This Heart, It Beats, Beats for Only You

What’s up blogger fans? Looks like it’s the season of ex BFF battles. Watch out S. C never goes out without a fight. And of course faithful M and Z are standing behind her highness. Where’s a queen without her faithful soldiers to win the war? But what’s going on with Lieutenant Z and our famous comrade neighbor? Seems like romance is in the air, but why does N look oh so sad now? Love is supposed to make all things good with hearts flying, and smiles being permanent. Just ask M and D, who have been all smiles all the time. Seems like at least one BFF is going to have a happily ever after -- for now, especially since C and our rooted for J seem on the frits. Could it be because J has gone MIA all of a sudden? Meanwhile, the ex BFF S, and her boy toy A are taking their dethroning try up a notch. S was seen shopping for party favors for her campaign barbeque. No bitches allowed. Ouch C, is that going to leave a mark? Don’t count your votes just yet S. C always has something up her sleeve.

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“Homecoming barbeque. Free food from your future Homecoming Queen,” Zoey read off the flyer on the wall by Casey’s locker. “No bitches allowed.”

Marisa rolled her eyes as she ripped the flyer off and threw it on the ground, grinding it with her foot. “Ironic that Sam would be saying that. She was the bitchiest of us.”

Casey smiled, and shrugged as she placed her Calculus textbook into the locker and took out her Bio one. “Whatever, no one will go.” Zoey and Marisa exchanged a look. “What?” she demanded. “Am I missing something?”

“It’s free food Case,” Zoey said apologetically. “And it’s a party, and there’s alcohol. She’ll be trying her hardest to win them over.”

“It’s carbs,” Casey rolled her eyes, not caring. So what if Sam threw out a few tricks and false plays. It didn’t matter. Casey would win -- like every year. She always won, at everything. “No one is going to fall for it.”

“Maybe,” Marisa said but Casey could tell she was just trying to placate her.

“Whatever she does though, she won’t win,” Zoey insisted.

“Yeah Case, you’re definitely going to win,” Marisa agreed.

Casey rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she said, not even caring. It honestly didn’t even matter to her anymore. It was just some stupid contest with no real prize besides a fake crown and the chance to rule for another whole year, not that even mattered for Casey. She had been the queen of this hell hole for so long that even if Sam won, there was no way she could usurp her. Let her try all she wanted. In the end, it would always be Casey. And yet Casey found herself wishing it was different. For once, she didn’t want to be miss popular or miss perfect or miss queen. She just wanted to be the girl Joe wanted. She sighed. That was all it came down to, wasn’t it? Joe? She wasn’t even herself anymore. She couldn’t remember a time when she had thought a boy was more important than being the best, or shopping, or causing all kinds of scandals to keep herself at the top of makeascene. Marisa and Zoey exchanged a look. She sighed. “What?” she demanded.

“Nothing ,” Zoey said quickly, averting her eyes, looking around quickly for something to change the subject. She half smiled as she ripped a flyer off the bathroom door as they passed by. “Can you believe this bull?”

“It’s Sam’s flyer again,” Casey rolled her eyes at the weak attempt. “We didn’t care the first time either.”

“Yeah but what she wrote on this?” Zoey tried harder. “No Bitches allowed.”

“Wow,” Marisa said, rolling her eyes. “And she was the bitchiest of us all.”

Casey smiled, but didn’t say anything. She could care less about Sam and all her bull shit. It was all stupid to her. Sam had always been bitchy, but she had always been the fakest of them all. She tried too hard to ever be on their level, and that was how Alex had won her over and turned her against them. It was the only reason she would go against them. She spent so much time trying to keep up with Casey, Marisa, and Zoey, trying to be exactly like them that she didn’t have her guard up to others. In a way though, she was perfect at it. It had taken the betrayal for Casey to even see that she was so different, that Sam wasn’t one of them. Had she ever been? Or was it all an act? A part of her really wanted to believe that at least some part of their friendship with Sam was real, that they knew at least a small part of their ex-best friend. But she couldn’t be sure. Because at the end of the day, Sam had turned against them, and Casey knew that neither Marisa nor Zoey would ever do that.

“Hey guys,” Drew said as he, Nick, and Joe came up to them. He kissed Marisa lightly before hugging Casey and Zoey. “How’s it going?”

“Did you see this?” Marisa thrust the flyer at her boyfriend. “Can you believe the nerve of that girl? Actually going against Casey like this? Who the hell does she think she is?”

“Ris, please,” Casey sighed, avoiding Joe’s gaze. She knew what he was probably thinking, how this was some stupid superficial contest, the kind that fit her so perfectly. And she really wasn’t in the mood to listen to his lectures right now, especially since she knew she’s probably readily accept any argument he threw at her right now.

“What?” Marisa asked, confused. “It’s the truth. I seriously just want to tell her what I think right now, not even caring what her or her bitch of a boyfriend say.”

“Then here’s your chance,” Zoey mumbled. They all followed her gaze and saw that Sam and Alex were approaching them. Alex’s arm was wrapped possessively around Sam’s shoulders.

Marisa turned slightly red as Joe rolled his eyes. “You guys are crazy.”

Before Casey could shoot something back at him, Alex and Sam had reached them. “Hey Case,” Alex said, smirking.

“What do you want?” Marisa demanded, speaking for Casey.

“Well Casey,” he said, looking pointedly at Marisa before looking at Casey. “I was just here to ask how you’re going to spend the last few days of your royal treatment.”

Zoey rolled her eyes. “You’re insane if you think your little skank is going to beat Casey.”

“What did you say bitch?” Sam snapped.

“You heard her,” Marisa stepped forward. Drew stepped in to hold her back.

“Ris, don’t,” he warned her.

“Yeah Ris, listen to your boyfriend,” Alex smirked.

“Kind of like your bitch does to you?” Zoey snapped.

This time Sam tried to jump at her too, but Alex kept his grip on her. “You guys think you’re so fucking great,” she snapped. “You are all a bunch of bitches who’s lives revolve around Casey Cartwright. It’s pathetic. You’re pathetic. You‘re all pathetic.”

This time Casey stepped forward. This time, Sam had taken it too far. “You know what Sam, say whatever the hell you want to them. In the end, you know you’ll never be able to beat me. So resort to letting Alex pimp you out to serve some twisted purpose of getting back at me for some stupid half ass reason or whatever. But in the end, remember that you were once one of us. You know how we are. And you know we never lose. So try your best bitch, because it’s on now.”

And with that Casey turned and walked away, done with Sam and all her bull shit. Bringing their friendships into it went to far. If there was one thing that meant more than anything to Casey was friendship. And Sam had just taken it too far. As far as she was concerned, Sam was done.

“What should we do?” Marisa asked as they all followed her.

“Remember that guy who did our campaigning last year?” Casey asked, caring more than ever to win this competition. She would win. She would destroy Sam, one way or another.

“The one with amazing clothes?” Marisa asked excitedly.

Casey nodded. “Call him in.” She turned to Zoey. “Your brother still has that camera gear, right?”

“Of course C,” Zoey said.

“Alright well tell cousin AK that he has a new mission in life,” she said. “He’s going to follow Alex and Sam like his life depended on it.”

They all nodded. Joe looked confused. “What are you going to do?” he asked.

Casey was hesitant to answer. She knew Joe wouldn’t like it. This would be the first time he would see why exactly she was considered the queen. Casey didn’t start things. She didn’t let things simmer. No, Casey Cartwright finished things. And she was going to finish this -- now. “I’m going to make her wish she had never betrayed us for a guy,” Casey said.

“So basically, you’re going to destroy Sam, your best friend,” Joe tried to understand slowly.

“Ex best friend,” Casey said coldly.

“Wow,” he said simply. She could hear the judgmental tone behind even that one word.

That did it. She didn’t care if she loved him, or if his words somehow always make sense. No, this took it too far, just as everyone today seemed to be taking everything. Casey would be pushed to her limits today, she could tell. Not caring what Joe thought anymore, or what he would say, she turned on him. “You know what Joe? Welcome to our lives. This right here, we earn it and then we have to keep it. I hate having my life on blast on makeascene, but it’s all I have. It isn’t like your fans who love you because you’re hot. You think more than half of them actually like your music? No. Half of those preteen girls are madly in love with your face. So you don’t have to do much to have them eating out of your fingers, just a little hair cut here, a wink and a blown kiss there, and bam they’re eating out of the palm of your hands. But this isn’t your stage. This isn’t Hollywood. This is our lives. And in case you hadn’t noticed, none of this, none of it, would have had to happen if Samantha remembered what friendship was. You really think I’m a bitch? You want to think I’m shallow and superficial? Go the fuck ahead. Just keep your fucking opinions to yourself until you spend a day in my life.”

And with that, she turned and walked away, Marisa and Zoey exchanging a look and following behind her. Joe was standing there, his mouth slightly open, shock clearly on his face. Casey took a deep breath as she continued walking. It felt good to get all that off her chest. It felt good to just give it to him. Damn, the bitch was back.