Revenge Games Chapter 8 

"Wakey, wakey sleepy head."

My hands feel numb as the freezing water spread throughout.

He tossed and turned slightly snoring under his breath. Like a newborn baby, he curled up in his blanket. He looked so peaceful, it nearly made me rethink what I was going to do.

But a promise was a promise.

Besides, it's only a bucket of ice-cold water, what's the worse it could do?

I started counting down.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

I moved back so I could swing the bucket and pour its water out.

3, 2, 1...

I started swinging the bucket, but then suddenly something caught over my leg.

I tripped over.

Falling on my back, the entire bucket of water splashed over my head.

My short shriek ignited the room as the cold water pierced my skin. Matt bolted up like thunder, his eyes widened with shock, his blanket gripped against his chest. With his widened eyes he scanned me from top to bottom. He blinked a couple of times.

"What the hell are you doing here Riley?" he asked in raspy confusion. He observed the bucket, my damp clothes, my soaked hair. He slowly realized what had happened.

Then he bursted out laughing.

He laughed until the whole room shook. The laughter started off as a small gust of air and then it turned louder and louder with volume. He laughed and laughed until he lost the air in his lungs.

He laughed at me and all I could do was sit there in utter embarrassment.

This was not how it was meant to go. I felt so stupid, my cheeks were burning so much, the water on them probably evaporated.

Stupid clumsiness, stupid feet coordination, stupid stupid laptop cord!

ARRRGHHHH!!

"Are you done yet?" I asked in annoyance. He stopped slowly, wiping the humor filled tears that'd left his eyes. But the smile was still on his face, the stupid smile of mocking.

"Can you get me a towel?" I mumbled under my breath. He got up and went to his cupboard, still having hiccups of laughter here and there.

"So Riley, did your sinister plan backfire on you?" he asked amusingly, laughter waiting behind his lips.

"Oh shut up."I mumbled again, making him laugh all over again. I had a perfect plan, I was this close to achieving it.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!!

Why can't I complete one thing without causing havoc?!

Great, I had no change in clothes and I had wet hair. Mei's 12-year-old clothes won't fit me no matter how much of a boy's body I have and God knows when Matt washed his clothes.

I wiped my head rigorously, unbraiding it from the two braids my hair was styled into.

I really didn't want to borrow Matt's clothes, but I had no other choice.

"Can I borrow some clothes...?" I asked hesitantly, regretting it as soon as the words slipped out of my mouth.

The devilish smile on Matt's face told me that I was in for one hell of a day.

***

He had given me red and blue striped shorts that were 2 sizes big and an 'I love food more than people' grey T-shirt I could probably swim in. Matt's huge height made the clothes fit him, but my small physique said otherwise.

"Don't you have any other clothes? I look like a clown. Can't I just borrow your mum's clothes or something?" I ask in desperation, cringing at what I saw in the mirror.

"My mum's gone to work and I don't want to go snooping in her closet... God knows what she hides in there. Besides, I think this goes well with the look of embarrassment on your face." he smiled.

How did I get myself into this situation?

I tucked my T-shirt into my giant shorts so they didn't fall down. My hair was tied into a wet bunch of tangles. I could already hear the names that were going to be called as soon as I entered the school premises.

I think I'm going to die.

***

Mr Prescott wasn't the only one who gave me a weird look, as soon as I entered the school I was bombarded with silent snickers and puzzled gazes. Some even pointed at me like I was a new animal at the Zoo.

I hate you so much Matthew Lee Prescott.

"What are you wearing?!" Grace blew out laughing, as I opened up my locker.

"A top I could swim in and pants that can fall with a slight tug," I said in irritation, pulling my falling pants up again.

"You're welcome." Matt smiled victoriously and I replied with a sarcastic smile, my eyes narrowed.

"Wait are they his clothes?" she asked in slight curiosity.

"Yes, Grace. You probably thought these clothes were from my potato looking days,they're not, though they might be close to it." I rolled my eyes and got my books out.

"So you went to his house in the morning?" before I could explain, Matt cut me off.

"Oh God, you should've seen her! She came over this morning, so early, bringing in a bucket of ice cold water to pour on ME, while I was innocently sleeping. But instead, she slipped and it fell  on her head instead..! I guess karma's a b*tch." his smile continued to sting me.

They both laughed at my clumsiness and suffering, but then it eased down into an awkward silence.

It had been 2 days since the 'Tristan asking out Grace' incident, but not much had changed really. 

We'd hear the common whispers as we'd walk past, but Tristan hadn't really bothered neither of us. He definitely noticed Grace more and more as he smiled and waved at her, but nothing major had happened.

And I liked it that way.

"Matt don't you have that English test next period?" I asked as I slammed my locker shut, breaking the silence. Watching his face drain of colour, was like witnessing a rainbow for the first time. 

He got his things and without a world ran to his class like his life depended on it.

I smiled at Grace, a very satisfied, happy smile and we both left to our Chemistry class.

***

I started picking at the hard cold lasagne again. Why is it always so hard and cold? The school pays the lunch lady so we can at least have some type of edible food! People generally bring food from home, unless it's hot dog Thursday.

But I just can't be bothered. I looked at Grace's sad little salad, her mum is really trying to push this diet plan on her, isn't she?

Matt came and sat next to me, bringing with him the saucy aroma of pasta bolognese.

Oh, the perks of having a mother that's a chef.

Lucky Pig.

There was this uncomfortable silence. Matt was picking at his pasta, Grace was trying hard to swallow her salad as she kept having quick glances towards Matt and I was fed up with looking at this awful game of Charade.

So I tried to strike a conversation about what I loved best: Science.

"Did you know that married couples have fewer chances of developing dementia? Studies have been shown that people who've been single all their lives have a 42% higher risk of developing dementia." I looked up at Matt and Grace, to see if they had something to say.

"Then you're in trouble."

I snap to the side and my eyes widen. Standing in front our table, was Tristan. He put his lunch tray down and slid into the seat next to Grace.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my face twisted in suprise. This is a joke, right?

"I'm eating a burger. Do you want some?" he said in feigning innocence.

"No, I meant what are you doing sitting with us?" Matt's jaw clenched and Grace looked a bit intimidated by it. I could sense the eyes of many people, the ears that were pretending not to listen.

"Well freckles, the last time I checked, Grace here is my girlfriend and as her boyfriend, I have the right to sit with her," he said, smiling as Grace's cheeks turned pink. Then he turned his chocolate brown eyes back at me.

"But it's not like you'd know that right? Well unless you and angry eyes here are going out. Can you pass me the ketchup?" my mouth hung open again.

"We are not going out!" I exclaimed, passing over the ketchup unconsciously. He poured it all over his fries.

He thought Matt and I were going out, how does that even come to picture?! Then I remember I was wearing his clothes and the hundred rumours that were spread about me.

"Oh, so just friends with benefits?" he smirked as he scanned me up and down.

A feeling of uneasiness washed over me. He was referring to the clothes... Of course, he believed the rumours too, why wouldn't he? He might even be the one who started it.

"Haven't you ever heard of a girl being 'just' friends with a guy? Is that too much for your tiny brain to process?" I asked with baffled irritation.

"Well looking at you freckles, I assumed you had no friends at all," he smirked once more, while I gritted my teeth together. It's like he came here, just so he can insult me.

"I have friends! Who do you think these two are?" I asked pointing at Grace and Matt, waiting for them to back me up. They didn't seem to be picking up my desperate eye signals or my telepathic brain waves, they just sat there confused and surprised.

"So, how much did she pay you guys?" Tristan asked with a boyish smile, biting into a fry.

There was silence.

"Well, once she said she'd give me doughnuts if I got out of gym class with her..." I snap my head towards Grace, shocked.

Ooh, the stinging feeling of betrayal.

"You're supposed to defend me!" I exclaimed, avoiding Tristan's victorious smile.

"Not anymore Conway, she's on my team now!" he gave Grace a sideways hug, that made Matt tense up and made Grace go redder than ever before.

Tristan's eyes sparkled with newfound acknowledgement. He seemed to have realized something, by the way, he smiled curiously, by the way, he kept looking at Matt.

Did he know Grace and Matt were dating before? Not many knew. But it seemed like he knew now, judging by the troublesome smile.

***

Lunch had ended with many petty arguments and long lasting death glares.

I started cleaning up my mess, picking up my rubbish and the half-swallowed lasagna. Tristan stood up.

"So Grace, I'll see you Saturday in front of Mariamber Park?" he asked, picking up his lunch tray.

"I thought it was tomorrow?" Grace asked in confusion. It was meant to be tomorrow, he asked her out for Friday. Talk about poor memory power.

"No, I changed my mind, it's Saturday now... I want to spend the entire day with you..." he winked. I could see the little, subtle glances towards Matt.

What a manipulative bastard!

Matt got up and left without a single word, dumping his rubbish in the bin and silently fuming out.

Great going Matt, you fell right into the trap. What an idiot, can't he control his temper just for a little while?

Why do I always have to run after him?

Why did Tristan even come to our table?

WHY DID GRACE AGREE TO GO OUT WITH HIM??

I give Tristan a death stare, but he was too busy smiling at Grace and Grace was smiling back at him. I felt the cold lasagna come back up again.

bleaugh

"I'll see at lunch tomorrow." he smiled warmly and then turned towards me, grabbing his lunch tray he gave me one of his evil, irritating smirks.

Wait...He was going to sit with us every lunch now?

Like EVERY lunch time??

Do I have to go through this torture every single day now?

Oh no.

No,No,No,No,No,No,NOOO!!!

Oh God, please end me now.

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Sorry if the story seems like it's moving too slow.

I need these moments for the character development and to carry out the story.

I promise there is much more drama and fun to come!

Thanks for sticking by!

Spoobhat