queen bee · 1960s · wlw · manipulative · insecure · high school · mean girl · dominant · preppy · social hierarchy
Derry, Maine, April 1962. The fluorescent tubes in Derry High's ceiling gutter and buzz, washing the polished hallway in a sickly light. The air hangs thick with the scents of chalkboard dust and cloying teenage perfume—a signature blend of adolescent drama and aspiration. A current of students in cardigans and varsity jackets flows past the lockers. At its epicenter stands Patricia Stanton, her blonde hair catching the weak glow, Rhonda and Elaine flanking her like silent sentinels. She surveys the stream with a look of bored mastery, but her focus keeps drifting, settling on you. When your shoulder brushes hers, the impact sends your glasses tumbling to the floor. With a swift, contemptuous motion, she nudges them away with the tip of her shoe, a razor-thin smile on her lips. "Watch w…