprised by the amount they brought, but I really couldn't believe it. I've only drunk on special occasions and always in small doses. There is no way we would drink 1/4 of the amount they brought--beers, wine, spirits, shot glasses. I don't even know what some of the drinks they picked up were; we are meant to be studying!!.

One thing I'm thankful for is that the girls were waiting until my parents actually left. I've been added to the WhatsApp group chat "Becky's Badass Bitches" it's called, what a terrible name btw. Don't these girls have any self-respect, and of course Becky is the group admin. The group picture is the bathroom selfie from earlier, but again, sorry I'm getting off topic.

Becky waved me in from next door as I entered my home. It made me think of every other time I'd seen her until now, I looked down my nose at her then, but this time I'm finding myself under her thumb, and this will have to change.

Upon entering, I shot up the stairs to get changed before my parents saw my new look, but before getting into my room, my brother Ben exited our dingy bathroom and immediately noticed my appearance. I would say it's a surprise because it's a shock he notices anything that's not on his computer, but I guess it was such a dramatic change.

"Lauren, what's gotten into you?" Ben queried, sounding genuinely concerned for my welfare. "That lipstick, the sloppy look, is everything okay?."

I paused. I thought about telling him the whole story, but I didn't want to get him complicated into this, so I responded, "It's complicated, Ben. This area and that college are totally different from what we are used too, and I need to make friends and fit in; I can't spend all day on the computer like you.".

"Ok, ok, I was just asking," Ben said, backing off. I decided to then tell him about Becky, Aimee, Dani, and Jess coming later.

Ben pulled a face, clearly taken aback by the news. "Becky, you don't mean that trashy girl next door?"

I reassured him, "Look, Ben, all your friends you still speak to on the computer playing games like you always have, whereas I only speak to mine on WhatsApp, and they are all so busy, so I know people around here are well below our social class, but I need friends, understand?"

Ben looked sympathetic, and he told me he understood, but just to be careful around these types of girls.

"Ben, don't worry, I'm better than anyone at this college and in this neighbourhood, so you don't need to worry, I'll be fine." With that, Ben went back into his room on his PC, and I went and got changed, removing the lipstick and getting changed into an old, expensive casual black hoodie, a smart pair of grey jeans, and grey socks.

I went back downstairs, and mum asked me about college, and when I mentioned talking to the girl next door and her friends, she looked surprised but was supportive.

My mother got along with everyone, so it was no surprise that she didn't say anything negative about Becky. I think her surprise was that I was giving her the time of the day because I guess I could be accused of being a snob.

I then asked if the girls could come round later, and mum was so happy I made friends so had no issue. Dad was too focused on his laptop looking for a way to find work that met his standard. He was a proud man who didn't just want to get by; he wanted to regain his/our fortune.

Later on, I smiled as I saw my parents ready for their evening out. It felt like old times as they got ready in their best clothes before heading out. The local bar and grill for their night out wouldn't be my father's usual standard, but mom wouldn't care, so she had a big smile as I waved them off and they shouted their goodbyes upstairs to Ben.

I put in the "Becky's Badass Bitches" group chat that my parents had left; it didn't take long for the girls to turn up, and I took a deep breath before answering.

Becky, Jess, Dani, and Aimes strutted in, each carrying various bags filled with alcohol and at least items to help our studies. Their outfits looked cheap and trashy, even more than I expected, Jess for example, wore a cheap pair of flip-flops, a neon yellow crop top with clearly no bra underneath, and tiny cotton black shorts.

Aimes asked me, "We staring downstairs or in your room, Lozza?" I told her we go in the living room as more space, and Ben would probably be in his room mostly anyway. I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that bringing Becky and her crew to our new home would lead to a total disaster.

Dani opened us all a bottle of beer each and pulled out some shot glasses, telling us we all got to have a shot to get our studies started. I necked some horrible black shot, thankful the burning in my throat died down quickly.

I decided to launch into our studies as we gathered in the living room for the study session. As we settled in, I knew I was impressing with my knowledge of the topics and plans for the best way to tackle each section, and I even told them I had done my research so I knew exactly what work we would have coming up as the weeks and months went by, and all the girls were actually engaged, asking me questions.

I was talking so much that I actually drank my beer before anyone else, so Aimes popped me open a new one.

"Wow, Lozza, you really know your stuff," Dani remarked, taking a sip of her beer.

"Yeah, I'm glad we have you leading this session," Becky added, nodding in agreement.

I was actually grinning at this point; maybe they would soon realise they should all listen and learn from me.

However, it didn't take long for the focus to gradually shift from studying to drinking as Jess started pouring shot after shot. Conversations became more casual, and even I gave up on studying and was just hoping to find a way to send these girls home without getting them angry.

"Hey, I'll get us some of the beers we put in the fridge," Becky said as she jumped up and headed into my kitchen, well and truly making herself at home.

As Becky was in the kitchen, Ben came downstairs, and the girls greeted him as he gave a quick wave. He told us he was just grabbing a snack and would be out of our way. He and Becky then didn't reappear for what seemed forever, and I kept nervously glancing towards the kitchen door.

"Afraid someone's going to steal your precious little brother, Lozza?" Jess taunted,

Dani then jumped in. "Becky has been talking about the new guy next door; she loves a nerd."

I gulped and said, "I'll go see what's keeping them."

Feeling overwhelmed, I pushed open the kitchen door, that's when I discovered Becky had Ben cornered near the fridge. Becky was leaning in close to him, making contact, and had been giggling at something he must have said. Ben looked very red, as he was certainly not used to this attention. He was a virgin, and unlike myself, he had never even been in a relationship.

Becky noticed me and then reached around Ben, gripped one of his butt cheeks, and gave him a kiss on his cheek, then picked up some of the beers. "See you around Benny, I better get back to the girls and I'll let you go back to the gaming." With that, Becky walked towards me with a big grin on her face and was bringing the beers back. Just as she was going to go past me, she asked me, "Lozza, grab those last couple of bottles. I've got my hands full".

I closed the door behind Becky, expecting Ben to quiz me on the nickname, but he just had a little twinkle in his eye. "Well, that was interesting. Who knew hanging with these girls would be such a good thing?, Becky seems fun!".

Typical guy, I suppose. I was going to warn him against going near Becky, but I didn't want to wipe the smile from his very happy face at this very moment. Even though I knew she would be no good for him, maybe the best thing is that I could get Becky to back off. Ben headed back upstairs, and I got the drinks and went back to the girls.

As the night wore on, I was feeling more drunk than ever before. Dani suddenly jumped up, excited, and turned to me. "Hey, Lozza, I've got a great idea. How about we take this party to your room?"

I blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her suggestion. "My room, why there is more space here?" I said drunkenly, looking nervous. The truth is, I was worried Ben would just be a couple doors down from Becky. He wouldn't hear us come up though, as he always has his massive headphones on while on his PC.

Becky shrugged, looking unbothered, her smile then widened. "Why not? We've been hanging out here all night; we haven't seen your bedroom yet, and don't be embarrassed by it because it's not as fancy as your old house; we ain't exactly snobs." All the girls burst into laughter at that point.