Masks / Scream

Cat or Mouse

"Can you please stop looking over at those two like you're going to kill them?"

Will looked concerned that his 'girlfriend', Emma was getting pretty close to Kieran.

"Yeah - yeah sorry," he looked back at the paper in front of him. "Does Emma like him or something?"

I looked up at him and narrowed my eyes. "Yes. She does."

"More than me?"

"Probably. I mean, he probably doesn't have awful secrets he's hiding from her like you," I replied, rolling my eyes. I went back to focusing on the work in front of me.

He slammed his hand on the table, making me flinch. "Evelina?" I looked up. "If you ever tell her about freshman year, I swear to god I will e - "

I stopped him. "You'll what? Run me over with your tractor? Have your chickens and cows hunt me down?" His jaw clenched.

Just then, I got a text. I sat up and smoothed out my floral printed romper. "I have to go. I'll pick the scene and email you the lines. Ok?" I grabbed my bag and all my papers, and walked out of the library. As I left, I could feel Will's eyes burning into my back.

-

"You wanna do The Exorcist?" Riley asked Noah as she stuffed a book in her locker.

"It's classic! 'The power of Christ compels you!'" Riley and I chuckled at Noah's impression. "Loads of drama!"

"Dramatic, maybe," I added, "Romantic? Not so much."

Riley slapped my arm and smiled nervously at me. "You think our scene should be romantic?" Noah asked me, smirking.

"I did," Riley stated, "But you never called so ..."

Noah looked to me for advice, I raised my eyebrows and smirked. "Riley, uh, I wanted to."
He looked to me again and I raised my eyebrows even higher. "Like a lot."

Riley smiled. They were so cute together. "And you know, if I had, I would have said, 'I wanna hang out. And be romantic. A lot."

"Wow," said Riley, "Is that Shakespeare?"

"Uh, yeah, you know it. I think it's from his play A Mid-Semester Night's Hang Out."

"Okay. Game on," Riley said, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hallway slowly.

I sarcastically pointed a finger at Noah. "You better impress her!" Noah smiled nervously as me and Riley chuckled all the way down the hall.

-

The next day, Brooke and I were sitting on a bench in the courtyard at school, talking about makeup or something like that. All of a sudden a pair of tan hands that I knew all too well wrapped around her eyes.

"Christians Grey's red room of pain awaits you."

"Ugh! Ew," Brooke protested, pushing Jake off of her.

"You're disgusting," I chuckled. He spun around and sat in between us. "That would literally be like doing my brother," Brooke spat.

"So Game of Thrones? I'm cool with that."

Brooke and I chuckled. "I'll tell you what," she started. "I'll pick the scene and email you the lines." Jake nudged me. "Hey, Will told me that's what you did to him too." I rolled my eyes, remembering my awful partner. "Good job," Jake added.

"Now run along." Brooke gestured for him to leave. "Go find Will and continue tanking the school's collective IQ."

Jake's smile fell, and he looked at his hands, sadly. "What?" I questioned, "Bromance on the rocks?"

He scoffed. "I got one rule. I do not abide to people I can't trust."

"Please." Brooke roller her eyes. "Trust is a campaign promise."

"Real life? You're either the cat or the mouse," I added. Jake nodded and then turned to Brooke. "Is that how it works with your college beau?" Her eyes widened.

"Don't give me that look, I pay attention. But my question is, how do you know?"

"Know what?" Brooke questioned.

Jake smirked. "Whether you're the cat or the mouse?" Brooke's eyes shifted forward, and her smile fell from her face.

"You remember that viral video where the bobcat snatches the shark out of the ocean?" He asked, looking at me now. I narrowed my eyes. "No, Jake. I don't think anyone remembers that."

He scoffed. "It's sick." Brooke and I rolled our eyes. "And up to that moment, I bet you the shark thought it was the apex predator."

I narrowed my eyes again. "Are we, um, honing in on a point here?"

"I'm just saying, maybe you're not at the top of the food chain. Maybe your boyfriend's got you thinking bobcat." Brooke looked down. "But really you're just the shark." He looked at me and raised his eyebrows before getting up and leaving. I looked over to Brooke who just rolled her eyes. She turned around and saw Mr. Branson walking around the school laughing with our math teacher.

Brooke turned back around and looked concerned. I scooted over to where I was next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Once again, I'm sorry you have to deal with that all the time," she scoffed, that referring to Jake.

I chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm used to it by now."

-

Author's note

Thank you for reading! Once again, please let me know what you think. Next chapter might be a little sad. Just a warning.

- Emma 💞😇