I would really like to dedicate this chapter to RedAngel. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for creating the new front cover for Revenge Games! Thank you for sticking with my requests, no matter how irritating they were!

Cheers!

Revenge Games
Chapter 7

"Are you coming to school today? Or do I have to drag your ass there?"

"Riley, its 5:30 in the morning. What the hell are you doing? Go back to sleep." The line cuts off the other end.

It had been 2 days since Matthew Lee Prescott hadn't come to school, 2 days of hearing Grace silently blame herself for the mess she hadn't even created.

I call again.

"I will do it. I know where you hide the extra key to your house. I am NOT lying!" I pace around in my room. Everyone in the house was still fast asleep and I didn't want to wake anyone up.

"Sure you do..." he said sarcastically, yet there was a hint of uncertainty.

"I thought you would've been more creative Matty, putting it under the welcome mat, seriously? Like that's not the most obvious place in the world...!" I pointed out amusingly a small smile playing on my lips.

There was a groan on the other end of the line.

"Who told you?" He asked tiredly.

"Your sister Mei of course. She loves me. But you... Not so much."

"ARGH! That brat! Wait until one of her instruments go missing..!"

Mei Lee Prescott was Matt's genius, 12-year-old sister. Calling her a genius was an understatement, the girl could be considered a child prodigy. 

She could play 5 instruments like a pro, she excelled in Maths, English and Science. The display cabinet was practically overflowing with her medals, trophies and achievement awards.

Matt and her were like enemies, constantly battling for their parent's attention, appreciation and love.

But Mei would always win of course.

Seeing such brilliance that was his sister, the expectation for Matt to be just as brilliant was all too high. 

That's why Matt didn't like the Asian stereotype because people like his sister always raised the expectations too high.  When he couldn't meet those expectations, disappointment was all he'd receive.

That's why he just gave up trying.

"Come.To.School. Or else the first thing you'll see tomorrow morning, is me, standing next to your bed, with a bucket of ice-cold water, smiling." I said, trying to sound intimidating.

"You're honestly so annoying Riley." He said sounding groggy and sleepy.

"I know, you love me. I got to go, I better see you at school! Bye."

"Ugh, fine. Bye."

The call ends.

I go back to studying.

I woke up extra early today so I don't go late to school. The past 2 days, I'd barely make it on time.

The school term had started last week. We had about 11 weeks left of the year and 10 weeks to study for the end of year exam. If the rumors were true, this year's exam was going to be deadly.

Of course, nothing like the ultimate final exam, but every test, exam, quiz counted.  Because in the end, the scores you get would ultimately end up deciding your future.

It was all too close and thinking about it, made it hard to breathe.

***

"Zoe, your bus is waiting outside for you!!" I shout, tapping my feet angrily. I had 5 minutes left, but I couldn't go without knowing Zoe had left.

I tucked my white shirt into my long, brown plaid skirt and did all the buttons up to the top.

I knocked on Zoe's door 3 times, but she didn't open it. I opened the door to find out that she was still in bed. I silently walked over and felt her forehead.

It was burning.

She must've caught a fever. She rarely got fevers, but when she did it was severe.

"Mum! Mum, Zoe's got a fever!" I ran to her door and open it.

If Zoe had a fever, my mum would've been the first to know. She would've given her medicine and looked after her. 

But now, it's like nothing matterd to her anymore. It's like WE don't matter to her anymore, her life doesn't matter to her anymore. She didn't care about anything anymore. 

She was like that because of me... It's all because of me. It's all my fault.

"Just give her some Panadol or something." She said sleepily.

I ran to the first aid kit and grabbed the panadol, turning the kettle on. Giving Zoe the panadol, I get a towel and soak it in some warm water and put it on Zoe's forehead.

"Ask mum to give you another tablet if you feel sick again."

She nods her head slowly, sleepiness still controlling her. I add another blanket on top of her and kissed her head.

I might have done things that caused my sister to hate me... But I could never hate her. After all, she was the only family I had left.

***

I was late again. So late that the halls were completely empty, besides the few late comers like me.

I quickly grabbed my things out of the locker and walked steadily fast. I remembered we had an assembly, imagining walking into a hall full of people and seeing their eyes land on me as soon as I entered, sent shocks of nervousness through me. 

But as I continued to walk towards the gym, something grabbed my glasses yet again and everything became blurry.

"You think you got away last time Nerdy?"

I couldn't see far away, but the closer things were the better I'd see, maybe that's why I helplessly grasped the air to guide me. The doctors said my glasses weren't permanent, but I was close to blind as a bat without them.  

This time it was only two guys, but that didn't make it less intimidating. 

It was a football match, my glasses being the ball. I was just that one person who didn't know how to play. I was completely helpless, just waiting for something terrible to happen, trying to follow the snickering blurry figures.  

"Yo! Look at her legs! They're so skinny! If I kick it, it would probably break!" *SLAM* a foot jabbed into the back of my knees and made me fall to the ground.

"You were right!!" 

They continued to kick me, laugh at me and I continued to feel the piercing pain. I tried to scream, but the voice inside me was lost. I tried to get up, but every part of my body was killing me. All I could do was breathe, gasp for air as my lungs seemed to be closing in. I silently cried, curling myself into a ball and fearfully waiting for the next painful kick. 

What did I ever do to deserve this?

I closed my eyes and begged the darkness to take me away.  But someone else came instead.

"Hey!! What do you think you're doing?!"  I slowly opened my eyes.

"What do you want midget? Go back to the ant hole you came from!" 

  It was Danielle.  

"You know what I want? I want you two ogres to get the hell away from my friend." her voice was raspy, fierce and angry. 

"What will you do if we don't? Bring your ant colony to seize us?" 

She slowly raised her feet up and slammed it into one of the guy's shin. He screamed bending over, bellowing. Danielle grabbed him by the ears and yanked him down to her level.

"I will show you what I can do."

She whispered something in his ear and let go of it. He started to back away, clearly mortified by what she told him. 

"Let's go Irwin," he grunted, walking away with his hand in his pockets and without a single glance back.

Danielle turned around and gave me back my glasses. I sent her a thank you with whatever voice I had left in me.

She smiled and put her hand out. My hand slightly shook as they grabbed hers. I tried to stand up, but pain shot up wherever I moved. Danielle bent down and gently wrapped her arms around my waist. I slowly started to lift up, the pain still agonizing me.

A hot liquid slithered down my nose, it was blood. 

"We better get you checked out. That does not look good." I nodded my head slowly. We walked all the way to the infirmary. 

***

"Thank you for saving me back there... I don't know why you did it, but thank you anyway." I smiled softly.

"I did it because I couldn't watch you suffer, any sane person would jump in... and I just wanted to look baddass," She laughed wholeheartedly.

We were in the infirmary. I had tissues stuck up my nose to stop the bleeding and a heat pack on my stomach. 

"Generally people would just look at me and walk away, either saying I deserved it or feeling too scared to help me out. Not even the teachers get there before it's too late." I chuckled under my breath, my eyes glazed with tears, stuffing the tissue up deeper.  

"Honey, you really need to start defending yourself. Your life is like a book and you're like the weak main character, you can't always wait for someone to save you, sometimes you need to save yourself." She had a crooked, sympathetic smile on her lips, her big brown eyes staring into mine. 

I've heard it all before, from my friends, peers, even teachers and it's funny because people think you fighting back is going to stop everything. Stop the heinous names and rumors being spat out about you, the physical assault that bruises your body, the depressing thoughts that don't give you any sleep at night. 

Fighting back will only cause the fire to rage more.

"Easier said than done." I take out the tissue and throw away the bloody mess. I lay back down on the bed. 

"Hey what did you say to that ogre to make him shit his pants like that?" I chuckled, changing the subject.  I shouldn't argue with someone who'd just saved me from something much more painful than a bloody nose and a slightly bruised stomach. 

"For a guy almost 3 heads taller than me, the guy is such a pussy. He's scared that I'm going to tell everyone that he's gay. It's the 21st century, it's not like everyone's going to hate him for being gay...Sure it'd be weird at the start, but if he has true friends, they'd accept him for who he is." 

I silently agreed with her, however, we both got stuck deep in thought. 

Would people really accept him? 

He was on the football team, would everyone treat him differently if they knew? Imagine being blackmailed for the fear of everyone knowing about your sexuality. 

Strangely, I felt kind of sorry for him, but    then I remember that he tried to murder me a few minutes ago. 

***

Danielle stayed with me, she didn't want to go to the assembly, I wouldn't either. Principal Dunklin talked forever.  

We talked about our favorite TV shows, favorite food and just the most random things. 

"How do you like it here? In Wellington High?" I hoped things here was better for her than it was for me. 

"This is my first ever school in this country... So far, it feels very different to the other schools I've been to." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. 

"What school did you go to before?" 

"I went to a school in South Africa. I was home schooled for most of my life before I went to a public school, then my dad got a promotion to this place and voila, here I am." she gave a sad smile and looked down. That explained her rich African accent. 

"Do you miss Africa?" I asked softly.

"Yeah..." She nodded slowly.

"I was one of those lucky people. We lived as a wealthy family, my  dad was a doctor, my mum a nurse. They'd go across the continent to help those in need. They'd take me with them sometimes, but I'd always return home crying. Children, women, men all dying without a scrap of food or water. Their bones almost tearing themselves out of their skin. It made me sick." her face scrunched up in pain.

"It made me really grateful for what I had, to have everything I ever wanted. But it didn't stop me from feeling miserable..." I nod my head in agreement. 

"But then my dad had to move away. I'm going back one day though, to help those people, to save them." she smiled, but it wasn't at me. She smiled into the distance, deep in thought.

"Anyways, what's with that Avery girl? I've only been here for a year, but it seems like she hates your guts. Why?" she looked back at me curiously. 

"Because she does hate my guts and I have no idea why." 

I didn't even know the answer to the question myself. She'd been picking on me ever since high school.

But there was something she knew about me, a secret I've been hiding for the longest time. I don't know how she ended up finding out. 

If she spread that rumor about me, I'd have nothing to do but die in eternal shame.

She hadn't told anyone, however, but she was saving it for the right moment. The snake was waiting for the right moment to strike and all I could do was watch out, like a dear in front of headlights. 

"Thanks, Danielle." I sent her a warm smile and waved.

"No problem, but next time, fight back with whatever you got." she stuck the air with her fist in a fighting motion and then smiled. She waved and left for her next period.

I went to my next period as well, but her words still lingered in my mind. 

Maybe I should fight back, maybe things would change for me then..? But I had a smile on my lips, maybe this pain I felt was worth it. It was worth it because I made a new friend. 

I search the hallways to see if Matt was anywhere to be seen. He was nowhere, not in History, lunch or recess. 

But he'll surely be seeing me tomorrow, very very early in the morning, that's for sure.  

__________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for reading! 

I'm sorry it took forever...! I have no excuses, but school and everything.

Anyways, much more to come!! Please don't give up on this book yet...!

Like every author says, Vote & comment please!

Take care!

Spoobhat