It isn't easy being a girl, even more so at St. Lobelia Academy, when you strive for perfection, to be noticed by the illustrious White Lily League also know as the Zuka Club.
In their dorms, during their free time, Ryoko, Sayuri and Chiya have each other to support one another through the hardships of their teen lives.
Ranging from stressful rehearsal talk, planning a certain vacation in which they will meet a certain Host Club, even about boys.
A series of little scenes written by Scarly about Chiya, Ryoko and Sayuri.
Denial[]
9pm, Dorm 203, St. Lobelia Academy
The golden haired first year, Chiya Nakayama sat at the window, plaiting her golden hair, looking up at the mostly cloudless night sky. Her lavender eyes reflected the glistening stars of the night sky. There was something beautiful about the stars, that always made her wish that she could be equally as beautiful.
"Chiya, are you going to practise your song or not?" asked Sayuri, one of her closest friends.
"In a moment," Chiya muttered, not breaking her gaze from the stars.
"Well, you got to practise, or Lady Benibara will replace you with someone else," said Ryoko, sat on her bed surrounded by the clutter that just seemed to follow her. Ryoko looked up at the posters above her bed, all of them where show posters, of the plays Benibara had starred in.
"I know," Chiya replied, while tying a hairband at the end of her plait.
Both Chiya and Sayuri knew about Lady Benibara's high standards, when it came to any performance, whether it was a concert or a play. They knew anything Lady Benibara said almost word for word, Ryoko would quote her words, like they were carved in stone.
"We are maidens of the lily," Ryoko began, but to show that they knew it word for word both Chiya and Sayuri joined in. "Therefore we must compose ourselves as such, my dears." Ryoko pouted at both of them, she took offense to mocking of any kind, when it came to her idol.
Chiya picked up her script, each line was highlighted, colour coded for each person. Pink for herself, blue for Ryoko, green for Sayuri, yellow for Hinagiku, orange for Suzuran, red for Benibara. Chiya opened sat up straight, and began singing.
"For all my life, I was never truly there," Chiya sang. Her voice was so beautiful, that it almost reduced the other two girls to tears. "You were my shining light. You made me see everything I want to be..." Chiya continued to sing about first love, and how someone was her one true love.
"Lady Benibara is going to give you the lead for sure," said Sayuri, as soon as Chiya finished singing.
"And, just with you singing it, you know she's going to pick my song too," Ryoko added.
"Of course! You know I'll tell her that you wrote it," Chiya agreed. "It would be cruel to deny you the attention of Lady Benibara, since you worship her so."
Ryoko blushed, and muttered something under her breath, to hide the fact that she agreed with Chiya. The raven black haired girl swept the screwed up balls of paper off her bed, and placed her notebook and pen on the bed side cabinet beside her.
"You do suck up to Lady Benibara a lot though," Sayuri teased.
"I do not!" Ryoko protested.
"You do," Chiya confirmed. "You almost bowed in worship, when she told you that she liked your line change for page 10 in the script."
There was a knock on the door, as it opened, Ryoko practically leaped across the room, because she caught a glimpse of her idol. Benibara walked into the room, she smiled at the sight of Ryoko.
"Oh, look at you, my dear, all flustered," said Benibara, as she stroked Ryoko's cheek. Ryoko's cheeks flushed pink. "Not disturbing you am I, darlings?" Benibara asked.
"No, I was just rehearsing for tomorrow," Chiya replied, holding up the script.
Ryoko muttered something completely incoherent. Even if they all had a Ryoko to English dictionary, they wouldn't be able to translate what she just said.
"Nothing, besides swatting away an abundance of self denial," said Sayuri, casting Ryoko an accusing glance.
Benibara let out a soft chuckle. The Lady of the Red Rose didn't help matters, she caressed Ryoko's cheek, and quoted a line from the latest play. "Fear not, my senorita, away from the accusing stares of others, we shall be together for an eternity." As Benibara turned away from her, Ryoko actually collapsed. "Chiya, may I steal you way for just a moment?" Benibara flipped her bangs out of her eyes.
"Of course," said Chiya.
Benibara turned and walked out of the room. Chiya followed her, making sure to step over Ryoko. Chiya had left the door open by mistake. Sayuri got up, walked towards Ryoko, crouching on her haunches.
"Still in self denial?" asked Sayuri.
"Shut up!" Ryoko snapped. She held out her hand, expecting her friend to help her up.
Sayuri stood up. "I didn't come over to help you, I came over to shut the door," said Sayuri, bluntly.
Sayuri also stepped over Ryoko, to close the door. Sayuri stepped over Ryoko once more, to return to her bed. The black haired girl was forced to get up all by herself, due to the inconsiderateness of her friends. Ryoko muttered things to herself, as she rummaged through her things, making even more of a mess. Her third of the dorm was blanketed in screwed up balls of paper, clothes and stuff that had been in a pile so long it might just need a blow torch to separate it - so it appeared.
Chiya walked into the room with a bright smile. She didn't even wait for her friends to ask, before telling them. "Lady Benibara has asked me to replace the girl that was playing the lead in Memoir of a Senorita!"
"Congratulations, Chiya! That's a major honor. Lady Benibara never picks a back up singer as the lead," said Ryoko, as she abandoned her clutter long enough to hug her friend.
Ryoko and Chiya jumped on the spot squeeling happily, until Sayuri joined them. The excited squeeling continued, until Suzuran and Hinagiku walked into the room. They parted, trying to look cool.
"Chiya, we need to get your costume fitted, could you come to the club room at lunch?" asked Suzuran. For now, she decided to ignore the unladylike display of excitement, because she understood what it was like to finally get a chance to debut a tallent.
"Yes! I'll be there," said Chiya, nodding her head.
"Congratulations Chiya, you deserve the honor!" said Hinagiku, enthusiastically.
The exact second Suzuran and Hinagiku was gone, the excited jumping and squeeling continued. Despite their teasing, Chiya and Sayuri would never admit, that they too were fangirls of the Zuka Club.
Jealousy[]
5:35 pm, Dorm 203, St. Lobelia Academy
Ryoko couldn't help groaning, as she collapsed on her bed. Her book bag fell out of her hands, and landed on the floor. Her friends, Chiya and Sayuri were tired, but not as visibly so as Ryoko.
"Today was exhausting..." complained Ryoko.
"How could you be tired?" demanded Chiya.
"All you had to do was; "Stand there looking lovely, my dear"," said Sayuri, doing an excellent impression of Lady Benibara, wink and flip of bangs included.
"If anyone should be tired, that would be me," Chiya informed her, as she set her bag down on the desk. "I have to play Marianne. It isn't easy taking the leading role, with so many expectations."
"Don't give it that, you love it, and you know it," Ryoko sniped.
"Well, yes," Chiya admitted.
Chiya had been in a wonderful mood, since she was given the role of Marianne. A small part of her loved it more, because it was the one thing that Sayuri and Ryoko could never have. Chiya was in their shadow from the beginning. They had a year head start on her. Sayuri was Suzuran's protegee, to perfect Sayuri's dancing abilities. Ryoko was always in Benibara's favour, due to Ryoko's constant worship and script writing abilities.
"Well, got to go pose for the poster photo," said Chiya, happily.
Chiya twirled out of the room giggling to herself. Ryoko and Sayuri looked at each other, their jealousy reflected on their faces. They didn't begrudge her the debut, they just wished that it wasn't rubbed in their faces, so it appeared to them.
"I bet you're so jealous, that Chiya will have Lady Benibara flirting with her, in character," said Sayuri, under the impression that Ryoko had feelings for Benibara.
"Shut up! I don't care about that," Ryoko snapped. "I don't like Benibara that way. I respect her as an actress."
"But, you are jealous?" asked Sayuri, arching one of her eyebrows.
"A little," Ryoko admitted. "You're jealous too, because you've been dancing beside Suzuran since middle school, and have never even been considered for a leading role."
"I am. A little," Sayuri admitted.
Both of the girls remained silent. There was nothing they could say, they were jealous of their own friend. But, of course, they would never tell her so. They would never stoop to that level.