Match of the Millennium

Description: Nena Memory Archive 101: Today, my boyfriend made a larger and more aggressive boyfriend very angry. As his owner, I decided to intervene.

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty Lawrence Stewart is looking pretty pleased with himself. He's currently sitting at the best table in the school cafeteria, munching on some avocado on toast and sipping a skinny vanilla mocha frappe. The sun is shining through the window, bathing his face in a very flattering light and there's two of his prettier classmates in clear view. He exchanges waves and smiles with them, as well as a few other familiar faces, then lets his blue eyes drift down to his journal. He rereads the list he compiled earlier during a particularly dull chemistry class.

HOPES AND DREAMS FOR 2021:
1.) Get at least five new modelling contracts.
2.) Find THE perfect hair product.
3.) Hook up with a totally fit babe and start going steady.
4.) Keep having movie marathons to learn more about my future craft.
5.) Purchase some Gucci loafers.

There's bold red ticks next to all of the items, other than the hair product. Moving his hand to his platinum locks, he lets out a deep sigh. "It's damn good, but it's not totally perfect. One day."

So absorbed is he by musing over his grooming regime, that he fails to notice he has company, in the form of a rather muscular looking teen. Pulling up a chair next to Rafferty, the red haired and freckle skinned brute pokes a finger in to the thinner teen's chest, causing a frown to appear on his fine features.
"Hey, watch it man. This shirt is Alexander McQueen and you're going to get it all grubby."
"I don't give a fuck whose shirt you're wearing. It's just more proof you need a beating, if you steal people's shirts, as well as their girlfriends."
"No, I mean, the designer is...Who exactly is your girlfriend?"
"Why, have you stole more than one lately?" the bully almost spits out.
Rafferty shakes his head, starting to look slightly panicked. "No none, man. I have a girlfriend of my own. Nena, Nena Washington." He looks around hopefully as if saying her name may summon her out of thin air.

[NENA]
==*== MEANWHILE ==*==

Outside the cafeteria, a young brunette in a sailor-style school uniform stands with a group of fellow female students, perfectly still and holding her books in her arms as she stares blankly.

"I don't know, I mean like, I thought it was a total let down. I mean, who's this Nick Carter guy supposed to be anyway?" a blonde girl with a red ribbon in her hair remarks, pulling a face.

"I could have sworn that Sloth was Johnny Cage. Especially with that clue about how it wasn't his first time dressing up as an animal of the superorder Xenarthra in public," a green-haired student comments.

"Hey, you guys. They should totally have a Masked Fighter competition! You know, like, the Masked Singer except where they fight!" the blonde says enthusiastically. "I'm totally going to call my dad and tell him to produce it."

"Ooh, but how do they fight without giving away who they are?" a redhead amongst the group wonders.

"I guess they just use german suplexes and rising dragon punches," the green-haired girl says, scratching her head.

Suddenly, the brunette's head turns slightly to one side.

"I am going now. My boyfriend needs me," she says in a flat, airy tone, before turning the rest of her body in the direction her head is facing and trotting off toward the cafeteria.

The other girls stare after the departing brunette before looking at each other.

"Nena's such a bitch," the blonde says, before the group bursts into laughter.

==*== PRESENTLY ==*==

"Rafferty."

Nena's voice says from behind the red-haired freckled fellow as the diminutive brunette steps around him, interposing herself between Rafferty and the brute and facing the blond.

"I am not Nena Nena Washington. I am of a mono-Nena designation. Am I correct in assuming that you were referring to myself, and not a third-party double-Nena to which I have not been introduced?"

Her green eyes peer into Rafferty's as she intrudes, seemingly oblivious to the angry guy now behind her.

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty blinks twice, as he realises the aforementioned Nena is now present at the stressful school scene.
"I meant you, babe" he assures her. "There is no other Nena."
Despite addressing his third hope and dream of the year, his eyes keep track of his flame haired foe, whose face now shares a color with his crew cut.
"Butt out, babe" the angry assailant orders Nena, mocking Rafferty's voice. "This ain't no business for little girls."

Sensing the prospect of drama, a crowd has started to gather around the table, including the blonde and green haired girls Nena was previously conversing with.
"She's such a psycho bitch" the former giggles. "As if she can save him from Tommy Roberts."
Tommy makes a move to step in front of Nena, clenching his meaty fist in preparation to strike Rafferty.
"Alright pretty boy" he scoffs. "Let's see how good you look after I smash your face in."

[NENA]
Nena gives Rafferty a somewhat blank look, tilting her head slightly to one side as she seems to take a moment to process his words.

"Actually, there are at least fourteen other Nenas of which I am aware, excluding acronyms, mythological figures, films, and the Tanzanian ethnic group. However, I am pleased that Nena Nena exists only in your distress-induced fiction."

Nena turns around to face the crew-cut carrot top, tilting her head back so that she can look up directly at his face, lifting her chin in the process in what could be construed as a challenging manner, though her expression is as smooth and cool as an icy lake.

"First: as exposing my buttocks at this juncture would be a violation of both Pacific High's uniform policy and the unwritten social code, I will not comply with your request," the brunette says, remaining interposed between Rafferty and his aggressor.

"Second: your use of double negative implies that this is, in fact, business for little girls, and I will proceed under this assumption."

Her poker face remains impenetrable as her eyes focus on the big red-head's.

"Third: I believe that you are mistaken in your belief that smashing Rafferty's face in will improve his appearance, and must insist that you desist in your misguided efforts. Perhaps I could suggest a career in styling and make-up as an alternative means to fulfilling your ambitions."

All the while, Nena keeps herself between Tommy and Rafferty, only moving to block him if he continues trying to pass her.

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty's hands instinctively move up to protect his face, as Tommy launches his threat, but thankfully not a punch. He scans the canteen for an easy exit should he need to make one, but when he realises the bigger boy has been rendered speechless by Nena, he gazes at his girlfriend with a mixture of admiration and horror. Tommy's mouth has actually dropped open in surprise at the brunette's words. He looks down at his still clenched fist, the knuckles now turning white and then takes a step closer to the petite protector.
"Oh em gee, he's going to hit her!" squeals a curly haired cheerleader.
"I don't hit girls" Tommy yells back at her, but his expression suggests he'd like to make an exception in this case.
"I don't do styling and make up and all that shit either" he informs Nena. "That's for posers like your boyfriend and anyway, why are you sticking up for him when he's been hitting on my girlfriend? I bet you didn't know about THAT."

[NENA]
The inscrutable brunette keeps her books held casually in front of her skirt as she stares down Tommy, ignoring the comment of the nearby cheerleader. She eventually turns her head over her shoulder to look at Rafferty after Tommy produces his accusatory revelation regarding her boyfriend.

"Rafferty. Have you been committing physical violence against his girlfriend?"

She turns her head back up toward Tommy's face, her own still showing no expression.

"If your assertion is true, then I would consider your grievance with my boyfriend to be legtimate. If that is the case, in the interest of reconciliation, you may respond in kind."

She tilts her chin up again, presenting it as a target.

"If Rafferty has been hitting on your girlfriend, then, in the interest of Hammurabic justice, you may settle your vendetta. You have my permission to hit on me."

[RAFFERTY]
The baffled blond shakes his head vigorously, causing a stray strand of silken hair to fall forward on to his forehead.
"I don't even know who his girlfriend is" he protests somewhat sulkily.
"I've neither hit or hit on anyone."
This remark seems to muster mirth in the female half of the spectating students.
"You're always flirting with me" a perky lass with a pink pixie cut pipes up.
Rafferty gives her a vague look of recognition. "I talk to you, babe. I'm being friendly. I'm with Nena" he states firmly, nodding his head towards her. "And nobody is gonna touch her, be it in anger or lust."
This sudden bout of bravery causes him to gulp and he appears visibly shaken. His right leg starts to knock against the table, causing the remains of the skinny vanilla mocha frappe to spill out and into the lap of the raging bully.
The redhead lets out a roar, as a wet patch forms over his crotch.
"That's it, you're history!" he cries, bypassing Nena to throw himself at the terrified teen.

[NENA]
Despite the accusations and threats flying past her, Nena appears to be visibly unfazed by the way that things are going. The bodily response from Rafferty and his unfortunate knock against the table draws her attention, though, and she turns her head toward the spill.

"Oh, dear," she remarks flatly.

When Tommy attempts to bypass her and get at her boyfriend, Nena doesn't flinch. She does, however, abruptly swing her right arm out to the side, not quite fast enough to stop him from passing her, but enough to catch him by the back of the collar of his white school uniform shirt. Her head doesn't so much as turn to look at Tommy as the boy suddenly finds himself snagged by an immovable force, a steel-like resistance holding him back from his intent to assault Rafferty made doubly awkward by the fact that the girl whose fingers have caught his collar is a good foot shorter than him.

"Rafferty is not history. Rafferty exists in the present, and shall continue to do so," Nena informs Tommy with an even tone to her voice. "Access denied."

[RAFFERTY]
A scream escapes Rafferty's well formed lips, as the mountain of muscle that is Tommy heads his way. As he tries to flee the scene, he knocks over a chair, causing a dramatic crashing sound, that seems to echo around the canteen. His long legs get caught in the fallen furniture and he scrambles to free himself, as he flails on the floor. Screwing up his face, as he braces himself for a brutal bashing, he eventually risks peeking, when it doesn't come. Nena's calm and collected words cause a grin to form on his features, which only broadens as he witnesses the look on the freckled thug's fizzog.

"Who the fuck are you?" Tommy splutters, his beady eyes bearing into Nena. He's joined by a black haired beauty at his side, tugging on his arm.

"Come on Browny, lets get out of here" she pleads with him, eyeing Rafferty on the ground. "They're not worth it."

The baffled bully attempts to free himself from Nena's grasp, but seems to be having some difficulty doing so.

"What's wrong with you?" his girlfriend questions, her arched eyebrows raising.

[NENA]
Nena's head finally turns toward Tommy's face to make eye contact when he asks who she is.

"I am Nena Washington. I am an ordinary teenage girl," she says coolly and casually, still restraining the much larger lad with a single handed and no signs of exertion or emotion. Her head then turns toward the black-haired girl now flanking the redhead.

"Mandy. Hello. I am looking forward to cheerleading practice after classes conclude. Does this boyfriend belong to you?"

Nena gives a pull on Tommy's collar as she approaches the black-haired girl with seemingly inevitable power, dragging his body behind her should he refuse to come along otherwise.

"If so, I will release him into your care. However, I would request that you train him to behave better around other boyfriends and curb his aggressive tendencies."

After a beat, she adds, "Perhaps you could encourage him to pursue his ambitions as a stylist, make-up artist, or, if his mental faculties are sufficient, a plastic surgeon."

She then pulls Tommy around, offering him to Amanda as if she were holding a puppy out by the scruff.

[RAFFERTY]
"You're far from ordinary, babe" Rafferty chimes in proudly, watching admiringly as Nena defends his honor.

Mandy meanwhile looks reluctant to accept the offered beau. She crinkles her pert nose in disgust, as she observes his sodden strides.

"Looks like he needs toilet training too" she mutters. "As for the plastic surgery, I wouldn't hold your breath on that."

Tommy looks like he can't wait to flee the scene. Mocking laughter is now being aimed in his direction and several of his football teammates have started making barking sounds.

Mandy eventually takes his hand and as they head for the door, Rafferty deems it safe enough to pick himself up from the ground.

"That was amazing" he praises Nena, before dusting some crumbs from his pristine white pants.

" I don't think he'll be messing with me again."

[NENA]
Having released Tommy into Mandy's care, Nena wraps her arm back around the books still held by her other arm, cradling them to her midriff.

"No. I do not imagine that ceasing respiratory function would be useful to anyone," she says to the departing cheerleader and football player, before turning around to fully face Rafferty.

"What was amazing, Rafferty?" she asks, seemingly oblivious to his meaning as she walks over close to him, lifting her head up to look into his eyes. "Did something happen while I was distracted by Mandy's boyfriend?"

The corners of her lips seem to turn ever-so-slightly upward - the beginnings of a smile, like a seedling poking out of the soil but incapable of blooming, set against the same blase look in her eyes as always.

"If he persists in threatening your personal well-being, I will enforce stricter measures on him. For instance, I may inform his parents of his misbehavior."

[RAFFERTY]
Sensing the drama is over, the staring students go back to the business of seeking sustenance, leaving Rafferty alone with his personal bodyguard.

"You're amazing" he tells her, flashing her his brightest smile. "I definitely made the right choice at that Valentine's dance. You're much cooler than Mandy."

He moves his finger to trace the outline of her lips, letting it come to rest at the upturned corners.

"Come on, let's go make out, before we have to go back to class. I need something to distract me from the prospect of double geography."

[NENA]
Nena allows the finger to trace her lips, her expression unchanging - there is none of the shyness that might be evoked in another teenager, but little warmth, either. Her expression remains stoic and glossy, but...

"Yes. I would also like to make out," she says, turning toward the door with purpose as she slips one hand from her books and reaches out to take Rafferty's and lead him toward the exit - in just the same manner that Mandy led Tommy earlier.

After all, that must be the way that ordinary teenage girls keep their boyfriends in line.

Log created on 04:14:43 03/09/2021 by Nena, and last modified on 10:54:10 03/09/2021.