Trouble Ch 1

Chapter 1: Shots Fired

“If Bog King’s middle name is Misery, then mine is Trouble.”

Marianne spoke confidently to herself in the mirror, ready to begin the process of getting ready.  Something had changed within her, and something was not the same: her.

No more Miss Prim and Perfect Marianne, slightly odd but tolerated because she’s the principal’s daughter and dating the senior student council president/varsity football captain.

Marianne shook her head repeatedly as she thought about how stupid she had been.  Had she really liked Roland and helped him that much? And for what? He was already going to college on a football scholarship.  He got by alright, and she, as head of the National Honor Society, helped him make the grade.  She regretted that.  All of it.

Rip!

There went one long dress.  One sign of her acceptance of what was expected of her, by her father and Roland.  Modest and proper, even if Roland told her on occasion (often, now that she thought clearly about it) to wear something a little more low cut and show off her “feminine assets”.

Pig.  That was all he was.  A shallow, power-hungry, lying, cheating, chattering pig who only pretended to like her so that he could be the first to have sex with her, and no doubt gain points with her dad as he prepared for college. 

It was a good thing she had caught him when she had, necking with that girl in green from the National Honor Society the day of Senior Prom.  Otherwise, she may have gone with him and attended that wild party where the house was wrecked, with plenty of alcohol and drugs to go around.  She heard the whispers about it afterward from people sneering behind her back.

Try to drug her and get her alone, would he?

“I think not!”

With another angry stab, three more dresses had been cut, jagged edges all around.  The skirts received equal treatment as well.  It was time to test the limits and break through, away from this image she had created, concealing her feelings so that she was accepted.  Now, she did not care about acceptance, and it felt good, so freeing. 

What else could she do? Her shirts.

Gone were the light pastels so favored on her, and instead she found all her dark clothing, especially purple.  Purple was her favorite color, and she would wear it as much as she liked.  She would donate the rest to charity, all those “gifts” that Roland had given her. 

Roland wanted to see her look more modern? Well, she could do that without him.  If he did not like it, then he could get his attorney to plead his case because she was free of him, and she was never going back!  

“Appropriate outfit, complete with things people would be shocked to see me wear? Check.  What else am I missing?” she asked, tapping her face.  “Of course.  As Dawn would say, I need to accessorize!”

Marianne went to her jewelry box.  She had liked flowers in her hair, or some nice pearl earrings.  Not now. 

Tonight, she found her studded bracelets (they had been free with another purchase, not originally intended, but liked) and began wrapping her wrists repeatedly.  At least now she was ready to punch the lights out of that rat who calls himself Roland.

Marianne had no doubt that Roland had plans to make up to her tonight, as he had been trying for weeks to do now.  He had sung “C’mon Marianne” already, so she had no idea what other cheesy things he would sing to her, or try to do tonight.  As long as he did not try spiking her drink.  If any sort of drug or opiate was given to her to send her out of her head, then she would make sure he rued the day that he did so.  He would not be able to play football when she finished with him, or at least he would never have children.

At some point that night, Roland would be castrated, defenestrated, or decapitated, and she was amenable to any and all options opened to her during those twenty-four hours she spent locked up with him and the rest of the senior class.     

But back to accessories.  If she was going to see Dawn and save the day, then she was going to do so in style for the full look.  In addition to the bracelets, several golden rings with purple jewels were added, and Marianne twirled her fingers to enjoy the effect.  Then hitting people’s faces would feel good. 

The only thing needed was some purple nail polish before she really shined there.  It would not hinder her punch now (her nails were normally short), but it would give her more confidence, which she needed right now for what she was about to do.

Bang! Bang!

Marianne’s heels, uncomfortable and impractical things that they were, flew against the back side of her closet, never to be brought out again unless it was a true emergency.  She was through with playing by the rules of someone else’s game, and she would wear the comfortable tennis shoes she loved.

Next was makeup.  She did not wear much besides a little blush and lipstick, but tonight she added eyeshadow, as dark a purple as she owned.  Her eyes were wild, and she wanted all to see that she had changed.

As the brunette stared into the mirror, she could not help but think that something was missing.  She turned her head about until at last she came upon it: her hair.  That long braid that she had been growing for years sat heavily on her back, reminding her of how much her father and Roland liked it.  No more.

Marianne took some scissors and pulled a Rapunzel, cutting off her braid.  It was amazing how light her head felt! She shook her head back and forth, letting the remaining hair fly out in all its spiky directions.  She brushed and styled the hair, and once she was satisfied with that, she declared herself ready to face the judgmental world of high school.

No one was in the house now.  Her father and Dawn were already at the senior lock-in, and Marianne could not wait to see their faces.  Her dad would have a heart attack and swoon, and Dawn would be a little surprised at first, and then love the look. 

And that’s the only time Dawn’s going to be surprised tonight.  No one else is going to interrupt this special night that she planned so much for, not Roland, or Bog King and his merry little band of goblin nerds.

Marianne remembered the half-whispered (by Stuff), half-shouted (by Thang) conversation she had heard earlier that day.  It was at the beginning of the last class of the day, A.P. Calculus, and the two sat behind her in a corner.  She heard every word of their conversation.

~--Flashback--~

“Have you got all the supplies in your locker?” whispered Stuff.

“Sure do!” replied Thang in his normal voice.

“Keep it down, Thang.  We don’t want anyone to know what we’re planning for tonight.”

“Come on, Stuff, it’s no big deal.  Heck, we don’t even know all the plans for the lock-in tonight.  The only one who does know the plan is Bog because he’s the one who made them.  We’re just helping to gather supplies before setting up all the pranks.  It’ll be a night no one forgets.”

“We’re going to finally show those jerks, especially those jocks, who’s in charge around here, and it’s going to be great,” said Stuff smugly, punching a fist into her other hand.

“Yeah, especially since you know who won’t go to avoid His Royal Prettiness,” added Thang laughing.

“She wouldn’t do anything anyway, seeing as she plays by the rules, Miss Prim and Perfect over there,” said Stuff in a whisper.

The teacher called class to start, or else Marianne would have listened to more.  For the rest of the class, she fumed.  It was fine to take revenge on the jocks.  It was one thing to insult her, as she did not care, but it was another thing entirely to plan to ruin her sister’s plans for the lock-in, Dawn being head planner as student council president.  That was when Marianne decided that she was attending that lock-in, come Roland or the zombie apocalypse.  She was not going to let them get away with that.  Nobody messed with her sister!

~--End of Flashback--~

Marianne could feel tears pricking her eyes as she remembered that conversation, despite her protests to not caring.  Those two really had no filter or did not care, seeing as she was only a couple seats in front of them.  It had hurt momentarily, but it made her wake up and see what she had become: a quieter, teary-eyed, surly (at least with regard to Roland and the black eye she had given him the first time she had seen him) girl who just let anyone do as they pleased because that was what was expected of her, to just listen.  She liked to think that she was blazing a trail with her ideas and becoming a teacher, but truly, all she had done was listen to what people expected her to do, especially her father, the former teacher.  She talked about her ideas, but nothing had ever been done.

Until now.  She was a woman of action, and she would prove that tonight.  She would show them and everyone else just what she was made of.  She may not like to cause trouble, but if done for a good reason, then she had all the reason she needed.  Bog King was nothing but trouble, and she intended to put him in his place. 

One last check was made in her car’s reflection before Marianne took in a big breath and let it out.  She looked different.  That was good.  None of their opinions mattered, as they did nothing to help her get out of that relationship with Roland, or else they thought her weak.  She could do this.  It was too late for second-guessing or to go back home and sleep; it was time to trust her instincts and take the leap.

“I’m trouble.  I disturb my class because I am a strong, independent woman, and I don’t need a guy to tell me what to do.  Love has made me weak.  Let’s show those jerks the real Marianne, the one not afraid to cause a little trouble.”

As Marianne marched toward the door, adrenaline pumped through her veins.  Energy she had thought gone after years of self-defense and karate lessons (stopped soon after dating Roland) now came back to her with clarity. 

The fear of Roland being there was gone.  The fear that she would not be able to stop the pranks dissipated.    The fear of disapproval fled.  Marianne felt so free in that moment, lifted high by her emotions, that she felt as though she could fly! And fly she did through that door, to crash the delicate plans Bog had made.

Before she slammed the door open, Marianne was the topic of conversation for two different reasons.

In the men’s bathroom, Roland bragged to his three cronies about his plans for the night.

“Everything is ready.  Marianne will ignore me for most of the night, but eventually I’ll cut in.  When I give you the first signal, spring the trap with her sister.  I’m going to get into Marianne’s good graces tonight, and she will love me.  To seal the deal, have that little vial ready when I give the second signal.  Then she’ll agree to come home with me.  Got it?”

The triplets nodded, slapped hands, and then swaggered out the door behind Roland.  In a stall on the opposite of the room, Bog finally got off of his makeshift perch on a toilet so that he could listen to the conniving four.  The information made him curious and hate Roland even more than he already did.

It was a well-known fact that Bog King was not someone to cross.  He had enough knowledge of computers and machinery to make himself dangerous, having helped the school custodians fix things for years.  He had a mischievous streak that only reared its ugly head when someone made fun of him or his (granted limited) friends, and he knew that Roland had always called him King of the Dorks or Nerds, depending on the day. 

Then there was all the bullying that Thang dealt with, Stuff always coming through with her right hook, causing her to be suspended on multiple occasions.  Were it not for the fact that she was bored in class, no doubt she would have fallen behind.  They all liked staying indoors as much as he did, content with the glow of the computer rather than people, giving them and a few others in the science club the nickname of goblins for their ways.

All of that combined to give Bog plenty of reasons to start planning months in advance for what he would do to his fellow classmates so that they knew who would have the last laugh.  It was not hard to get onto the school network and find the plans made for the lock-in, and he had been staying extra late at night to leave certain items around for the big night.  Once the stuff started getting set-up the night before, he snuck in and made modifications.

But that was not on his mind right now.  Marianne was, and he was curious if she would come, and how she would deal with Roland’s antics.  He walked back to his friends, lost in thought.

“What’s on your mind, monkey-butt?” said Stuff jokingly.  She had a love for name-calling, which usually got her in trouble, and Bog dealt much better with her names now.

“Barbie Boy was in the bathroom.  I listened to him and his goons talk about what they planned to do to Marianne Fairfield tonight.”

“Told you he was thinking about her!” said Stuff to Thang with pride.

“What’s this about Marianne? How’d you know?” said Bog with disbelief.

Thang pointed at Bog’s face before saying, “Your smile.”

Stuff added, “You’re so easily distracted when you talk about her for reasons I don’t understand.  It’s not like she’s anything all that great.”

Bristling, Bog said, “Well, she’s dealing with a lot of crap right now because of His High and Mightiness and-“

“You acted like this before all that,” replied Stuff.

“She’s such a good girl, and to hang around with that piece of trash…. It always made me wonder what went on in her head.”

It was a true statement.  Ever since he had transferred in two years ago, she had been Miss Nice Girl, and yet dated Roland.  It made no sense to him.  She deserved better.  He never really spoke to her, as their circles only met in certain honors classes, and she stayed with her lady friends. 

But ever since the break-up, she had been alone, other than the time she walked with her sister and Sunny.  Bog found out that Roland had cheated on her, and he felt for Marianne, as a fellow someone who had been hurt by love.  But that was it.  He certainly did not smile or think about her as much as his friends implied.

He started to defend himself when the doors banged open, and in marched Marianne. 

But she was not the same Marianne as earlier that day.  No, she was wearing purple and a short skirt, dressed and acting in a way quite different for her.  She looked angry.  She looked good angry.

Marianne pushed the doors open in front of her, and for a moment, her arms remained there.  Then, they swung back, held out at a sixty degree angle from her before she let out a scream, a battle cry in Bog’s mind.  Her arms flew forward again as the song on the radio changed to “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin, and Marianne flew into the hall outside the auditorium and stood in front of Bog, a dark look on her face.

All it took was one well-placed punch to the jaw for Bog to know that someone had told her what he planned to do.

“Stay away from my sister, you scaly-backed cockroach!”

Bog expected that kind of name to be uttered by Stuff, not Marianne.  Nor did he realize that she could pack a punch.  She may have just declared war on him, but if she was this exciting all night, at least he was going to enjoy it.

“Who said I planned to harm your sister?” he said, teeth grinding as he struggled not to hit her.  His body said fight, but his mind said not yet.  He waved away Stuff and Thang, both ready to hold her down at his signal.

“If not her, then all the plans she has made for this night.  You are not going to ruin this for her.  I will fight you if I have to-“

Marianne threw out another punch, and Bog was ready this time.  He held her fist in his much bigger hand, and gave her a smug grin.

“You’ll have plenty of time to do that later, Miss Prim and Perfect.  There’s even a ring ready for us in the all purpose room.  Meet me there at nine and don’t be late.  Just be careful about breaking a nail.”

Bog continued to smile and put out his other hand when Marianne tried to punch him with her left hand.

“I’ll have your head on a stick!” she spit out.

“Just keep talking like that, and you’ll be kicked out, Miss Perfect.”

“As long as you’re with me, Bog.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Marianne, if it helps you feel better.”

Bog shoved Marianne away onto the ground and strolled off, a spring in his step.  His night had just become ten times better, as he would have some competition to get everything done.  He liked a challenge, and she was a new and unexpected one.  Different, and he liked her idea of different.

Stuff and Thang followed in their leader’s wake, heading to a supply closet on the other side of the auditorium.  Once both were standing in front of the door, Bog pushed them both against the door and started screaming.

“Which one of you smart ones leaked out our plan? To her, no less.  Who?”

Both gave equally shocked looks and shook their heads.  Then something dawned in both faces.

“You tell him, Thang.  He likes you more.”

“I’m waiting,” said Bog with impatience.

Thang squeaked out, “You see, we didn’t even mention it until the last class of today, as we were so excited to be helping you.  The people in front of us were all talking, so we figured no one would listen to us, as usual.  But Marianne sits in front of us a couple rows, and I guess she heard us.  We didn’t mention anything specific, promise! Just that we planned to cause some trouble tonight and get people back.”

“We certainly said nothing to make her go and change her entire appearance like that,” added Stuff.

“I don’t know what you two said exactly, but you’ve made this night harder.  We should be able to distract her, and if not, then I’ll use her to get where I need to.  Go get the feathers.  We have a vice principal to surprise.”

At that, Bog went further down the wall to where the electrical switchboard was located, and conveniently locked.  Once he opened it, he turned a switch on a small, black box and closed the door.  The other two had the bags of hot honey and feathers.

On the other side of the room, the vice principal opened the doors and asked all the students to assemble.  Marianne made a beeline for the center seat, but she saw that it was taken by Brutus.  Not encouraging.  Her spidey-senses about something going wrong tingled more when Bog sat next to Brutus, his two other friends on opposite ends of the front row.  Marianne decided to sit close to Thang, to try to scare him.

For a while, the vice principal talked, describing the various activities planned for the night.  After having a Fairy Land theme for prom, the lock-in’s theme was The Dark Forest, with lots of cheesy names for activities.

For the first half of the night, there would be a track with go-carts to ride (called Dragonfly Drives), a ring with punching bags and boxing gloves (AKA, Rumbling Roaches), music and dancing (declared The Ugly Bug Ball), and the school pool was open (aptly called The Pond).  Then, everyone would gather to have the senior talent show. 

For the second half of the lock-in, more events were available: massage chairs to relax (christened Mossy Massages), a Vegas room (complete with a name like Viva Las Vegetations), sports to play in one half of the gym (Fungi Fun Times, wherever that came from), and more music and dancing in the other side of the gym.  When those events ended, class elections and baby pictures would be shared, and then the lock-in would end. 

Of course, there was food being supplied at the Centipede Café throughout the night, for whatever cravings the students had.  The junior year student council members and National Honor Society were taking shifts serving food. 

As the vice principal finished up his speech, Marianne saw Thang’s shoulder twitch.  She started to get up, but she was too late.

The vice principal said, “All the doors are locked.  Let the night begin!”

And night did begin, by having all the lights go off in the auditorium.  Then, Marianne heard a screech from the man on stage.  The lights turned back on, and all the students laughed at the yellow chicken now standing in front of them.  The chicken made high-pitched noises before running off the stage.

Marianne looked at Bog, and sure enough, he was laughing deeply, twirling a rope around his arm.  As much as Marianne wanted to be mad at Bog for doing that, she understood why Bog had done that.

It was a well-known fact that the vice principal loved football, coaching for middle school students.  In their private school, Henson High, he always sided with Roland and the rest of the football players, a few times unfairly.  Marianne had seen some of the arguments, and she had felt bad at the time, but Roland had always convinced her that as rough and nasty as they were, they deserved it.  She had gone along with it then, and now she was ashamed of herself for compromising like that.  But Bog had taken care of him good now.

Marianne turned back to see that Thang had fled the scene, now far away from her and close to Stuff.  Bog was also gone, but Roland decided to appear just then.

“Is that my Marianne, my buttercup? My, sweet babies, what happened to you?”

Roland had not gotten a good look at Marianne until after asking the first question.  Then he was shocked.

Marianne waltzed up to Roland, feigning a grin.

“Do you like it, Roland? I recall you saying at one point that I ought to show off my feminine assets.  Is that good enough for you?”

Marianne wiggled her hips as she teased him.  Roland gaped.

“Sure, buttercup, whatever you’re comfortable with-“

“Well, too bad! It’s not for you!” cried Marianne, pulling back an arm and punching Roland, making him fall back and hit his head on one of the metal seats. 

“You think you’re right about us being together, but you were wrong! You tried to take me for a ride and trick me, but I’m not a fool.  I’ll never trust you again.  You better run and hide, Roland, because if I see your sorry face again tonight, I’m going to give you matching black eyes.”

With a dazzling smile, Marianne walked out the other way of the auditorium toward the gym.  She felt so much better now!

From the back of the room, Bog and his three closest friends snickered at Roland as he fell back, hit his head, and moaned like a baby at Marianne’s words.

“Looks like Miss Prim and Perfect is done playing by the rules,” said Stuff at last.

“Sure does,” said Bog, “so you know what that means: Let me handle her.”

“Gee Bog, what do you want to do tonight?” asked Thang, concern in his voice.

“The same thing we do every night as we have for the last few weeks, Thang.  Try to take over the school and cause chaos.”

“But what about Marianne?”

“What about her, Stuff? She is a minor hindrance.  In fact, we’ll be able to use her to our advantage.”

“How?”

“Leave that to me,” said Bog with a smug grin as he looked at Roland.  “I’ll talk to her.  Actually, we might even get lucky.  She may want to join us in taking down the same people who hurt her.  But for now, you have your orders.  Release the chaos!”

The group scattered, leaving Bog alone in the room.  He rubbed his hands together and headed in the direction of the cafeteria, listening for the screams as actual bugs appeared in the hallway.