A Puppet's Revenge (Wattys 2015)

Chapter Six

"Give him the silent treatment." Lucy punctuated her statement by slurping loudly on a carton of chocolate milk and flicking a stray lock of hair over her shoulder. Leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic seat, I mulled over her suggestion.

I had wasted no time in recruiting Lucy's help: the second that she walked into the form room, I dragged her off to the practically empty canteen where she'd grabbed a croissant and some chocolate milk before joining me at the table beside the window on the far side of the canteen - far away from anyone who might be eavesdropping.

Sighing, I dragged my right hand through my knotted black ponytail, doing my best to untangle the knots as I spoke. "I like the idea, don't get me wrong," I winced as I accidentally yanked out a clump of hair. "but isn't that a bit too simple?"

Lucy huffed and put her chocolate milk back on the table, crossing her legs in a business-like manner as she spoke to me sternly, sympathy showing in her eyes. "Look," she began, "I'm not really a 'vengeful' person, so I'm not gonna give you any big, brilliant ideas. But I know that if you ignore him – pretend like he doesn't exist – then you're definitely gonna get his attention."

"How can you be so sure? I mean, sure, he seems pretty eager to be near me since we found out that we were mates, but what if he's just pretending? What if he really does want me to just ignore him?"

"Shut up! Don't talk like that: how the hell is that going to help you?" Lucy slapped me on the arm. Hard.

"Hey!"

Ignoring me, Lucy continued with her explanation. "From what I saw last night, Lucas was pretty protective of you. I don't think that he's messing around right now: he wants your attention and from what you've told me, he wants your forgiveness." Muttering a few choice curse words about Lucas under her breath, Lucy picked up her carton of chocolate milk again. "Do me a favour though, Kass," I straightened in my seat at hearing my name, accidentally knocking my jean-clad knees against the underside of the table as I did so. "I can see now that you're probably going to forgive him."

Am I?

"So: make his life a fucking hell before you do."

Smirking evilly at each other; we high-fived across the table. "You bet your arse I will, Rivers." Leaning down, I fished my mobile phone out of my bag and chucked it at an unsuspecting Lucy who squawked in surprise. "But first, I'm going to need your number because I am not going to go through this crap alone."

"Bitch, ask nicely!"

"Please."

With a cheeky grin, Lucy picked up the phone. "Oh, you're going to need to unlock it though..."

No, we're not friends yet, but I think that we might be soon.

**********

Trudging down the languages corridor on my way to my IT class as the end of break neared, when I spied Asher , Caiden and a girl who I didn't know loitering outside one of the classrooms a little further down. They each had their ears pressed close against the peeling red paint of the door: anxious expressions on their faces. I caught Caiden's eye and he waved me over urgently. "What are you doing?" I mouth at them, confused. The girl that was with them, signalled for me to get down, she had bright blue and pink hair in a stylish pixie cut and was smiling brightly at me. As I was beginning to crouch down next to them, a voice reached my ears from inside the room.

"-wrong with you?!"

Is that Tristan's voice?

Whoever Tristan was talking to was now royally hacked off judging by the snarling that was now vibrating through the floors was anything to go by. I glanced quizzically at the three people next to me, the girl smelt like a Werewolf and carried the scent of our pack, yet I don't ever remember seeing her around. She caught me staring and grinned impishly before returning to her eavesdropping. Losing interest rapidly, I began to push myself to my feet, and only as I was rearranging my bag on my shoulder did I hear: "What we have been doing has nothing to do with Kass!" Anxiety and panic thrummed through my veins at the sound of his voice, along with a little bit of happiness that I squished down into the darkest part of my mind where I wouldn't look at it again until I'm something like 72.