Better Than Revenge (Sweet Secrets #1) (12 page)

I shrugged causing Lena to sigh. “This is the last time that I’m fixing it. The next time you ruin them, you’re on your own.”

I rolled my eyes and cracked a knowing smile. “That’s what you said last time.”

Chapter 16

The overwhelming smell of bacon and eggs wafted up the stairs and into my room, giving me a good reason to roll out of bed earlier than usual. One glance around my room told me that Lena was nowhere to be found. Yawning groggily, I made my way to the surprisingly unoccupied bathroom. After using the bathroom, taking a hot shower, and brushing my teeth, I dragged a brush through my wet hair and braided it back into a thick French braid. With a towel wrapped around my damp body, I padded back into my room and quickly pulled on my uniform. I had ordered a longer pair of pants and a looser fitting jacket so I no longer looked like it had shrunken in the dryer.

I bounded down the stairs, heading toward the kitchen for some breakfast. It had been weeks since my mom had cooked anything for breakfast. I usually never had time to eat before school anyway, but on the rare occasions that I did, I would just eat a bowl of oatmeal.

Turning into the kitchen, I caught sight of my redheaded friend, and my blonde arch enemy sitting down together at the table. Frowning, I walked past them, grabbing a plate from the cabinet and a fork from the drawer before going back to plop down in the free chair next to Lena. Lena flashed me a genuine smile while saying, “Morning, Forrester. It’s about time you woke up. I got up before you did, and I don’t even have to go to school today.”

“I’m not a morning person,” I responded in a monotone voice before letting out another yawn.

Lena nodded in agreement. “I can see that,” she said before shoveling a spoonful of eggs into her mouth.

I glanced around the table, expecting to see a bowl of eggs and a plate of turkey bacon, but there was nothing except for a carton of orange juice. “Where are the eggs and bacon?”

Brianna took that as her queue to speak. “Oops. Silly old me. I figured you weren’t going to be up in time so I helped myself to seconds.” She pointed to her plate full of eggs and two strips of bacon with a smirk on her face. “Would you like some?”

I frowned. It was way too early to be playing games with Brianna. All I wanted was some eggs and bacon for breakfast and I was not in the mood to be toyed with. “I know it may be hard for you, but you don’t always have to be such a bitch. I just want some breakfast. Is that too much to ask for?”

Brianna pouted her lips and placed her index finger under her chin. To an outsider she might have looked as if she was pondering something, but Lena and I both knew that she was just mocking me. “Yes, that is too much to ask for considering that I’m hungry too. If you wanted something to eat you should have woken up earlier. And you really should stop cursing so much. Ladies don’t swear.”

“Go to hell.”

“I’ll see you there,” she retorted.

The clicking of my mom’s heels stopped me from thinking of a good comeback; not that I could think of anything anyway. My mind was still foggy from just waking up, and all I could really focus on was my stomach’s gentle rumbling.

“Here,” said Lena, sliding her half-finished plate over to me. “I’m full anyway,” she added.

“Are you sure? I can just grab some cereal.” I felt bad taking Lena’s breakfast. She was my guest. I guess Brianna was technically my guest too, but I just consider her a freeloader.

“I’m sure.”

“Thanks Lenny,” I said, not hesitating to fork up some eggs and place them into my open mouth. I took a bite of the crunchy piece of bacon that sat on the side of the plate and sighed as the wonderful taste filled my mouth.

I turned my head, waving at my mom as she strutted into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Mrs. Forrester,” chorused Lena and Brianna.

My mom smiled and replied with a simple, “Good morning girls. I hope everyone had a good sleep.”

Lena and Brianna nodded, smiles adorning both of their faces although Lena’s was real and Brianna’s was strained.

“That’s good.” As if noticing that Brianna and I were the only one’s eating breakfast, she added, “Lena, what happened to your breakfast?”

Lena shrugged, and answered with, “Brianna must have forgotten that I spent the night because she didn’t leave me anything to eat. I’ll be fine though.”

My mom looked horrified. “I can make some more to eat if you’d like. I don’t have to take Lilly to preschool for another hour or so.” She glanced at the watch that was strapped onto her wrist.

Lena shook her head, holding her hands up almost as if she was surrendering. “No, it’s all right. I’m not hungry anyway.”

My mom shook her finger at Lena, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At least grab a banana or an apple before you leave, okay?”

“Sure thing, Mrs. F.”

My mom laughed at the nickname as she pulled a mug out of the cabinet and placed a tea bag into it. Using the kettle on the stove, she poured hot water into the cup before striding over to the table to place a kiss on my forehead. She smoothed my hair back from my forehead saying, “What did I say about the wet hair, Violet? You’re going to get pneumonia one of these days.”

I filled my mouth with the last bite of eggs and slipped out from under my mom’s touch. “I’ll be fine, mom. Don’t be such a worrywart all of the time.” I went to stack the now empty plate in the sink along with my and Lena’s used forks. Shuffling back over to the table, I grabbed my unused plate and placed it back into the cabinet.

I heard my mom’s heels clicking against the hard wood floors as she exited the kitchen, calling, “Your lunch is in the refrigerator. Don’t miss the bus!” over her shoulder.

Lena stood up from the table, pushing her chair in behind her and walking over to the kitchen island to grab a banana. “Might as well eat this. I bet your mom took inventory of them when she walked past.”

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” I replied, grabbing my lunch before swinging the refrigerator door shut. “Bye, Lena. Have fun staying home all day while I go to school and learn.” I strained a smile.

Lena rolled her eyes. “You act like it’s not a Friday.”

The scraping of Brianna’s chair gained our attention and we snapped our eyes to her. She smiled. “And Ella and I are having that party on Saturday.”

Lena took a step toward Brianna, her eyebrows furrowed. “What party?’

“You didn’t hear about it? Ella and I throwing a huge Halloween party this weekend. I’m shocked she didn’t tell you about it. Oh, wait, no I’m not. She’s hates you. Why would she tell you about it?” Brianna laughed despite the snarl on Lena’s face.

“Where are you having the party at?”

Brianna pretended to pull a zipper across her lips. “My lips are sealed. Ask Ella if you want to know so badly. It’s not like you could get in anyway. It’s invite only.”

“Like we would want to go to a stupid party anyway,” I snapped.

Brianna shrugged. “Blake’s going. I had to beg him to come, but it was definitely worth it.”

“Blake doesn’t go to parties. Except for study parties,” I added.

Brianna rolled her eyes. “It’s really sad that I know your boyfriend better than you do. He’s going to the party whether you like it or not.”

“He won’t go.”

“Yes, he will.”

Lena spoke up, “Ella doesn’t even like Blake. Why would she want him to be at your party?’

Brianna smirked. “I told her I wanted him to come. I’ve got her wrapped around my finger like a freaking rubber band. She seems like more of a sister to me than she is to you.”

Lena flipped up her middle finger, “You really get on my nerves,” she muttered before storming from the room.

***

Blake pushed his wire rimmed glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose and cracked a small smile at me. “How do I look?” he questioned.

“Like a sexy nerd,” Lena stated in a bored tone whilst shoving a handful of chips into her mouth. “Can we go now?”

I rolled my eyes, reaching my arm out to grip onto Blake’s tie. “Well, I think that you look very smart.”

Blake leaned forward, placing a swift kiss on my lips. “And you look very cute in your rebel outfit-thing.”

“I’m supposed to be Goth. Can’t you tell?”

Lena shoved another handful of chips into her mouth and I waited as both her and Blake’s eyes roamed over my body from head to toe. “Well, you do look very…black,” Blake stated.

“Yeah and those boots look very…heavy,” Lena added, pointing a glossy nail at my spiky platform boots.

“Yeah, well what are you supposed to be?” I remarked snappily, pointing at Lena’s costume that consisted of Blake’s red and white basketball shorts, an over-sized white t-shirt and a red sweat band.

Lena smiled, “I’m a backup dancer for
High School Musical
. Go wildcats!” She punched her fist in the air twice and spun around in a circle chanting, “Getcha head in the game!”

Blake laughed while he tightened his tie. When he was finished, he casually slung his arm over my shoulder and smiled. “Ready to go? I can already hear the music.”

Lena pushed in front of us and swung the door open, sprinting out into the front yard and then disappearing from my field of vision. Blake held the screen door open for me as he clicked the lock on the back of the door and then pulled it shut behind us. The brisk October air was crisp yet refreshing as it filled my lungs.

Next door, I could see the party lights flashing from Brianna’s house and was immediately shocked at the line of people standing in the doorway waiting to get inside. Last week Brianna had started planning her infamous Halloween party. My parents had been a bit iffy about the idea of her hosting a full blown house party in her house while her parents were away, but when they received an email from Brianna’s parents consenting to the party, they allowed it to happen. Little did they know, Brianna had access to her mother’s email address and had sent the email herself. I had only found out by sheer luck; she had forgotten to exit the page and I had seen the email for myself. So, like all good blackmail artists, I printed the screen and threatened to tell my parents if she didn’t invite me and Lena to the party too.

So while my parents are out trick or treating with Lilly, Lena, Blake, and I are getting ready for the party of our lives. Despite my intense hatred for Brianna I have always wanted to go to one of her parties. The music is always the best and the people who attend it always have the best stories for weeks afterwards. Last year was my last time spending Halloween trick or treating with Lily, and coming home to try and ignore the party that was in full swing next door.

Blake tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, effectively pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Is it sad that this is our first high school party, and we’re almost out of high school?” Blake asked thoughtfully.

I shrugged, “It’s better than never going to one at all.”

“I guess.”

Blake was silent as we got into line behind a girl that I recognized from my science class last year. She was dressed very scantily as some kind of cat. If it weren’t for the tail and the ears, I probably would have never guessed. She was silently bobbing along to the music with two other girls that were stood in front of her.

Rising up onto my tippy-toes, I tried to see down the line and spot Lena, but she was nowhere to be found. Blake wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his head gently on my shoulder. “Knowing Lena, she probably cut to the front of the line. We’ll see her inside.”

After waiting in line for no more than ten minutes, we were ushered through the door, only having to flash our invitations at a guy who was standing guard at the door. I recognized him instantly as one of the more beefy football players who went to our school.

“I wonder how much Brianna spent to have security at her party,” I spoke aloud.

Blake shrugged and leaned close to my ear so that he didn’t have to shout over the loud music, “The price of having security is cheap compared to how much she’s making by charging a ten dollar entrance fee to those without invitations.”

I nodded slowly. “I hadn’t thought about that.” Maybe Brianna is actually smarter than I give her credit for.

“Trust me,” he mumbled, “she truly is a lot smarter than you give her credit for.”

I rolled my eyes when Blake voiced my thoughts. It was becoming more and more often that he said what I was thinking. Sometimes I thought that it was cute that we were so in sync but at times like this I thought that it was just plain annoying.

“Let’s grab some drinks!” Blake screamed as he gripped my hand and pulled me through the crowd of people and toward the kitchen.

As we pushed our way down the hallway I took notice of all of the decorations that covered the house. The entrance had plastic skeleton’s dangling from the ceiling along with a few very realistic spider webs. Black and orange balloons were tied to either side of the staircases and a few floated overhead in a ghost like manner. When Blake and I entered the kitchen, the first thing I saw were tiny pumpkins lining the counter tops. The only counter that was free of pumpkins was the center island which consisted of drinks galore.