The Queen Of Spades

Chapter 5, Continued, Again

All things considered, I looked good. I'm not saying I could be a model or anything but I was hot. Of course Olivia made some fuss about me wearing sneakers but eventually gave up  and we took our photos. Then, with everyone crammed into a big van, Mr. Hudson drove us to the school and dropped us off. Noah and his friends went off one way and Olivia and her friends went off in another while I walked to the door, dodging cameras and groups of people talking about how the other people looked. The doors were still locked because it wasn't time to go in yet so we all had to wait outside in the cold. Figures, huh? I took my place on the outskirts of the crowd, finding a bench to sit on and read my book. Eventually, the doors opened and everybody went inside where it was warm. I made my way inside and gave my ticket to the teacher sitting at a table in the middle of the hallway. Oliver better reimburse me for this bloody ticket. I thought, remembering the twenty dollars I had spent on it.

In the cafeteria, I sat down near the door and continued to read my book. Fifteen minutes later, something was put on the table in front of me, my notebook that I lost. I looked up to see Caleb sitting across from me.
"Permission to compliment you on how you look?" He asked.
"Denied." I turned back to my book.
"Too bad. You look hot and I'll say it whenever I want." Caleb tossed his head back to catch a piece of popcorn that he threw in the air.
"What do you want Caleb?"
"I brought you a peace offering." He tapped the notebook.
"Peace is overrated, I want chaos. But first-" I set my book down, tucking the page number away in the corner of my mind, and stared him down, "I want an explanation. What the Hell is going around the school? First you and then that idiot? Why?"
"Come on Em, can't you take a joke? They dared me to and I told them I couldn't, so now it's a game. 'who can kiss Madelyn Everhart without getting hurt'."
"It's not a joke and it needs to stop or someone's actually gonna get hurt. Why didn't you give me my notebook back before?"
"I'll answer that question with one of my own, who are you drawing?"
"Wow, you just go around snooping in other people's things then B'y? What the Hell?"
"You're good at drawing. Think you could do a portrait of me?" He struck a pose.
"Go to Hell." I stood up and put my book in my purse along with my notebook. I went to the gym where most people were dancing. It was dark except for the neon lights and glow sticks everywhere. After seeing that the little row of bleachers was full of bags and people, I found a little corner to sit in and, ironically, started drawing. I drew Nova in a pretty homecoming dress standing next to me. We were gonna go to homecoming together this year. Our dresses were going to be completely opposite, hers black and mine white. We would have gone out beforehand and gotten dinner with Aiden and had a sleepover at the boxcar afterwards, it was gonna be amazing.