✴ SHAPE OF YOU
— CHAPTER SIX: GOOD GIRLS GO BAD

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     ASTRID THREW HER PHONE ON HER BED, the screen lit up with text messages between herself and her former flame, Moose.  Cheryl was also on her ass about her whereabouts at the dance tonight, but after her small meltdown at the cheerleading tryouts, hooking up with her was the last thing on her mind.

     She took her time applying lipstick, sitting in front of her mirror, studying herself as she perfected the art of putting on makeup. Moving her lips together to spread the lipstick so it would cover all of her lips, she pushed the lipstick back into the lid, satisfied when she heard a 'click' sound.

Her annoying brother knocked on the door, interrupting Selena Gomez playing in the background; Astrid's guilty pleasure.

     "What do you want?" she sighed. She stood up straight and her eyes widened once she saw how her brother was dressed. He was cleaned up nicely, hair combed and a suit. He looked like a man to her; she almost didn't recognize him.  "Oh, wow," she said. 

     Archie smiled, wrinkles forming around his eyes. "You don't look half-assed either."

     "Thanks, I guess," she told her brother, standing from her seat.  "Which purse do you think goes better?"

     Archie sighed.  "What options do you have?"

     After a couple of minutes of going back and forth (and Archie's useless advice), Astrid settled on her heart-shaped red purse with a black dress and black and crystal strappy heels.  "Nice!  I'm pretty sure no one can even tell this is the Vivienne Westwood knockoff!"

     "Why would someone be wearing Vivienne Westwood at a high school party?" Archie countered, genuinely confused.

     "And you ruined it.  Thanks, bro," Astrid said, grabbing her purse as she started shooing him out of her room, turning the light off after herself.

     "Whatever, do you need a ride?" he asked her, once both of his feet were off the stairs, holding out a hand to help her jump down the last step like they always did when they were kids.

     "Actually, no.  Moose is picking me up."

     "Great.  Call me when that goes sideways."

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     ASTRID AND MOOSE HAD BARELY danced or talked for that matter.  This whole thing where she was attempting to befriend her ex was proving to be more tiresome than needed.  Moose just spent most of his time goofing around with the rest of the guys.  Astrid was currently standing by a punch bowl, attempting to grab a drink.  A tipsy Reggie made his way over to her, ready to spike the drink.  "Oh no, you're leaving this one alone," she warned him.  A tipsy Reggie backed away, hands in the air. 

     Shaking her head, she poured herself a cup.  It was then when she saw her brother taking to...Ms. Grundy?  She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at them.  Yeah, it was her brother alright.  That hair was unmistakable, and she knew because she'd been cursed with it.  It seemed like they were in a really deep conversation, but then Archie left to go talk to Betty. 

     Saving that thought for later, she decided to head back to the table where the Bulldogs and some various River Vixens and cheerleaders were residing.  Yet still, no sight of Cheryl.  She slid in the seat next to Moose and began drinking her punch.  "I still can't believe you agreed to come with me," Moose whispered to her.

     "I can't either," she brought the cup to her lips.

     Astrid scanned the room for any familiar faces.  She saw Archie dancing with Betty to the current slow song along with Kevin and Veronica doing the same.  God, even Beatriz had a date, which seemed to be going pretty well even though it was Reggie and he swayed tipsy on the dancefloor.  "Wanna dance?" Astrid asked.  Moose's mouth was full of punch so he just shook his head to say no.  She waited until he was done swallowing down the drink.

     "I got to go use the bathroom," he explained.  She nodded, only a little disappointed.  He got up and left, leaving her by herself.  She got up and started walking to Kevin and Veronica, who were walking off the dancefloor.  Archie and Betty still seemed deep in thought.  "Hey guys," Astrid sipped some more of her drink.  Maybe the alcohol beverage wouldn't even be that bad right about now — but alas, she had a rep to protect.  She looked up to the banners of Jason Blossom hanging from the ceiling. "I can't tell if this is a back to school party or a memorial and reminder," Astrid shuddered. 

     Veronica nodded.  "Yeah, odd.  But it's because they haven't found the body, right?" she looked to Kevin, including him.

     Kevin also nodded.  "Yeah, but you also have to remember Cheryl is literally the towns diva.  She has to let everyone know when she breaks a nail."

     "And yet, she hasn't made her usual dramatic efforts to diminish my night," Astrid noted, looking around, half squinting because of the bright lights.  Just as Astrid's eyes landed on a familiar body in a dark corner across the room, Veronica grabbed her attention once again by snaking her hands on Astrid's cheeks, trying to divert her away.

Astrid didn't know much, but she knew to trust her instinct. Ignoring Veronica's pleading attempt to get her attention, she focused her gaze again on the boy who was supposed to be her date, who was also heavily making out with some girl in the back of the room by the exit.

     Astrid's jaw dropped.  "You're kidding.  It's been like two weeks!  And he came with me!" she turned to Veronica in disbelief.

     "Forget about him, come dance with me," Veronica grabbed her free arm, her right. 

     "What?" Astrid asked, confused, as the raven-haired princess drug them out to the dance floor. 

     Veronica had her own cup in her right arm.  "This is such a good song!" the tan-skinned girl exclaimed, obviously letting loose.  Astrid wondered how much she had to drink that night.

     The DJ cranked up the volume and she could suddenly hear it better — the song was 'Good Girls Go Bad' by Cobra Starship.  "2000's much?" Astrid jokingly asked Veronica, who answered her with a laugh.  She tried to look at her surroundings, but Veronica's quick touch to her arm slew those voices in her head.

     They danced to the song, their bodies moving swiftly together to the beat.  They even sang aloud most of the song.  They were having fun, and they didn't need to get drunk to do it.  Just as the song was ending, they heard clapping and looked around at all the high schoolers acknowledging their epic half lip-sync performance. 

     "Veronica," Astrid said sternly, making the dark-haired girl look across into her eyes.  "Thank you," she genuinely smiled at her, to which Veronica smiled back. 

     It was like Veronica read her mind because she nodded and said, "go get him."

Astrid was gonna get him all right. Not get him back though, get revenge on his sorry ass. Veronica's eyes traced all over Astrid's body as she walked away, to the way her curls bounced with every heavy step she took, the way her pale skin peeked out of the cutouts in her raven black dress, the way her arms stood at her side when she was raging. Veronica didn't know much about this girl, but she knew one thing for sure; she wanted to know more.

Astrid ran out of there, not even knowing where she was going. Or at least, she tried to until she bumped into a raven-haired male.

     "Astrid, jeez," she heard Axel mutter.  She hadn't seen the boy all night, but she was in no mood to ask how he was doing.  

     "Sorry about that," she apologized, stepping back.  She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.  Mostly because she was embarrassed.

     "It's okay. . . why are you so mad?" he asked, analyzing her facial expressions.

     Astrid scoffed. "Moose. . . also known as my date."

     "Moose is your date?" Axel questioned, to which Astrid nodded. 

     "Sadly.  I just saw him run out the door, and he barely spoke any words to me all night.  It was a last-ditch effort to work on what we used to have." 

     Axel sighed.  They stood in silence for a few seconds before Axel spoke up.  "You know what makes me feel better when I'm upset at someone?  Getting them back for it."

     Astrid knew her eyes lit up hearing his statement.  "I would, but I don't know where he ran off to." 

     "Well, then it's a good thing I know where he's going," Axel smirked. 

     "Well, what are we waiting for?"

     They pulled up to Sweetwater River in Axel's jeep within a short time.  This is not how she saw her night going.  "This is so not fabulous.  Tell anyone we're out here right now, tonight, you're dead."

     "I doubt anyone would believe I would be lucky enough to be yours for the night, Ast."

     Little did they know, while they were pulling up to the river, a slightly tipsy Beatriz found herself in a game of seven minutes in heaven with someone other than her date.  Not that she was complaining, because she was standing across from her childhood crush, her best friends brother, hipster Prince Harry... Archie Andrews.  Not only was she standing across from him, but she was finding herself more and more swept up in the moment with each passing second, and his large hands on her hips didn't help the situation at all.

     "God, why Sweetwater?" Astrid wandered aloud.

     "Secret gay hangout," Axel offered.

     Astrid ignored him.  "I'm gonna die here."

     When they got close enough to the river by car, Astrid wasted no time getting out, even before Axel put it in park.  "Moose!" she yelled, to which he responded by poking his head out from behind the hood of his car, along with... Kevin.

     Kevin asked what was going on, but Astrid ignored him.  "You've got to be kidding me!" was the first thing that escaped her mouth, directed at a frightened Moose who was desperately trying to button up his shirt.  "You?  And him?"  She let him have it, getting everything off her chest until Axel stepped in.

     "Alright guys, time to give it up," he said, trying to break the two up.  They all started to split up when Astrid gasped, realizing something odd, something floating in the river.  All three males whipped their heads to see what Astrid was staring at and ran to see what it was.  "Oh my God," Axel breathed.

     Jason Blossom always had a habit of ruining high school for her, so of course, in true Blossom fashion, he had to make an appearance on what was already a shitty night post-school dance.  Too bad it was his missing body, to be forever etched in Astrid's mind.  

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SHAPE OF YOU ;
hey wow long time no see