Barb POV:

I look across the hall at her. The troll of my dreams, Y/N. I have a dream about her and me... a private one, of course, none of my friend in my clique knows about it. They just know that she's my crush.

-Barb, we've got gym class in half an hour, let go get changed before it gets too crowded! My newest friend, Poppy says. Poppy became my friend when I was in a really dark place and tried taking over the school as a bully... But she helped me realize that I don't need that.

-Oh, uh, yeah, I say. Poppy follows my gaze and giggles.

-Don't you worry, Y/N will be there as well, she teases and I quickly close my locker and my cheeks blush furiously. Worst part is... Poppy is Y/N's sister. She hasn't told Y/N and doesn't give hints, but she likes teasing me about it.

Besides, Y/N's got a boyfriend already. A pop troll. He's a douchebag really. How do I know? He lives down the street from me. I sigh as I see him put his arm around Y/N, who smiles at him.

-Shut up popcorn, I say. Poppy laughs as we begin moving towards the girls changing rooms.

As everyone's changed, I sit on the bleachers and watch as everyone else take laps. A few others from my clique joined me so I wouldn't look like a total looser sitting alone. My eyes follow Y/N as she jogs around the track. Suddenly I see her boyfriend come up after her and smack her butt before his friends laugh and they high five. I see Y/N glaring after him. I scoff before I turn red in the face from anger.

-Barb what's up? Carol asks me.

-I wanna punch his face in, I grumble.

-Who's face? Carol asks. I nod towards the grinning culprit.

-Ah. Not surprised, she says. I scoff again. I see Y/N coming to a stop at the bleachers by her bag and takes a sip of her water bottle. I watch her movements closely.

Y/N POV:

I can see form the corner of my eye that Barb's looking at me. Yeah, Barb, the soon to be queen of rock trolls. Some trolls that are still holding grudges against her for her music call her a "teenage dirtbag"... I never really understand why.

I don't look at her as I put my water bottle down. I don't understand why she does that. I can catch her multiple times a week watching me. As if I had broken into her house or something. It really hurts Bc I... I kinda like her. My boyfriends a dick and she has at least some kind of self respect. She was cool. She also listens and plays rocking music. I wish I could listen to it more but living in a pop household made it hard, especially with Poppy next door. I wanted to know more about Rock. It's just so much more interesting than pop. I sigh as Poppy jogs up to me.

-Hey, are you ok? She asks. I pretend to look around just to get a better look at Barb. She looks the same as always m. Red Mohawk and earrings... as pretty as ever.

-Yeah I'm fine, I say and look back at Poppy.

-You sure? She asks. I nod and fake a smile.

-Trust me. If he pulls another stunt again I will break up with him for you, Branch, Poppy's boyfriend says as he joins us. I giggle.

-Please do, I don't have the guts, I say.

-Of course you do, Poppy says. I scoff.

-Not with prom coming up next week, I say.

-Oh please. He deserves going alone, Branch says.

-That's true, I say and we laugh.

Barb POV:

I see Y/N smile, and I can feel the corner of my lips turn upwards.

-Ugh stop, you're smiling at her again, Carol says.

-Well let me, I snap back.

-Dude she's taken. If you want to be with her so bad you should've asked her to prom before the asshat did, Carols says and I frown. She was right, I should've asked her out before he did.

But instead, I sit here and suffer. I watch as Y/N and Branch continue their warmup on the grass. Poppy looks sadly up at me before she joins them. I sigh and cross my arms, pretending to play my guitar... it's a reflex for when I'm stressed or anxious.

The next week, Y/N POV:

-No, let me go! I shout at my... well, now ex-boyfriend. Everyone in the hall could hear us and it turns quiet.

-No! Y-you can't do this, I-I can't go to prom alone! He says as he hold on tight to my arm.

-Well you should've thought of that before you grabbed my ass! I shout back.

-Ok, I'm sorry, he says and I try to get out of his grip.

-Please don't leave me the day before prom! He begs and grabs onto me tighter.

-Ow you're hurting me! I whimper.

-Hey! Leave her alone! I can hear Poppy's voice from down the hall.

-No! She can't leave me! My ex says.

-Oh I think she can, Branch steps out from behind Poppy. My ex shrieks and let's go off me before Branch starts chasing him.

-Thanks Poppy, I say.

-No problem, Poppy says and puts her hand on my shoulder. I look towards Barbs locker... or where she usually stands anyway. She looks concerned my way, before Poppy leads me away to the nurses office.

Later that night, Barb POV:

When I got home from school I immediately went up to my room and put on my favorite playlist, playing my guitar to it. When I got bored I laid down on my back. I haven't sat up since. I look at the posters and ugly markings that was on my ceiling. Some things I had written in my ceiling was some random song texts that just got stuck in my head... One in particular I had made myself. It was about Y/N and me. I started humming to the melody I had made up and the text written above me.

"Oh, how she rocks

In Keds and tube socks

But she doesn't know who I am

And she doesn't give a damn about me

Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby

Yeah, I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby

Listen to Iron Maiden baby with me"

I then sigh out the last part. I then look to the side and see my calendar... tomorrow was prom...

Y/N POV:

I knock on Poppy's room door. We usually don't see each other that much after dinner since Branch and her became a thing and I started getting obsessed with rock. Poppy opens and smiles at me.

-Hey sissy! Come in, she says and I walk into her room. Branch is sitting on the bed with his phone in his hand. He looks up and waves at me. I wave back.

-So what's up? Poppy asks and sits down on the bed.

-Well I... I have something to tell you, I start.

-Uh-huh, she says.

-I like rock music... I say.

-You do? Branch asks. I nod.

-Yeah... Ever since the whole incident I've just been very interested in... rock music, I say, stopping myself from confessing too much.

-Just rock music or... something else? Poppy asks sneakily. I start blushing and I look away.

-Ok ok... I kinda like Barb too, I say.

-I knew it! Poppy and Branch say at the same time.

-You did!? I ask and my cheeks glow brighter.

-No not like that, Poppy laughs and sits down on on the floor in front of me.

-Why didn't you tell me before? Poppy asks.

-Well... you're the next queen of pop. I didn't want you to feel embarrassed of me, I say.

-I'd never be embarrassed of you! You're my sister! And rock is... a special kind of music, Poppy says. I smile.

Branch joins us on the floor.

-So... what're you going to do about the whole Barb situation? Poppy asks warily. I shrug.

-I don't know... I say.

-Well... I know she likes this band called "Iron Maiden"... maybe you could invite her to that? Branch says.

-Really? S-she does? I smile. Iron Maiden was one of my new found favorite rock bands.

-Yeah, the tickets are really cheap too, Branch says and pulls up the tickets on Poppy's computer.

-And prom's tomorrow... Poppy hints.

-I mean... I could give it a shot? I say. Poppy and Branch high five.

Prom night, Barb POV:

I stand awkwardly in the school indoor gym as light in all different colors flash and spotlights dance across the floor. Suddenly a pair of hands cover my eyes and I hear a cheery voice.

-Guess who! She says. I chuckle.

-Hi popcorn, I say. Poppy reveals herself. She has a pretty blue puff dress and her hair up as usual.

-Wow! I'm not used to you looking so formal, she says and mentions to my suit. I blush a bit in embarrassment and pick at the buttons.

-Thanks... you look... like you usually do, I say.

-Thank you! Poppy says. Suddenly Branch joins us. He has a matching suit to Poppy.

-Hey Barb, he says.

-Sup, I say back.

-Well, we're gonna go and meet some friends so I'll see you later Barb! Poppy says before Branch and her leaves. Then I am left standing alone. I can see that Y/N's ex enters the room with a glare. He's not alone and has some girl hanging at his shoulder but he looks absolutely humiliated from yesterday. I laugh at him in my head. Then soon after comes Y/N. She's wearing the most beautiful dress/suit I've ever seen on her and I can feel my cheeks burn red. I quickly make my way to the punch bowl to cool down.

I follow Y/N with my eyes and see that she joins Poppy and her pop troll friends over at the bleachers. They talk for a bit and soon enough they start moving over to the snack table. I quickly turn around, as if I wasn't just staring at her. I feel my face become hot once again when I see them standing pretty close to me. I can see from the corners of my eyes that they're pointing at me and slightly snickering... before I see Y/N moving my way. I freeze and tense up. "What do I do, what do I do? She's coming this way. I'm in the way for the punch, maybe she just wants some punch. Oh please don't talk to me" I think to myself and my lips start shaking.

-E-excuse me, Barb? She asks and lightly likes my arm. I turn to her.

"How does she know who I am?" I think to myself. She smiles and blushes at me. We can hear her friends giggling from behind her and she sends them a quick glare before turning back to me.

"And why does she care about me?" I think to myself.

-I- uh. I got two tickets for Iron Maiden, she says and I look into her eyes. She takes them up from her pocket.

-They're for Friday and I don't really accept a no, she laughs lightly and hands me a ticket. I look at it for a moment before I look back at her in shock.

-Wh-why would you do this for me? I ask. She smiles shyly.

-Well, she says and takes a step closer to me and leans into my ear, whispering.

-I'm just a teenage dirtbag... like you, she says before she leans away and steps back. I start smiling.

-You listen to Iron Maiden? I ask. She nods.

-Since when? I ask. She shrugs.

-Since I started liking you, she says bluntly. We both start blushing.

-You said Friday, I say and put the ticket in my pant pocket. She smiles brightly.

-I'll pick you up at 6, I say, kissing her cheek as I walk past her, hand in my pocket and proud smile on my face.

Y/N POV:

I stand frozen and red for a while, before I hear Poppy's voice.

-Oohhh my sister's got a date! She yells. I smile to myself and walk back to her and our friends.

-So...? Branch asks.

-She'll pick me up at 6, I can only say with a shaky voice. Everyone starts cheering for me and I blush even more.

Later that night, Barb POV:

I smile up at my ceiling as I stare at the lyrics I made, and start thinking of how the story ended... I the. Sit up and grab my diary from my desk and start writing the lyrics down.

-Now for a title... I say and mumble a bit for myself before I smile at the words she whispered to me:

-Teenage dirtbag.... just like me, I say and close the book.