Chapter Text
Grabbing her notebook and pencil case, Pin began walking out of her biology class, thoughts racing through her mind.
Pin didn’t mind biology. Although science wasn’t her strong suit, she appreciated the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of herself and the world around her. Things like DNA and heredity confused her at times, but she had a strong love for botany.
To most people’s surprise, Pin actually gardened in her free time. She started reading up on Yoyle biology last summer, and she couldn’t resist starting up a Yoyle berry garden in her backyard. She thought she would have to spend hours tending to her plants, but when the seeds she planted instantly sprouted into Yoyle bushes, she became invested in understanding the plant’s biological structure and why they grew so fast.
So despite how busy Pin’s life had been lately, she appreciated today’s lesson on Yoyle biology. Although it’s a rare species of plant, there have been some groundbreaking discoveries about it within the past few decades, and many schools in the area have been quick to include it in their curriculums. Although Pin wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted her future profession to be, she wouldn’t be opposed to being a researcher in the field.
It shocked many people that she had this interest, as she was always talking about some new treat she baked or how sleep deprived she was from a late night study session. Oh, how she hated those, but her goal was to be the best of the best.
It was a pretty hard goal to achieve when students like Golf Ball and Tennis Ball went to her school. Pin pitied herself at her academic rank. 3rd out of 62. Maybe it would be more impressive if the population of the Goiky High School’s junior class wasn’t so small.
Nonetheless, she made up for it in other ways. No one else in their class could claim that they’ve won the Annual Goiky Junior Baker’s Contest four years in a row, and Pin’s leadership skills were impeccable. After all, she was class president in 8th grade.
Class president. The phrase resided in her head like a leech.
Ever since Loser, child star and influencer, transferred to their school halfway through 8th grade, his popularity had won himself class president every year. But now that Loser was moving to Yoylewood to start his acting career, Pin finally had her chance to become class president again. It shouldn’t be hard, she’s done it before. Although she did run unopposed back in middle school.
“Pin? Are you there?” Needle asked as the two walked out of class.
“Huh? Oh, sorry Needle. I must’ve zoned out. What did you say?”
Needle was one of Pin’s best friends. After bonding over the mess of a cake that Needle had baked when they were younger, the two had been close ever since.
“I asked you if you know anyone else running for class president. It’ll be important for you to know how you plan on winning against them.”
Pin scoffed. “Oh please, why would anyone run against me? I ran unopposed in middle school.”
Needle drew air through her teeth. “Well, wouldn’t you want to be prepared? Just in case?” Needle started to sweat. It raised red flags in Pin’s mind.
“Needle, is there something you’re not telling me?”
A smaller figure suddenly came up from behind the two, squeezing himself in between them.
“Pin! Needle! You guys will never believe what I just found out!”
Coiny. One of Pin’s other best friends, and her campaign manager. Ever since Pin and Coiny met, he had always been by her side, always helping her when she needed it.
She needed more Yoyle seeds? He was at the seed shop. She needed a taste tester for one of her new recipes? He was already licking the spoon. She needed emotional support while studying for a big test? He’d pull up with tissues and a shoulder to lean on.
Coiny practically made it his duty to help his best friend in any shape or form, so when Pin asked him to be her campaign manager for the election, he didn’t hesitate to accept the job.
“What did you find out, Coiny?” Needle asked, nervously laughing.
As he opened his mouth to speak, Coiny was cut off by a scream from Pin.
Coiny and Needle’s attention averted to the poster Pin was staring at, right above the water fountain in the hall.
A poster that had a girl’s casual selfie plastered in the middle of it, highlighting her flawless hair and big, flashy smile.
And huge orange letters that said…
PENCIL 4 PRESIDENT!
“WHAT?”
—
Back in her usual outfit, Pencil walked out of the gym locker room, reapplying her lip gloss. Her second favorite lip gloss. That morning, she had looked everywhere for her go-to gloss. She had practically flipped her bedroom upside down looking for it, until she settled on the pinky-nude product she was wearing right now. It didn’t have the same flashing effect as her usual bright pink, but she figured this would do in the meantime.
Closing her compact mirror, she turned to her childhood best friend, Match. They had been stuck to each other by the hip since preschool. When they were younger, they would spend hours talking about clothes and makeup and shoes. They still do this after all these years, but now they’ve added heavy and hurtful gossip to the mix.
“I heard that this morning, Woody slipped on some spilled orange juice. Someone got it on camera too!” Pencil giggled, taking out her phone and showing the video to Match.
It’s not easy being the leader of the most popular clique at school. Pencil spent so much time making sure she wore the trendiest clothes, her hair got recolored on time, and most of all, she was up to date with any and all gossip at her school. Some would say that she should “focus more on her studies,” but that’s utter nonsense for Pencil, especially when she’s got modeling agencies constantly knocking at your door.
The two laughed at the sight of their classmate falling and hitting his head.
“Omg, well I heard that Blocky was the one that spilled it for one of his pranks!” Match added.
The two continued cackling until…
“What’s so funny?” Bubble asked as she came out of the locker room.
Bubble was much nicer than Pencil and Match, but the three had been close since elementary school. Bubble made it very clear that she didn’t like the behavior of her two best friends, but she didn’t have it in her to leave them. She still cared for them, after all. It made Bubble feel better that Match would at least try to be nicer, but it was usually when she spent her time away from Pencil.
Pencil was a different story though. She’d simply brush off Bubble’s pleas to become nicer, claiming that “it’s nothing personal.”
Pencil and Match stifled their laughs.
“Oh, nothing Bubbs. Just saw a funny video,” Match told her, putting an arm around their fragile friend.
“Hmmm, well okay then.”
Match and Bubble always seemed closer for some reason, much to Pencil’s annoyance. They were their own people obviously, but it bothered Pencil whenever she would see the two hanging out without her, which was starting to happen more often.
Pencil tried not to let it get to her though. There were other people in her clique. Ruby, Book, and Ice Cube. Well, she wasn’t necessarily fond of Ice Cube, but Pencil would talk to her in classes when there wasn’t anyone else worthy enough to talk to. Ice Cube was close with Book anyway, so Pencil figured it would make sense to add her to the group.
And Needle. A much newer addition to the group, but a necessary one. Pencil figured they should have at least one athlete in their clique, and track and field seemed like the most acceptable sport. I mean, who else would she have chosen? A football player?
Needle was athletic, but she was also outgoing. She had lots of connections with lots of different friend groups, perfect for collecting gossip. There were the athletes, the nerds, the quiet kids. And Pin’s group.
Oh, how Pencil hated Pin.
What started out as a kindergarten spelling bee rivalry turned into a long five years of competition between the two. Who was better at cleaning up the classroom? Who was better at all the field day games? Who would get the higher score on every test? It was Pin every time.
Pencil gave up in middle school. She figured it wasn’t worth her time trying to fight battles she knew she could never win. The resentment never went away though. Instead of competing, she spent those three years making Pin’s life a living hell.
Pencil was furious when Pin became class president in 8th grade, but she chose to let it go. It wasn’t like Pin would directly be bossing her around as middle school president.
When Pencil decided to run for senior class president, the thought of Pin running did cross her mind, but she figured Pin would be way too busy to fulfill those obligations. Pencil was willing to bet that Pin wouldn’t run.
Pencil shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Match and Bubble were now talking about some new coffee shop that had opened up in the mall.
“Hey!” Pencil interrupted. “How about we go to that coffee shop after school today and talk about what I’m going to do when I become class president? I’m thinking we outlaw sweatpants. They may look cute on us, but not everyone can pull them off the same way we do.”
Match and Bubble exchanged worried glances.
“Uh, Pencil? I don’t know if you’ve heard, but you’re not the only one running.”
Pencil blinked, unbothered. “Oh, well I’m sure I’ll win. I’m popular. Who am I running against?”
Bubble pointed to the poster on the wall, watching in horror as Pencil’s calm demeanor contorted into a look of disgust.
Pencil glared in front of her, seething at the professional mugshot of her elementary school rival. Classy clothes, determined posture.
And bold red letters that said…
Vote Pin for senior class president!
“WHAT?”