The Wattpad Bad Boy

6. Money is What Makes the World Go Round

My mouth is open in a wide 'O', and my eyes are bulging out of my sockets . Charlie and Dana stare at me confused.

"What are you talking about?" Dana asks as she follows my line of sight, and sees the group of girls.

"I said, we're inside The Bad Boy Next Door," I repeat myself.

"That Wattpad novel you're always rambling about," Dana asks. Charlie continues to look confused, probably wondering what Wattpad is.

"What's Wattpad," Charlie asks.

"It's an online community that lets you publish and read books for free." I explain to Charlie, then I look at Dana, "and It's not just any novel," I say, slamming both of my hands on the table staring at her square in the eyes so that she knows I'm being serious. "It has over one-hundred million views, it has won a Watty, and it's getting published next spring. Oh, and, at the moment, we're stuck inside of it."

"Have you gone insane," Charlie asks, his pitch getting an octave higher, "we are not inside an online novel."  He is looking at me like I've sprouted a second head from my shoulder.

"Yes," we are, I say, my voice firm.

"No we're not," Charlie raises his voice, challenging me.

"Yes, we are," I raise my voice back at him, and scowl.

Charlie and I have a staring contest, daring the other to oppose us again. Dana senses the tension in the room, and interrupts us.

"Calm down guys," she says, then looks over at me, "Ruth, stay calm, you're scaring Charlie." I look at Charlie, and she's right. Charlie may sound angry and irritated, but he has started biting his nails again. A sure sign that what I'm saying is making him nervous. Then, Dana looks at Charlie, "Charlie, lets hear Ruth out, everyone is confused right now, maybe Ruth knows something we don't. Right now, it's important that we all stick together, so lets hear her out."

"Okay," I say, "I will."

"Fine," Charlie reluctantly agrees.

I take a deep breath and start explaining what I know. "A few years ago, when I was in seventh grade, I started reading this book on Wattpad called The Bad Boy Next Door. I don't exactly remember what the book was about, since it was that long ago, but I've continued reading the series on Wattpad, which is why I remember the names of the characters, Ilana and Alex. I also remember how it all started. In the beginning of the first book, Ilana, the good girl, is pressured into skinny-dipping in some lake by a group of mean girls. She agrees, but the girls peer pressure her into jumping first. After Ilana takes off her clothes, and jumps into the lake, they take her clothes, and run away. Later, the resident bad boy and Ilana's neighbor, Alexander, drives by in his motorcycle, and sees her. He helps her out of the lake, and gives her a ride back home. That's all I remember, and I'm telling you, we're living it right now." I take a much needed deep breath of air.

I discreetly point at Ilana and the group of girls. "See those girls over there," I ask. Charlie and Dana nod. "The one sitting alone in one of the couches is Ilana, and the others are the "mean" girls," I say, using air quotes on the 'mean' part.

"Okay," Dana looks at Charlie,"you're right. Ruth's nuts, and she probably has a concussion."

"I told you so," Charlie gloats.

"I'm not crazy," I say, slamming my fists in the table, accidentally knocking over a ketchup bottle.

"Correct me if if I'm wrong," Charlie says, as he picks up the ketchup bottle and places it on the table" but isn't that something that a crazy person would do?"