Chapter 17

"Put two ships in the open sea, without wind or tide, and, at last, they will come together. Throw two planets into space, and they will fall one on the other. Place two enemies in the midst of a crowd, and they will inevitably meet; it is a fatality, a question of time; that is all."- Jules Verne

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Day 7

I always loved action movies. The hero saving the world sacrificing who needs to be sacrificed. We are all in position now. Me and Sam are around Adriana's locker while Penny and Isa are around Scarlet's locker, which is across from us not too far but we cant hear each other. I am anxious. This is the first time that I take part in the plot. Sam looks anxious too, her eyes frantically searching our surroundings. At Least I should have been with Penny. She successfully completed the mission regarding Lenna. I saw Adriana walking towards her locker. She wore a short dress with stockings and white shirt with a black tie. Her short heels were clicking and her shoulder length black hair swaying with every step she took. She had one hand filled with books and the other held a pink bag. I don't know how she balanced both. Her 2 minions follow her closely behind. She was trying to show off that she is both fashionista and smart. I squeezed Sam's hand gently when she neared her locker. We were standing across from her. I took a deep breath and continued,

"Oh my god, Justin started to date,'' I shouted for Adriana to hear me. I picked through my lashes to see her, but she was dumping her books in her locker with no care about what was going on around her. I nodded at Isa.

"Yes, she looks pretty. Justin is lucky." It's so unusual for Sam to shout that her voice cracked at the end, but It did its Job. Josephine Sailor, one of Adriana's bimbos, called her pointing to where we were. We hid behind the phone but I took a pick and Josephine was whispering something in Adriana's ears like a good little soldier. I heard Adriana's approaching footsteps before the phone was snatched out of my hands. She was expecting her and Justin's face on the screen with a smug expression covering her face but what she saw couldn't be more different. We photoshopped Justin's picture with a blond whose back was to the camera, but Justin appears to be smiling and enjoying himself. Rage clouded Adriana's features making her instantly red.

"Where did you find this?'' shouted Adriana, getting in Sam's personal space. Sam swallowed several times and replied in her most confident voice,

"In the Darius café. I took it yesterday. He comes with her every day at 3 after school." Sam added for good measure. Adriana started to calculate the time, which works perfectly since he met her at 10 yesterday. The math is right. "I can show you today if you like." Sam said, and Adriana narrowed her eyes at her throwing the phone at us. I caught it mid air. It was as if it was us who took her to-be boyfriend. She left without another word, picking her back and making her way towards her class. I saw Penny and Isa between the heavy crowd. Isa nodded twice at me. They were doing the exact same thing as us with Scarlet. Scarlet was pushing everyone on her way wearing the same expression as Adriana. Scarlet wore the same type of clothes Adriana wore. Blue Short dress with white stocking and blue shirt. Only the color was different. Scarlet's hair was longer, reaching her mid back and the color was chocolate brown. Adriana and Scarlet met each other in the middle of the hallway. And I smiled in anticipation.

"Adriana." spitted Scarlet.

"Scarlet," acknowledged Adriana. Adriana gave Scarlet an overall and smirked. "You look hideous today and your bag is fake." Adriana's bimbos snickered.

"Don't start with me today Adriana," Scarlet threatened. "I am really mad right now, and I won't tolerate you like I did the past few years." with that she pushed Adriana and went her way with her 2 friends following her behind. Even the number of friends they have is the same. Adriana scoffed and continued her way. Students cleared since there was no drama today between the most famous rivals. Isa and Penny came to us.

"How did it go?" asked Isa, putting her hands in her pockets.

"Good. But she didn't say she will let me take her to the café." shrugged Sam.

"Oh she will." Isa smiled. "Now I will ask Justin out."

"Why?" me and Penny asked at the same time.

"Relax," Isa clutched her heart. "I will act like the fake bimbo we showed them in the pictures wearing a blond wig so they would believe us then second Justin will lose any interest he might have in me if I act desperate." she finished. It makes sense.

"What if they ask who the blond is?" Penny questioned.

"We have a certain blond." Isa pointed towards Lenna, who walked with her head up high even though she was embarrassed a few days ago. I didn't care what happened to her and Isa proved she is the best mastermind over and over again.

***

We decided that I won't go with Adriana and Sam to the café since I will be dating Justin soon enough. We don't want Adriana to figure out it was all a sham. I don't think she would remember me from earlier, she was mad and my face was easily forgettable. I was sitting inside the café with Isa a few chairs behind me. She had a blond wing on her head. We plan to show Adriana and Scarlet her back and Justin's face through the glass windows. Justin arrived, and I pretended to read the menu as if he would recognize me. When he passed me by, I was enveloped in his smell. He smelt so good that I could still feel it even if he was sitting a fair distance from me.

"What's up?" I heard Justin's deep voice, and giggling from Isa.

"I just want to talk to you." I can't see them since they are behind me, but I can hear them. I saw Sam with Adriana from the left and Penny with Scarlet from the opposite direction. I smiled at how Adriana and Scarlet dressed the same. Both have big sunglasses on and scarves covering their heads. At Least someone wore something worse than me on their first day of stalking. Adriana and Scarlet were horrified to see each other and both glared at Sam and Penny respectively. Sam pointed behind the mirror and both their attention snapped to Justin. I am sure they could see his face. Scarlet gasped, her mouth hanging open. The four of them came close to the café to have a better look. Penny gave me a thumbs up so I started to listen to Justin's and Isa's conversation.

"I love you. When I see you, I just feel alive." Isa's voice was breathless, which was met by silence from Justin's side.

"It's you?" Justin asked. "The one who sent me those letters? My secret admirer?"

"No," Isa said truthfully. My heart pounded at the mention of the letters. I thought he forgot that.

"I am new here, and you are the only one on my mind." her words were desperate, and she knew he would hate it.

"I don't know what to say. I am flattered." Justin said hesitantly.

"Don't you like my new hair? I did it for you. I heard you liked blonds." Justin laughed.

"I don't want you to change because of me or for me." he said, and those words hurt me. I felt physical pain, something squeezing my heart because he didn't notice me now that I am who I am. Boys just say that but never mean it. I saw both Adriana and Scarlet put their glasses down .Their eyes wide as if they couldn't believe what they saw. I cranked my head to see what was going on, and Isa had locked her fingers with Justin. I was not mad seeing the type of emotions it triggered on the targets. Justin pulled his hands subtly, and put them under the table. Adriana and Scarlet had had enough of the show so they made their way towards the door. I sent a quick text to Isa alerting her the situation, and I heard her chair scrap.

"Got to go Justin." she said, and retreated. I got up to go to the cash receiver to see the show, folding my arms in my chest. Adriana and Scarlet made their way straight towards Justin's seat His face contouring into recognition of the girls now in front of him.

Both of them shared a look and grabbed the juice and water Isa and he ordered a few minutes ago and poured it to his lap. Justin was too shocked to respond. I felt small hands grabbing me. Penny was urging me to get out of the café, but I needed to hear their conversation.

"Did you think it is cute to repeat what Matthew did in 7th grade?" Scarlet asked loudly for everyone to hear.

"If so, you must remember what happened to him." Adriana finished the sentence. Before Justin replied both of them put their hands on the table, leaning in,

"You messed with the wrong girls." Scarlet sneered.

"Now you pay the price." Adriana's voice was full of threatening promises. They left, walking in sync. Me and Penny followed them out and got into Isa's car, which was parked down the street. After all of us were strapped, Isa adjusted the mirror to see me. Me and Penny were in the back seat.

"Justin maintained something about letters and a secret admirer. Do you happen to know something about that? Isa asked, her voice daring me to lie.