This chapter is dedicated to GraciousThole for the votes and all the love. Thank you so very much!

I groan when the alarm blares, and I feel around for it on the nightstand before grabbing it and turning it off. We slept around 4 AM in the morning, reading for exams. School has been kicking our ass since we got back from New York, which now feels like a vague distant memory. The number of assignments we had to submit the first week was truly vile. It's like the teachers are trying to pay us back for enjoying a week and a half of Spring Breaking.

I open my eyes slowly and lift my head up. My entire body feels like it's been incarcerated.

"Fucking hell." Steff groans from next to me. "I have the worst headache."

I glance at her with a look that says we fucked up. We spent half the night talking, which led to late hours of revision, which led to us falling asleep with our books wide open.

"I told you us revising together was a bad idea," I tell her. "We never seem to run out of things to talk about."

"I know, I know!" She waves her hands. "I wish I had a spare head I could transplant on my neck because this one needs some rest."

She rolls over and gets entangled with the comforter before falling from the bed with a loud thud.

"Perfect!" She groans.

I howl with laughter before going over to help her up. Thankfully, getting ready for school doesn't take us long, and in a few minutes, we are out the door.

"Should we get coffee or something?" Steff asks.

I glance at her quickly before looking back at the road.

"Coffee on an empty stomach?"

"I didn't say let's get an espresso shot." She slides down the seat with a groan. "Can the sun like... fuck off!"

I chuckle despite myself.

"Leave the sun alone. It's been a rainy couple of days. I'm grateful for a little sunshine."

"Coffee!" Steff says. "Now!"

"Okay, okay,"

We stop by Starbucks to get a coffee, and we miraculously make it to school on time. We meet our friends at our usual spot by the parking lot, and Liam greets me with a kiss.

"So, how did the revising go?" Jayden asks, eyeing us with a sly grin.

"Fantastic," Steff tells him. "We went over all the gossip we could think of. I think we covered everything, don't you?" She turns to me.

We all laugh at that.

"Is anyone free after school? We have to make a list of everything we still haven't got for the Prom decors. I've already made an excel spreadsheet, but I need someone to go over it with me. And no one wants to do the work. This whole last-minute planning thing is driving me crazy." Red says.

"I still can't believe Brittany let you be a part of the committee," Steff says.

"She clearly needs her. I've never seen someone so gifted at planning." Jayden looks at her proudly.

"I can help." I offer.

"Thank you!" She grins at me. "The boys are useless, as you can see." She looks back and forth at Liam and Jayden disapprovingly. "I think we should go inside. We're gonna be late for class."

"Where's Jer?" Steff asks.

"He went inside with Greg," Liam tells her.

"We never see him anymore," Red says.

Ever since he and Penelope called it quits, she's been following him around throwing death glares and calling him a player. We just about dyed of laughter when we heard that one. Only Penelope would accuse Jermey of being a player. And now, he avoids all public places as much as possible to avoid running into her.

"I told him to not date that girl," Steff says pointedly. "But did he listen? No."

"What would you have him do? Be single his whole life?" Red asks, and the rest of us stifle our laughter.

"No, I never said he couldn't date. But Penelope?"

"What's wrong with Penelope?" Jayden asks.

Steff gawks at him.

"Surely, you've seen."

"Yeah, but you didn't know she'd act like this when they started going out."

Liam tugs at my hand, and we fall back as they argue, walking down the hallway.

"What is it?" I ask, looking up at him.

"Sleepover tonight?" He asks. "I'll make you anything you want."

"You don't have to bribe me." I chuckle. "I have to stay back to help Red with the planning. I'll check in with mom and come over."

He smiles down at me.

"I miss New York. Having you all to myself."

I nod.

"Me too. That feels like forever ago, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," He sighs.

The first school bell blares.

"Off I go," I say, my eyes widening as I take a calming breath.

I better not fail History! It's my second favorite subject.

"Good luck on the test," Liam says. "I'm sure you'll do great."

"Kiss me?"

He brings both hands to my nape and strokes my cheeks with his thumbs as he kisses me.

***

The exam wasn't half as bad as I feared. And though we had a stressful hour in Physics lab, I am not complaining. Today was a good day. I smile to myself as I walk into the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the gym to help Red out, and then I'll head to Liam's. Mom is having a date night of her own since the twins are spending the night at my father's.

I let the cold water cool my hot face. It was extra toasty in the lab today.

I grab the paper towel and start to dry my hands, but I freeze when I hear a sniffling coming from one of the stalls. If the water was still running, I would have missed it. Whoever is in there did not want to be heard. But I feel bad leaving without trying to speak up. This situation is vaguely familiar. Except back then, I was on the other side of the stall.

I hold my breath as I make my way over to the closed door. But I halt midstride, my eyes widening when I see a Prada bag on the floor inside the stall and that very maroon, very familiar 'B' hanging from the zipper.

My heart drums against my chest as I stand in the middle of the bathroom, not sure what to do. And just as I decide to knock on the door, I hear voices coming from the hallway. I rush into one of the stalls and close the door as the girls walk in.

"Who cares! Prom is so lame."

I immediately recognize the voice. Madison.

"Are you saying you wouldn't go with him even if he asks?" Comes Chloe's voice, sounding unconvinced.

"Well, I mean, if he asks..."

Madison is cutoff midsentence as a stall door opens.

I hold my breath.

"Oh, hey, Brittney," I hear Madison say.

"Out of my way!" Brittney's voice booms.

Then I hear her stilettos clicking against the ceramic floor before the bathroom door slams shut.

"The hell is her problem?" Madison asks, affronted.

"Who knows!" Chloe sighs. "The girl hasn't been the same since Elliot dumped her."

I straighten up and open the door of the stall.

"Hey, Jess." Maddison smiles.

"Hey," I smile back. "How was the test?" I ask, walking towards the sink.

"Was good."

I nod, washing my hands. Maddison applies her lip gloss from next to me.

"Which side of my face do you think is cuter?" She asks, turning from side to side.

"Maddie, not this again!" Chloe says. "You look the same to me from all sides."

I chuckle.

"See you Girl's tomorrow. I got some prom decoration planning to do."

"You're in the committee?" Chloe asks.

"Nah, just helping a friend out."

I wave goodbye before slipping out.

***

I walk into the gym, feeling uneasy. Red beams at me as I walk towards her.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to this. I promise I won't keep you for long." She says.

"It's okay. This is sort of fun." I say, looking around the festive looking gym.

There are people in separate groups. Some are painting posters, some spraying decor pieces with paint and gluing things together, others counting the unsold tickets.

"It's harder than it sounds preparing a 1920's party," Red says, opening the excel file on her laptop. "People just wanna decor and paint. No one wants to do "the boring" work."

I was actually excited when I heard they decided on a Great Gatsby themed Prom. Not that Liam has asked me. I don't know if he didn't ask because he thought I'd just assume we would be going together or if he just doesn't want to go. Either way, I haven't brought it up to him. I'd honestly love to be a part of our senior Prom. So if he doesn't ask me, I'll just have to ask him myself. But if he doesn't want to go, I won't be starting a fight over it.

I get a pen and paper, and we get to making a list and planning. A few productive minutes later, Brittany walks over.

"What's she doing here? She's not on the committee." She addresses Ellyn as if I'm not here.

"She's helping me make a list of things we still need to buy. I asked Heather and Kallen, but they'd rather design the banners."

Brittany eyes me up and down.

"You could have asked me." She says to Ellyn. "I would have helped you."

"Yeah, but I didn't." Ellyn snaps. "What does it matter as long as it gets done?"

"It matters because she isn't on the committee."

"Look, we're almost done," I say. "I'll be out of here soon."

"I don't have the energy for this." She sighs in the most un-Brittany-like manner before turning around.

"She really gets on my nerves!" Red says, looking back at her laptop.

I get up abruptly.

"I'm gonna go talk to her."

"To who?" Red eyes me with surprise.

"Brittany," I say, walking away before she has a chance to stop me.

Brittany doesn't spot me until I'm standing right in front of her, and when she does, she genuinely looks taken aback.

"Can I help you with something?" She asks her demeanor every bit cold.

When I am standing this close to her, it's easy to spot the under-eye bags and the dark circle that isn't exactly covered by her concealer. She looks tired. Even a little ill.

"Look, I..." My eyes drop to the bag she's holding, and I see that maroon 'B' gleaming up at me.

"Well?" She says irritably. "What are you staring at?"

"In the bathroom," I say, suddenly feeling disconcerted. "I heard you."

Pure shock flashes in her eyes before it's masked by a hateful glare. She turns around to the girls adding finishing touches to the Speakeasy cards that are being sold as prom tickets and lowers her voice when she speaks to me.

"And what exactly do you think you heard?"

"Brittany, you and I both know what I heard. Look, I just wanted to ask if you're okay."

"Because you care?" She laughs. "And suppose you did hear what you think you heard, do you really think I'd stand here spilling my guts to you?"

I suddenly feel every bit foolish as I deserve. What the hell was I thinking coming up here acting like we are good friends when this is the girl that made the past few years of my life a living hell?

She's been missing classes, and I haven't seen much of her lately. So I guess I needed a reminder. Hearing her in there was such a shock I momentarily forgot how vindictive and cruel she could be.

"I don't get you, Brittany," I say. "Look around, is there anyone in here you can actually call a friend? Why are you like this? Why are you so ruthless to everyone?"

She looks around, and her eyes land back on me, full of hate. But she doesn't answer.

"You know, I just thought I'd tell you if you were crying over Elliot, that he really isn't worth it."

"Over Elliot?" She laughs. "You know, I always knew you were naive. It would have been endearing if it wasn't so irritating. I know Elliot more than you ever did. I know what he is worth and what he is not. Instead of inserting yourself into my life, how about you ask your boyfriend why he keeps wiring thousands into Elliot's bank account."

"What?" I chuckle with incredulity. "What are you talking about?"

"Like I said." She says. "Ask your boyfriend."

Anger boils inside me that she would go so low as to try and come between Liam and me.

"You know what? Screw this! Just because Elliot dumped you, doesn't mean you get to go around breaking people up. But I guess that is what you do. You couldn't have thought that it would last. What goes around comes back around."

Now we have attracted people's attention, and the place is relatively quiet as people listen in.

"At least he didn't start dating me for a dare. We would laugh behind your back, you know. You were so oblivious, it was comical. We would flirt right under your eyes, and you would not even see it. People warned you that dating someone who got with you for a dare was stupid. Hell, even I warned you. You ask why I am ruthless? Well, let me try to be kind. Open your eyes, Jessica. I don't want to be the one to have to tell you what's right under your eyes. You have to learn from your past. I may not have anyone I call a friend here. But the people you call friends don't exactly have your back. They probably laugh behind your back about how gullible you are. History is repeating itself. Beware."

Before I know what's happening, my hand flys up, and I smack her across the face.

I hear people gasp but she doesn't flinch. I glance at her stone face, devoid of any remorse. I have no idea what she was trying to say. Nothing about her words made sense, but I really hate her guts.

"You really are Stupid," She shakes her head. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She says before walking away.

And I stand in the middle of the gym, my face hot with anger.

***

Hey, guys. I was supposed to update on Friday but I wasn't feeling well. I tested positive for COVID last week and it's been a rollercoaster. I am just so amazed at how everytime I start to update here something bad happens to me. Is there a curse I am not aware of? If so, do let me know.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Votes and comments would be very encouraging.

Much love,
Becca