Survival Of The Fittest

((Sally Connelley debut))

Sally exited the temperate, air conditioned mall into the frigid atmosphere of the ice rink with a huff. Outside she smoothly walked towards the skating rink as if gliding on the street, but in here her pointy heels clacked loudly against the floor. The echoes of her steps were like little jeers, reminding her of where she was.

She skirted around the counter past a few people lined up for skate rentals and continued to the back. Sally sauntered past the rows of lockers with her nails skimming lightly over the metal surfaces until she reached hers. She opened the locker and pulled out her uniform, a red shirt, a black pair of pants and her skates.

Sally hated working at the rink. She hated working in general, but she especially hated doing something she was once so praised for doing. It made her feel like a has-been. Why did she do it? The reasons varied from week to week. This week she had her eye on the new vernis Louis Vuitton hand bags. Her vision blurred into her imagination as she saw herself at school, flipping her hair and cradling her new beautiful bag. Oh, you like it? Well you should; it was expensive. The way normal girls might write the name of their crush in a spiral note book and surround it with hearts; Sally did with "Vernis clutch." It would have to be a clutch for now. Even with her saved up pay from the ice rink she couldn't afford one of the bigger bags and her parents hadn't really been reasonable in seeing how much she needed this beautiful, shiny bag.


Sally looked at herself in the mirror now that she was in full uniform. Pulling her blonde hair back into a pony tail, she frowned.

I look like a dyke.

She heaved a heavy sigh and walked out to the rink with her skates slung over her shoulder.

((Thea Kairos continued from A Few Administration Issues ))

Thea stopped at the entrance of the skating room and tapped her sandal-clad foot as she scanned the room for her friend. She knew Sally was working today and since it was a day she didn't actually have practice or a meeting, she figured she'd come and keep her company. Spotting Sally she made a face at the outfit she was forced to wear, black and red so boring, and then started weaving her way around the rink. There was no way she was going across the ice, not in her sandals.

She made her way slowly enjoying the looks that were thrown her way. Yep, this outfit definitely works, she thought. She'd chosen a tight fit, low rise pair of jeans. Coupled with a short sleeved, pink, button-down shirt and black cardigan, that showed just a hint of skin around her waist. Yes, I've definitely still got it, she thought pausing as she walked past a mirrored surface.

She'd made her way over to Sally by then; so she turned and gave the guys who were still watching her, a wink and a wave. What James didn't know wouldn't hurt him? Besides it was just flirting, not like she was actually gonna do anything. If they wanted to think that, they were welcome to.

"Hey girl," she greeted her friend. "Figured I'd keep you company today."

((Evelyn Reed continued from We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do))

Evelyn strode down the mall's concourse, throwing a little extra swing into her hips. It was amazing what a little retail therapy could do for a girl's mood. Some new shirts, a pair of capris, and few pairs of shoes and sandals from her favorite stores were necessary additions to her closet in recognition of the increasing spring temperatures. The contents of the pink striped Victoria's Secret bag were pure indulgence, but definitely had helped improve her mood. Now all she needed was some good company, a Starbucks, and life would be perfect.

Spotting Thea near the ice skating rink, Evelyn slowed to check her appearance in a store window. Even after trying on her new acquisitions, her three-quarter sleeve blouse was still snowy white; its top three buttons undone, allowing the shirt to create a v-shaped gap that showed off the silver and diamond Tiffany's pendant she got for her 16th birthday. Tugging on the mint green knit vest, she adjusted its v-neck and hem so that it clung to her curves perfectly. She brushed a piece of imaginary lint off the hem of her black skirt, surreptitiously fluffing it out a bit. Pursing her lips, she looked herself over from head to toe one more time.

Evelyn sighed as she spotted a stray hair that had escaped the black headband that held back her sandy blonde hair. I really should lighten it up a bit, get some highlights and lowlights put in, she thought as she patted the errant hair back into place. Maybe tomorrow. Or, oooh, if I can talk Thea into going and getting a mani-pedi. That could be fun.

Plan in place, Evelyn began to turn away from the window when she noticed two of the employees watching her from inside the store. The ancient, dumpy female employee's face was screwed up as if she smelled something bad, her hands planted on her hips in a disapproving fashion. Her co-worker's pizza face was lit up with an expression that was entirely familiar to Evelyn.

Unbidden, the words to one of her favorite songs popped into her head. I'm sexy, I'm cute. I'm popular to boot. I'm bitchin', great hair. The boys all love to stare. I'm wanted, I'm hot. I'm everything you're not.

Warm feelings of self-satisfaction flooded through Evelyn. Bite it, bitch. You just wish you were me. And he wishes he could be with me. She couldn't help herself. She winked at the boy before flouncing off. That is so my good dead for the day.

By the time she spotted Thea again, the other cheerleader had zeroed in on Sally Connelley. While Sally, unfortunately, wasn't a cheerleader, she was fashionable, smart, and fun to hang out with. Evelyn winced at the sight of Sally's rink uniform. Like having to work at the rink to help pad college applications wasn't punishment enough. The severe hair was so not helping the look.

Sliding in next to Thea and bumping her with a hip, Evelyn addressed the other girls. "Ohmygod, tell me you have a break soon and can escape with us to Starbucks!"

Sally leaned against the rental counter with her head resting on her hand. Seeing Thea approach, she felt conflicted. She wasn't thrilled to be seen like this, but at the same time she liked hanging out with her. Her shame slightly outweighed by her fondness, a tired grin spread on her face.

"Hey, hooker," she said lazily. "You don't have to stick around if you don't want too. I mean, that's nice of you and if you've got nothing better to do you can, but don't feel like you have to."

Sally scanned the other girl to see what she had choosen to wear today. It was a nice outfit all in all.The lazy smile turned to a sharp grin. Sally reached out to Thea and tugged on one of the belt loops of her jeans. "Nice pants, Thea. Who are we trying to impress, hmmmm?"

Sally let go and waved as she saw Evelyn approach. Her eyes zeroed on the pink bag and she sighed. "Evelyn's got sexy new lingerie, Thea has pants so tight I could read the date on a quarter in her back pocket, and what does Sally get? She gets pants with pleats in them."

"Ohmygod, tell me you have a break soon and can escape with us to Starbucks!"

Once she had processed the sentence, Sally's face came to life again at the possibility of Starbucks.

"I do now," she hastily replied. She shoved a pair of skates at a boy who had come up to the counter without waiting for him to say his skate size and pulled her hair out of the pony tail.

"Taking my break!" she yelled to the back of the staff room.

(Essentially the introduction for Lily Ainsworth)

Lily wasn't always one to go to the mall, but she felt like going on an adventure today and she was more than glad she made that choice. Even though she had lived her for the past four years she was still utterly unfamiliar with the basic layout of the mall and had become quite lost. She had spent the past three hours padding through the mall, stopping occasionally to peer into some of the stores.

"Bloody marvelous." She whispered as she trailed a hand on the wall behind her. She stopped momentarily to gaze at one of the map kiosks. Two words quickly caught her eye and she was off. Ice Rink!She thought excitedly to herself, hurrying along and getting lost once or twice. She soon found the entrance, pauses for a moment to look down at her clothes. She wore comfortable but clunky black leather pumps, an old vintage skirt she found in her aunt's closet (It was white, a little bit stained, and had doily edges, she loved it), and another old sweater (the sleeves were just a little bit too long as always). Her purse remained around her shoulder and clutched in her hands, it could easily be compared to a tattered old bag if one had the gall to do so.

She mustered up her courage and stepped inside the rink, looking around. Come on then, pick yourself up and go talk to someone. She smiled curtly and wandered towards the desk, stopping every so often to admire her breath as it came out in lovely little clouds. She turned her gaze from the vapors towards the gaggle of girls at what looked to be the main desk. She wandered over.

"Hello." She began airily, her accent making her origin quite obvious. "I don't suppose any of you have ever been skating? I must admit to not being a professional on the subject."

That's right, be polite and admit your faults. She reaffirmed to herself, smiling politely at the girls.

Sally reached out to Thea and tugged on one of the belt loops of her jeans. "Nice pants, Thea. Who are we trying to impress, hmmmm?"

Thea offered her a wicked grin. "Bitch, who aren't we trying to impress. I have a reputation to uphold. When you've got it you have to flaunt it. And you know I've got it." Not that James seems to notice. She rolled her eyes and watched Evelyn approach.

"Evie, you whore, why didn't you tell me you were going shopping. I'm totally up for a new wardrobe. Nice outfit by the way."

"Taking my break!" Sally yelled to the back of the staff room.

"Yes! White chocolate crème frappuccino here I come," Thea said enthusiastically.

"Hello." Lily began airily, her accent making her origin quite obvious. "I don't suppose any of you have ever been skating? I must admit to not being a professional on the subject."

It was then that she noticed the mousy Lily attempting to join their little group. Oh no she didn't just walk up here like were friends and like she doesn't know who I am. She glanced over at Evie and Sally and amended her thoughts. Who we are. She put her hand on her hip and openly scanned the girl's outfit. Honestly, you did not walk up in here with that…that outfit. Seriously, that dress is dirty and its spring what the hell are you doing wearing a sweater?!? Course I guess if I was built like you, I'd be trying to hide it too. Maybe you should investigate Victoria's little secret there. She sucked air through her mouth and created a clicking sound with her tongue.

"Uh yeah I skate," Thea said as if Lily had proposed something ludicrous. This was Minnesota, who hadn't been ice skating?

"Evie, you whore, why didn't you tell me you were going shopping. I'm totally up for a new wardrobe. Nice outfit by the way."

"Thea, when am I not going shopping while I'm at the mall?" Evelyn shrugged, taking care to jostle the bags and bring even more attention to them. "But I had a totally amazing idea on the way over here. Since sandal weather is rapidly approaching, we should all TOTALLY go get mani-pedis together. We have to set the fashion standard at school, after all." She nodded her head sagely.

"Taking my break!" Sally yelled to the back of the staff room.

Evelyn watched as the confused boy grabbed the proffered skates and slunk away. "Way to be a model employee, Sally. Customer service is your number one concern, I can tell," she said with a grin.

"Yes! White chocolate crème frappuccino here I come," Thea said enthusiastically.

"Slow your roll, heifer. I know it's feeding time and all," Evelyn teased with a giggle. "You don't have to panic, we WILL make sure you get fed. Even if you couldn't stand to put on another pound and keep wearing those pants."

Before the trio could head out, a fourth voice cut through the air. "Hello. I don't suppose any of you have ever been skating? I must admit to not being a professional on the subject."

Evelyn hesitantly turned her head to look at the source of the voice. Who was this talking to them, and why did she think that she even should be addressing them? Judging by Thea's expression, she was not going to like what she saw.

Oh, sweet Jesus. Someone call Oz because the Scarecrow's wife has escaped and was standing before her in all her bag lady glory. What. The. Fuck. It took Evelyn a minute to process the hot tranny mess and realize that she knew who this was. "Lily," she flatly stated, not bothering to hide her sneer. God, you do a group project with someone in junior year, and now they think they have a right to come up and talk to you in public and shit. Seriously, what the hell is up with her sad, sad attempt at homeless chic? Ohmygod, is that a STAIN?!

Unable to continue looking at Lily the fashion disaster, Evelyn shifted all of her bags to her right hand, then held up her free hand to block the eyesore that was Lily from her vision. She made no effort to hide her contempt for the other girl when she spoke to her. "I'm sorry. Is there some sign around here that says ‘private skate lessons, inquire within'?" She looked at Sally and Thea with a ‘can you believe the nerve of some bitches' expression on her face.

"Way to be a model employee, Sally. Customer service is your number one concern, I can tell,"

"Excuse me," she said closing her eyes and putting a hand up to her chest. "I just taught that little boy a valuable life lesson about rolling with the punches. You don't always get what you want in life, and now that he's experienced that first hand it'll be less of a crushing blow the next time life screws him. I've done a great service."

Switching off from her fake self-righteousness, Sally opened her eyes and waved the concern away.

"And anyway, kids are annoying little brats. He probably deserved it."

A white chocolate crème frappuccino sounded fantastic. Sally was busy thinking about her frosty drink when she heard a voice.

"Hello. I don't suppose any of you have ever been skating? I must admit to not being a professional on the subject."

Sally spun on her heels only to be visually assaulted by the girl in front of her. Immediately after seeing her, Sally's eyes momentarily widened and she grabbed both girls' arms behind her back and squeezed. It was taking quite a concentrated effort not to speak.

I still need this job. Thank the sweet baby Jesus I'm going on break. Don't. Insult. Customer.

"Yeeaaaah. I work here," she said motioning to her staff t-shirt and trying her best to dilute the acrid tone of her voice. "The thing is, I'm going on break right now." She tilted her head at the end of the sentence as if the motion were a form of punctuation. "But there's a charming man with a neck-beard in the back who'll probably be out in a sec." Out of view she continued squeezing the two girls as if she were going to burst soon.

"Uh yeah I skate."

Lily smiled widely, flashing her white teeth in a polite smile. "Blimey! I love watching the figure skaters twirl on the ice, they look so nice." She smiled again. "Did you know that the figure skating dates back to prehistoric times? The first actual account of it was written by a monk in cantebury..."

Lily quickly regains her focus, blushing momentarily. "Sorry, I get lost in my-"

"I'm sorry. Is there some sign around here that says 'private skate lessons, inquire within'?"

Lily's gaze turns downward, slight smile on her lips. "Still as caustic as ever, Evelyn." She looks back up at the gaggle of girls with another spacey look. She nods slowly at Sally's words.

"There's a charming man with a neck-beard in the back who'll probably be out in a sec."

She giggles lightly. "Oh, I don't have any money. I was just making conversation." She smiles politely at Sally. "You look like you have something you want to say, go ahead." She really had no idea what she's doing. "You're on break anyways, right?"

It had been a long, tiring week for Feo. She was sick of nearly every teacher at Bayview, and if one more of them said anything about her sister, she would shank someone. It had been a minute since she had been to the mall, but fuck if she didn't need something new. Shoes, clothes or a guy, she really didn't which. Well, she had already dabbled with the first two, scoring some hot embellished jeans and some even hotter leopard-print Christain Louboutins. Too bad all the employees were gay or chicks. Oh well. It wasn't like she wasn't being gawked at everywhere else she went.

She made her way to the skating rink, figuring she could get some exercise, or at least try the old patented "damsel-in-distress" routine, in which she pretended she had no clue how to skate, had some hot guy "teach" her, and ask the guy out as "repayment". Her outfit: red Coach platform heels, tight black jeans, and a red halter top was hardly ice-skating material, but who cared really? She sure as hell didn't. Did the side ponytail make her look any less like a slut? She certianly hoped not.

Looking around, Feo spotted some of the girls from school. Just her luck. Sally, Thea, and Evelyn, those three would defintely make today more interesting. And who were they with? She had some class with that girl, not like it mattered. And now she was thinking about school again, good fucking grief. Exercise was off the menu for today, that was for sure.

"Sally, that damn ponytail is killing me, glad I don't work here. Where are you divas going anyway?"

Thea snorted as the mouse in front of them snapped at Evelyn. She turned her back to the girl deliberately cutting her off from the rest of the group. "Oh, burn, Evie. This bitch needs to be stopped. Who the hell does she think she is given us history lesson about skating and shit? Oh and Sarah, you're on break don't you just want to spend all your time with her," Thea said her voice dripping with sarcasm and attitude.

Thea threw a glance over her shoulder sizing up the girl with another click of her tongue. "Seriously, I so don't think so."

She was about to turn back to the girls when Feo caught her eye. Dismissing Lily as no longer worthy of concern, Thea stepped past her and waved to get Feo's attention.

"Hey girlfriend, sweet outfit, aren't you glad summer's finally on the way," she greeted Feo.

Lily's gaze turns downward, slight smile on her lips. "Still as caustic as ever, Evelyn."

Evelyn felt her spine stiffen in rage. The long buried feeling of inadequacy and shame from junior high came rushing back as Lily smirked at her. How DARE she! How dare this...this NOBODY look down her nose at me! I am a Varsity cheerleader! I am a member of the elite at school! This bitch is a complete non-entity!

Her inner rant ground to a screeching halt when Sally grabbed her arm in a death grip, forcing her to focus on the here and now. Do not let this uppity little bitch destroy your composure and goad you into turning into a slobbering she-beast here in the middle of the mall and in front of your friends. She extricated herself from Sal's death grip and took a deep breath that caused her nostrils to flare.

The arrival of Feo Smith bought her a few precious seconds to compose herself. Evelyn glanced at Eleri's outfit and nodded her approval. "Looking fab as always, Eleri. Love your shoes. You always look hot. Unlike people who think they have a right to visually assault everyone with their fucked up gay pterodactyl sweaters and bore them all to death with superfluous bullshit that nobody gives a damn about."

Turning back to Lily, Evelyn planted her hands on her hips. "By the way, what on EARTH made you think you should be talking to us? Nobody invited you over here. We are so far out of your league that you must have been high to think that we would want to hang out with you. Go. Go away," she said, making little shooing motions with her hand. "Run along, little fashion victim. Just…run along."

Sally was getting annoyed with this girl; however she knew better than to say anything while still in the confines of her work place and still in her uniform. One eye brow raised and her lips parted somewhat as if caught in mid-word.

"…..Who the fuck goes to the mall without money? Do you just, like, go into stores and bother the employees? Were you banned from the Gap for wandering in, asking if they know how to fold sweaters and telling them the history of the fleece pullover? "

"You're on break don't you just want to spend all your time with her,"

"Aaahh, she's wasting my break time," Sally moaned now that Thea had brought it up.

Suddenly Evelyn ripped herself from her grasp. She watched on as she quite thoroughly steam rolled the other girl with a harsh, but true assessment.

Wow, Evelyn really tore that girl a new one. But what can I say? She should have known better. Stupid little girls with ugly bags get burned.

Sally took Evelyn's block-off as a sign that they were done with the girl. The girl disappeared out of her periphery as she focused on Feo.

"Hi Feo," she said, shaking out her hair. "I know I know. But I'm just getting on break, so I've at least got an excuse."

Sally finished pulling the black ponytail holder out of her hair and her bright blonde locks spilled out over her shoulders. She tossed her head back and forth slowly, imagining in her mind that the Charlie's Angel's theme was playing in the background.

Sun Tzu had said "If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril." She hardly knew the girls and there would be no mutual benefit from starting a catty little fight. Lily blushed slightly, her ego of course momentarily hampered by the girls, but she was never one to sit around and take a beating.

"Run along, little fashion victim. Just...run along."

Lily gave Evelyn a polite smile, nodding her head dreamily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to waste any of you lot's time." She began, figuring they probably weren't even looking at her anymore. She turned her gaze and caught their backs. "Just thought it'd be lovely to be nice to someone I don't know too well."

She huffs lightly, she felt a little saddened that they were being so snippy. It was all these american girls focusing on drawing people in with their bodies and not their minds. Lily hoped they'd get over themselves some day and maybe be happy. It was a series of lovely thoughts that drew her attention away to notice the girls slowly leaving.

"Well, have a nice break." Lily said, already turning away and making her lazy walk towards the exit of the rink. As she left she had a wonderful little twitch, probably picked up from her aunt. It was a sharp word, quickly escaping her lips. You'd probably need to be extremely attentive to even catch it.

"Cunts."

A slick smile crossed her lips as she left.

((Lily Ainsworth continued elsewhere))

Damn. And this I why I choose not to get on these chicks bad sides, shit that was rough.

For the most part, Feo was a live and let live type of chick. If you didn't fuck with her, then she didn't fuck with you. She didn't know exactly why the girls had went in on that poor fashion victim (because let's face it, she looked all sorts of awful, Wren didn't even dress that poorly), but she shouldn't have even went over there. Were Bayview's cheerleaders ever known to be nice to . . . anyone really? Feo choose to hang out with them outside school, but she still realized that they were, to put it nicely, world-class bitches (not that that was totally a bad thing). Hell, maybe the girl would learn the concept of stranger danger, or at least how to quit while she was behind.

She snickered. That fashion victim line was hilarious though, Evelyn was a trip. And Feo was one to talk about bitchiness, she had done some pretty shady things in the name of "fun".

"You bitches are crazy. Just completey nuts.", she said. Her snickering was turning into outright laughing. "Did you really have to throw the Gap in there? What did the Gap ever do to you, you know she did not get that shit from there." She took a couple of breaths, tried to make this less funny (and maybe a little less mean-sprited). She managed to get back to snickering. "But seriously, what did that poor, ignorant, not nearly as hot as any of you child do to deserve all of that? And we planning to get into any more trouble today?"

I hope so, I need to do something bad so . . . bad. Whatever.