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“Is the tie overkill?”
Gretchen Wieners looks up from her phone where one of the most disappointing texts of her life is still illuminated on screen.
“Is that Jason?”
Her eyes widen in alarm. “No!”
Regina George looks at her skeptically through her reflection in the full length mirror. “Gretch, don’t text him.”
“I’m not,” she flushes, hoping Regina wouldn’t do something like ask for her phone again. Quite frankly, the contents of her inbox were dismal and her sent folder was borderline humiliating.
Jason <3 6:32 PM
Didnt knw u wanted 2 go :( already asked taylor
Was this guy obtuse? Didn’t know she wanted to go? When Gretchen had been dropping hints that were the size of Jupiter all month? Puh-lease.
She turns her attention to her friend. The outfit was date-type cute - leather mini with a white tank and black peep-toe heels - but maybe the striped necktie was a tad overboard. The Avril look was way too scrappy for someone like Regina.
“Maybe you can wear the tie as a headband?” She suggests.
Regina grimaces.
“O-or around your hips? Like a sort of belt?”
“Hmmm,” Regina tilts her head. “Yeah, maybe that could work.”
Gretchen sighs in relief. Crisis averted.
“Is that what you’re wearing?” The blonde asks as she loops the tie loosely by her skirt.
She looks down at her outfit. The jeans were old but Juicy and the henley and cami she had on were brand new from Abercrombie.
“Yes?” Her palms start to sweat. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, but,” Regina starts, struggling to get the knot of the tie to lay flat. “We’re going to a college campus. Don’t you want to wear…less?”
“Oh.” She did have a point. This wasn’t some shindig at Shane’s house or whatever; this was an actual party on Greek row. Gretchen had no idea what college guys were into, but Regina’s assumption that it was probably something skimpier than what she had on was probably correct. Damn.
“Borrow anything of mine,” Regina offers, gesturing to the open door of her walk-in.
This was something Gretchen secretly loved. Grabbing things from Regina’s closet was like wearing a bulletproof vest for criticism and insults, guaranteeing her approval and sparing Gretchen the exhaustion of lamenting over what to wear.
She obviously had to work with her current footwear though; she and Regina’s shoe sizes were far apart.
She sifts through hangers filled with trendy clothes, some of them designer, most of which still had the tag on. What went with patent red wedges?
“So has Jason asked you to Spring Fling?” Regina’s voice filters through the door.
Gretchen feels her pulse kick up. “No,” she plucks a pair of dark semi-sheer capri pants and holds it against herself, hands shaking slightly. “He asked Taylor Wedell, apparently.”
Her friend’s blonde head peeks into the closet. “You’re effing joking.”
Yeah, the capris are sexy enough, Gretchen thinks to herself as she peels off her jeans. “Nope.”
“Seriously,” Regina scoffs, sounding just as incredulous as Gretchen feels. “Is there any redeeming factor to this guy? He cannot keep stringing you on like this.”
She opens a few drawers before retrieving a lace demi-cup bra and flinging it towards the brunette, who catches it in time, just before it smacks her in the face. “Here, ditch the overshirt, keep the cami, but change into this.”
Gretchen holds the underwear up. “Reg, this’ll be seen through my top.”
“Um, yeah? That’s the point?”
She didn’t want to be the only one in such revealing clothing. What if college guys thought she was a slut? “Well, what do you have on?”
Regina bobs up and down on her heels, just enough for her boobs to jiggle. “Nothing.”
Gretchen stares at her and the barest hint of nipples that can be seen against the stark white cotton.
Regina and her nipples stare back.
They both burst into fits of giggles.
“Fine,” Gretchen laughs, removing the henley and switching out her sensible VS push-up for lacy lingerie. This type of thing was normally Karen’s forte. Believe it or not, Gretchen was the most conservative among her friends, only ever taking cues from Regina because she led by example. So if Regina said it was okay…
“Then wear your hair up,” she says, gathering Gretchen’s curls into a messy bun and sticking a hair pin through it. “And then…” she looks around, fingers stimming. “And theeeeen,” she reaches over and picks up a pair of mismatched hoops. “Pick, yellow gold or white gold?”
Gretchen looks at the earrings. “You want me to wear those?”
Regina rolls her eyes. “Obviously not together. Just pick one.”
“But,” she says, bending down to put her shoes back on. “I thought hoops were your thing.”
“What? When did I say that?”
“Two Christmases ago,” Gretchen replies, slightly annoyed. She had a gorgeous pair of white gold hoops at home that she permanently blacklisted from her closet because of that stupid rule Regina made up. How could she not remember?
“Oh,” Regina frowns. She holds up the silver one by Gretchen’s face. “Well these would look really good with what you have on now.”
“So, I’m allowed to wear hoops again?”
“You’re allowed to wear anything that makes you look good,” Regina fires back. “They’re here if you want them,” she says, setting the jewelry down on her vanity. “I recommend the white gold ones - same as my necklace. We can match!”
Then she heads to her en suite, probably to fix her makeup or something, and Gretchen’s left to pick up her shed clothes, reeling at just how much Regina’s changed in the past few months.
This whole situation was ludicrous to begin with. Since when did Regina George gatecrash frat parties? And all in the name of supporting a “friend” who also happened to be the guy she was in love with? Gretchen almost thought she was joking when she’d called earlier that afternoon.
Karen was so going to regret missing out. She had some lame dinner she had to attend with her parents tonight and as much as Gretchen was going to miss her friend, she relished being the one Regina could turn to for these things. This was uncharted territory - both the gate crashing thing and the Regina being in love thing - and she was going to be privy to both. Not to mention the amount of inside jokes and stories that were going to be birthed tonight.
That being said, Gretchen was pretty sure she liked this Regina more. Less self-absorbed, less moody, and a whole lot nicer towards her friends.
She examines herself in the vanity mirror before eyeing the hoops on the tabletop. She did look hot and the earrings would totally compliment her outfit. An outfit Regina practically styled for her.
Fuck it.
After the humiliation ritual she just put herself through for Jason fucking Horowitz? She needed a break.
Gretchen puts on the damn hoops, feeling like a million bucks, at least on the outside.
Yeah, she definitely liked this Regina more.
____________
Gretchen steps out of Regina’s convertible and immediately feels like she’s crossed a border into a different land.
The campus is loud and sprawling, brick buildings looming, Greek letters hanging from houses that look more like mansions, and music thumping from at least three directions at once.
It smells like beer, cut grass, and cheap cologne.
She sticks close to Regina, shoulder to shoulder. “Okay,” Gretchen mutters, pulling her rainbow monogrammed Dooney & Bourke purse higher up on her shoulder. “We fit in, right?”
Regina holds her head high, completely unfazed. “I’d argue we look hotter than most of the girls here,” she says, skirting past a gaggle of sorority sisters in various combinations of the same casual outfit from Abercrombie.
As if summoned by the word, a group of guys in backward caps and jerseys clock them immediately. One of them nudges another, eyes lingering way too long.
“Hey,” one calls out, already grinning. “You guys lost?”
Regina doesn’t even break stride. “Nope.”
Another guy steps closer, flashing a smile at Gretchen. “You sure? Because my house is right there.”
The corners of Gretchen’s mouth lift before she can help it. Regina hooks an arm through hers and steers them forward.
“Sorry,” Regina says sweetly. “We’re here for the band.”
The guy blinks. “The what?”
Too late. They’re already past him, swallowed by the crowd pressing toward the backyard, following the mess of wires and amps leading up to a platform near a large lagoon-shaped pool. Gretchen exhales, heart beating in tandem to the live music thumping over the speakers.
“The boys here are cute,” she yells over the noise.
“I know,” Regina yells back.
The band is impossible to miss. Gretchen cringes upon seeing the handmade Löded Diper backdrop. She spots Rodrick Heffley the second she gets a clear view.
He’s half hidden behind his kit, arms moving fast, hair flopping over the bandana he has on, ripped muscle tee doing wonders for his lanky frame.
His eyes sweep the crowd, unfocused at first, then suddenly locking onto Regina, and it’s like someone flipped a switch inside him.
His whole demeanor changes. His posture straightens and he grins, wide and unguarded.
“Oh my god,” Gretchen says, nudging Regina. “He’s looking over here.”
Regina’s lips part, just slightly. “Shut up. We’re friends, remember?”
But she’s smiling.
They end up dancing without really meaning to. The music is loud enough to rattle Gretchen’s ribs, and the crowd moves as one sweaty, jumping thing.
Someone tries to hand Gretchen a red solo cup, but she waves it away, laughing, pretending she already has one. A girl nearby tips her head back while someone pours vodka into her mouth and the whole group cheers. She feels dizzy just watching.
Regina sways back and forth, hair loose, eyes bright. Some beefy musclehead tries to dance up behind her, which she shuts it down with a look alone. Another leans in to shout something at Gretchen - he’s a standard pretty boy, strong chiseled features and a nice smile, and she lets herself bask in the attention for a bit, exchanging a few pleasantries with the dude.
When the set ends, the backyard erupts. People chant for an encore, mostly the band’s name. Back at North Shore, that name earned a lot of raised eyebrows and weird looks. Here, people seem amused by it more than anything.
Rodrick stands, wiping his face with his shirt, and his eyes immediately find Regina again.
“Looks like your man has a fan club,” Gretchen says as they catch their breath.
Regina’s eyes narrow as she observes the cluster of girls gathered near the stage, all hair flips and coy laughter. Rodrick hops down and greets a few of them before excusing himself. One girl follows him though, and Gretchen and Regina watch as Miss Perky calls after him, tilting her head and flirting once she does have his attention.
This chick was a regulation hottie. Pretty, fit, golden hair cascading down her back, denim mini, bangles stacked on her slim wrist…
Rodrick stops to chat and Regina grits her teeth when she touches his arm, squeezing his bicep. He laughs at something she says and her manicured hand slowly slides down to hold his.
He rubs the back of his neck, jumpy all of a sudden. Then he gives her a little wave and angles right past her.
Straight toward Regina.
Gretchen slows, instinctively hanging back. She watches as Rodrick stops in front of Regina and for a split second neither of them moves. Then they both go in for different things.
It’s a mess. A half hug that somehow turns into a semi-handshake that morphs into a cheek kiss that lands somewhere near her ear. They pull apart fast, laughing, both a little flushed. Gretchen notes that at least two of the girls from earlier, in addition to Miss Perky, are staring daggers at Regina from near the stage.
“Hey,” Rodrick says, voice hoarse. “You came.”
“I thought I was invited,” Regina says. “You thought I wouldn’t come through?”
He shrugs, smiling like an idiot. “I was hoping.”
Yeaaaaah, she’s seen enough to make a judgement call - they would make a cute couple if they ever figured out how to stand within a few feet of each other without short-circuiting.
Rodrick’s attention shifts to her. “Hey, Gretchen! Thanks for coming,” he smiles warmly. She notes that he has a much better smile than she initially thought, even though he perpetually looks like he’s smirking. He also looks a bit different than he does at school. He’s all… glowy.
She nods, surprised. “Yeah. You guys were really good. Like, actually.”
He laughs. “Thanks? That means a lot.”
“How do you know all these people?”
“Oh! Bill went to high school with some of them.”
Gretchen balks. “Bill as in Bill Walter? Isn’t he a senior?”
“Senior citizen, maybe,” Regina says under her breath.
She chokes trying to hold back her laughter.
Rodrick doesn’t notice. “Ehhhh, a super senior, if you will. The guy loves high school.”
Regina bites her cheek to hide her smile.
Gretchen steps back, already scanning the party again. She figures she should give these two some alone time. “I’m gonna go get something to drink and uh, explore.”
“You sure, Gretch?” Regina asks.
“Yeah,” Gretchen grins. “I’ll text if anything comes up.”
She melts into the crowd and it takes all of two seconds before the pretty boy from earlier is back, all jokes and witty quips that she can’t quite decipher if they’re flirting or not. He does ask for her number though, also giving her his, right off bat.
“So you have the option to hit me up if ever I cross your mind?” He shrugs cutely.
She offers him her phone and he punches in his details, saving the contact under ‘SAE Troy.’
When she exits her dial pad she sees the last message in her inbox. Gretchen reads the text again and then deletes it. Then she goes ahead and deletes Jason’s number.
She glances at her best friend and Rodrick. They’re standing close together with her tiptoeing and him leaning down as they converse. The literal heart eyes they’re making at each other would be sickening if it weren’t so adorable (Gretchen doesn’t think she’s ever seen Regina like this), and every now and then he would adjust to shield her from unruly passerbys.
Friends her ass. They looked pretty in love.
She slides her Sidekick shut and chucks it in her purse. Maybe Gretchen would hold out for something like that.