Following the quiz, Fox's eyes widened in astonishment as she glanced at her score.

"How did you fare?" inquired Micheal with a hint of concern.

With hesitation, Fox disclosed her grade to us—a rather disheartening C-.

"Rest assured, it's not as dire as it seems," I offered reassuringly.

"My mother will surely have my head for this!" lamented Fox. "Could you both assist me in concealing this misfortune?"

"Regrettably—" began Micheal, before swiftly amending his response. "—we shall abstain. Instead, we shall be spectators to your tribulation."

"In that case, your presence is not requested," retorted Fox.

"Regardless, Fox..." I interjected, "We may find a way to attend surreptitiously."

"Not!" exclaimed Fox. "And what of your performance, Dante? I anticipate an exemplary result from Micheal, naturally."

"Quite correct!" affirmed Micheal with a gleam of pride.

"As for myself, I secured an A-," I divulged.

"Then it appears I hold the title of the intellectual," quipped Micheal.

With a disdainful scoff, Fox departed from our midst.

(...)

Me, Fox, Micheal, and Noah attended the sports event the following day. Unfortunately, Evangeline couldn't join us as she had to work on a presentation on Chemical Neuroscience. The match was between our campus and another school from Toronto. As we settled into the bleachers, we noticed Crissie near the stadium, leading the cheerleading practice.

"What's Crissie telling them?" Fox inquired.

"It seems like she's giving them an earful," Noah observed.

"Guys, you're not getting it right!" Crissie's voice carried over the field. "Didn't we practice enough?"

"But we're following the script," Marianne, one of the cheerleaders, defended.

Without a word, Crissie snatched the script from Belle and tore it in half.

"I've made some updates," Crissie announced. "We all need to step it up."

She distributed the new script to the team and then made her way up to our seats in the bleachers.

"Hey, you guys made it!" she greeted us.

"That wasn't cool, Cris," Fox interjected.

"That script was subpar," Crissie defended. "I hate to admit it."

"Noah mentioned Evie wrote it," Fox continued. "She shouldn't be involved with sports, according to you?"

"What's gotten into you, Cris?" Fox pressed. "Why are you acting this way?"

"I fought with Evie, okay?" Crissie confessed.

"Was it necessary to take it out on Fox?" Fox demanded.

Before anyone could react, Crissie slapped Fox hard across the cheek.

"This has gone too far," Micheal intervened.

"I didn't mean to," Crissie protested. "I'm just not in a good mood today."

"Enough excuses," I interjected firmly. "Evie wrote that speech with dedication. How did a disagreement lead to you attacking Fox?"

With that, I gathered my bag and walked away. After facing death three times, witnessing this altercation was jarring. This fight should never have happened.

"You alright, Fox?" Micheal asked, his concern evident in his touch as he placed a comforting hand on her cheek.

"Not at all," Fox responded with a deep frown etched on her face. "I don't think it's possible to forget that or let it slide."

"That was completely uncalled for!" Noah exclaimed, his voice echoing our collective indignation.

As we turned to voice our frustrations, a familiar voice interrupted us from behind.

"Hey, guys..." It was Evie.

"What's wrong?" Evie inquired, her brow furrowed with concern. "Weren't you guys supposed to be at the cheerleading event?"

"Nah, we left," Noah replied tersely.

"Why?" Evie's curiosity was palpable.

"We couldn't stand Crissie's behaviour," Micheal explained, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Her moodiness today led her to slap Fox!"

Evie approached Fox with a mix of empathy and guilt evident in her eyes.

"That must have hurt," she said softly, her words carrying a weight of regret. "It's my fault for her moodiness. I'm sorry-"

"What happened?" I interjected, seeking clarity amidst the confusion.

"We got into a fight," Evie admitted with a heavy sigh.

"About what?" Noah pressed for further explanation.

Evie released Fox from her gaze and turned to face us.

"I couldn't attend the event today," she confessed. "Crissie became upset, especially when I took charge of writing the cheerleading script instead of her. It was jealousy, plain and simple."

Just as the tension seemed to reach its peak, Crissie herself appeared on the scene.

"What are you doing here-" Crissie began, only to be swiftly cut off by Evie's rebuke.

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" Evie retorted, her voice tinged with frustration. "Your behaviour was childish and unacceptable!"

"I know!" Crissie replied, her tone filled with remorse. "I've gone too far. I let my anger towards Evie affect all of you-"

"Are you done being immature?" Evie interrupted sharply. "It's time to grow up!"

With that, Evie turned on her heel and left the hallway, her departure leaving a lingering sense of resolution in the air. Crissie followed suit, her demeanour visibly chastened by Evie's words.

(...)

Micheal and Fox opted to take a different route, leaving Noah and me to head towards my house.

"You holding up okay?" Noah inquired, concern etched in his voice.

"Not really, that whole altercation got to me," I confessed, feeling the weight of the situation settle on my shoulders. "It wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

"I hear you," Noah empathized, his tone reflecting the shared disappointment. "Things spiralled out of control when they weren't supposed to. What went wrong?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I replied, a sense of bewilderment colouring my words. "It feels like we're all on edge lately. Like something's changed."

"Perhaps it's not entirely their fault," Noah offered, trying to rationalize the situation. "Crissie's outburst might have been more about her frustrations than anything else. She's not herself."

"You might be onto something," I conceded, the possibility sinking in. "But it doesn't make it any easier to swallow."

"Let's try to shake it off," Noah suggested, attempting to lighten the mood. "No point dwelling on it. Come on, let's wash off the salt from that wound of yours."

His attempt at humour managed to elicit a brief chuckle from me, providing a fleeting moment of relief amidst the turmoil. But even as we laughed, the weight of the day lingered in the back of my mind, refusing to be forgotten.

(...)

During the bustling school week, a peculiar closeness seemed to be brewing between Micheal and Fox, catching my attention as I made my way towards the library. But before I could immerse myself in the calm sanctuary of books, I caught wind of a heated exchange between Evie and Crissie echoing from within.

"Why do you insist on hovering around him?" Crissie's voice carried a sharp edge. "You're the reason nobody wants to talk to me."

"Perhaps you'd find better company among your cheerleader clique," Evie countered calmly. "They seem more your speed."

"Excuse me?" Crissie's tone dripped with indignation.

"You're excused. Now leave me be," Evie responded firmly.

"No, I'm warning you not to meddle in my love life!" Crissie's voice escalated.

"I'm not meddling," Evie shot back. "And trust me, no one will ever love you with that temperament."

"I might just take out my frustration on you," threatened Crissie.

"I'd say you're wasting your time," Evie retorted sharply.

"Unlike you, wasting your time on him," Crissie jabbed. "I've been too shy to talk to Dante, and you're taking advantage of it."

So, this was the crux of their conflict?

"He's my friend," Evie asserted. "I have nobody else to rely on but my friends."

"What about your parents?" Crissie taunted. "Oh, wait, you're the orphan nobody wanted."

Crissie's laughter rang out, and I knew I had to intervene.

"Enough!" I interjected, stepping into the fray.

"Says the girl whose own mother doesn't even love her back," Evie shot back. "A mama's girl through and through."

"You take that back!" Crissie's demand was sharp.

"Then stay out of my business," Evie declared. "I've kept quiet about your obvious crush on him. Just because he's your 'future boyfriend' doesn't mean I can't talk to my friend."

"You're walking right into her trap, Evie," Crissie warned.

"Let her try," Evie replied defiantly.

With that, Crissie stormed out of the library through the back exit. As the echoes of their confrontation faded, I pondered the significance of their clash. It wasn't merely envy directed at me—it was a deeper rivalry between two conflicted souls, each grappling with their insecurities and desires.

(...)

Your passage effectively conveys Dante's internal struggle and his reluctance to share his true thoughts and feelings with his mother. Here are some enhancements to consider:

"Dante, you haven't eaten lunch yet," my mom said, concern evident in her voice.

"Sorry-" I began, but she interrupted me with a gentle pout. 

"You don't seem fine. What's going on in your head, Dan? Talk to me."

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. My parents cared about me deeply, but some things were best kept hidden. 

"My friends got in a fight and I'm upset by their attitude this morning," I finally admitted.

"Who fought? And why?" My mom's curiosity was understandable.

"Evangeline and Crissie," I confessed, avoiding the specifics. "I don't feel like telling why, it's childish."

"I understand," my mom replied sympathetically. "How about you look into both of them, more specifically the person who started the fight? Don't let it get to you, honey."

Her suggestion struck a chord with me. Perhaps investigating Crissie could provide some clarity. After all, Fox and Evie weren't the only ones with secrets. 

"Thank you, Mom," I said, grateful for her advice, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Always there for you, son," she responded, returning the embrace with a warm smile.

After releasing from the embrace, I hurried to my room with determination, the thought of plotting revenge against Will lingering in my mind.

(...)

Hey!!

Thank you guys for 150 reads <3

Question...

What is your current goal in life?

Mine is just to finish off school :) I am a junior currently and I am trying

my hardest to wait for senior graduation ;-;