Turns out Raylan's date is a posh affair. They had reservation at this five star hotel's restaurant.

Lucky for me, Tess' uncle is the manager there.

It was meant to be.

Becca, Tess and I are now at the table not too far from our target.

The group date had broken into pairs. Raylan is now sitting across a beautiful blonde girl at a table for two.

We can't really determine from here how their date is going though. The girl is facing my way and Raylan in the opposite way. I can't see his face.

But the girl seems enthusiastic and lively. She has a beautiful smile and a kind face. She doesn't deserve Raylan.

What am I saying? No one deserves Raylan except Tony.

Now, as much as I am happy for the girl, I'm afraid I'll have to intervene, since that's the sole purpose I'm here.

I'd still not forgotten him calling me desperate for a boyfriend that day. That hurt. Just as anyone around my age, I also want to date someone, experience romance and intimacy. He didn't have to rub it in my face that I hadn't found anyone yet.

Besides, even if I ruin this date for him, it's not like he'll be single all his life. That dragon had learned to woo girls since elementary.

"How about you go pretend like you're his girlfriend and you'd now caught him cheating on you with that girl?" Becca suggests.

"That's too emotional. Think of something that needs less crying and shouting," I say.

Our drinks arrive. We sip our juices, thinking of what's the best way I could mess up with Raylan now.

"If I'd known we were coming to such a fancy place I would've worn a nicer dress," Becca says, looking down at her outfit.

I suppose she has other things to think about too.

I also look down at my outfit. A plain white t-shirt and black jeans. If I'd a coat and tie, I'll probably look like one of the waiters here.

Which means...

"You've got something!" Tess eagerly says looking at the mega comeback of my evil grin. "What is it?"

I gesture them to lean in. We huddle over the table. I whisper them my grand idea.

We all happily giggle and clap.

"It's amazing. He's going to be so damn pissed," Becca says.

That's the dream.

"So what do you need?" Tess says.

"A black coat, preferably one of the waiter's, and a room key card."

Tess leaves us, while I run through in my mind what I'm going to say. It has to be executed perfectly.

Tess returns with the things I'd asked. She got the key card of a luxury suite. Now that's how committed you need your friends to be for your causes.

I take a hair band from my bag and tightly pull my hair back into a pony tail. I put on the coat and get up and pick up the tray in our table with two of the untouched drinks.

I straighten my spine and briskly walk to Raylan's table.

"Mr. Raylan Shaw, welcome back to Mirage. Compliments of the house," I say and place the drinks on the table.

Before he could do or say anything, I place the key card in front of him from where the girl can clearly see it.

"We had already reserved your usual suit, sir. Your companion today is very beautiful," I say and look up at the girl and give her my best smile and turn around and leave.

Following that, from the sounds of liquid splashing and gasps from people from the surrounding tables, I have a pretty good idea of what happened.

My friends and I quickly sneak out of the restaurant before Raylan decides to murder us or something.

Next day, later in the evening, my mom finds me idling my life away at the living room couch. "What did you do to Raylan?" She says.

I look at her surprised. Did he tell on me to my mom?!!! But Raylan is not like that. Even without me holding information to blackmail him with, his ego would never let him run crying to anyone's mom.

"What do you mean?" I say, trying to stay calm.

"I talked to Nina just now. She said the date didn't go well for Raylan. Apparently that girl got upset about something and left. Nina thinks Raylan did something to spite her for fun. Raylan told her that's not true and that you were even there and saw how sincere he was. So tell me what exactly happened? And why were you there? You did something to mess with him right?"

I look at my mom with my mouth open, trying to feign ignorance and hurt. "How could you say that? I did no such thing! You know Tess' uncle is the manager there. We just went to grab some free drinks."

"Then it was Raylan who caused the trouble?"

If I say that, she'll ask me what he did, and I wouldn't be able to get away with another lie.

That dragon knew what he was doing, dragging my name into this as his character witness.

My perfect plan wasn't so perfect after all.

"He was a total gentleman. It was that girl who was all crazy and self absorbed. Poor Raylan, he had to go through all that," I say.

My mom looks at me as if she's struggling to decide whether to believe me or not.

"I even helped him and Tony at the car wash," I quickly add before she decides I'm lying.

Mom sighs. "Alright, alright. But seriously though, you guys need to learn to get along better. You are not kids anymore, and there's not much time left before you all leave for college. So be nice to him," mom says.

I obediently nod.

She's right. I don't have that much time left with to torture him. That's very sad. Why didn't Lara kiss him a few years before, dammit!

End of chapter