Always One More.... [Finished]

Day 19

Terry laughed with Karyl as they joked and worked on Karyl's homework. It was chemistry, her hardest class, and she was trying to learn some of the new formulas.

It was taking forever, but that was okay. The longer it took, the better they got to know each other.

Suddenly, Karyl quit laughing. Her smile dropped as she stared behind Terry.

Spinning in her wheely chair, Terry saw why.

Brooklyn sneered at them. "Having fun? It won't last. I guarantee it." She flicked Karyl's textbook as she passed, then left the library.

"I really hate her," Terry commented.

Karyl shrugged. "Don't worry. Homecoming is closer than she thinks. While I'm sure she'll try to do something to get back at me, this will be perfect revenge against her."

Terry smiled as she thought of Karyl's idea. "Honey, remind me never to get on your bad side."

She giggled. "Don't worry. I doubt you ever could."

Louis paused in the door to the locker room, Aeron behind him. Standing next to their lockers was Elliy, Brooklyn's best friend since forever.

Scowling, Louis strode to his locker, trying to ignore her. He grabbed the knob and twisted.

Elliy's hand slammed his locker closed with a thwack that echoed in his ears. "You need to hear me out."

He turned on her, anger simmering. "What?" he snapped.

She glanced nervously at Aeron before meeting Louis's gaze. "It's Brooklyn. She's nuts."

"Yeah, I knew that. Want to try for something new?" He turned back to his locker.

"She's going to have Karyl arrested."

Louis froze, then slowly turned back to her. "Come again?"

"In Karyl's room. Her roommate is Maddie, right? Well - terrifying surprise - Maddie is Brooklyn's baby cousin. Maddie has a turtle in her room that Brooklyn's been caring for while she's gone."

Fear twisted Louis's gut. "And?"

"Brook's going to stash something in Karyl's stuff and pretend to find it. Then she's going to turn it over to the police. At homecoming, she wants to make sure Karyl wins homecoming queen so her arrest will be a public thing and that much worse."

"How do we stop her?" Louis asked.

"You don't," Elliy said in a dead voice. Her eyes roamed to Aeron. "Only you can do that."

Louis turned to Aeron. "You don't have to, Aeron. There's got to be another way."

Aeron closed his eyes. "No, I'll do it." He opened them and focused on Louis. "Trust me, bro?"

Hesitantly, Louis nodded. "Yeah," he whispered. "Just be careful."

Aeron nodded once. "Leave it to me. Just see to it Terry is safe." He turned to Elliy. "I'll need a few helping hands."

Elliy nodded behind Aeron, and he and Louis turned to watch as three other girls stepped into view. "These were the girls who helped Karyl with her dress originally. They worked hard at it, and they really like Karyl. They're not happy, and want revenge."

"That'll work." Aeron turned back to Elliy. "I need something from you."

"Name it."

"Brooklyn's schedule, whereabouts, and where I can find her and when."

"I think we've been betrayed."

Brooklyn looked up at the girl who dared approach her. "By who?"

The girl shifted nervously. "Elliy."

Fury flashed through Brooklyn. "How dare you say such a thing! Elliy may not approve of my methods, but she has always stood by me!"

"But I saw her. Earlier today, she was talking with Louis and Aeron." The girl stomped her foot like a three-year-old.

Brooklyn shook her head. "Get away from me. And if you ever say something like this again, you'll regret it."

The girl glared at her, then left.

Turning away from the sight of the others, Brooklyn stared out the window. Elliy would never betray her. She had argued with Brooklyn, they'd been in screaming fits, and they had gotten each other in trouble with parents. But Elliy would never reveal this kind of information.

Not when it could get Brooklyn arrested. Or worse, kicked out of school and disowned by her family. Elliy knew how much Brooklyn's friendship cost, and its worth. She would never put something like their bond in danger by squealing on her over a foreign girl Brooklyn hated.

She pulled out a cigarete, lit it, and took a long drag on it. She narrowed her eyes on the parking lot, searching for Elliy's car. She should have been here over ten minutes ago.

Elliy would never betray her, would she?

Brooklyn reached for her cell phone, ready to call Elliy. As she glanced out the window, she saw Elliy's purple convertible pull into the lot.

She smiled and tucked her cell phone back in her pocket. For certain, Elliy would never betray her.