She throws the blankets off her bed and gingerly touches her hair, her mind flashing to Shelly after she was slightly shocked. A smile forms on the effervescent Prissy McPrisspriss’ face. And unable to stop herself she bursts out laughing.

There was no reason to not be in a good mood, it was officially the last day of school after all. And what a great day to have it on, the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky. Ok there was one over there, but who cares right?

To those of you who are wondering... no, this isn’t the day after the showdown in the house of wares.

Although Prissy had not been stabbed due to her fan-cay battle gear, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of force behind that blow. No, on the days following that battle Prissy had a fair bit of recovering to do.

Not as much as a regular non-Prissy type person, but still some recovering was in order.

That guy also had developed some kind of sickness from being gassed on that night. But it was nothing serious just a flu or something, not important right?

As for Cliff and Shelly... Well no one has seen them since they pulled their disappearing act, but they will return. It's pretty certain that Shelly is feeling rather bitter after having her ass handed to her. They have to be planning something.

It is now two weeks since that battle of epic proportions, if you must know. Prissy and the rest of her class have finished all their necessary exams and today is just a formality.

No graduation like in American schools, Prissy was slightly annoyed when she found that out. Well slightly is an understatement… No, all that happens here on this final day of school is that the students return all their textbooks. Nothing too exciting. There is a prize giving later on that night, but that is so incredibly lame and boring that hardly anyone but the prizewinners bother showing up.

Today should only take an hour at the most, and then freedom, glorious freedom.

Speaking of...

“Oh Poos!” Prissy cries when she notices the time.

(Insert Theme Song here)

“Even though this is technically not a school day, you are still required to beh-“

BANG!!

Mr. Lowe, the school principal, looks up from his podium towards the back of the assembly hall. Hurrying through the entrance is none other than Prissy McPrisspriss with five thick heavy textbooks cradled in her arms.

“I’m here!” she calls out triumphantly to the large group of students. Causing all of them to look at her. “I made it!” she raises an arm up in triumph causing her books to spill out of her arms.

About 8 guys rush out of their seats and to her feet to pick her books up, hoping that maybe, just maybe, they will be touched by the magnificent Prissy.

The lucky few who manage to get their hands on her books, attempt to talk to her as they hand over her books. Some can only smile, lost for words when faced with the beauty before them. Their dopey grins are gone once they return to their seats and are punished by their own current, but probably not for long, girlfriends.

“We love you Prissy!!” some girl calls out. And everyone cheers. Even the possibly ex-girlfriends.

Prissy only laughs at this whole situation. She shakes her head in a shampoo commercial fashion, her red hair sparkles in the sunlight. The students get to their feet, cheering louder. White rose petals begin to fall around Prissy. She looks around the hall like someone who has just one an award. 

Suddenly someone grabs her and yanks her down, snapping her out of her fantasy. The brilliantly lit assembly hall becomes dull and dreary. The cheering students are once again sitting and staring towards the front of the hall, with bored, glazed expressions on their faces. The rose petals, gone. All of it gone.

 “Prissy!” that guy hisses. “Where have you been?”

“-ave as you would on a regular school day.” Mr. Lowe continues. “Well you all know what to do, so go do it. And I hope to see you all at prize giving later tonight.

Prissy rolls her eyes. Like that’s going to happen.

That guy is still looking at her questionably, as everyone gets up to get signed out.

“I fell asleep after I got up at 5 to get ready”

Now it’s that guy’s turn to roll his eyes. He hands Prissy her sign out sheet.

Prissy examines it closely. “So all we have to do is return our books and get the teacher to sign us out?”

“Yeah, that’s about it”

“Fun” she says dryly.

“Wait until you see the lines.” He says, causing Prissy to groan. “So what’s our plans for today? You know once we are done with this crap”

“Oh I have a few jobs to do” Prissy says mysteriously.

“Really? Doing what?”

Prissy nods and touches her nose.

“Argh!” that guy cries out in frustration. “How many times do I have to tell you that’s not what that means!”

Prissy shrugs, and rises to her feet. And off they go to get signed out of school for the last time.

Ding. A chime sounds out as Prissy and that guy enter a Laundromat. Four coin operated washing machines line the back wall, Prissy is slightly disappointed that they are vertically loading ones, there’s no way to be able to see the clothes swirl around. At least the dryers have windows, but who wants to watch clothes drying?

“Laundry?” that guy asks snapping Prissy out of her thoughts. “Your special task is Laundry?”

“Yeah”

“What’s wrong with your washing machine at home?”

“Nothing..”

“So then why-“

“Why else! How can I explain this to my parents?”

“Explain what?”

“THIS!” she says pulling her battle outfit out of her handbag.

“Oh, right”

“Hi!” an over-enthusiastic voice yells out from behind them, causing them both to jump. “How are y-”

“What’s wrong with you!?” Prissy spins around to confront the voice “Don’t do that!”

The voice belonged to an 18-year-old girl; she is wearing what could only be described as the mandatory uniform of the Laundromat, her blonde hair is shoved inside a hair net, a huge smile is on her face.

“I’m sorry it’s just that yay customers!!” she gives Prissy a hug. That guy slowly takes a step back.

“Um, do I know you?” Prissy manages to say slightly thrown off by the random hug.

“Sorry, sorry” the Laundromat worker breaks off the hug. “Let’s start again, I’m Lexa, I just moved here a week ago, I managed to get a job here and am currently staying in a hotel, unfortunately I have no friends, being an island away from where I usually lived, and I’ve been working here for three days now and you guys are my first customers, and I was starting to think that-“

Prissy raises her free hand in front of Lexa’s face. “Ok, you need to stop talking. Just shhh.”

“But I-“

“No no, shhh means shhh. Just shhh already. Here’s what I need you to do,”

Lexa looks at that guy with an expression that read: ‘what?’ that guy just shrugs.

“Ok” Prissy continued. “You see this, I’m sure you do, well I need it laundrified.”

“Um, ok… this- I was more wondering if you needed to buy washing powder- this is sort of a self serve Laundromat…”

“Uh-huh, that’s all very interesting and all, but talking about it isn’t gonna get it clean”

“Fine” Lexa sighs, she examines the battle outfit more carefully. “Um, the tag says dry-clean only.”

“Well you do that right?”

“Yeah,” she sighs again “Follow me”

She leads them passed the only row of dryers and washing machines and through a door on the far right of the room. Now they were in the dry-cleaning part of the store, which is actually the main part and the room they were just in was the extension.

It’s a fairly small dry-cleaners as dry-cleaners go. Occupying half of the room is the front counter, equipped with cash register and eftpos machine. Behind the counter is a rack of empty dry-cleaner bags that came out of a hole in the wall. There is also a door that obviously leads into where the magic is performed.

‘Let’s see here..” Lexa says walking behind the counter holding the garment in front of her. “Several grass stains on the knees and back area… and what’s this?” She leans in for a closer inspection, scratching the stain. “Is this…blood?”

“Pizza.” Prissy says sharply.

“Ok… Pizza…” Lexa writes it down on a post-it note and sticks it on the battle outfit. “Looks like you’ll be needing the works” She punches in some numbers on the cash register. “That’ll be $200”

“What?!” That guy exclaims. “Well no wonder..”

“No wonder what?”

That guy indicates the empty dry-cleaner bags.

“Hey, I don’t make the rules. This place just went under new management. Or so I’m told.”

“Not for long…” that guy says dryly.

“Whatever.” Says an annoyed Prissy. She hands over her Eftpos card. And completes the transaction. “When will it be ready?”

“Well since you’re the only customer. Ever. It’ll be ready by tomorrow morning.”

“Ok cool. Thanks” She turns to head towards the exit.

“Hey wait! I’m new to this place and have made no friends and anyway I finish at five and was wondering if you guys would like to you know… hang out after?”

“Oh gee…. That sounds like an enjoyable activity and all but…um….” Prissy looks to that guy for help.

“Uh…we can’t because um… we have a thing…” He says lamely.

“A thing?”

“Yeah we have to…um…go to um…” He looks back at Prissy.

Panicking she blurts out, “School prize giving!”

“Yeah! That’s the thing.”

“Really?” Lexa says sounding disappointed. “Cool! I’ll go with you guys! I have absolutely no life, and I’d like to see what one is like.”

“Really?” Prissy asks in a condescending tone. Quickly changing her tone to be more genuine “I mean… Really? You’ve never been to one before?"

“It’s a long story…”

“And one that will have to wait for another time” That guys says hurriedly, grabbing Prissy and heading towards the exit. “Well see you there then”

“Ok! See ya.” Lexa waves after them “It was nice meeting you both.”

“Quit pulling so hard!” Prissy’s voice can be heard, as they disappear from sight.

Lexa’s face is all smiles. She had finally made some friends. Or at least she’s on her way to. Her eyes flicker to Prissy’s battle outfit, not entirely convinced that the stains are from pizza. Shrugging off her suspicions she heads back into the laundry room. What she sees next causes her to shout out in surprise.

“Hello there…”

“Prize giving!!?” that guy yells. “I can’t believe we are going to prize giving.” It was now later in the day, Prissy and that guy were walking across a large field.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I panicked, it’s the first thing I could think of!”

“Why’d it have to be prize giving?”

“Oh like you were much help. ‘Um…… ahh….. uhhh….. er….. duhhh.’ Ring any bells!?”

“Ok ok, lets admit defeat, we are now stuck, we’re going to be going to prize giving…. oh man! Three hours of boring speeches!”

“Not to mention three hours with crazy laundry girl. Think of what it’ll do to my status.”

“Prissy, you lost your status when you started eating grass.”

“That’s a lie. You only found out about that two weeks ago!”

A silence falls over the two of them.

“Well, anyway I bet once she’s out of solitary confinement she won’t be so crazy..” That guy says breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“I’ll hold you to that…. Where are we going anyway?”

“I have no idea”

“Avoiding the destination?”

“I guess so.” They both laugh.

“Wanna go get something to eat?” that guy asks.

“Sure, as long as you’re paying for it. I’m kinda out of money.”

“Yeah, crazy dry-cleaning prices will do that.”

“Oh man, we have to go to prize giving!!!” Prissy yells again.

Somehow after all of their ranting and screaming they find themselves in front of their school, which they thought they had turned their backs on forever.

“Well this is it…” That guy mutters.

“I thought I was finally rid of this place… But here we are, once again.” Prissy sighs.

“Hi guys!” Lexa’s cherry voice calls out from behind them.

Walking toward them was a girl who looked completely different to the one they saw at the Laundromat. Wearing clothes that Prissy herself might wear, her long blonde hair seems to sparkle in the light of the setting sun. The huge smile is still there; in fact it’s the only way that Prissy and that guy could recognise her.

“Hi Lexa” Prissy calls out. “I love your outfit.”

“Thanks…. um… I don’t actually know your names.” She laughs.

“I’m Prissy. Prissy McPrisspriss.” Prissy says striking a pose.

“We better go in now if want to get a seat at all.” That guy interrupts, rolling his eyes.

The three of them head into the assembly hall and find three seats near the back.

“So are you guys up for any awards?” asks Lexa.

Prissy and that guy laugh. “ Not by this schools standards.” That guy muses.

As Mr. Lowe walks on stage the chatter begins to quiet down until the whole hall is silent.

“It starts…” Prissy mutters.

“Welcome, students, teachers and parents alike. Tonight we will be acknowledging all the students who stand out as the best. Whether it be academics or sport achievement, this school prides itself on…”

And it went on like that for another ten minutes, Prissy and that guy lost all focus and zoned in or out only catching brief snippets of speech from all the speakers. When it came to the prize giving they were on automatic, just clapping when everyone else did, not paying attention to the prizewinners at all. Lexa on the other hand was overly enthusiastic; she applauds wildly at all the prizewinners and listens intently to all the speeches.

At last prize giving is nearing the end. Mr. Lowe stands up for the last time “And now a treat for you all, today as our final guest speaker, is the cities resident superhero Prissy McPrisspriss.”

The whole hall applauds wildly. Prissy and that guy stare at each other flabbergasted.

“Is that you?” Lexa asks Prissy.

Prissy shakes her head slowly, not quite believing what she just heard.

“What the hell is going on?” That guy demands.

Suddenly Prissy knows exactly what’s going on. She sums it up with one simple word dripping with disgust. “Shelly.”