Backyard Beatdown: Girl Next Door vs Snob
By Supporturgoddess
I first met Claudia Bardot when she was eight years old. I was nine. Claudia was just a lonely little neighborhood kid with no one to play with. I would be out in my yard playing with my older sister, and we would see little Lacey peering through the fence, watching us. She would follow us for a short distance when we rode our bicycles. Claudia didn't have any friends. She was just a sad, lonely little girl. My sister felt sorry for her. She invited Claudia over to play with us. As time passed, she convinced her friends to let Claudia tag along with them. Claudia didn't fit in well with the older girls. She seemed happier hanging around my driveway, shooting hoops with me. We grew up together.
Claudia was cute, in an awkward, homely sort of way. Thick, black hair framed her oval face and dropped down to just above her shoulders. In front her hairstyle resembled Jennifer Aniston's famous "Rachel" style, though purely by coincidence. As she grew into her teen years, she developed an unremarkable but adequate figure. She stood about 5' 4" tall. Mostly, I remember her huge, brown eyes.
I never thought of Claudia in a romantic way. I could do better, and did. I thought of her as a lonely, awkward little kid. When my sister went away to college, I sort of inherited Claudia. She tagged along with me. My friends tolerated her. Claudia didn't have any real friends, but that was not from a lack of effort. She was as nice as she could be to almost everyone she went to school with. The gangly little tomboy liked everyone at her school...with one notable exception. Claudia despised a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde named Tracy Silver. Tracy was a perfectly perky over achiever. The ever-smiling, terminally chipper blonde had been the head cheerleader and the prom queen. She was voted the most popular member of her class and the most likely to succeed. Tracy was everything Claudia was not; beautiful, popular, blonde...and happy. Though Claudia insisted Tracy's friendly, chipper persona was an act, everyone in the school loved Tracey. That drove Claudia crazy!
When Claudia was about twelve, she developed a tremendous crush on a boy named Jesse Allgood. Jesse was tall, handsome, popular, and wealthy. He looked like a young Superman. He had thick black hair and blue eyes. He stood 6' 1" and rippled with muscles. He had every girl in the school salivating...including Claudia. Unfortunately, Jesse had absolutely no interest in Claudia. Cluadia threw herself at him. She did all she could to gain his attention, but she only succeeded in embarrassing herself. Jesse was nice about it, maybe nicer than most teenage boys might be in a similar situation, but he wasn't interested. He could have any girl. As adorable as Claudia was, she simply didn't have enough to offer. I can not count all the evenings I spent consoling the cute but gangly little tomboy, as she cried on my shoulder over her hopeless love.
The kids we grew up with divided themselves into a few groups. There were the children of the truly rich, the kids whose parents were sort-of wealthy and climbing, the kids of the upper middle class, and the poor kids. Claudia fit into that last group. Although I came from a middle class family, for some reason most of my friends were rich. The sons and daughters of the truly rich were spoiled, pampered, carefree...and bored out of their minds. They became reckless thrill seekers out to have a good time. The spent their free time searching for new ways to entertain themselves.
There was one place in town where all the different classes and cliques met in a social situation. A large lake sat just north of town. As soon as the weather turned warm, all the older teens and young adults in town found their way to the lake.
When I was very young, the lake and surrounding lands were private property. A huge mansion stood near the waters edge. A sixteen-feet-long by twelve-feet-wide wood deck raised about three-and-one-half feet above the ground stretched out across the back of the house. When the owner died, the site became the property of the town. The old mansion caught on fire. By the time fire fighters put out the flames, the damage was so extensive that the house had to be destroyed. For reasons unknown, when the city tore down the house and removed the debris, they left the deck standing.
The summer before I went off the college, someone got the idea the deck looked like the raised rings you see on those professional wrestling TV shows. It was the age of the beckyard wrestling craze. Some of the guys decided to fix up the deck to serve as a ring, so that they could stage their own backyard wrestling matches. The gang put some serious work into the project. Two thin pillars still stood on the front two corners of the deck. The guys found a couple of 2X4 boards and attached them to the remaining corners. They stretched ropes between the boards on the front and back sides, making the deck look very much like a wrestling ring. Someone found a couple of rolls of aluminum fencing. Deciding the ring should be "hard core", they stretched the first roll of fencing from pillar to board across one end to seal off the top of that end. They then stretched the second roll out below the first. The two rolls overlapped slightl, so they twisted and tied the broken wires where the two rolls met, connecting the two rolls where they overlapped. This left an area of jagged, broken-off wire where the two overlapping rolls were connected across the middle. One of the wealthier kids brought a trampoline to the site. the guys sat it at a forty-five-degree angle across the last open end. Bouncing off it would allow the performers to bounce up high and mimic some of the high-flying moves they had seen on TV.
The matches staged there that summer ranged from innocent to ridiculous. It was all done for fun. Boys took turns trying to top each other in the ring. Their girlfriends mainly sunbatched by the lake and watched the matches, but occasionally two girls would fake a match in the ring, much to the delight of the guys present.
I went off to college that fall, leaving Claudia behind to deal with Jesse and with snobbish Tracy Silver, along with all the other usual high school drama...alone.
I came home for the holidays, but my time was short, so I spent it with my family.
I didn't return to my hometown for any amount of time until a year had passed. At the end of my first year of college, I came back to spend the summer with my folks. I quickly learned that some things had not changed. Claudia could not have been happier to see me again. The lanky tag along still had no friends. She was still hopelessly in love with Jesse, the stud who didn't know she existed. One thing had changed. From Caudia's perspective, the most unspeakable of all evils had occurred. Jesse had started dating Tracy Silver, the perky, chipper popularity princess Claudia despised.
I spent the first few days lounging around my home. Claudia became my shadow. Whenever I left my house, there she was. We played some hoops, talked...and on, and on, and on.... Claudia had graduated, but just barely. She had spent her senior year in Hell, forced to watch the girl she hated crawl all over the boy she loved. Claudia insisted Tracy did it on purpose, just to hurt her. Her past had been torture, and her future was less than sparkling. She had few prospects.
I hate to sound unsympathetic, but after a week of listening to Claudia drone on about her miseries, I was ready to crack! I decided I would head out to the lake and see if I could find any of my old friends. When I opened the door, Claudia was there, waiting. I stood there in my trunks and an open shirt. It was painfully obvious where I was going. Part of me wanted to drive away and leave her behind, but I knew the poor kid's hear was really breaking over the whole Jesse-Tracy thing. I let her come along. She ran back into her house. After a few minutes she returned wearing a simple black one-piece swimsuit. I'll admit I looked her over. She was definitely cute. Her body was alittle hotter than I remembered and her breasts were larger, but overall she was still a pale, gangly little girl with knobby knees, feet just a little big for those skinny legs and a long face, both figuratively and literally. I only took her to the lake out of pity.
When we reached the lake, I learned there had been other changes. The backyard wrestling ring we had made from the old deck was still there, but it had been improved. The rich kids had taken over the spot and made the ring their own. The simple, white rope we had used had been replaced with shinny golden ropes that looked very professional. The deck was covered by red gymn mats. Something else had changed. Though some of the matches were still faked, a kind of fight club mentality prevailed. Most of the matches were real, and some were violent. The rich kids paid others enough to make such throwdowns worth their while. Some real, down-and-dirty throwdowns took place. Rich boys watched, cheered, and bet on the matches, while their beautiful girlfriend soaked up the sun in their revealing swimsuits.
I had hoped a day at the lake might lighten Claudia's mood, but that did not happen. Jesse was there...with Tracy. I felt sorry for Claudia, but the truth was that I couldn't blame Jesse for his choice. Perky over-achiever Tracy was fantastic! The 5' 1" tall blue-eyed ex-cheerleader was absolutely gorgeous, from the top of her short, curly blond hair to the cute, round toes at the end of her tiny feet. The hot pink bikini she wore strained to hold in magnificent breasts and tight, fit hips. Her legs were shapely and flawless, and her tan skin shone like gold in the summer sun. In a battle of beauty, cute little Claudia didn't stand a chance against Tracy!
Claudia's devotion to Jesse was touching in a way, but it was also sad, even pathetic. Every time Tracy left Jesse to talk with her friends, get something to drink, or whatever, Claudia made moves on Jesse. Awed by the handsome young god, Claudia grew so nervous in Jesse's presence that she could barely put two words together. Each time Tracy returned her eyes narrowed. She knew full well that Claudia was after HER boyfriend. Claudia was absolutely no threat to her, but Tracy wasn't upset about that. She was used to getting her way. She was furious that any girl would dare challenge her.
Defeated, Claudia crept back to my side after each failure.
Tracy did not like having Claudia around. She made it clear that Claudia was NOT welcome. Tracy and her friends stared at Claudia, whispered to each other, and giggled. They were mocking Claudia behind her back, and Claudia knew it! The rich, beautiful girls acted like bullies, working over the hapless tomboy.
Finally, Claudia cracked. As Tracy passed her, Claudia mumbled, "Bitch!"
We were all in for a shock. Sweet, chipper, tiny little prom queen Tracy stopped in her tracks. The over achiever's face turned bright red, and her eyes blazed, She grabbed Claudia's arm and spun her around to face her.
Tracy shouted in a shrill, unpleasant voice. "Bitch? How DARE you? I'M a bitch? Really? Really? You're the one trying to steal MY boyfriend! Who do you think you are? Do you know who I am? NO girl can take a man from me! You're just a stupid little geek! Look, I'm sick of this. Jesse loves me. He doesn't even LIKE you! Now, Stay way from my boyfriend! I mean it! I'm warning you! Back off...or else!"
No one could believe it. Claudia was so shocked that she actually let the smaller girl back her down...until she saw Jesse grinning, loving it! I suppose what happened next was inevitable. Claudia shoved Tracy, hard. "Oos" filled the air. Tracey angrily shoved back.
Claudia had always hated the popular princess. When Tracy began dating Jesse, that hatred magnified a thousand times. Claudia had been pushed too far.
Claudia shouted, "That's it, Blondie! You think you're s-o-o-o-o hot! Let's see how good you REALLY are!" Claudia thrust out her finger. "Get in that ring, Bitch! I want a piece of you! Let's do this!"
The perky little blonde's eyes grew wide, and the clor drained from her face. She stammered, "I can't.... I--I mean, I don't...."
Actually, she HAD been in a few matches, but those were staged shows against her friends, girls who feared Tracy's popularity and power enough to always let her win. No one would DARE to try to beat the most poular girl in town! Tracy had ruled the hallways, but that was the past. Both girls had graduated. School was a memory. Tracy's popularity couldn't help her now.
Tracy's pretty face spun wildly, looking to her friends, desperate for anyone to get her out of the fhis!
Delighting in the little princess' fear, Claudia turned to Jesse and said, "See? She's scared of me! She knows she's not woman enough to fight me! Doesn't that prove that I'm better than she is?"
Tracy's eyes begged anyone to help her, but everywhere she looked, someone yelled, "Come on, Tracy! Kick her butt! Teach her a lesson. Show her who the better woman REALLY is!"
Tracy's pride outweighed her fear. She shouted in an almost hysterical, high-pitched voice. "You want to fight me? Fine! Fine! I'll show you! I'll teach you why nobody messes with Tracy Silver!"
I grabbed Claudia by the arm and pulled her in close, whispering, "Don't underestimate her! Anyone can win, if they get a lucky shot in! Don't mess around in there!"
Lacey looked up with a wicked grin. "Please! That little egomaniac thinks I'm scared of her because she comes from such a powerful family. She thinks I'll let her win, the way everyone else always lets her win. She's in for the shock of her life! I'm not scared of her! She's just a stuck up, pampered little princess! I'll kill her!"
The crowd went wild, as the young women entered the ring. I was Claudia's only real supporter. Everyone else wanted popularity princess Tracy to win. Despite her aggressive, "type-A" personality, the ever-chipper, always-smiling cheerleader and prom queen had been voted most popular in her class. Everyone loved her. Well, almost everyone. Tracey's short, blond hair bounced as she bounced on her toes in her corner. Her perfect, round breasts, which were remarkably large for a girl of her size, rose and fell. She was curvy yet trim, sexy as hell and yet sweet and innocent. She was every boy's dream.
As they waited for the bell, I looked over golden-tanned Tracey in her hot pink bikini and pale Claudia, in her black one-piece swimsuit. If this had been a beauty contest, poor Claudia would have been laughed out of the ring. Don't misunderstand me. I always thought Claudia was cute, but next to Tracey, Claudia seemed gangly and unimpressive. Claudia's pale, uneven complexion looked sickly compared to Tracey's even, golden tan. Claudia had pale, skinny legs and knob knees, no match for Tracy's perfect legs. Claudia's breasts were nice, but not in the same league as Tracy's. Girls have always judged boys by a merciless standard. They swoon at the approach of tall, strong, athletic and handsome boys, while they roll their eyes, giggle, and mock the short, skinny, weak kid or the fat boy who dares show interest in them. As heartless (and true) as that often is, boys can be even more cruel. Boys often ignore even the sweetest, most gentle girls, girls who would love them with all they could give and instead chase after golden girls with pretty faces and great bodies, even if those girls will use them and treat them poorly. Life shouldn't be that way, but we all know it often is...especially in high school.
High school, however, was over. All the power Tracy had acquired as the most popular student, cheerleader and prom queen couldn't help her in that ring. All the advantages of wealth and beauty melted away as she climbed through those ropes. After so many years of abuse, Claudia finally forced Tracy to meet her face to face, where all the advatages belonged to the long-bullied brunette. Claudia tested the ropes in her corner. She stood 5'4" tall and weighed at least 110 lbs. Perky blonde Tracy stood barely 5' 1" and weighed about 105 lbs. Claudia had always been a tomboy. Tracy was a spoiled, pampered princess. This was the chance every ridiculed outcast dreams of. Claudia finally had her chance to show the world she was just as good as girls like Tracy, and to put conceited Tracy in her place!
Someone rang the bell. The fight was to be a most falls, surrender, or knockout match, with a ten minute time limit.
The girls circled. Tracy's taunting smile showed absolute confidence. Her do-anything-to-win, type-A attitude approach to life had made her a winner at everything she tried. She always got what she wanted. Why would this be any different? If Tracy had bothered to notice, she might have noted that Claudia wasn't wearing the apologetic, hopeless look Tracey's friends had worn on the few occasions when Tracy had wrestled before, the look of a girl who knew she had to let her adversary win. Claudia had the wicked grin of a kitty sneaking up on a pretty, clueless bird.
Claudia moved in. They suddenly erupted in a furry of fast hands, as they pushed and shoved wildly. The small crowd cheered. After a few seconds they clasped hands and tried to push each other back. Claudia pushed Tracy back a step. Then Tracy leaned in , curving her back. The muscles in her shapely legs flexed and pumped, as she pushed Claudia's back against the ropes. The crowd cheered. Claudia's brown eyes were huge! I'll admit to being surprised that Tracy could outpower Claudia.
Prissy little Tracy was in Claudia's face about it, gloating. "You're not so tough now, are you? If you're so tough, why do I already have you trapped against the ropes?"
Claudia's eyes blazed. She shoved Tracy with both palms to the chest, sending the blonde flying down.
Claudia shouted, "What makes you think you have me trapped?"
There was some laughter. Tracy sat up poutting, her bottom lip out a mile. She slapped her palms to the mat in frustration. Tracy was NOT used to being laughed at! Tracey was used to coming out on top. She expected, even demanded it. Some of the other girls present had to resent that. They had to wonder, why should Tracy always get to be prom queen and head cheerleader? Tracy was one of those girls who rolled her eyes whenever the wrong sort of boy tried to talk to her. She was the kind to giggle and put them down behind their backs. Several of the boys in the crowd may have felt the sting of Tracy's mocking laughter. Although everyone openly supported Tracy, I think more than a few of the spectators secretly wanted to watch Claudia embarrass the perky blond over-achiever!
Tracy rose, eyes narrow. The girls scuffled. Claudia ended up behind Tracy, twisting the smaller girl's wrist. Tracy yelped loudly. Then Tracy surprised me again. She suddenly spun and reversed the hold. She gave Claudia a wide, grand arm twist. Claudia yelled in pain! Grinning ear-to-ear, Tracy swung Claudia by her arm and sent her into the adjacent ropes. Tracy bent low as Claudia returned, ready to rise and flip the brunette tomboy over her back, the way Tracy had done in matches against her friends. Tracy's problem was that Claudia was definitely NOT her friend! She wasn't about to play along, just to make Tracy look good. Instead, Claudia merely leapt over Tracy, as if they wrere playing leap-frog. The instant Claudia landed, she kicked her foot straight back, smacking it across Tracy's hips.
"YIPE!"
Tracy fell flat on her front. The crowd roared with laughter. Hands on her sides, Claudia stood over Tracy, rocking back and forth, grinning at Jesse and blushing. This was a dream come true for the little tag-along! Tracy looked back over her shoulder at them. The little blonde had murder in her blue eyes. Her mouth formed a perfect oval to express her outrage. She couldn't believe ANY girl would DARE to embarrass her...especially a geeky, gangly, pale little tag along like Claudia!
Tracy leapt up. The girls grabbed and pushed in a blur. Tracy's eyes spat fire. Her massive ego could not take such an insult. Pride on the line, Tracy again overpowered Claudia by clamping on a side headlock. Claudia stooped forward, her head trapped in Tracy's grip. Tracy grinned to the crowd, as she posed in a wide stance and squeazed Claudia's head in her arms. Tracy was obviously choking Claudia, but there was no referee to stop her, only a crowd to chant "One! Two! Three!" for each pin.
Claudia pulled frantically at Tracy's arms, trying to end the choke. Suddenly Tracy gave Claudia a hip-toss takedown, as the smaller blonde slammed the bigger brunette down onto her back. Tracy maintained the headlock-choke. Claudia's feet stamped the mat. Tracy looked up with a bright smile, as she worked Claudia over. I couldn't believe Tracy had Claudia in so much trouble!
"Had enough?" Tracy asked. "Ready to admit that I'M the better girl?"
Claudia slammed the soles of her feet hard on the mat. She strained, forcing her body to turn in on the choke. Once she had some leverage, the pale brunette in the black one-piece swimsuit slowly rose. Tracy choked with all her might, but she couldn't keep Claudia down. Claudia stood stooped over with Tracy at her side, still working the headlock. Suddenly Claudia simply lifted the little blonde high off her feet and threw her off. Tracy shrieked, as she slammed down on her hips in mid ring. Again, laughter rang out. Tracy had a mini-tantrum, slapping the mats and stamping her feet. She was used to having everything her way. No one had ever stood up to her. She had never had such an experience, and she hated it! Claudia stared at me through those big, brown eyes. She raised her hand to her neck. I could read her lips as she asked, 'Did you see her choking me?'
Tracy leapt up and charged at Claudia. After a brief tussle, they plannted their feet and pumped their legs, trying to push each other back. Tracy was ready to spit fire, but now Claudia was angry, too. This time Claudia's longer legs easily won. She drove the blonde against the ropes. Claudia wasn't gloating or showing off to Jesse now. She meant business. She threw Tracy into the tilted trampoline on the far end of the deck. Tracy screamed in fear, as she bounced back with her feet off the mats! Claudia charged and caught her with the bend of her elbow across Tracy's upper chest, driving the blonde down with a running closeline. Tracy hit the mats...hard! Claudia hooked one of Tracy's legs under her knee and rolled her up onto her shoulder for a pin, but to her credit, Tracy not only kicked out, but she also kicked Claudia off her.
Tracy was not the complete wimp Claudia had imagined. Claudia had underestimated Tracy, but she wouldn't do that again. She glanced at Jesse, the boy she loved. If she wanted to win him from Tracy, she knew she had to destroy the prissy blond princess!
Again they clasped hands in center ring. Tracey's gorgeous little legs flexed and pumped, but Claudia's longer legs, skinny and knob kneed or not, won the battle. Clauudia pinned Tracy against the ropes. The bigger brunette trapped the smaller blonde and held against the ropes. Now Claudia gloated, loud enough Jesse to hear.
"Who's not so tough now, huh? Who has who trapped now? When you tried to trap me on the ropes, I shoved you down on you butt! Come on! Jesse's watching! Why can't you push me down? Am I just too much woman for you? Aw, are you going to cry? Who's the better girl now?"
Boys in the crowd shouted, "Come on, Tracy! Don't let her talk to you that way! She's humiliating you!"
Tracy looked ready to explode!
Claudia suddenly hurtled Tracy into the adjacent ropes. Tracy bounced back. The girls ran together, slamming their shoulders together. Tracy cried out and slammed down on her back. She leapt up, only to have Claudia leap up and kick her back down...hard. Tracy's ego wouldn't let her stay down. She kept rising, but each time she struggled to her feet Claudia was waiting to send her crashing down again! People began to laugh at Tracy. Tears of shame welled in Tracy's blue eyes. She expexted to always have her way. She expected everyone to let her win. She couldn't handle this.
Tracy sat up with her feet straight up and down on the mats. She pounded her heels and screamed, "Shut up! I hate you! This isn't funny!"
Claudia disagreed. She finally had the mighty Tracy Silver exactly where she wanted her. She stared at Jesse and grinned, triumphantly. That momentary distraction gave Tracy an opening. Tracy pulled Claudia down by her one-piece, black swimsuit. Tracy was a wildcat. The two girls rolled around the ring, fighting body-to-body. Leg slid against leg and foot against foot. Thighs slapped together. Breasts pounded breasts, as nubile bodies flexed and pumped in direct competition. Their sweat and saliva mingled. Their moans, grunts, gasps and groans blended into an incredibly sexy harmony. The pumping and thrusting of their bodies increased in speed and urgency, faster and faster, harder and harder, until each girl was sure her body could take no more. Finally one body all but collapsed, conceeding defeat to the superior body that rolled on top to claim its prize. Claudia's body lie on top Tracy's beautiful body, dominating it from head to toe. Claudia looked down with devilish satisfaction. Tracy's huge blue eyes looked up showing shock, shame, and utter disbelief.
The crowd chanted, "One! Two! Three!"
Claudia posed over Tracy, winking and flirting with grinning Jesse. Tracy's eyes were on fire! Her breasts and stomach rose and fell sharply. She couldn't believe she was being beaten and humiliated...by a little tag along!
Tracy ran and went straight for Claudia's hair, pulling it so viciously the tomboy screamed. Claudia's temper erupted. She powered the struggling, cursing little blonde against the ropes. Claudia clamped one hand under Tracy's chin, using it to push the blonde's head far back over the top rope. Tracey cried out madly and grabbed the ropes to avoid being flipped out over the top rope. This left her body wide open and defensless. Claudia showed the crowd...and Jesse...the palm of her hand. She then hauled back and slapped Tracey's breasts as hard as she possibly could. Tracy let out a long, wild, incredibly high-pitched scream of sheer agony. The spoiled popularity queen had never even had a spanking. She had never experienced so much pain in her life! Her legs stiffened. Face distorted, she hugged her chest, locked her knees, and hopped up and down, landing on both feet at once and then hopping up again, bouncing around the ring in an unintentionally comical display.
Tracy fell on her back and burst into tears, feeling very sorry for herself. She saw people in the crowd laughing at her. That only made her cry harder. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen! SHE always won!
Claudia hooked Tracy under her knees, pulling both Tracy's feet up and rolling the sobbing princess up onto her shoulders. The crowd chanted, "One! Two! Three!"
Claudia put one foot on the sobbing bonde's heaving belly and smiled ear-to-ear at Jesse. Jesse grinned back. Claudia's heart soared. The boy of her dreams was acrtually smiling at the homely little tag along!
Tracy sat up. Her bottom lip shot in and out as she poutted. The one-time queen of the hallways was being reduced to a laughing stock. Her pride forced her to stand. Tracy went after Claudia with all she had, but Claudia was the bigger girl. The gangly, awkward girl-next-door had waited a lifetime for a chance to put the popularity princess down. She wasn't about to waste it.
The two broke out into a wild shoving match. Losing and embarrassed, Tracey suddenly threw any hint of rules out the window. She leapt in and raked her fingers across Claudia's eyes! Claudia screamed! She fell at Tracy's feet. Claudia clutched her eyes in her hands, roling from shoulder to shoulder! She was hurt! Tracy stood over her, nostrils flaring, hands in claws straight down by her sides. Tracy let out a battle cry and dove on her, punching, slapping, scratching, and even biting her! Claudia fought back, but she was taking a beating. Claudia fought up to her feet by pulling up on the ropes behind her back. All the while she was a punching bag for the blonde. Claudia grabbed the ropes and lifted her feet to kick Tracy down, but Tracy leaned in and dug her fingers into Claudia's eyes. Claudia more cried than screamed. She staggered forward blindly, hands over her eyes. Victory shone in Tracy's eyes. She refused to give Claudia any chance to recover from her vicious attack. She ran Claudia's head into one of the boards used to hold up the ropes. Claudia collapsed. Tracey sat on Claudia's back and started choking the brunette on the bottom rope! Tracy was brutal, but Claudia pulled free, coughing and gagging.
Tracey smiled viciously at the crowd. "Now the stupid little bitch can learn what happenes when you mess with Tracy Silver!"
Tracy took sobbing Claudia by her hair and ran her to the jagged fencing used as a cage! Claudia let out a high-pitched cry of terror. her brown eyes bulged! At that moment, I knew Claudia had been right about Tracy all along. The sweet little angel the town adored called Claudia every dirty word you can imagine and deliberately tried to grind her rival's face into jagged wire! Even Tracy's biggest fans had to be shocked. Thankfully, Claudia was strong enough to straight arm and hold her face off the wire. Tracy spun her and backed the brunette into a corner. Tracey slapped Claudia senseless! Claudia slid down, sitting up on the mat. She looked out at me through glazed, tearing eyes.
Tracy viciously turned her to face Jesse. "See, Jesse? I told you she was a joke! She's not in my league! I proved it! She's NOBODY1 She's NOTHING! She's a JOKE!"
Claudia stared into the eyes of the boy she was fighting for. Poor Claudia's heart shattered.
Tracy viciously taunted, "Now, TELL Jesse I'm the better girl! Do it! That's an order, LOSER!"
Tracey twisted Claudia's arm behind her back, trying to force Claudia to admit defeat right in frot of Jesse. I knew Claudia would rather die! Claudia yelled and screamed and stomped and kicked, but there was no escape. Frustrated, Tracy actually bit Claudia's fingers behind her back. Claudia wailed, but she refused to surrender in front of Jesse. Tracy mounted Claudia, slapping and punching madly until Claudia couldn't fight back. Tracy hooked her hands together behind both Claudia's knees, pulling both Claudia's feet up and rolling her onto her shoulders. The crowd chanted, "One! Two! Three!"
Claudia was down. The crowd started to count her out. She rolled over and looked out at me. At first her huge, brown eyes showed disbelief. Tracey had tried to strangle her on the ropes and then tried to cut her to pieces on the cage! I thought she might want to quit, but then I saw fire blazing in her eyes. Tracy had pushed Claudia too far!
Tracy was ready to finish Claudia. She raced in throwing slaps and kicks, but Claudia was on fire, too, responding in kind. When slaps gave way to closed fists, the tide of battle changed. Tracy was faster, but Claudi was a much heavier hitter. Tracy's pride and swelled head couldn't compensate for Claudia's strength and toughness. Even Tracy's vaunted pride fell against Claudia's determination. Tracy was motivated only by her ego. Claudia fought for the love of her life. She refused to lose. Soon Claudia had shrieking Tracy on her heels. She forced Tracy against the ropes. Once again, Claudia shoved Tracy's chin far back over the top rope, exposing Tracy's hot little body.
Claudia roared. "Choke me? Scratch my eyes out? Try to cut me on the cage? Bitch, you deserve this!" Claudia let go of Tracy's chin. Instantly she brought her raised hand down like a hammer, while sending her lowered fist rocketing upward, catching Tracy's breast between them. The simultaneous blows pinched Tracy's breast in agonizing fashion. Blond Tracy let out a banshee cry of sheer and absolute agony! Tracy couldn't even hold herself. She fell quaking to her knees and burst out crying.
Claudia stood over her. "Aw, does it hurt? Maybe that'll teach YOU what happens when YOU mess with ME!"
Claudia spun Tracy to face Jesse and said, "You couldn't break me, because I'm too much woman for you. Now, tell Jesse I'm better than you! Admit it!"
Blue eyes streaming tears, the proud little prima donna cried, "N-o-o-o-o-o! You can't make me! You can't make m-e-e-e-e-e!"
Claudia smiled to Jesse. She bent Tracy's arm up behind her back exactly as Tracy had done to her, and got a little revenge. She pulled and twisted Tracy's arm, demanding she admit she wasn't half the girl Claudia was. When Tracy refused, Claudia bit the tips of Tracy's fingers.
Tracy shouted, "I give u-u-u-u-p! You-you're better than me-e-e-e-e! I give! I give! I give!"
Claudia never turned her eyes off Jesse. Tracy rolled around clutching her hand. She shrieked. "You're NOT better! Cheater! You cheated! I only said what I said because you were biting me!"
Claudia laughed in the little blonde's face. "Oh, boo-hoo! You can complain, after all you did? Really? FINE! Get up and fight!"
Hyperventilating, Tracy staggered up and screamed, "I'll scratch your eyes out!"
Tracy charged with hands out, but Claudia kicked her gut, completely doubling Tracy over. Tracy turned, trying to stay on her feet. As she did, Claudia slammed her foot into Tracy's hips, sending her crashing down. Tracy tried to crawl away in tears, but Claudia followed her around the ring, smacking her foot against Tracy's hips to drive her on. From there on it was the Claudia Bardot show. She showed the fans leg scissors and suplexes, airplane spins and drop kicks. She scooped the smaller girl up, carried her around the ring, and slammed down on top of her, right before Jesse's eyes. Tracy shed buckets of tears in shame. Claudia finally slammed the bottom of her foot flat into Tracy's face with a thrust kick.
"One! Two! Three!"
After a few moment,. Tracy's tiny voice squealed. "Y-You can't do this to m-e-e-e-e-e!"
Claudia laughed. "Yeah? Then why don't you get off your fat butt and do something about it?"
Exactly as Claudia planned it, the affront to Tracy's massive ego forced her to stand. Claudia's domination of the blonde continued. She made Tracy stare up into her boyfriend's eyes and beg for mercy, surrendering to a reverse toe hold and ankle twist and to a hairpull.
Claudia smiled to Jesse. "Well, I think I've proven I'm the better girl. How else can I prove it? Oh, I know." She pinched her fingers around the sobbing blonde's chin, forcing her to look up at her. Claudia said, "Now, in front of Jesse, in front of EVERYONE, crawl over to me on your hands and knees...and kiss my foot and beg for mercy!"
Tracy screached. "Never! Never ever ever!"
Claudia seized Tracy's hair and pulled her toward the cage. "Fine! You tried to cut my face up on the cage. Let's see if YOU can take it!"
Tracy's face went pale. I've never seen such terror. Claudia winked at me. She would never have really cut Tracy, but Tracy didn't know that! Tracy leapt down to her hands and knees, tossed her hands up, and literally begged for mercy! "Okay! Okay! You win!" Tracy crawled over, looked around at the people she once ruled over, knelt down, and kissed a homely little tag-along's foot!"
Broken and crying, Tracey bawled. "You've beaten me. You've humiliated me! Please, stop it! No more. Please, I'm begging you. You're better than me-e-e-e-e-e-e! Yoe are! Jesse, she's better than me-e-e-e-e! OH, please, stop! St-o-p! Jesse...somebody...ANYBODY...save me, p-l-e-e-e-e-a-a-a-s-s-s-e-e-e-e?"
Claudia threw up her hands. The bell rang. After eight minutes of a ten minute time limit, Claudia had beaten the pride and the nastiness right out of the prom queen. It was the greatest moment in Claudia Bardot's life. She had proven superior to her hated enemy. She had beaten the snob in front of the boy she loved. Claudia turned and saw Jesse coming toward her. She saw every dream she had ever dared to dream coming true.
Smiling ear-to-ear and almost crying from sheer joy, Claudia stepped in front of the boy she loved.
"Jesse? Did you see? I won! I proved I'm better! Can...we talk?"
Jesse shrugged. "About what?"
Claudia's smile faded. "We need to talk about...us...."
Jesse rolled his eyes and let out a dismissive sigh. "There is no us, kid."
Claudia's brown eyes widened. "But...you saw! I beat her! I proved I'm the better girl!"
Jesse shook his head. "Get over it, Claudia. Tracy's a million times better than you could
ever be. You proved you can beat Tracy up. So? So could a gorilla. I wouldn't go out with
that, either. Look, you're just a goofy kid. I don't like you,and I never will." Then came the
killer, the dagger that went straight through poor Claudia's heart. "Why would I want you, when
I can have a woman like Tracy?"
Jesse pushed past Claudia. He scooped Tracy up in his arms and comforted her, telling her
she was a million times better than Claudia could ever be. As they passed, Tracy shot Claudia
an evil, victorious look. They left Claudia standing in the middle of the ring. Tears flooded her
eyes.
Every dream and hope Claudia had ever had seemed to shatter like glass and fall at her feet.
I heard her peep in the tiniest of voices. "But...I won!"
Now the crowd was snickering and laughing at poor Claudia. That day Claudia Bardot
learned some important lessons. Life is not always fair. It can be cruel. Good girls don't
always win. Sometimes even when you win, you lose. Claudia burst into tears and ran.
I lost her in the woods. I went by her house, but her parents said she didn't want to talk to
anyone. She said she just couldn't face any of her old friends again.
***
So what finally happened? I went back to college and married my college sweetheart.
I heard that Jesse never bothered to work. He lived off his family. Last I heard, he had
developed a pot belly and had lost most of his hair. Tracy Silver divorced Jesse after less than a
year of marriage. She is still rich and pretty, but she has been divorced four times. Tracy
expects too much from her friends, from her lovers, from herself, and from life itself. She will
never be happy.
What ever happened to Claudia? Well, it turns out I was wrong to think I was Claudia's
only friend. You see, for every gangly, homely girl, there's a shy, awkward boy. Such a boy had
seen the fight. He found Claudia crying in the woods by the lake and took her home. Along the
way, she poured her heart out to him. Claudia found a boy who didn't merely tolerate her or see
her as a little tag along. She found a boy who worshipped her every bit as much as she had
worshipped Jesse. She found a shoulder that would always be there for her to cry on, when
she needed it. She found love.
A few days after the fight, I saw Claudia parked at a drive-in restaurant with her new
boyfriend. She looked up at me and smiled ear-to-ear. There she sat, her lip split, one eye
swollen shut and the other ringed and blackened, yet as happy as I had ever seen her. I knew
at that moment that Claudia would be all right. It's funny. Sometimes even when you win you
lose, but sometimes even when you lose...you win.
