Beware of the Neighborhood.

6 - Go big or Go home

As soon as she left, I was surrounded by phrases like, "Why did you do this?" or "are you insane?", "it was not worth it", "you shouldn't have"

"Guys! It's kind of late now to back out, isn't it?" I asked a little irritably.

"Exactly, this means, its time you focused on winning" Kevin said, sitting next to me.

"I don't care how but you HAVE to win it!" Candace said.

"How can I manage to get votes?" I asked.

"We'll figure out a way, but you just can't let that irritating self-centred girl win, okay?" Candace asked.

"I'll try! But why will anyone vote me? They don't even know me!" I said.

And as that realisation sunk in, everyone turned silent.

After the unforgettable conversation, I couldn't enjoy the party. How could I? Veronica would make the rest of my school year miserable if I did not win this thing. I had no doubt that she would make it a point to humiliate me in front of my new friends and everyone from the school. I felt stupid for provoking her, why couldn't I just keep my big mouth shut. That would have been better! But now the damage was already done, and I was tempted to see this through. This irrelevant chain of thought was disturbed by the view which I saw in front of me.

In the middle of the hall, on the dance floor, veronica was gracefully dancing with...with...Jason.

I felt anger piercing me, not towards her but towards my own backstabbing, annoying brother. How could he betray me? Although I knew this was not betrayal and I was merely overreacting but I couldn't care less.

I saw my friends telling whomever they saw to vote for me, but it is hard to vote for someone whom you don't even know.

The song ended and I could see Jason going off in the other direction to get the drinks. Veronica approached me.

I acted as if I didn't see her.

"Gathering your votes, I suppose!" she said, smirking as she looked around, seeing my friends talking to their friends, convincing them.

"None of your concern" I shot back, rather harshly.

"Ooh someone seems bitchy" she said, then paused and continued

"Looks like someone is having second thoughts about the challenge"

She was provoking me, I knew it. But I couldn't just stay silent and listen,

"You are the one who should have second thoughts about your course of action when you lose!" I said impulsively.

She shrugged and said indifferently "very well, we shall see who wins and who loses" there was a mischievous glint in her eyes which was enough to make me shudder.

"Why not take this challenge to the next level?" she asked with honeyed voice, suddenly.

"What next level?" I asked tentatively.

"Didn't you just say Halloween is all about the horror? I heard that you moved just across Dr. Dawson's house. Wouldn't you like to say hello to your new neighbour?" she asked coyly.

"What do you mean?" I asked already dreading the answer.

"How about...the loser visits Dr. Dawson's house! Halloween is all about horror" she repeated.

I knew she was not asking this, but rather telling me directly

"You mean the Haunted house?" I asked, with unmistakable tremor.