"I'm watching your morning's challenge," Aubrey said, as Courtney opened the passenger side door of her friend's car.

"Don't remind me," Courtney said. She tried to angle her crutches inside without decapitating Aubrey or impaling herself. "I had to live through it."

"The ugly yellow really clashes with everything you own, doesn't it?" Aubrey said, still watching her phone.

"On top of that, I can't move my foot so that cuts out another half of my closest. Thank goodness for wrap-around dresses or I'd be going to school naked. Well in pajamas but it's basically the same thing."

Finally, Courtney managed to get her crutches situated, dumped her backpack onto the floor, and climbed inside. She let out a breath. That took way more work than the stairs and those were her Everest! This did not bode well for the rest of the day.

Aubrey dropped her phone into the center cupholder, having seen the conclusion of Courtney's morning fashion adventures. Cute dress with matching fabric wrapped over the ugly ace bandage. No need to remind everyone of Friday. Though she would be walking around with crutches...Yes, the matching fabric was pointless. At the very least it made Courtney feel more normal.

"How is your ankle?" Aubrey asked, pulling out of the driveway.

"Throwing off my fashion sense." And ugly, yellow, painful, aching, tiring, and annoying. But what were a few verbs compared to the rest of the world's real problems?

Aubrey laughed and Courtney grinned.

"How long are you supposed to be off it?"

"Two weeks."

"Seriously? That's awful. Does that mean you need me to drive you every day? 'Cause I can."

"Only if you don't want me to hitchhike and eventually be murdered for my efforts."

"Well in that case," Aubrey teased. "I want your clothes, so you can hitchhike."

Courtney placed a hand on Aubrey's shoulder, her other hand over her own heart.

"It means a lot to me that my clothes are so amazing that you'd choose them over me."

"In a heartbeat." She glanced at Courtney's dress. "You made that one, right?"

"I did! Makes me think of a vacation in Hawaii."

Clothes. Courtney could talk about clothes. Clothes were uncomplicated. They didn't break up with you. And they didn't start acting weird after years of friendship. And if they did you could always tear them up and sew something new.

"Did you see it?" Aubrey asked.

She sent Courtney a look that could only be pity and could mean she was only referring to one thing: the video of Courtney's humiliation.

Had she seen it? Five times? Nope. That would be weird. Had she wanted to laugh and cry when someone had dubbed over her cry of pain with a screaming goat? Definitely not.

"You know, I'm mildly offended it only has a fifty thousand views. What? Is my embarrassment not worthy of gaining a million views!"

Aubrey let out a relieved laugh. "I don't know how you're handling this so well. I would be under my covers, planning to never leave my house again."

The only way to survive a hard situation is to embrace that situation. I'm embracing it, dad. Just wish it was a little less Out in the Greater Wide World and everything.

"Oh! Are these the posters you slaved over?" Courtney asked, peeking into the back seat.

"Yes. What do you think?"

The posters were bright with bold letters telling her to vote for Lynn for Senior Class President. Well, they would be able to be seen from space, so that was a plus. Maybe some bored astronaut would throw in their vote.

Everything can be said in an encouraging way, you just have to find it.

"Definitely going to get people's attention," Courtney said.

"Right!"

Courtney spotted a bag full of something colorful on the floor behind Aubrey's seat. Straining her arm, she grabbed it and set it on her lap. The bag was full of individually wrapped candies. Courtney took one out and saw Vote for Lynn written on the candy.

"Isn't it great?" Aubrey asked.

Wrapped candies with vote for Lynn written on them...These could not be bought over the weekend. In fact, Courtney imagined they would take at least two weeks to be ordered and shipped.

Two weeks.

This means that Lynn...was prepared! A go-getter. Planning for the future. Out to make her mark. A mark she just forgot to tell Courtney about until Friday. Totally and 100% not a big deal whatsoever.

"I wish I had done this for my Sophomore campaign," Courtney said. "This is brilliant and delicious!"

"I know. But your strategy still worked too."

It had. Courtney had taken everything her parents taught her about marketing and put it into action. Instead of mass advertising, she'd selected a direct marketing route. Door-to-door campaigning. Or more specifically put, clique-to-clique campaigning. At the end of the week, she knew hundreds of students' names and won in a landslide.

But hey, maybe candy was a better way to go.

Aubrey swung her car into an open spot in the school parking lot and hopped out. Courtney did not hop. It was more of a half fall, wiggle, pull up, and drag herself out of the car type scenario, but she was sure it was just as graceful as Aubrey's hop.

As Aubrey gathered up her posters, candy, and backpack, Courtney manhandled - or was it womanhandled? - her crutches out of the clutches of the car. Piece of cake!

No, forgot the cake. Courtney no longer liked cake. It had been a piece of pie.

"What do you think?" Aubrey said, spreading out her hands.

Only then was Courtney able to see Aubrey's t-shirt. It had Vote for Lynn on it surrounded by swirls of color that were vibrant but not overbearing. Courtney would know who'd designed that any day. Miles.

Miles had designed Lynn's campaign t-shirt. He could create that design in an hour. Having t-shirts made with that design took longer than candy. Which...was totally fine. Again, Lynn was being prepared.

"Super cute! I'm bummed I didn't get one," Courtney said.

"Lynn thought it would be strange since you are going against each other."

"True. I would be a traitor to myself. And if I'm not for me, who would be?"

"So true! I'll see you later, I'm meeting up with Brit to hang these posters around school."

"See you. Thanks for the ride."

Aubrey waved and jogged off towards the main courtyard. Courtney followed, just not at a jog. More like a swing/walk pace. Trips around the house meant Courtney wasn't completely awkward with the crutches anymore. Had she purposely practiced so she didn't make an idiot of herself? Well ladies and gentlemen of the press, she would neither confirm nor deny that statement.

"Cory!"

Courtney found the yelling offender as he raced over to her.

"Tell me," Kyle, best friend to Aiden which put them in a weird place, said. "Did it hurt-"

"When I fell from heaven?" Courtney asked. "You know it did. I had a concussion for a week."

Kyle snorted. "Aiden told me about what happened. If you need a shoulder to cry on, mine is always available."

Stellar best friend. Aiden was a lucky guy.

"You know I would take you up on that but you're a lot taller than me and to reach that shoulder would take so much work. Eh, I'll just find someone else."

"Oh, cold. I'm voting for Lynn because of that."

"You do that."

Kyle shook his head and walked away. Before Courtney barely made it another foot, someone else approached her.

"Did you see it?" a girl, Courtney was pretty sure her name was Madison, asked.

"A video showcasing one of my most embarrassing moments. No, I think I missed that one."

Madison laughed. "How's your ankle?"

"Ugly and yellow."

"It looks good with the matching fabric though."

"Silver lining."

Embracing. I'm embracing. I'm going to embrace the crap out of this situation.

"How's your ankle?" a group of junior boys asked, walking up to her.

Courtney stuck it out and moved it one way and then the other. A terrible decision since it made the pain flare up but she kept that from showing.

"You know, Ted," she said. "On a scale of a broken wrist to a stubbed toe, I say it's about a bruised knee."

"That sucks," Ted said, though from the way he stared at her with a happy grin she figured he was more interested in the fact that she'd remembered his name.

Or maybe he drew pleasure from people's pain. It was hard to tell.

Before Ted could say something else, Courtney spotted Micah across the courtyard, standing with a group of seniors, one of whom was Angry Biker Girl. Or in Micah's case, his new lady love.

Excusing herself, she made her way towards the group, half the school stopping her as she went to ask how she was doing or to laugh with her over the video. With each interaction, Courtney succeeded in making the other party smile.

When she finally reached the group, she felt like she was going to have bruises under her arms for the rest of her life and was grateful for the chance to stay in one spot for a minute. Her appearance caused a range of reactions: most of the group looked confused, Micah looked surprised, and Max looked disinterested.

"Ah," Max said. "The Queen has come to converse with the commoners."

This received a few laughs from the group.

"Only 'cause it's Monday," Courtney said with a bright smile.

Micah chuckled then ducked his head when Max glanced at him.

"What are you here for?" Max asked.

Second day at this school and already a leader of a small group, Courtney respected a girl with that type of confidence. Even if this girl seemed to loathe Courtney. Maybe it was the offer to show her around, sometimes being polite just pissed people off apparently.

"I wanted to say thank you to Micah," Courtney said. "I appreciated you helping me out. My hero."

She softened her voice at the end, bringing a rush of blood to Micah's face and making Max eye her warily. Hopefully, Micah remembered their conversation from Saturday and didn't think she was randomly flirting with him. Though it got a reaction from Max so that was something.

"Also," Courtney said, turning her attention to a boy and girl next to Micah. "I wanted to ask something of...it's Juan and Sophie, right?"

They both blinked in shock.

"I'm impressed," Max said. "You managed to guess their names."

What was this girl's deal?

"I know them," Courtney said. "But I honestly know their usernames more." She smiled at the pair. "I follow your art profiles and I love what you do." The pair flushed and exchanged a look. "I was wondering if you would be willing to put some of your art skills to work with Homecoming decorations."

"So you want them for slave labor?" Max said.

Yes, obviously! But I left my whip in my car otherwise I wouldn't have bothered with asking in the first place. Jeez, was this girl serious? Courtney said she'd help Micah and so she'd refrain from snapping at the girl.

Breathe. Comments only have as much power as you give them.

"The PC term is volunteering," Courtney said. "Or in this case school spirit."

That made Juan and Sophie laugh and Courtney focused on that.

"Technically, the Senior Class President is over Homecoming and I don't have that title. But I wanted to reach out early so you'd have the chance to think about being part of it."

"What would we be doing?" Juan asked.

"Your art. I have an idea for the dance, but I don't want to share it just yet unless it jinx's everything."

"Or you mean you lose?"

Courtney beamed at Max. "I like the term vanquished by my opposition but sure losing works too."

This time everyone laughed and Micah grinned at her.

"Juan, Sophie. Think it over. And keep up the good work. Your stuff is really good." She took a step back but paused. For you, Micah. May Angry Biker Girl be worth it. "By the way, Micah, you look good in that shirt."

Everyone looked at him, including Max, as Courtney left them. To his credit, Micah had chosen a shirt that fit him better. His hair still needed work and his overall wardrobe could be revamped but baby steps.

Courtney's journey to her locker followed the same routine as her journey to Micah's group. Luckily, she was able to recycle lines because she was pretty sure her arms were going to fall off soon and yes, she was most certainly bruising under her arms.

Note to self: when using crutches don't go sleeveless. Such a bad idea.

By the time Courtney made it to her locker she thought Aubrey's plan of hiding under her covers sounded nice right then. Especially when Lynn popped up close by, taping one of her posters to the wall.

"The posters and the t-shirts look good," Courtney said.

No burning bridges. Definitely not four-year-old bridges.

Lynn faced her, smiling but not meeting Courtney's eyes. That meant she did see Courtney's bandaged ankle.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"You know how I wore orange pants that one time and looking back I thought that would be the death of me, that incident might have been downgraded by this."

Lynn shook her head, but with a smile. "You're handling it all like you always do, perfectly."

"I think perfect would mean I didn't fail to land my backflip."

Lynn nodded and gazed out at the tableau of passing students.

"Did Miles design the logo for the t-shirts?" Courtney asked.

Lynn blushed. "Yeah."

"Look, if this is your way of trying to get his notice, I'd say to not try. He didn't even notice I'd sprained my ankle when I went into his room yesterday."

Lynn laughed. "Of course, he wouldn't. Him and his own little world."

"I know. A bomb could go off and he wouldn't notice until he dropped dead of radiation poisoning."

They smiled at each other. What was a campaign or the title of Senior class President compared to four years of friendship?

Lynn's smile faltered.

"Can I have some of those candies?" Courtney asked. "I can help pass them out."

"You would do that?"

"I never liked Courtney Hart's campaign slogan anyway. I'm switching sides, becoming a double agent."

Twisting her backpack around, Lynn took out a bag of candies. Courtney locked away the questions of why not earlier? Why keep it a secret? What did I do? Answers were overrated.

"I can't carry a bag but I'll put some in my pockets."

"A dress with pockets."

"There's no other type of dress to wear!"

"True. Look, I have to keep hanging up these posters."

"Say no more. The campaign comes first."

Only when Lynn walked away did Courtney think over her choice of words. Weeks of knowing she wanted to run and never telling Courtney until the last minute. Maybe those words were truer than she thought.

Or Courtney was gazing out at the courtyard like a dramatic teenager and needed to get over it. Yeah, that second one sounded better.

She made her way to the Council room and hopefully to a chair with a second for her ankle, also possibly someone she could ask to find her an ice pack. But right as she reached the door, Aiden appeared. Like the Ghost of Christmas future, here to haunt and bother me.

"Hey, Aiden," Courtney said.

He stared at her. Had she been too perky? Was he expecting a crushed soul and a battered countenance? He couldn't see her soul and she'd spent fifteen minutes on her makeup so both were a no-go.

"Hey," he said. "I wanted to see how you were doing?"

My ankle? Or my heart you supposedly broke Friday but have yet to produce tears or strong grieving emotions past the initial announcement? Both of which are confusing.

"Today can't be worse than Friday so I'm seeing it as a positive."

"Oh."

He shifted uncomfortably. Though Courtney thought that was supposed to be her status. After all, he was the dumper and she the dumpee. Bleh, still hated that stupid word.

"Right. Because everything has a bright side with you. See you around, Cory."

Was that a parting shot? If so, what in the world did it mean? And why did he sound wounded when he'd been the one to make the shot. Can this day be over already?

Courtney pushed open the Council room door and Miguel raised his head from his phone.

"Are you planning to ask me about my ankle or my breakup?" she asked.

"No. Because I'm guessing everyone else already has. I'm going to ask you if you're ready to work."

Thank goodness for pragmatic people like Miguel.

**********************************************************************

WHATS UP DUDETTES?

(Compliments of holywaterose from A Secret Service greetings suggestion section. Heehee I really liked that alliteration.)

Now is the time! Now is the day! Now is the moment when you give your thoughts away! 🗯💭💬

Ah nuggets the rhyming is back! Shall I never be free of this curse! Or will it forever chase me and snatch my purse! ...

Moving on, cause it only goes down hill from there!

It's chapter 4: What ships do you see in sight?

I'm all for the ship where someone hugs Courtney because good gracious! How can she handle having that embarrassing of a Youtube video about her! I'd die!

Thoughts given in single words or emojis for:

Aiden.

Lynn.

Miguel!

That last one should be easy, it should just be a string of heart emojis! I love him. I know I shouldn't play favorites but I love him!

Come on team lets see you vote! Comment! FOLLOW!! WOOOOOO!!!

(Told you it would only get worse!)

One last thing, which do you prefer:

Short author's notes.

Long author's notes.

I don't read author's notes so I'm not even seeing this!