@AmbiSlytherclawGirl, your oneshot request for Dexiana!

I could not think of a title so... it's bad and makes no sense. Ignore it completely. I'm honestly lucky I spelled it right, since I am in math class with 5 hours of sleep-

Biana loved the popularity. 

She loved the glamour of being rich. She loved the adoring stares that followed her in the halls, the exclaiming comments on her clothes, the admiring glances as she walked by.

She knew her friends were followers, but she didn't mind.

As long as she had the attention, the notice that she craved, that she needed more than anything.

The love wasn't real and she knew it. But it was enough.

So she streamed through the halls, flipped her hair that was expertly styled, smiled at everyone, and laughed as often as possible, because her mother always told her she had a beautiful laugh.

She'd perfected her wave, too; careless but welcoming, with a touch of haughtiness that showed she was better than the recipient.

But everything (her smile, her laugh, her clothes, her wave) was fake.

Only one person knew it, and Biana was perfectly fine with her brother knowing that she wasn't real. Knowing that as soon as she got home, she changed into a baggy sweatshirt and let her real laugh escape, her eyes crinkling as she laid her head over the back of the couch.

She knew Fitz would never betray her secret.

He wouldn't (couldn't), because Biana loved the popularity and the jealous glances that followed her through the halls. 

And she'd never considered another way, because she was Biana Vacker and that meant she was supposed to be popular. Supposed to be admired, respected, loved.

And there was no other way. Not for her.

(At least, not yet)

...

Dex liked being invisible, for the most part.

He preferred to stay in the background, to slip behind the loud student in the halls.

He liked to pass by unnoticed.

Later, he told himself. Later, when he was older and out of school, would be his chance to be in the spotlight. To finally win, to pass as more than average.

To be more than a Dizznee.

More than Dex.

But for now, he clenched his books to his chest and kept his eyes on the floor. He tried to ignore them, just as they ignored him.

Sometimes, they didn't ignore him, and that was both better and worse.

He could see their judging stares, hear their passing whispers. He knew their giggles were of more of a taunting variety as he passed in the halls, eyes narrowed as he tried to pass by peacefully.

Sometimes it worked. Others... not so much.

Because as much as Dex wanted to fade into the background, he couldn't seem to stop himself from answering back to the taunts, to shout something back.

(Stina was the worst of them, and Dex knew why he was never able to walk away from her cruel smile)

(it wasn't fair, and he knew it, and she knew it too)

But it kept coming, and he kept answering. Because as much as he liked being invisible, passing by in the background, being the side character in someone else's story...

He wanted to make a name for himself.

Prove he was more than he was.

(someday he would. but that day was not today)

...

Biana trilled a goodbye to her friends over her shoulder as she slipped into the class, already scanning the room to assess her options. Her eyes dismissed possible seats, flicking over the candidates until she spotted one of her friends (followers, she refused to remember) in the back and made her way back there, winking at one of the staring boys on the way.

She flipped her hair over one shoulder, making sure to showcase the expensive, shiny clips in it before sitting down on her chair as gracefully as she could, lowering her eyelids just slightly.

"Hey, Devon," she uttered cheerfully, placing her bag on the desk. "How are you?"

He stiffened nervously and turned to face her, a smile brightening his face. He wasn't bad looking, Biana supposed, her brain marking the fact with interest as it brought up the information she could remember about him.

On the football team, single, friends with Lucy who was friends with Kimyah who was cousins with Simon who was dating Kate who sometimes talked to Keefe, who was, of course, Fitz's best friend. His little sister knew Sophie's sister Amy; they were in the same math class.

Biana made everyone else's business her business. Which was how she was able to carry a conversation, and part of why she was so popular. She made herself relatable, and they loved her for it. Admired her, at least.

(were intimidated by her, usually)

"How's Maggie?" she asked breezily, not waiting for an answer before she said, "I hope she's feeling better from her fever?"

(it was a fluke, really. a coincidence, that Sophie had mentioned how Amy was complaining that her partner in math had a fever, so she'd had to do the work herself. how Biana had noticed the last names and made a connection 30 seconds before)

But Devon's grin grew larger, and his eyes grew wider as he answered, "Yeah, she's feeling way better, thank you."

Biana grinned in victory, opening her mouth to say something before the teacher clapped her hands together, explaining that today they'd be in partners.

Biana immediately turned toward Devon, but the teacher added, "Assigned partners."

A collective groan rose through the class, and Biana bit a perfectly glossed lip before reminding herself that she could work with anyone. She let her eyes drift around the room as the teacher began calling names.

But hers was paired with someone even she'd only heard of in passing.

"Biana Vacker and Dex Dizznee!"

...

Dex scowled.

Of course his favorite class would do this to him. He'd hoped, perhaps, he could be paired with someone friendly, or at the very least someone who wouldn't talk to him.

But now Biana Vacker, of all people, was flouncing over to his seat, wavy hair bouncing with every step.

Her expensive clothes (and probably jewelry) swished around her as she slid into the seat next to him, already flashing her smile. The smile that too many people were in love with already.

"Hi, Dex!" she said brightly, her made-up eyes opening widely. They were teal, Dex had heard from passing whispers (he'd never been close enough before to see) and now this was confirmed.

They were a little too bright, just like Biana's smile was too wide, her voice too chirpy, her movements too calculated. As if she were a well-calibrated weapon, but one of beauty and grace rather than violence.

He mumbled a hello under his breath, focusing on the teacher as she explained the assignment. Dex had always loved chemistry, especially with his father's store, and he'd been making concoctions as long as he could remember. This assignment would be easy, hopefully; easy enough that he could finish it quickly and get out of Biana's piercing gaze.

This one wasn't too long, luckily, and Dex immediately pulled out his notebook to get started. He flipped through, hardly noticing Biana until she stopped him and pointed to a diagram.

"What's that?" she asked, propping her chin up on her hand as if she were genuinely interested.

He doubted she really was, and he quickly turned the page, his face heating slightly as he mumbled, "Nothing, just a design I've been working on."

"It looks cool!" Biana exclaimed, a pinch too enthusiastic.

"Thanks," Dex responded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "We should get on with our work now."

Biana's mouth opened the slightest bit in surprise. As if she couldn't imagine why anyone would want to stop talking to her.

"Right. Yes, of course," she blustered, opening her own pink, sparkly notebook. "Now about question one...?"

...

Biana side-eyed the boy with the strawberry blonde hair. He'd managed to answer all of her attempts at conversation with single words, successfully staving off any possible conversation. That had never happened to Biana before.

When she wanted to talk to someone, they talked to her.

Maybe, she mused, maybe that was the problem. She was acting too entitled.

"Do you like to bake?" she asked abruptly, scribbling out a word on her paper before remembering her eraser and flipping it.

"What?" Dex glanced up, his eyebrows meeting as he scrunched them together. It was almost cute, Biana thought absently, before blocking it from her mind.

She was not trying to flirt with him, she told herself. Even though she'd have normally given up by now. Even though his forehead had a little wrinkle that she wanted to smooth with her fingertip.

"Do you like to bake?" she repeated.

"I... guess? I usually don't, but I can, I suppose...?" Dex muttered. He said it quietly, but it was the most words she'd heard from him so far, so she persisted.

Sitting up a little straighter, she said, "I like to bake, but I'm horrible at it. You're probably better than I am."

Saying the words were almost a struggle, as if it was hard for her brain to accept that someone could be better. Even though he probably was; as much as she attempted to perfect her skills, there always managed to be cookie dough on the ceiling whenever she was in the kitchen.

He snuck a glance on her, and something in his eyes softened, almost. Biana grinned, and he quickly pinned his eyes on his paper.

Progress.

...

3 months later

"No. You're wrong," Biana laughed, shoving Dex's shoulder. 

"I swear, it was like you were mad at me for not groveling at your feet with the rest of them," he insisted, a smirk curling his lips. "Couldn't stand that you weren't beloved by everyone, I suppose..."

"Maybe," Biana admitted, her eyes twinkling. She'd forgone her usual sparkly hair clips in favor of a loose ponytail, her hair curling around her shoulder casually.

(Dex had noticed she'd toned herself down since they started dating. not as if she were lowering herself; more like... being more her)

"Can I ask you something?" Dex asked, facing her with a serious look on his face.

Amusement still glimmering in her face, Biana nodded.

"Why did you try so hard to talk to me? I obviously wasn't responding." His eyes were curious, his head cocked to the side in question.

Biana hesitated, turning the question over and over in her mind. "I think... you're right. I wasn't used to being ignored. Plus, it annoyed me that you were basically the only person in the entire school who didn't..."

"Grovel?" Dex finished, laughing as she blushed. "Knew it."

"Shut up, you," she ordered, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she twined their fingers together, letting their hands bump onto his thigh.

She was a little less popular now, she supposed. Now that she'd stopped caring as much about how many people cared about her. How many people wanted to be her.

But she didn't mind.

She let her head fall onto Dex's shoulder, and his head rested on hers as she closed her eyes and exhaled.

Maybe she wasn't The Biana Vacker anymore, but she was Biana. 

And that was enough.

This got a little long but whatever-

I, as always, did not proofread this. 

Also, I wasn't sure how to end it so... yeah... 

But yeah, hope you liked it! Comment, leave constructive criticism, I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing!