Me, You, & The Party Rock Crew

“It was never my intention to brag, to steal it all away from you now.” – Misery Business, Paramore, 2007.

This was it–that quiet hum in the air. The air of surviving freshman year of high school. Izzie sat outside on the grass, soaking in the warm spring breeze, eyes closed, arms stretched behind her. 

Then a football whizzed past her head.

“Damn, you’re really trying to kill me, huh?” she muttered, not even flinching.  

“You’re just sitting in the middle of the field?” Ryan groaned. 

Ryan was the newest addition to their ever-growing crew. Originally Simon’s biology partner, the two had hit it off fast. Izzie first met Ryan at Turnabout–the spring fling for underclassmen who hadn’t yet scored prom invites. One dance, one too many jokes, and she just knew he was one of them. Now, by some stroke of luck, he was in her P.E. class. 

“You could always just throw around us like a person with a working brain,” Hattie snapped.

Ryan snorted. “You always this bright and sunshiny?” 

That was the thing about Ryan. He was so easygoing, not even Harriet “Hattie” Sanderson could shake him. She hated that–and maybe respected it, just a little. 

“She’s always been like that, unfortunately,” Carter called out, jogging back across the field. He wasn’t exactly athletic, but he made it look like he was. That was mostly because of Ryan hyping him up. 

“You love me, though,” Hattie replied sweetly. 

Izzie opened her mouth for a quip, but before she could say anything, she spotted a familiar figure jogging their way. Bright red hair bouncing with every step. 

Sammi.

Welp. 

“That’s my cue to leave before I get pulled out of class, sent to the dean’s office, and accused of gang affiliation,” Izzie announced loud enough for the group (and Sammi) to hear. 

Hattie’s brows lifted. She hadn’t heard Izzie talk about that day. Not really. Only Daisy and Simon knew the details. 

“I don’t know what that means, but I’m right with you there, sister!” Ryan grinned, offering Izzie a hand to help her up off the ground. She took it, and from there, they started walking off together. 

“Hey, Ry–Isabella,” Sammi called after them, flashing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

Izzie eyed her up and down, then kept walking without a word. Ginger bitch wasn’t worth the energy. 

Ryan didn’t stop either. 

Sammi, however, was persistent. 

“Hello? I’m talking to you?” 

“Hello? I’m not interested?” Ryan fired back with a grin, nudging Izzie’s arm. 

“Oh, so because you’re friends with–” 

Okay. Maybe she was worth the energy after all. 

Izzie stopped mid-step, spun around, and faced her head on. 

“Samantha,” said sweetly–deadly sweet. If looks could kill, Sammi Ellerson’s would’ve landed her a manslaughter charge. 

“He doesn’t want to talk to you because you’re a poser. A fake. And before you go running off to Mr. Diaz’s office crying because some boy didn’t give you the attention you wanted, maybe take a second to work on being an actual likeable person. Someone genuine. Someone who doesn’t use gossip as leverage just to keep their friends.” 

Ryan gave Izzie a slow, impressed nod. “What my sistah said.” 

“Isabella–” Sammi started, her voice wavering. 

“Sammi,” Izzie cut in, folding her arms. “You’re done. You lose. I’m still here, and I’ll still be here until I graduate. You’ve got nothing on me.” 

Sammi’s mouth opened, but all that came out was, “Well–well–I heard Lily Cherry’s really upset with you. That you practically stole Simon Mankowski from her.” 

Izzie’s smirk grew. “Lily Cherry and I are cool. She’s dating Steven now. Whatever happened between her and my best friend is their business, which you’re gossiping about, mind you. My business is that Anthony was messaging me on MySpace while you were spamming his AIM with paragraphs of desperation. I’ve got evidence.” 

“That–that was–” 

“Not my business. Yet. But, I can make it my business if you keep running your mouth the way you have been for months now. I might be a scrapper like you assume, but I’ve got power behind my words. Don’t fuck with me.” 

Ryan’s clapping got louder. His hypeman energy made Izzie feel like she was ten feet tall and made of marble. 

Sammi’s eyes welled up with frustrated tears, but Izzie didn’t blink. She simply crossed her arms, chin high. Across the field, Hattie and Carter were already walking toward them, having clocked the situation. 

Sammi turned with a pout “Hattie–” 

“Hey Iz,” Hattie called out, breezing right past Sammi. “Everything good?”

“Oh yeah, everything’s great. Score’s finally settled and all that jazz.” Izzie laughed, all sunshine and victory.

“Well, the bell’s about to ring, so we should head back and meet with the main group. Study sesh at my place?” 

“DOWN!” Ryan shouted immediately. 

“Of course you are,” Hattie replied with a roll of her eyes and a laugh. 

“I’m game,” Izzie nodded. 

Sammi opened her mouth, probably to invite herself, but Carter cut in just in time. 

“Yeah, uh, sorry. My mom said Callie and I can only have a few people over…you know, mutual friends and all.” 

Sammi’s jaw clenched. Izzie turned away, walking off with the others as if nothing had happened, because as far as she was concerned? Nothing had. 

As the group made their way off the worn-down turf and back toward the main crowd, Izzie spotted Daisy standing with Malikah, one of their teammates from soccer, and another girl she didn’t recognize. The new girl had striking features and towered above the others, easily pushing 5’10. 

“Hey, Iz!” Daisy called out, waving them over. 

“Double Daaaze. Malikah, what’s good?” Izzie grinned, jogging a few steps to catch up with them. 

“Hey,” Malikah greeted, slinging an arm around the new girl’s shoulder. “We wanted to introduce you to Hala–she just came back from Pakistan–she’s new, but she’s practically family, we went to middle school together. Loves soccer, purple, and Sailor Moon. So you know…instant qualifications.” 

“Oh, cool!” Izzie’s eyes lit up as she looked at the tall girl with a friendly smile. “Also, I hope this doesn;t come off the wrong way, but you’re like, tall. Like supermodel tall.” 

Hala let out a warm, airy laugh. “Thanks. I, uh–yeah, I get that a lot. Runs on my dad’s side of the family, I guess?” 

“Well,” Izzie nodded, folding her arms with a grin. “You’ve got Sailor Jupiter height, but full on Sailor Moon energy!” 

“That might be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten,” Hala said, smiling brightly.

Ryan leaned down towards Izzie and whispered, “We claiming her, right?” 

“Oh, for sure, my bro.” 

And just like that, another piece of the puzzle came together. A new chapter of the Party Rock Crew began to write itself.