Nine days from Homecoming...

"They can't be serious," Shandra said in disbelief after I recapped her and Rhea on what's been said and me losing my virginity to both Drake and Jorge. "Skylar, you are really in the thick of this whole mess!"

"And with Sammons back on her prowl, you already know that this could spell total disaster," Rhea added. "Shandi and I are worried about you."

"And you have every right to be worried, given that I'm now the designated 'helper' for any social event that needs preparations in addition to my heroic duties and preparing for the Homecoming festivities," I remarked. Sure enough, it was a brand-new day at Centennial Grove High as Jorge, Drake, and the other heroes were out on a mission which allowed me enough time to spend the morning with my two best friends. "And the worst part is not being able to know more about the new kid in town."

"You mean that Pinero fella?" Rhea asked. "Probably for the best, given the circumstances."

"What do you mean by that?"

A shadow crossed through Rhea's face. "I dunno if it's intuition or my imagination, but there's something off about that dude," she reported. "He's charming everyone who's not like the populars or the loyal geeks yet it's like he's being brainwashed by them. The worst part of it all is that Sammons has him on her radar."

"Shit," I hissed. "And unfortunately, she'll be ready to try and claim him so no one else can. Can you and Shandi do me a solid?"

"Fire away."

"With my schedule being how it will look like, I need you two to play 'I Spy' for me- get all the juicy dirt while befriending him while gaining his trust. I can't do it because of the backlash that I'll face. It's up to you two to do it for me. Once you have enough dirt on him, we'll work from there."

"You can count on us," Shandra vowed just as we saw the Lewis duo approach us. "Oh, brother."

"Ladies," VP Lewis greeted my friends formally. To me, "Skylar, darling, you know what's been said after yesterday, right?"

I nodded.

"Then it's time to say goodbye to these female distractions and stick with the populars. And since you're now the helper for everyone, you're to take the Homeroom period to help with setting up for the Chess Club tournament. And after that, the PTA needs help with organizing the school store. Jorge and Drake send their best, but they'll see you at lunch."

"Right," I said as a group of the human allies for the YHA arrived to whisk me away. I sent one parting glance to my female Mata-Hari duo, hoping that they could get the job done.

And as bad as everyone's word was, I had to make the most of my day with preparing for midterms, sitting with the cool kids at classes, being a hero when needed (getting a cat out of a lady's tree, stopping another jumper, and a baby delivery), and being the workhorse for the school. And that was before the lunchtime period when the guys came back before we got called in to take down another jewelry heist and me doing another interview for Vogue as well as help out with preparing tables for the Pep Club's annual parent-athlete breakfast this weekend.

After classes, it was more training, extra studying sessions, and a very-light dinner thanks to another call to help out with fire control at a burning apartment complex. How is this my life anymore?

*************

Eight days before Homecoming...

"You know, O'Hara, I still can't help but wonder if you're really asking for trouble," came the nagging and edgy voice of one Greenlee Sammons as she and her parents came to the buffet table as I distributed hash browns to the guests. Sure enough, the parent-athlete breakfast had arrived (and on an EARLY Saturday morning, no less), and I had to help out with serving the food and getting things ready. Of course, the others were here but they had the easy jobs of entertaining the guests. And now, I was dealing with the Queen Bitch of the School. "Why can't you get it through your thick skull when I say that Jorge and Drake are MINE?!"

"Greenlee, that's enough!" Mr. Sammons said, giving me an apologetic look. "You know that Drake and Jorge have no interest in you-"

"Like I care, Dad! I don't want this ice-wielding faggot to take what's mine!"

"Well, you ought to," I shot back yet keeping myself calm since Dad was watching me ("Service with a smile, son, even if you're dealing with Greenlee herself," he had reminded me earlier). "And for the record, I can easily end you with a nice spear to your heart."

"As if you could, nerd. Anyway, the countdown to Homecoming is now underway. And as a reminder for you to make the right choice, here's something to remember that I can do to you."

Without warning, she threw the contents of her lunch at me before taking the tray and backhanding my face with it, making my head rock to the side as everyone else gasped in shock and outrage.

"Greenlee Sammons, that is enough!" Mrs. Sammons bellowed angrily. "We are going home and you are under lockdown as of now! I am so ashamed to call you my daughter! This is a new low even for you!"

"See if I care!" Greenlee roared angrily before spitting in my face twice. "You got eight days, O'Hara! Eight days left to make the right choice! Choose carefully, or pay the price!"

She was soon led away by her livid parents as my parents and the others (including the Lewis duo) came to my side. "Son, this is definitely not okay," Dad commented. "But you need to make a decision."

That caught my attention. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Just like Greenlee gave her ultimatum, you have one from us," Drake said coolly. "Either side with us and choose me, Jorge, or the both of us to secure a lasting legacy... or choose to obey Greenlee and be brought to ruin. We all know what's best for you, but we can tell that you're letting her get to you. Now, finish serving the guests, clean up the mess afterwards, and meet us back at the base for more training. That's an order."

"And don't make any plans tomorrow," Mom added. "You're to help the FCA with the Sunday pancake brunch at Wyndham Chapel and then attend another dinner party. And until you're making the right choice, you're are grounded."

Fuck! Why is everyone on my jock today?! I cannot win for nothing!

***********

Two hours of serving food (and eating none of it while being fueled on coffee- Dad's orders), cleanup, and cleaning up the gym; I was all but ready to head to the base for another beatdown when I saw a caramel-skinned beauty wearing a cable-knit sweater dress and leather boots walk towards me, a formal look on her face. "Skylar O'Hara?" she asked me in an accent similar to Enrique's.

"Who wants to know?" I asked.

She gave me a quick once-over before her face warped into a sneer. "Catalina Pinero-Suarez, his older sister," she said. "And just so you know, you need to stay away from my brother."

Good grief! "Lady, I never even got the chance to know him since my team's telling me the same thing."

"All the better to listen to them...but you need to stay away from them as well."

"Wait, what?"

"I can't say more, but know that you are in a bigger storm than you realize," Catalina intoned, reaching into her clutch purse and handing me a small USB drive. "This should answer everything. Now, go and do what you must. But be warned. Nothing is what they seem."

She quickly left, leaving me confused.

Fuck me.

Cumulative word count so far: 17, 366 words.

Don't even think about going anywhere just yet. That's all I got to say.

Dedicating this chapter to YunaIesca and coolingsun. Song: "Judas" by Lady Gaga.

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