I bite back a smile. How did I miss that he’s got a thing for Kate? I’ll need to keep an eye on them because my sister will likely trample all over his heart. I know he won’t dare make a move on her, but I don’t trust Kate as much as I trust Asher. She’s getting more and more rebellious these days. She’d get with Asher just to mess with me.
“Hmm, yeah. I’ve got an idea. I think I know how to make this better but I’ll need to run to the store, though. How much time do we have left?” I check my watch and nod to myself. Ten minutes should be enough time. “Be right back,” I tell Asher. He takes in my wicked grin and shakes his head. “Don’t get into trouble, dude. Coach will have your damn ass.”
I shrug. If everything goes to plan Coach will never even find out. I run to the store and grab the two things I need: a jar of oregano and freezer bags. I walk out of the store and empty the contents of the glass jar into the freezer bag and then walk back to school in a rush. I only have a few minutes to pull this off, but this should definitely get Emilia to finally snap out of the funk she’s been in.
I walk straight to Emilia’s locker with a wide grin on my face. This is my best idea yet. She’s going to freaking trip when she finds a bag of fake weed in her locker. I put in the code to her lock and frown when it won’t open. Damn. She must’ve changed the code again. I check my watch and start rolling the numbers into different combinations. I try her birthday, Kate’s, mom’s, as well as parts of her phone number, house address and post code. Usually it’s one of those. I groan when none of them work and drop my forehead to her locker. My plan is going to fail if I can’t figure out the code. I pause and straighten suddenly. What if her code is similar to mine? The one thing she thinks I’ll never guess. I put in my own birthday and Emilia’s locker springs open. I smile victoriously and put the fake weed right at the front. It’ll fall out when she opens her locker, and I need to make sure I’m there to witness it. Better yet, to film it. I can just imagine the look on her face.
“Hey Carter, what are ya doing?” a high-pitched voice says behind me. I jump and turn around to find Jennifer staring at me. She’s wearing her cheerleader outfit for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I know for a fact that they don’t have practice today, because Kate and Emilia would’ve let me know. Much to my dismay Emilia actually made it onto the cheerleading squad. Not that the competition is very fierce in a town as tiny as Woodstock. I’m pretty sure anyone that auditions is automatically in. I was actually hoping Kate would quit soon, but that’s not happening anytime soon now that Emilia has joined her. I don’t like my sister being around these little vipers.
Jennifer’s already minuscule skirt is pulled up even higher than usual and she smiles at me seductively – or so she thinks. I groan inwardly. She’s been fucking following me around ever since I made out with her at the last house party we both found ourselves at. She seems to be convinced that she can just wear me down and it’ll happen again.
“Nothing,” I murmur, smiling.
“I’ve been looking for you all over,” she says, grinning. My eyes fall closed and I inhale deeply. “I know,” I mutter. I’ve been trying to avoid her, but she’s tenacious.
“We should hang out sometime,” she says as she twirls one of her long blonde locks around her fingers. I shake my head and smile tightly. “I don’t think that’s going to happen, Jennifer. I’m sorry about last time. I was just drunk, you know how it is.”
She’s the one that kept fetching me drinks and then pretty much jumped me when I was too drunk to even function properly. I feel no remorse for turning her down flat. If our roles had been reversed I’d be making sure she got home okay. I wouldn’t be waiting for her to get so drunk that she isn’t thinking clearly. Jennifer definitely gives me psycho vibes. I close Emilia’s locker, but she still manages to look inside it before the door shuts. She gasps and I inhale deeply, praying for patience.
“Oh my god. Emilia Parker is a pothead? Who would’ve known... It’s always the quiet ones you need to be worried about. I knew something was off about her. She always acts like a goody two shoes, but I knew it was just an act,” she says excitedly.
I try to keep from rolling my eyes and shake my head. “She’s not a pothead,” I snap. Jennifer nods. “I see, so she’s just selling? Can I have some? I just want to try it once.”
“It’s just a joke, Jennifer. It’s not real pot. Emilia would never do that, nor would I,” I say through clenched teeth. She fucking infuriates me.
Jennifer frowns at me and her eyes flash angrily. “You two are awfully close, aren’t you?” she says. “Is she the reason you don’t want to hang out with me?”
I shake my head and walk past her. I literally have no time to deal with her right now. “I’m late for class, gotta go,” I shout, praying she won’t follow me to the damn classroom.
Chapter 7
Emilia
I know I’m in trouble when the intercom system loudly announces that I’m expected to make my way to the Principal’s office immediately. Kate and I glance at each other and I shake my head, indicating that I have no idea what this might be about.
I walk towards the Principal’s office with slow steps, dreading the inevitable. The pranks Carter and I pull on each other have gotten me detention before, but I’ve never once had to go to the Principal’s office. Besides, I haven’t done anything, so that can only mean one thing. Carter freaking got me into trouble.
I walk in to find Carter and Helen both sitting in front of the Principal’s desk. Our neighborhood police officer, Officer Oliver, is standing behind them and I’m suddenly terrified. What even happened?
“Emilia,” Officer Oliver says. I’ve volunteered to help the police force with neighborhood initiatives before and I’ve always liked Officer Oliver. He’s the very picture of a sweet old man, yet he’s the last person I want to see standing here. My stomach is in knots as I walk towards Helen. She looks just as confused as I do.
“We called your father, but he said Mrs. Clarke would act as your guardian in his absence,” the Principal tells me. I nod numbly. I don’t think my dad has come to school even once this year, so that hardly surprises me.
Officer Oliver clears his throat and we all turn to look at him. “We got a report that a student was dealing drugs, Miss Parker. Would you please allow us to check your locker?”
I frown. “What?” I whisper, my heart racing.
Carter groans and buries his face in his hands. “How many times do I need to tell you? It’s just a prank. There are no drugs.”
Officer Oliver merely nods, his expression carefully blank. “Miss Parker,” he says, addressing me formally. I nod and lead him to my locker in silence. What the hell did Carter do? My heart is beating wildly as I unlock my locker. The door opens and a translucent bag falls to the floor. Officer Oliver picks it up and holds it up for me to see.
“What is this, Miss Parker?”
I look at Carter with wide eyes but he merely looks frustrated. “For God’s sake,” he murmurs. Helen grabs his arm and stares him down, her eyes filled with worry and disbelief.
“Just open it and smell it, please,” Carter says. Officer Oliver raises his brow and does as Carter asks. His lips tug up at the edges ever so slightly before his usual expressionless look replaces it. He hands the bag to Helen and shakes his head. She frowns as she raises the bag to her nose and inhales. She looks relieved and then furious when she realizes what it is.
“Oregano,” she says through clenched teeth. Officer Oliver smiles and looks down at his feet before facing us again. “We reviewed the video surveillance, and it looks like your son put this in Miss Parker’s locker.”
He turns towards us with a stern expression. “No more of this, kids. The next time I’m called in over a prank I’ll be taking both of you with me to the station. I’ll let you think about your actions in a holding cell. Trust me, you don’t want that.”
Helen nods and slaps Carter’s arm. He looks annoyed but nods too. “Yes, sir,�
� he says. Officer Oliver shakes his head and walks away looking irked.
I exhale in relief and glare at Carter. “Oregano, really?”
He shrugs and smiles at me, but his smile drops off his face when the Principal turns towards us. “I am sick and tired of the nonsense you two get up to. You’re both suspended for a week,” he says, red in the face.
Helen gasps and shakes her head. “Oh no, Principal. It was just a joke. Surely you can just give them detention for a week?”
He glares at Helen and huffs. “Detention? They’re already in detention every week. If she wasn’t one of my top students and he wasn’t a promising football star, I’d be expelling them both! Now get out of here,” he says through gritted teeth. He storms away and leaves us standing there with Helen. I’d take the Principal’s anger over hers any day.
“You two are both grounded. One week in your rooms. No phone, no laptop, no TV. No nothing!” she yells.
She walks away and Carter and I look at each other, both of us annoyed. “I can’t believe you!” I shout. I push against his chest and follow Helen. Carter merely chuckles. I can’t believe he finds this amusing. We’re freaking suspended and grounded. I stop and turn back to face him.
“The police were involved, Carter. It isn’t funny!” I yell, my cheeks flushed and my eyes flashing. Carter grins and looks away. “It was only Officer Oliver and he adores you. And it’s a little funny,” he murmurs. “Besides, I never meant for the police to get involved. I just wanted to shock you a little.”
I roll my eyes. “Well, they did get involved. Who the hell called them if it wasn’t you?”
Carter hesitates, his expression darkening. “The only one that saw me put the bag in your locker was Jennifer. I clearly told her it was just a joke, though,” he murmurs.
I walk up to him and push him again. “Jennifer? Jennifer? My cheering squad Jennifer? Why would she even do that?” I ask in disbelief. Carter bites down on his lip guiltily and my heart suddenly sinks.
“You... did you sleep with her?” I ask. “Is this some sort of revenge thing?”
Carter holds up his hands and looks at me with wide eyes. “No, Emilia. Shit. Do you think I sleep with fucking everyone?”
I glare at him. “You asshole. You definitely slept with her. Why else would she do this? The police never would’ve gotten involved if you weren’t such a massive slut. You disgust me,” I snap. My heart feels unsettled and my stomach twists uncomfortably. I knew he’d been messing around with the cheering squad, but until today at least I didn’t know who he did or didn’t sleep with. I can’t believe it was Jennifer of all people.
Carter looks hurt and for a moment I feel bad, but then I think of him with Jennifer and the mental image just fuels my fury.
“You think you’re so cool because you go and sleep around with all the girls, but you’re not. You’re really not, Carter. Just because you’re a guy doesn’t mean you’re not an effing slut. You’re just so freaking gross!”
I storm away and leave him staring after me. Somehow, I’m more upset about Jennifer than the prank he pulled on me.
Chapter 8
Emilia
I’m still mad when I storm into my room. A whole week – I’ll have to be in this damn room all week, all because Carter couldn’t keep it in his pants. Helen definitely won’t even let me hang out with Kate in that time. I stand by my window and glare into Carter’s room from my own. I can see into his bedroom easily from here. He’s got his desk pushed up against the window and his bed behind it. Sometimes, if I’m really peering into his room and he’s forgotten to close his curtains, I can see him lying in bed. Carter walks into his room and drops his bag to the floor. He immediately walks to his window and opens it.
“I’m sorry,” he shouts. I glare at him and shut the curtains. I storm down the stairs and grab a box of expired eggs before making my way up again. I drag my curtains open roughly and push my window open. My movements catch Carter’s attention, and he opens his own window too. He looks so relieved that I hesitate for a second. Then I shake my head and grab my slingshot from my desk drawer. Carter and I both have identical ones that we’d use to throw messages at each other before we got smartphones. I guess messages is overstating it a little - they were mostly insults, and every once in a while, some actual conversations.
I grab one of the eggs and aim for his window. I shoot as hard as I can, and the egg hits him right in the chest. It cracks against his favorite t-shirt, the yolk running down his body. He looks down at it in surprise. Before he has a chance to shield himself, I launch another one. This one hits him right in the stomach. He closes his window in a rush, and the third egg crashes against it. He stares at me and shakes his head. He looks me right in the eyes as he lifts his t-shirt, taking it off. Then he opens the window just slightly and sticks his arm out to clean his window with his t-shirt before closing it again. He moves so quickly that I don’t have a chance to throw an egg at his arm.
I grit my teeth and slam my window closed before yanking my curtains closed too. I get into bed angrily. My feelings are all over the place. I should be mad about the fake weed prank, but instead I’m mad about Jennifer. I never liked her – she’s always mean to Kate and me and always acts like she’s so much better than us just because she’s been cheering for longer than we have. Why did it have to be her? The idea of Carter and her makes me feel uncomfortable. I’ve never seen him with anyone but I’ve heard that he can get quite wild at all the parties Kate and I aren’t allowed to attend. Despite that I’ve never seen him kiss someone and I haven’t so much as seen him hold a girl’s hand. Logically I know he’s probably been with girls, though. After all, he’s the school’s quarterback, he’s clever as hell and he’s just generally actually nice to anyone who isn’t me. I’ve always ignored the rumors about him as best as I could, but this time I’m finding it impossible to get the mental image of Jennifer and Carter out of my head. My heart aches just a little thinking of the two of them together.
My phone buzzes and I glare at it when I realize it’s a text from Carter. I click on it and nearly drop my phone. He’s sent me a photo that was clearly taken on his bed. He’s lying down, shirtless, and his jeans are hanging low on his hips. I can see most of his upper body, and he’s got a smug grin on his face. There are some stains from the eggs on his abs, and two small red marks on his skin. I stare at the photo shamelessly. When did Carter get this muscular? I know football practice is pretty tough, but hot damn. I zoom in on his abs and stare at his body with wide eyes. I felt how strong he is when he held me in the treehouse, and I did see his abs then too, but I was so flustered and sad that I didn’t truly notice. Not the way I notice them now, in the obscurity of my bedroom.
My phone buzzes again and I drop it onto my face. I groan in pain and rub my forehead furiously. I check my phone to find another text from Carter.
Devil: I’m hurt.
I roll my eyes. I know he isn’t actually hurt, but I am surprised to see the bruises. I didn’t think it’d hurt him much at all. Was I wrong? I feel just a tiny bit bad. I didn’t mean to hurt him.
Devil: I’m really hurt. Didn’t you see the bruises?
I purse my lips and ignore him. I’m so annoyed. Far more than usual. My phone buzzes again and I stare at it through narrowed eyes.
Devil: Minx, I didn’t sleep with her. I swear.
I bite down on my lip. Is he lying to me? Does he even have any reason to lie to me?
Emilia: Why would she respond the way she did if you didn’t sleep with her?
Devil: Fuck if I know. Chick is crazy. She kissed me at a party a few weeks ago. I was really drunk, so I let her. That’s all.
My heart aches. He kissed her. I knew something must’ve happened between them, but I’m hurt nonetheless. I shouldn’t be.
Emilia: So, you got with her? You might not have slept with her, but you made out with her
Devil: I’m sorry, Emilia
Emilia: You should be. If not for yo
ur slutty behavior we wouldn’t have gotten suspended
I stare at my screen. It looks like he’s typing, but then he stops and starts all over again. It takes minutes before he finally actually messages me again.
Devil: I know you won’t believe this, but the rumors you’re hearing about me aren’t actually true. I haven’t slept with anyone, Minx
I stare at my phone in disbelief. Surely he doesn’t expect me to believe that he’s actually still a virgin. He’s seventeen. I know most guys his age are already doing it. Besides, I’ve been hearing rumors about him for almost two years now.
Devil: I’m not a slut, Minx. Quite the opposite.
I’m about to reply when I hear the front door slam closed downstairs. Footsteps rush up the stairs and Helen walks into my room with a furious look on her face. She holds her hand out and I reluctantly hand her my phone.
“I know this one technically wasn’t your fault, Milly. Nonetheless I’m punishing you both. I don’t mind your little feud and your arguments, but it cannot interfere with school. Carter gets away with a lot because he’s on the football team, but you’ll need your scholarship, Milly. You’re on track to getting a free ride to college. Rein in the pranks, okay?”
I nod guiltily. I know she’s only looking out for me and I love her for it, but I do feel like I’m being punished unfairly. Helen grabs my laptop from my desk and takes it with her.
“I’ll leave the TV downstairs, but I’m going to come in randomly and make sure you’re in your room where you’re meant to be. Don’t try me, Emilia.”
I sigh and fall back onto my bed as she walks back out, my portals to the world outside in her hands.
Chapter 9
Carter
I’m going stir crazy. My mother handed me a bunch of ridiculously boring books that I have to read for English class. No one actually reads them, and she knows it. We all just look up summaries and write our reports on those. But I guess I read them now. It’s the only form of entertainment available to me.
Mayhem Page 4