Against the Odds

Chapter 5

Ellie

This morning, I went into school with renewed determination. The more that I thought about Noah's smirk, the more I wanted to punch him in the fucking face. This game was my chance to hit back and let everybody know—especially Noah—that I wasn't going to take shit anymore. I could feel every whisper, every sideways glance as I walked down the halls at school. The word had gone out about what happened at the pool, and Noah's obnoxious smugness seemed to top the conversation charts of the day. Doesn't everybody have something better to do?

I walked into my first-period class and felt hundreds of eyes on me. I took a seat beside Mia, my rock throughout this whole thing. "Hey, you hear anything juicy about the game tonight?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Mia raised one eyebrow. "Other than Noah going on and on about it all week? Yeah, he's so full of himself."

I nodded. "Yeah, no shit. I'm thinking of something that'll really get under his skin. Something unforgettable."

Mia's eyes brightened, part curiosity, part alarm. "Got any ideas?"

"Working on it," I said. "I need to know what kind of security they have, who's in charge, and if there are any gaps I can exploit. Can you keep an ear out for me?"

She nodded gravely. "I've got your back. Just don't do anything too crazy."

Lunchtime provided another sort of opportunity. God, this day is going so fucking slow! The cafeteria was a racket as usual, but I had other things on my mind. I elbowed through the seas of crowded tables to take a seat with some kids whom I recognized from the basketball team. I was there just to listen, blend in—seeing if anything of value would come out.

"Hey, guys, do you know if there is a big security presence at the game tonight?" I asked casually, grabbing a tray and sitting down.

One of them, Thomas—a guy on the team's fan club—shrugged. "Not really. Just a couple of teachers, some volunteers. Why do you ask?"

I kept my tone light and smiled. "Just curious. Thought it might be fun to do something special for the game."

Thomas didn't seem suspicious. "Well, there's usually some room to pull pranks off, but don't get caught. Last thing we need is more drama."


The afternoon classes all seemed to run into one another, but I did a bit more work on my plan. Moments were swiped off to draft and then redo my ideas just so that I would try and predict Noah's reactions and what course of action would be best to carry out this scheme without getting caught. Scenarios had been scribbled down at quick fault in my notebook during history class. I needed to come up with a plan that would break Noah's game but not get me into trouble with the school authorities. It had to be creative, it had to be memorable, and most importantly, it had to be impactful.

The final bell went off, and school was finally over. I now knew that the real battle awaited me. I caught up with Mia after school, then headed into the gym to get in some last-minute preparations. A few hours later, it was game time, and everything had to fall into place. Mia and I moved with a mission, casing the grounds around the gym to find vantage points for my plan to execute. Those places would keep us hidden but give a perfect view of the chaos about to ensue. Mia helped set up a few discreet items that would be part of my scheme. In here, then—somewhere in this mass of people—lurked Noah, getting all of the attention that he wanted and getting ready for that selfish moment of glory. He had no idea I was going to make sure that his night was anything but.

I moved to a vantage position where I could view the game and still see Noah. The team took to the court, and with the crowd's roar, it suddenly got loud. With all the energy and hype of a usual game, it began. I finally get to do my plan. Noah would finally shed his smugness and cover himself in shock and embarrassment. I would finally get mine—the very revenge that I had been planning all along.

The game went on, and I became focused, composed. My moment was near, and every bit of the plan had to be perfect. This was more than payback time; it was a statement, some lesson Noah would hold very close for so long. With everything in position, I had a chance to see what was happening: the game—everything. Noah was so cocky and I'd let him see there's a price to be paid for screwing with me. Mia and I crouched behind a line of banners and some miscellaneous gym equipment. The loot we stashed earlier was ours for the taking now. Mia gave me a thumbs-up.

"Ready?" she whispered, a voice barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

I nodded. A cold smile played on my lips. "Hell yeah."

Seeing that no one was looking from the gym, I jumped up from my seat. I ran into the supply closet to grab a bucket of paint and some rolls of tape that Mia had placed there earlier, then scurried behind Noah's bench, getting back into position with Mia's help.

I worked fast, tipping the bucket of paint all over the bench and part of the court closest to where Noah was playing. It was a loud color, striking—impossible to miss. Tape went up around the area, creating a sort of makeshift boundary that was going to delineate the paint as intentional.

The paint was everywhere on the floor where Noah and his teammates we're playing . Everything became slick there, and it all went totally chaotic during a game. The teachers and the staff turned to the mess that was just now appearing on the court. In the gym, a bundle of confusion with giggles erupted as realization set in about what just happened. The whistle blew for a timeout as players and coaches tried to sort out how to handle it.

Noah's face changed from smug confidence to outright horror at what lay before him. It was fucking hilarious. His teammates and the crowd were laughing, which suddenly seemed to ring in the air. A little while ago, so sure of himself, Noah now stood in a pool of paint, his uniform marred by it, and his dignity in tatters.

The audience gasped, tittering. Noah's confusion turned to anger before being replaced with the crawling sensation that is shame as he realized it would not be a simple one-time mistake, but rather one clever aggression against his moment to shine.

The game was called with the clearing of the gym, staff cleaning up the mess. Noah, off to the side, looked like a child whose hand was caught in the cookie jar, his face flushed with the color of embarrassment. I watched it all from where I stood, feeling a surge of satisfaction. My plan went off without a hitch. Noah was not only humiliated in front of the whole school but got in trouble because of it.

Mia and I slipped out from the gym before they could question anyone. We made our way to a quiet corner of the school, where we shared a triumphant look.

"Did you see his face?" Mia asked, grinning at me.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Absolutely fucking priceless. That is what he gets for messing with me.".