True Lovers

Chapter 19 Happier Thanksgiving

My plan worked like a charm. I knew Vera wouldn't pass up an opportunity to get her hands on pictures she thought would embarrass me. Haruko and I followed her at a distance. As soon as Vera and her cohorts entered the newspaper room and started searching the place desperately for nonexistent, incriminating pictures, Haruko pressed the button of her remote control and—one dozen balloons popped, raining down the red paint! The screams of terror that echoed from inside were so worth it. Haruko and I doubled over in silent laughter. We had to slap our mouths from laughing harder when Vera and her cohorts came out, bathed in what looked like blood.

"SOMEONE'S GONNA PAY FOR THIS!" She screamed through the entire hallway. Haruko and I quietly backed away to leave the scene of the crime.

"Let's go before she finds—"

"Amber?" Pierce's voice made us spin around in surprise.

"What are you doing here, I've been waiting for you in my office," Pierce said in confusion. Oh, right, lunch. I giggled.

"I had something I had to take care of," I said quickly, "but I'm coming now, let's go!" I grabbed Pierce's hand as he began a bewildered 'what?' and ran off, Haruko waving at me as she ran in the other direction toward the cafeteria. Pierce cleared his throat by the time we reached his office.

"I'm almost afraid to ask... Amber, what did you do?" He asked, staring at me with a cocked eyebrow. I giggled mischievously.

"What you don't know won't hurt you, sweetie," I replied demurely. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I suppose you're right on that... I don't want to give my girlfriend detention so I'm better off blissfully unaware. Come on, troublemaker, let's have lunch."

"With pleasure," I smiled sweetly, taking a huge bite of the wrap Pierce bought for me. Ah, mischief works up an appetite. And food has never tasted so good as after a successful revenge scheme.

The result of my prank was—one, I didn't get caught. Phew, lucky. Two, Principal Mortimer thought Vera had done it herself and it had gone wrong so she had one more room to clean—the paint had practically exploded and splattered all over the place. Vera and her cohorts had a lot of work. And three, Pierce eventually figured out what I did but remained loyally mum about it.

"Little troublemaker," he tickled me in the tummy, making me laugh. "Good thing I don't know anything about it. But... thanks, babydoll." I smiled at him—he knew I'd done it to avenge him.

"I shouldn't be rewarding a troublemaker like you but..." Pierce gave me a sly smirk, "what say we hit Taiyaki's parlor after our tutoring?" I smiled in delight. Taiyaki's was the best ice cream outlet in Boston!

"Yes!" I squealed, hugging my golden boy. Ah, life couldn't get any sweeter.

~

November passed by in no time. Classes were good, life with my golden boy was even better and Trey didn't bother me anymore after he came back to class. I guess he'd finally given up on me—sure he wasn't my friend anymore but he'd ruined that far too deep for a reconciliation. Whatever, he lived his life, I lived mine.

He did catch me for a private conversation the Monday he returned, however.

"Hey," he waved to get my attention in the hallway just before I could go to Pierce's office for lunch. I turned and stared at him stiffly.

"What?" I asked. He sighed.

"Why, Amb, why do you hate me?" He asked, obviously drowning in self-pity. I almost scoffed in disbelief. The list of things he'd done to make me hate him was too long to recite and I had a golden boy waiting for me. I turned around and almost flounced off when he caught my arm.