Acela Mae LaToya. Your average 17 year old; socially awkward, formally rejected by the so called popular kids. Her standing in high school is simply: the Journalism club president. A club ambiguously despised by fellow classmates. Journalism club at Baudelaire Community high school is quite astonishing. As Journalists, Acela and her crew acquires tea. Yes, tea; what Urban Dictionary describes as: tea; gossip or personal information belonging to someone else; the scoop; news: “Spill the tea about what happened at the club.” In order for tea to be found, Acela and her crew do what they must to acquire such information. This includes sneaking into high school parties they were never invited to, confidentiality stalking and seeking students who create chaos within the school, and lastly, confiding in her popular middle school sister. (Her greatest insider).
Her sister seemed to always have the scoop on certain students at Baudelaire High. That being said, there is a thin line between rumors and what had taken place. Journalism club at Baudelaire is professional and will never cross that line. If the truth is that of a rumor, Journalism rejects this. The same goes with personal information, if the information has to deal with personal matters such as; family disputes, relationship disputes, pregnancy, etc. it wasn’t allowed to be mentioned….unless permission was given from the victims itself. That is how the Baudelaire High Newspaper is released and reported every month.
This is the sole purpose of the journalism club. A job in which Acela had been granted; Acela, who didn’t appreciate the culture of cliché. Unfortunately, what she doesn’t understand, is that high school is the source of cliché and that her everyday life was about to change and Hinder her bias way of thinking.
——————————————————————-
August 29th, #### (the year doesn’t matter)
Within the cottony, creamy arms of her bed, Acela cuddled her pillows and capacious stuffed animals. Placidly sealing her eyes and joining the sweet serendipity of her dreams. Soundly preparing herself for a new day at Baudelaire Community High school. However, her placid dreams and soft teddy bears weren’t the only affairs materializing that night. Just inches away, distancing her and the bed, a bright flash had appeared from her night stand. A message from her good Journalism friend, Mami Chelsea, had popped up on the screen of her phone.
The details of the message… you’ll soon find out. The very next morning, when eyes flew open, and legs kicked up, Acela’s first response was to check her cellular device, as if semaphore had warn her to. “You won’t believe it, I found some new scoop! Meet me at school early tmr…good night; eyes looking emoji, smiley emoji, and sleepy emoji.” Acela read carefully out loud to herself before chuckling meagerly. Her eyes gleamed, and her body felt light, another day of critiquing the daily lives of her fellow classmates. These were the exact thoughts that were going through her head.
In a hurry, Acela slipped off the corner of her bed causing her foot to collide into the impending footboard that faced her and the floor. She couldn’t escape the ghastly pain that awaited her, hurdling full swing towards the heaps of pure, hard-wood floor.
“Arghhh!!” She bemoaned upon feeling death to both her stubbed toe and her injured vibrating body.
This, subsequently, had notified the rest of the living beings within her house.
“Acela what the hell!? Your father and I are trying to sleep!” her vicious mother bursted through the door of her room. Acela could always hear her mother from a mile away due to the resounding thunder classified as mother’s “foot steps”.
“Sorry, I tripped.” She got up, still trying to recover from pain. Her mother rolled her eyes, shutting the door back closed.
“Could’ve at least asked if I was okay.” She muttered.
She was no mother bear, but a brute. This was not a mere insult but a confirmation between Acela, her sister, her father, and those outside of the household. If Acela’s door had been the slightest cracked while she muttered those words. Acela knew herself, she would not have been going to school that day…not without a cast or a broken bone. Her words took quite the risky chance but her day continued. Around the time she had gotten changed and washed, it was well over an hour, yet, she had plenty of time to get to school. Her two feet fell into a pattern as she ascended down the stairs. Acela could hear clear voices coming from the direction she was heading. It was about 7:35 a.m., the only person who had ever gotten up around the same time was her was her one and only sister; Anya Marie LaToya. Anya was a special one, most middle school girls her age would be sleeping within their cozy, soft beds still dreaming of dating their famous star crush. Whether it being the famous hot male singer in a popular band or the hot male lead in a show.
Anya was different in a way that she’d rather watch her star crush within real life on the other side of a flat glass screen than dream about one. She either stayed up all night with her eyes glued to the tv or wake up really early to catch up on some episodes she missed. Acela couldn’t tell which instance this had been, but whatever it was she had been convinced that her little sister was obsessed. Unfortunately, this show was no ordinary show. In fact, it was one that Acela despised; RealTime High. For its real, authentic characters (still actors), it’s real-like high school (it’s still on a set), and but not least, it’s real romance (the actors are dating in real life). This has been the show that every girl (ages 12-14) wanted to be on. Making high school seem that of pure heaven.
In Anya’s eyes as an eight grader in middle school, she couldn’t wait to be that girl. Growing her hair to be silky and long…within half a year. Makeup being professionally plastered upon her face…to put her in a circus. nails in perfect shape and length…in order to make her completely useless of opening cans and doing other important tasks. Wearing five feet tall stilts; tripping everywhere she walked while easily managing to bind with the roots deep within the soil and grass that she’ll sink in. Oh, and the sexy hot boyfriend must not be forgotten. He’ll be the one to approach her, compliment her, look her in the eyes and tell her he’ll never hurt her. His skin; firm and tan all the way through. His voice; deep, and concupiscent. There’s much more…athletic, mathematician, artistic, and attractive; everyone wants him. And only one person can get him.
“Ew turn that off.” Acela had trifled for the last step of the stairs before her eyes caught Anya sitting in front of the tv.
“Oh Acela. Good morning.” Anya responded back, her eyes still glued to the tv. Although, never turning her back to face Acela, Anya knew who it was from the tone of her sister’s voice. Unfortunately, Anya didn’t truly acknowledge Acela’s comment. Acela, rolling her eyes, dragged her feet over to the kitchen. The show continued, Acela’s disgust grew stronger.
“Anya, what you’re watching, that doesn’t happen in real life.” Acela said, as she stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. “Shhh I’m watching my show.” Anya replied. Acela grew silent for a moment. That moment had only lasted about thirty seconds before she had grew awfully impatient.
“Oh wow! That kid is sooo hot, he can do everything!!! I think I’m in love!!” Acela had cantered towards the couch where her sister sat. From there her body flung, floated in the air for a moment, then crashed down onto Anya’s legs.
“Acela!!” She cried and used her arms as a safe haven to shove Acela off. Acela wouldn’t budge, she chuckled and shifted upon Anya.
“I know I only met him today, but I can’t help it Anya…he’s my everything!”Acela selfishly continued to spout while keeping complete control over Anya.
“Get off of me! I don’t care if you think it’s cliché! Get off of me before I call mommy!” Anya fell to the ground with Acela following behind. She eagerly tried to break free from Acela’s grip. Meanwhile, as the girls scrambled on the ground; What had appeared on the screen was something…extraordinarily. Upon the glass screen, RealTime High had long went off. However, another program had replaced this.
“This is StarPopLive reporting to you with devastating news!” The intriguing voice had now gotten the attention from the sisters, they had cease what they were doing and faced the tv.
“Recently, there has been dispute going on between one of the main leads of Realtime high and it’s directors.” Said the pale women on the tv.
“We have just discovered what this dispute was due to it being previously settled. Unfortunately, we have investigated and found that the lead star in this was Thaddeus Banquo.” In that moment, Anya’s eyes had lit up to the women’s words. She had fully pushed Acela off by now and was sitting in a straight up position. Acela, taking notice to this watched her sister as she was being swayed by the women in the box. She became concerned at her reaction but joined back in with her sister who eagerly eyed the news program as they switched from a women to another reporter. This time to a polished and nice dressed-looking man.
“Ah yes, there has been certainly a large amount of drama happening down at the Wench Studios. All due to Thaddeus’s rumored decision to temporarily leave RTH and go finish his real high school.” The man finished and the picture switched back to the women.
“But we have discovered that it’s not a rumor and that the dispute was because they wanted him to stay. Thaddeus Banquo made up his mind, he is going back to high school. And honestly, I don’t think it’s a bad idea.” The picture had once again switch back to the man for the last time.
“Yes I agree, I mean the boy is only 17, he still has his whole life ahead of him. And honestly the chance that other directors recruiting him for other shows or movies after RTH is very low, not at least without a high school diploma-” the screen had went completely blank. Acela’s eyes drove to find her sister still facing the dark pitched screen with her fingers slightly shaking above the power button of the tv remote.
“H-hey are you alright…?” Acela tried to calm the tense air that had risen. Anya nodded her head before eventually changing the subject.
“Are you going to school?” She answered Acela with another question, her voice only filled with disappointment and disapproval. Acela knew what this was, but she couldn’t have been happier to hear the possible cancellation of RTH or at least a break from it (the directors love him too much to replace him). In which she would never have to see it’s abhorrent plot or its concocted characters again.
“Oh yeah, my bus should be here, so I’m gonna go.” She slightly yipped and unconsciously let a grin span across her face. Anya completely ignored her excitement and head upstairs in order to get ready.
“Bye…” Anya said before dragging herself up the stairs. Acela let another loud chuckle to herself before chasing the bus out the door.
“We got some great news~!” Called out Mami, Acela had just reach to turn the knob to the door of her clubroom.
“I just got to school but I can’t even get a proper greeting from my best friend.” She said rolling her eyes. Mami, ignoring Acela’s snarky comment, forced a giggle and a smile upon her face.
“Hello to you too Acela,” she cheerfully greeted before continuing, “I’m serious though, we got a new story to put in the school’s newspaper.” She finished. Acela had finally entered the Journalism club room, placing her bag on the large desk facing the front of the room.
“It has to be school related you know,” from her bag she pulled out her computer, “knowing you Mami, you probably found some dubious topic that has no relation to the school whatsoever.” She said placing her computer on her desk and opening it up.
“Jeez,” said Mami, “someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.” Acela grinned before opening her vile mouth and blatantly causing her laughter to echo throughout the room.
“I woke up, stub my toe, and fell off my bed!” She chuckled harshly. The perplexed Mami decided to mockingly laugh with Acela.
“Alright I’m sorry for being such a b- earlier,” she said as her laughter calmed down, “Even after all that I’m surprisedly having a good morning.” Acela wiped the leftover tears in her eyes from the expanse amount of laughter. She went back to her computer where she opened up a note tab in the bottle right corner. These notes were appropriately titled ‘Spilling the tea~possible news stories for Baudelaire’. Acela was an organized human; she always made sure she had everything in place. No story or event could get pass her in Baudelaire.
“Okay,” Acela pronounced to Mami while both of her hands gently caressed each key of her keyboard, “what you got?” She said, her best friend’s face now lighting up to her words.
“You won’t believe this! It’s big news, but I happened to see on the news yesterday that Charles is leaving RealTime High to get his actual high school diploma!” Mami’s eyes, which happened to be her only good points on her face, were enlightened. Acela, on the other hand, had been disconcerted.
“Who’s Charles?” She asked knowing the exact answer was that of doom.
“Oh sorry, I used his character name, but Thaddeus Banquo!” Mami replied.
“You should know, your sister and I talk about him all the time, he’s our idol.” Mami has been daydreaming when Acela shot her suggestion down.
“If you’re saying we should put that into the newspaper then you’re out of your mind.” Acela’s words intensely cutting into Mami’s confidence, but she wouldn’t give up.
“We should Acela, it’ll be a huge hit, a lot of people will read it!” She rebelled. “No one even watches RealTime High but you and middle schoolers.” Acela scoffed. Mami shook her head vigorously in order to reject.
“That’s not true!” She shouted, “I know a ton of people in high school who know about it and watch it, if you trust me I know we could get tons of readers!” Acela had shut her computer closed and replaced her hands that was once feeling her keyboard, upon her forehead.
“Even if there are people who watch it, which I doubt, they probably already know this information.” She said but kept going, “But fine, if you really believe that this will get us more reads, then I trust you.” Acela had cut her sentence and got up from her chair.
“Happy?” She said as she began to pack up and head for the door.
“Anyways first period is about to start, we need to go.” Mami nodded her head in excitement and began to follow her.
“You won’t regret this, I promise you, I’ll do everything.” Mami glanced to Acela in pure enthusiasm.
“I’m already regretting. We’ll have another meeting later today, so make sure to go over it with the other members and get their approval.” Acela said before opening the door to the other side.
One thought on “#AcelaMaeLaToya”
Awesome book @Soeur