NEW GIRL(5)

Although Kate was the one that got first,she wasn't as excited as Ken who always said she was the chosen one for beating Evan for the first time in the six years she had been here.

Kate was pleasantly surprised to find Michael at the third spot,he had hardly spoke more than two words to her in the three days she had been here and now she had a new perspective of him and viewed him differently.

He was the quiet one but had managed to be in the top three,she wanted to know more about him and what he was thinking in that head of his but he was so closed off,so she kept the plan in the back of her mind.

The rest of the day was with students summoning the courage to come up to Kate and congratulate her for her achievement,Kate was pleasantly surprised,no one has even talked to her since she came. If she knew that getting first would get them to talk to her,she'd happily beat Evan over and over again.

After the school day,Evan and Kate meet up at Evan's car,Kate went back to ignoring him,treating him like air,she opened his car and got in the passenger seat.

She was still angry about the outburst he had over something she tried so desperately to explain. He rolled his eyes and got in the driver's seat and drives steadily.

Few minutes of driving,Kate could see her home in just a few blocks from here,she hated this silence and wished she could find a way to end this set up that both her and Evan had found themselves in. She had tried,so many times in a day,that is,to beg her parents to cut off the deal but they asked her for her reason,she tried making up excuses not wanting to explain to them but of course,they didn't listen unless she wouldn't be in his car,would she?.

Evan parked in front of her home,his eyes still focused on the road,his eyes were roaming around as he contemplated on whether he should ask her or not,his ego wouldn't allow him to take a no for an answer and also ask her in fear of her rejection.

He heard the door lock for the passenger open and before he could stop himself,he locked it back from his side,Kate stared at him slowly for a good two minutes, wondering if he did it on purpose but his eyes was everywhere but on her.

She sighs and opened the car lock again but yet again,he locked it. This went on for about three more times before she groaned loudly and faced him "What the fuck you do you want?" He didn't answer,his mind in a debate.

Kate rolled her eyes at his silence "Then don't fucking lock the door again" She opened the car lock and stopped thinking he'd lock it when she wants to open the door but he didn't, she held the handle and 'CLICK',the door got locked again.

She pasued,her ears red from the anger brewing inside her. She did her usual breath take ins and turned to stare at him,with the utmost calmess and composure,her face broke into a smile,not the bubbly,cheery one she gave in school but the maniac,crazy smile that sent goosebumps up into one nerves,the kind of smile you see in those films with the joker in it "IF I OPEN THIS CAR ONE MORE TIME AND YOU LOCK IT,AM GOING TO BREAK THE GLASS AND USE A PIECE OF IT TO WRITE MY FUCKING NAME ON YOUR FUCKING FACE" The smile on her face long gone. Evan had turned to look at her,he gulped never seen this side of the new girl and dare he say,she was more scarier than his mother no one...no one scares him more than his mother,not even his father.

"Hope am understood?" She turned towards the door when Evan held her writs,his palm was cold on her wrist,the hairs at the back of her neck rose up,not in a way that says this guy wants to do something terrible to you but in the way that wants her body to lean into his,to give his body the warmth she was radiating and for his body to give her something cool. She wants to remove her wrist from his hold but her brain was registering what her mind wants "Wait a minute" His voice broke whatever battle she was having with her brain,she jacks her wrist away from his hold and gulps,refusing to look at him for fear he might see whatever she was thinking right on her face and tease her about it,maybe not tease but treat it like it's nothing,making her feel inferior.

"What do you want?,want to yell at me again for wanting to go to my home or what?" She asks composing herself.

He ignores what she said "i want a do over" He finally lets out. Kate brows pulled together almost touching each other,she was confused,do over of what? Did he have first try of something that he failed with her before?.

When she didn't say anything,he continued "You beat me... the exams,a do over...i want a do over" Evan wasn't one to fidget over the words he wants to say,he says it as it is,not coating his words to please the other party but yet again,he wasn't one to ask for anything,he just takes it or it was given to him without him asking,this was a lot coming from him. Kate didn't know that,she overlooked that and turned to stare at him "The exams...really? That's what this is about..." She crossed her arms over each other and tucked in under her small breasts "Fine,a do over is what you want, a do over you'll get. What do you want us to do? Write another exam and see who wins this time or have a duel in front of the whole school" She was joking about the latter but Evan gave her a serious look "A duel." He says and a dumb founded look crossed over Kate's face "you must be joking..." He didn't change his look and her eyes widened "oh you're being serious".

She sighs "I didn't know that you were such a sore loser,awwn,did me whipping baby Evan's butt hurt him?" She says realising that she hadn't said anything to hurt his stupid large ego that he seems to uphold so high. And it works,his leans back into his seat but unlike him,she didn't gloat over his very miserable state "Fine,what challenge do you have in mind?".

"I asked your parents one activity you love doing and they said chess,let's do that. I know the basis of chess playing".

She stared at him like he was crazy "You know the basis and you think that's enough,I might not be pro but I do know how to whip a noobie's ass".

"We'll see about that,is it a deal or do you want to continue berating me?" Evan asked with utmost boredom he could muster,with her arms still crossed over each other,she answered "if you can't ask nicely,I won't accept the deal" It was childish and she knows this but this was Evan,the Evan that everybody in school respects, she'd surely milk this out of him.

"Fine... Kate Tyson,will you accept my challenge and play chess with me in front of the whole school?" He blinked slowly asking if this is what she wants.

Smiling,she pretended to be oblivious to what he did "I do" She says mischievously.

He rolled his eyes at her tactics.

"Whatever... what do you want if you win?" He asks.

"Whatever you want is the same thing i want" She says dismissing him.

"When is the duel anyway?" She added.

"Friday,at closing hours,in the middle of the field" She nods at him "Okay,see you then" Without waiting for his answer,she opens the door and left. Evan stared at her retreating back and drove off after a full five-minute of staring at her door.

~Thursday~

Kate came down from Evan's car,as she passed by,people smiled at her and waved,she did the same,happy. If she could just beat Evan tomorrow, this could be her life. Not that she wanted to be the popular girl who deems everybody unworthy but that she wanted to destroy the invisible hierarchy that seems to be in every school.

Skipping to her class in joy,a big smile plastered unto her face but the smile was immediately wiped off when she saw the looks on her classmates faces,knowing that they probably won't tell her what she had done,she head towards the two people she had grown close with in these few days.

She sat on her seat and whispered "What's wrong guys?".

Ken didn't waste anytime and quickly explained "Ember went around spreading rumors that you cheated and slept your way into first place,I tried defending you but you know...am not that popular and well known,so nobody stood by me" Ken whispered back.

Kate took in the words that she had just heard,her eyes turning serene,a brewing storm inside those dark irises. She stood up and looked at Ken "Ember's class please" her emphasis drawn out on the word please. She cracked her neck and knuckles following Ken as she leads the way.

After walking and turning,Ken stopped in front of a classroom,on the way there,she had tried to talk Kate out of it but it seems like Kate suddenly turned deaf.

Kate never took insults well,especially one that questions her values,she had violence in her but not many had witnessed it and once witnessed,pray to whateveer you believe to never get on that side of her.

She opened the door lightly and kicked it with her foot gently, making the door open on its own revealing her face to the whole class. Ember was right in the front seat,her head turned to Kate as a smug look appeared on her face.

Kate walked towards her in a slow motion,and without speaking a word,she slapped Ember twice on both cheeks. Gasps filled the air but she wasn't done,she held Ember's hair bringing her back from the state of shock she had been in.

Dragging her by her hair,Kate took to the front of the class,where the teacher stands and throws her away like a dirty rag.

Ember face was down in exhaustion,Kate gave her no time to think,she held her hair again and held it tight raising Ember's face to meets hers "I don't know your problem with me but you don't blaspheme my name and get away with it" After speaking her piece,she kicked Ember in the stomach hard and smiled seeing her whimpering on the ground like a wounded animal. "By lunch time,I want you to go to everyone you've lied against me to and tell them the real truth" Kate said eyeing her.

Ember eyes shot fire,even in this state,she also refuses to back down "The truth is that you cheated and slept with a teacher,Evan was supposed to be the first but a new girl took over,how could she had won if she didn't sleep with a teacher,why should i lie about it?".

Kate tsk'ed and hit her in the stomach "Wrong answer,so I'm ordering you this time,go to everybody and tell the truth,the consequences would be dire if you refuse" Kate dropped her on the ground and dusted her hands looking at her with disgust "Aren't you afraid that am going to report you because i am".

Kate laughed,like laughed while everybody stared at her like she's crazy "You wouldn't" She says confidently and before Ember could say another word,she strutted away,like those type of walk you see in movies when the hero walks away from an explosion kind of walk.

Ken was speechless from what she just witnessed,she didn't speak about it through out the way back to class and neither did Kate.

And true to Kate's words,Ember didn't report and the reasons were pretty simple,Ember's family was not as influential as Kate's and Ember had created a false rumor that could end a student's career if not handled properly. If Ember's family finds out,Ember wouldn't like what would happen and Kate would still go scot free.

By lunch,Kate was back to her cheery state,not looking like the girl that had beaten and threatened Evan's girl. Ember had eventually told everybody the truth,scared for her life and it pleased Kate.

Evan,surprisingly, didn't come to defend Ember which was new because nobody messes with Ember and goes scots free.

Thomas being the blabbermouth that he is had asked Kate what happened with Ember and if she has a split personality.

"Of course not,I hate being lied against or someone questioning my morals. I just did what i had to do to get rid of the rumor fast and it worked,didn't it?" Was her response.

He also brought to her knowledge the chess competition,she didn't know how he knew and he didn't know who spread the rumor but the whole school knew about it.

Kate was completely normal,not freaking out in her physical appearance but she could feel her heartbeat accelerating.

Tomorrow was the day and the whole school is going to be present,she gulped internally and smiled,so fake,yet so real.

A/N: I know that i said the chess competition would take place in this chapter but i couldn't fit it in,it would make the chapter a bit too long and boring,so I had to cut the chapter into two. I'm sorry and most definitely, the chess competition is going to take place next chapter.

Quick question though : Favorite fictional book(any genre).

Words count: 2,412 words.