by Amanda Agu
“Thank god,” I said as I pulled the phone to my ear.
Chapter 13
It was Friday. I hadn’t gone to school since last week Friday, so I assumed today would be an okay day. If anything went wrong, the weekend would be there to save me.
I got dressed in an all maroon dress. I placed a bandana around my head and grabbed my white converse.
I looked at the time. I still had 14 minutes till I had to be at school.
I put on my shoes, grabbed my keys, and left the house.
As I drove down Gilmore street, the word “Starbucks” came to mind. I looked at the clock again.
12 minutes.
“What the hell!” I said as I made a left onto Jones.
Starbucks! Starbucks! Starbucks!
“Ah! Starbucks!” I shouted when my eye met the green and white logo.
I turned into the shopping center and saw that the Starbucks had a drive-through.
“This place is convenient…” I whispered to myself.
There were only two people in front of me when I arrived, and by the looks of it, they were teens like me.
I brought it to my home and opened up the app ‘Snapchat’. I tapped on the name Nic and looked at his story.
He was wearing tan colored trousers and a red and black polo shirt. His hair was in the signature ‘Nic’ hairstyle, his shoes white, and a Rolex wristwatch, probably worth more than my whole life.
In his story he was smiling, it didn’t look sincere, but it was believable. Harper on his right side latched on his arm and his arm wrapped around her shoulder.
Beep beep beep
“Oh shut,” I looked in front of me and saw I was supposed to be ordering right now.
How much time did I spend on my phone? I drove up to the speaker thingy and placed an order for 2 cotton candy fraps.
“Scratch that, 3,” I said to the man behind the voice in the machine.
One for me, one for Harper, and one for Tia. It was originally just for Tia and me, but if I didn’t they for the ring leader, it would look shady.
Following the order, I drove up to the next window and paid the balance of $18.56. When did drinks get so expensive? They have me my drinks and I got back onto the road headed for school.
In three min three, I was pulling up into a parking space at school. I opened the door, for my drinks, backpack, and key.
Beep beep
My car sounded as I locked it. I began walking to the main entrance of the school, only to see my dearest new friend, Grant.
“Hey,” he said slightly punching my back.
“What,” I replied. I was in a rush.
“It was just a simple ‘hey’ Coy,” he said.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry… I’m just in a bit of a rush.”
I looked down at the time. I had only two minutes to deliver the drinks in my tray, put my things in my locker, and meet up with… I can’t even remember who.
I hit myself on the head with my free hand and continued walking down.
Ding ding ding
I heard.
Oh my, the school bell. I was late for my first class, but who cares anyway, right?
I approached the turn that led to my locker. I put down the drinks on the floor near me before I turned. This was so that I’d be able to be fast and get out.
I walked swiftly down the hall and made a sharp left turn.
My eyes widened and I ran behind the corner I had just turned from.
I couldn't fathom what I’d just seen. I didn’t want to believe what I’d just seen.
I peeked around the corner to verify if what I had seen had been real.
There it was.
Harper Faharo and Jonas Sanders in the hall, leaning on a few lockers, kissing like a newborn couple.
Chapter 14
“I thank the gods above for Saturday,” Tia said as we walked around the grassy field at the butterfly lark.
“I clout agree with you more!” I said letting out a faint chuckle, but soon, a slight frown formed.
“What? Who do you see? What happened?” Tia said looking in all directions.
“Nothing.” I tried adding a little smile, but it was useless. Tia could see right through me.
Thoughts had been crowding my head ever since yesterday in the hall.
Should I tell Tia?
Should I tell Nic?
All the questions filled my head leaving me unable to think, unable to focus.
I clenched Tia’s hand, causing her to stop in her tracks and face me. I turned my body in her direction, standing still looking at her.
She could see the pain in my eyes, the guilt, the uncertainty.
“What happened?” She said.
My eyes became moist. I shut them tightly trying to hold back my tears.
“I…”
“What is it Coy?”
“I saw, well… I caught Harper and Jonas together in the hall.”
Tia speed back, her eyes widened, and her Dora the Explorer ice cream fell on the grass creating a large orange, pink, and brown puddle.
Chapter 15
Tia had been walking back and forth in my room for the past 30 minutes from the looks of things, she was also confused.
We really only had two choices. Either snitch to Nic and get hated on by Harper and group, or ditch Nic, which, if they were ever to find out it would lead to hatred from Nic’s party.
“How about we act like we don’t know!” Tia blurted out.
“You? Act? Remember 3rd grade High School Musical play?” I said laughing.
“Yeah…” Tia said through clenched teeth.
Tia can’t act, and even if she tried, she sounded like a monotones robot.
“So what are we going to do Tia?” I said frustrated.
“Let’s change schools, our names, and get fake passports!” Tia said jokingly.
“You’re not serious,” I muttered.
“Obviously not, Coy,” she replied.
Thirty minutes passed by and we had still not come up with a plan. I looked up at the ceiling and fell back on my bed letting out a long and depressing sigh.
Immediately, an idea came into my head. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great.
“Tia, I’ve got!” I blurted out loudly.
She turned to me, her eyes wide and a smile grew across her face.
Tia ran over to my bed like a 3-year-old toddler and sat down ‘criss-cross applesauce.’ Her attention on me and nowhere else.
I explained the plan to her and she clapped her hands louder than humanly possible.
“Let’s do it!” She said letting out a faint smile.
We jumped off the bed, grabbed our bags from the corner, and headed out of the house.
I opened the garage, grabbed my key, and started my car. I backed out of the driveway quickly.
“Ready to put Plan X into gear?” I said to Tia, a smile crowding my face.
“Of course,” she said, as we drove to the downtown supply shop.
Chapter 16
We had it all. The camera, the film, the untraceable phone, and a computer. We were getting everything together, over checking and making sure absolutely nothing went wrong. Otherwise, instead of rising in popularity, (that’s not my goal lol) Tia and I would plummet lower than before.
“So explain to me exactly how we are going to do this?” Tia said hesitantly.
I looked up from my shaking, sweating hands, and took a deep breath.
“We are going to give Harper a box of chocolates and a teddy bear. We will do not next week Tuesday. It’ll be her birthday, nothing suspicious. The teddy bear will have the cam in its eye. So when Harper has her locker open to hide her and,” I made an ugly face, “Jonas smooching away, we will catch everything. It then goes directly to this computer here. The camera and the film are to take pictures, we’ll be in hallway, snapping a few pics to throw in her locker and in the hallways.” I finished out of breath.
Tia rapped ok her leg ne
rvously, looking down at her thigh.
“What is it?” I said placing my hand over her own in an attempt to calm her down.
I could quickly tell it wasn’t working.
“Why do you want to do this? Ruin her, Coy? I-,” I cut her off.
“Tia, for God’s sake, this is the same girl who sent you insulting texts in the 10th grade. The same girl who placed us below her because of clothing and shoes. The same fucking girl who sent a group of girls to beat you up on the bloody playground in the 5th grade!” I didn’t notice I had began shouting until Tia removed her hand from where it laid under my own.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
“It’s okay. I understand. We got to do this. Not only for me, but for you, Coy.” She brushed her fingers through her hair, bringing it back.
“Let’s do this bitch,” Tia said as an amazing large smile appeared on her face causing me to smile back.
Tia and I got off the couch in the television room in my house and went up to the loft. There was a lot of space there, enough to plan everything without distractions.
We got up to the loft and sat on the blanket next to the ash-colored drawers. I took out my jotter and began to think of what to write for the steps needed for everything to go correctly and according to plan. Tia, you threw me a pen and I opened up my jotter to the next blank page and began to write.
How To Succeed In Killing
A Pest
Give items for birthday and make sure she places it in her locker.
Wait till nightfall to deactivate camera in bear
Use burner phone to send videos to Nic and the rest of the popular kids
Throw away the burner phone
Sit back and enjoy life
It was wicked, but at least it was subtle and not many people would see it.
“It’s good,” Tia said quietly to me.
“I know,” I said, and we both laughed like wicked witches of the west.
I slammed my jotter shut and stood up from the soft, comfortable carpet.
“Wait for me!” Tia shouted as she ran up beside me.
“This is going to be good,” I said smiling at Tia.
She turned her head and looked back at me with a glimmering smile on her face.
“Agreed,” She said as she proceeded down the stairs and through the door of my room, slamming it shut behind us.
Chapter 17
It was 6:27am. I had already take my bath and put on my makeup. I stood in front of my closet looking for an outfit to wear.
I flipped through and saw a plain white v-necked shirt. I took it off the hanger and threw it on my bed. As my eyes trailed the pants I had in my closet, I saw a light denim high waisted jeans that I had probably never worn. I pulled it out and walked over to my bed proceeding to put it on.
6:49 am the clock read this time. I hurried to my table and grabbed my phone. I went under the table, grabbed my white all-stars, and slipped my feet inside.
As I pushed open the door of my room, standing there was a cheater of the year, my father.
The blood drained from my face. I hadn’t seen him since the divorce back in 2009.
I pushed past him, rolling my eyes. He trailed behind me like a lost puppy.
“Coy, we got to talk,” he said sternly.
“No thanks, I have school, send me a text instead,” I said like an annoyed mother.
“For God’s sake, stop there! I am your father!” He shouted in anger.
I stopped in my tracks and turned around preparing myself for his abusive, psychopathic self.
“What do you want?” I said as I crossed my arms.
I had a goddamn plan to carry out and if I didn’t leave in the next few minutes, I’d be late. And because it’s Harper, she’ll get carried away in the gifts and fake love.
“Coy, your credit card bill is getting ridiculously high. If you want to continue having one, slow down. And what were you even doing at the supply shop? Planning to murder a man?” He made a squeezed face.
“Something like that. Anyways, are you done?” I said putting out my hand and motioning my head.
He kept quiet and continued staring at me. Two minutes passed by and he was still standing in silence.
I turned my back and began walking down the stairs. When I was halfway down, my back arched inside, ankle twisted, and I tumbled down the stairs.
He pushed me.
My head hit the cold ground when I finally reach the bottom. I turned to look up at the top of the steps and saw the same brown-headed 6’2 white man standing. He was no longer angry or frustrated, rather happy.
I stood up and dusted off my clothes, making sure it was still white and intact. I grabbed my phone, which was now near the shoe rack instead of inside my pocket. A small dent had been formed on the back.
I took a long breathing session, trying to avoid shouting. After placing my phone in my back pocket, again, I grabbed my backpack and keys, opened the door, and flipped him the damn bird.
Chapter 18
I arrive at the school at exactly 6:53 am. My face is still red, but less noticeable than before.
I walked to my locker and opened it. I dropped my keys and bag inside, then grabbed the bear, chocolate, and my books.
“You ready?” I heard a girl say as I closed my locker.
Ugh, it was Tia (no offense, love ya).
“Yes!” I shouted happily.
“Me too,” Tia replied.
We began walking to Harper’s locker, trying to calm our nerves.
As we reach the corner, my heart almost fell into my ass. I took a deep breath and Tia and I continued walking.
Harper’s locker was open, so she couldn’t see us unless she closed it. The cameras were already in our pockets. They were roundish and flat, but they were still small enough to fit in our pockets.
Tia and I approached her locker, and right as we got there she walked out from behind her locker and shined the brightest, whitest, widest smile.
“Hey girls,” Harper said cluelessly.
“Hey!” Tia and I both said smiling back.
I pulled out the bear and the Hershey chocolate from my backpack, nudging at Tia as well so she would stay calm.
“It’s from Tia and me,” I said boldly, still holding the demonic fake smile on my face.
As I handed her the bear, I tapped the eye twice in order to activate the footage taper.
“Oh my god!” Tears streamed from Harper’s eyes that were once so cold to us.
“I’m so grateful! Thank you!” She said, pulling us into a tight hug.
Quickly, I pushed away, still maintaining my smile, and pulling Tia with me.
Harper still kept a smile, not knowing that we had pulled out. She looked down at the bear and chocolates one last time, before opening the cracked locker, and placing it inside perfectly.
My heart was beating her not to close my locker, and as she was about to, our part two appeared, Jonas.
“Bye Harper!” I said grabbing Tia and running around the corner.
I could honestly tell, that she hardly noticed.
As Tia and I peered around the corner, I saw the intimacy of them. It was never how I’d seen Harper and Nick. Maybe what we were doing would help her, rather than hurt her. Maybe she actually wanted to be with Jonas, not just for the sole purpose of hurting Nick.
As I continued staring, I observed two things about their ‘not so secret’ but ‘secret’ relationship.
Number one, Jonas paid an awful lot of attention to Harper. And trust me, when I’m saying that’s hard, I mean, that’s hard! The girl can blab.
And number two, he was affectionate towards her. When she was with Nick, the highest thing you would ever see them do was hold hands.
I turn to Tia, unable to think of what to say when the words just burst out of my mouth.
“Tia, I can’t do it. I just can’t, we are going to carry out the plan, but it is only going to Nic. No other person can ever know about it. Thi
s girl was terrible to us, but she’s changing…” I paused, “And… we’ve gotta accept it.” The sentence followed with a very long (and loud) gasp of air.
