Grey

Nine: Strategy

We could lose it all, for one thing- yet we keep fighting for everything. How pointless life is.

Lisa shook her head to clear the pessimistic thoughts and forced herself to smile. Elaine was smiling at her too.

It was the first time they had spoken face to face, while both of them were in a perfectly normal state of mind. As soon as she had told Nancy that she would help with her petty little revenge plan, she had rushed her to Elaine, beaming all the way with a light of a hundred lamps. She had reminded Lisa of a little kid, who was always looking to please her tough parent and get a pat on the head.

"Sorry, I didn't have the opportunity to meet to you properly," said Elaine with a brilliant smile.

"That's fine," said Lisa, extending her hand, "Lisa Channing."

The name brought the desired flinch from Elaine, but she still took Lisa's hand and shook it, saying, "Elaine Walters."

"Who doesn't know Elaine Walters, though?" Asked Lisa, with what she hoped was a warm smile.

"I don't think I have much longer on that post," said Elaine with a short laugh, "Considering that the charming Alyson Channing has come out of her hiding."

Lisa simply laughed and withdrew her hand, a little taken aback by the use of her full name, struggling out of Elaine's iron grip. She got the feeling that Elaine was trying to decipher something from her face. All the while, Nancy was grinning, the maniacal gleam in her eyes having returned.

"Let's lay out the plan," said Nancy, "Let us not waste any time."

"You don't have to do this, you know," said Elaine to Lisa, "you can ignore Nancy."

"No way, Lisa agreed to it herself," said Nancy.

"That's true," said Lisa, "I will help. I hate cheaters." She hoped it sounded sincere.

"Thank you," said Nancy, and then turning to Elaine, "What do we do then?"

Elaine sighed. "Well, you see," she began, "I'm not really very sure. I mean, I want to break Blake only so that he'll mellow down a bit. Nothing that would destroy him."

"That's quite precise," commented Lisa, under her breath.

"So, why don't you seduce him, and drop him when he tries to pull something on you?" Said Nancy.

"Nancy!" Exclaimed Elaine.

"Fun as it sounds," said Lisa with a laugh, "it won't work. I'm sure I won't be the first to reject him."

"I won't be surprised even if he goes through you forcibly," muttered Nancy, under her breath, but luckily, it wasn't heard by the other two.

"I agree," said Elaine, waving her hand, "Let's forget it."

"No," said Nancy, "Rather than his pants, you should try to get his heart."

Lisa internally cringed at her choice of words, but she pulled herself together and said, "Why do you think he'd fall for me?"

"You're the Channing heiress of course," said Nancy, the chilling gleam returning to her eyes.

Lisa looked away, a little uneasy, and looking at Elaine said, "You think that would work?"

"It should," she said, twirling a lock of her silvery hair with a finger, "But you don't really have to go through it."

"I will," she said resolutely.

Any further questioning that she might have to go through was put off by the bell signalling time for the first class of the day. An excited Nancy took her by the wrist, dragging her to class.