Cat & Drew's Whirlwind Adventure

5. The Trouble(d) Kids

After a long weekend of plotting it's finally time to execute our master plan. I can't stress enough how I've never done anything like this before, mostly because I was worried about being caught and sent to jail where I would inevitably be cellmates with a dark and dangerous lifer named Kevin who would try to use my frail, innocent body for all sorts of nefarious things. Safe to say I've given it some thought, but so much has changed with me since last summer and I'm ready to do all kinds of new things. Breaking the rules may be the exciting start of my decline to full-blown bad boy status, but I'll admit the process will have to be gradual. Even with Cat doing most of the legwork herself, I've been in a panicked state since last night.

To be fair though, that's kind of nice too, to feel panic in a different way than I have for weeks. This feels so much more mundane, natural. Normal. I've also enjoyed getting to know her a little better, she's funny, and I appreciate that she doesn't treat me like a freak. While the situation at home hasn't improved much, my dad stuck his neck out and got my mom to ease up on the terms of my grounding, so I'm allowed to have my phone again. Jokes on them of course, since I've spent the last few days huddled under my covers, planning for today with Cat.

I'm tucked nicely between a pillar and the tray return, keeping careful watch over the cafeteria while I wait for my partner in crime to show. Today's supposed to be all about getting back at everyone and reclaiming my power—or something like that, I wasn't really listening—but I still can't help from scanning the room for that one face in particular. I don't see Chad though, which is surprisingly a little disappointing considering he will miss being the victim of our glorious prank. Instead I spot an unlikely intruder, who, by all accounts, has apparently spotted me first.

Troy loiters by the exit, wearing an expression that clearly articulates his confusion on why I would choose to hide in such a place. Any other time he spends this hour outside dealing, why would he pick today of all days to finally get lunch? Cat says we can't tell anybody about what we're doing, we can't risk having somebody figure out it was us, so even though they don't deserve it I have to watch my old friends suffer the same as everyone else. But Troy? I don't know, before I really even think about it I shake my head quickly, warning him.

"Beautiful day for revenge, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy." Cat appears at my side suddenly, casting a long gaze over the lunchroom.

"Where have you been?" I ask.

"Relax, I was clogging all the toilets in the girl's bathroom." She smirks, pleased. "Should be any minute now, I snuck in after second period while the lunch ladies were taking a smoke break, nothing to do now but sit back and enjoy the show."

I make an attempt to follow her instruction, and carefully mimic her cool and indifferent posture while we wait, one minute, then five. The kids in the cafeteria shovel down their special Goodbury slop, unaware that its contents are even more mysterious than usual. I start to panic again, the anticipation too much, but after a while I notice the first person stand up hurriedly from their table, and hustle to the exit. Then another, and another. A girl at the table closest to where we're standing starts to gag, and the room fills with a disorganized and discomforted complaining.

"What did you put in their food?" It doesn't take long for the entire cafeteria to descend into hysteria, and the sight of kids fleeing in a mass exodus as they rush to find a bathroom might be comical if I didn't feel a bit guilty. "Are you sure it was safe?"

"So what? It's funny." Cat watches the madness unfold with a concentrated joy, finding far more fulfillment in the chaos we've caused than I'm able to. I can make peace with this, I'm not in love with the thought of anyone getting hurt, but one could argue that they've brought this on themselves. Could be I'm just not good at being bad yet. Through all the turmoil she must somehow sense that, because she answers without looking away. "I didn't use much. Some eye drops, laxatives I found in my aunt's medicine cabinet, and a couple other things I can't pronounce. They'll be fine in a couple hours after they shit their brains out and throw up some."