the gym smelled like hairspray, cheap perfume, and sweat masked under layers of glittering dresses. it was homecoming night, senior year, and the dj had just cut the music so the principal could announce the king and queen. everyone knew who was about to win, there wasnt even suspense anymore. regina george had been homecoming queen every year of high school and she was just untouchable

she stood in the middle of crowd with shinning hair and perfect lip gloss. she looked like she belonged on a magazine cover and not in a high school gym with streamers taped to the rafters. she wasnt just popular, she was the gravitational center of north short high. people revolved around her

you stood at her side, the only person who really ever got that close. you werent dressed to match her perfection, you never tried to. you wore slacks instead of a dress, a button up shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and your glasses that were slipping down your nose a little. you looked clean, confident, and sharp. you didnt need glitter to take up space

when reginas name was called the crowd erupted. she laughed that sharp and victorious laugh, the one that said she always knew shed win but liked watching everyone else pretend they were surprised. she took the crown, tilted her chin so the light caught her face just right, and waved like she was miss america

then she looked at you. not at her friends, not at her fans. at you. the one who had been with her since freshman year. the one person who got to see her when the makeup came off and the sharpness cracked into something softer. she didnt have to say it but you could see it in her eyes, she loved you. in her regina way but it was real

her mom, mrs george, had been taking pictures from the sidelines with her phone, mouthing 'you look gorgeous' at you both. she adored you, she always had. she thought you were the best thing that had ever happened to regina and sometimes you wondered if she wasnt a little too invested in your relationship

as regina slid her hand into yours and tugged you onto the dance floor, the shift came. it always did

"try not to step on my dress" she mumbled and it wasnt playful. it was sharp like she was already annoyed at you

you smirked anyways "maybe dont wear a dress that eats half the gym floor then"

her eyes narrowed just enough to sting and the crowd swayed around you, the slow dance starting but you could feel the tension building like it always did when both your egos collided

"you could at least pretend like you care about how i look tonight" she snapped under her breath "everyone else is obsessed with me. youre supposed to be too"

you adjusted your glassed and kept your voice low "regina you look amazing. you always look amazing. you dont need me drooling over you for the fiftieth time tonight."

"thats not the point" her fingers tightened on your arm "you never make it about me when it matters. im the one in the spotlight. you just-"

"you just won homecoming queen again regina. how much more about you can it get?"

that was it. her face flickered with that dangerous mix and anger and hurt and before you could step back, she slapped you. not hard enough to leave a big bruise but hard enough to echo and for people to turn. the music didnt stop but the crowd around you did

you froze as heat rushed to your face, not from pain but from every set of eyes on you. being watched like that made your skin itch and chest tighten. you were already bad at public pressure and people staring and now they were all watching this

you snapped. you pulled your hand free and yanked the silver promise ring off your finger. that ring had been there since sophomore year, the one thing that had been steady through every fight. you shoved it against her chest, the metal pressing into the sequins of her dress

"get your own ride home regina" you said, voice rough and too loud "im done."