Not the Same

Chapter thirty

Panic takes over my entire body. It really wasn't Adam who was doing this to me. If it's not Adam, then who could it be? Who could possibly hate me this much?

As if on cue, the lights dim in the room and the projection screen starts to change. On the screen is a picture of my face with the words "Little Miss Cinderella" underneath it.

The pictures start to change; one by one another embarrassing picture of me pops on the screen.

"How did they get these?" I ask no one in general. "How could someone get these pictures? They're from my mom's photo albums in my house."

We all turn and look at Adam. "Don't look at me, I really didn't know anything about this."

Embarrassing pictures and videos of me keep appearing on the screen, but then to our surprise, embarrassing pictures and videos of Adam come up on the screen as well.

"Who is doing this?" Cameron asks angrily.

As if his question was being answered, a girl in a long, black dress walks across the stage.

Hailie?

"My my, I told you, Avery, you wouldn't have your perfect ball if you came tonight. Should have listened," Hailie says through the microphone.

My blood has gone cold and I swear my vision gets slightly blurry.

I move forward so I can get a better look at her.

"Hailie, why are you doing this?" I ask her in tears. "Why would you do this to me?"

She just laughs. "You're really pathetic, Avery, you know that?"

I'm still in shock right now. I know that Hailie and I haven't been getting alone now for a while, but to do this? This is just unforgivable.

"Little Princess Avery, I'm so sorry your ball is ruined."

"Hailie." She turns her head and looks at Adam. "What is the point of this?"

Once again, her cold laugh fills the room.

"Oh and poor Adam," she continues. "As if I actually cared about you."

I visibly watch Adam's heart shatter into a million tiny pieces. "But I thought you loved me."

"That's a good one," she snarls, rolling her eyes in amusement.

"But we're having a baby together."

"You think I'm actually pregnant and would have a kid with you?"

"I'm sorry, none of this is making sense. What the hell is going on, Hailie?" Cameron asks, trying to get to the truth.

"What's going on is that I've finally gotten my revenge. I've hated Avery and Adam since the day I met them, and I can finally say that I was able to make them miserable."

"I'm lost," Eric chimes in. "The only thing I'm clear on is that you're psychotic."

Turning her glare to Eric, she continues. "Perfect Avery and Adam. The perfect twins. Captain of the soccer team. Number one in her class. I'm so sick of people like you getting everything handed to them because their father works for the school. News flash, some of us have to work really hard to get here."

"If you don't think I worked my butt off for everything I've gotten since I've been here, then you're wrong," I tell her confidently.

"Shut up." She cuts me off. "Remember when your dad got that promotion and your family got even more money? Money that you didn't even need. My dad was the runner up. We could have actually used that money. You didn't need it. We were suffering and you took it all for your selves."

"Are you kidding me? You hate me because my dad got a promotion?" I laugh in disbelief.

"No, I hate you because you're selfish family was the reason we were poor and my dad left us. He was so angry and upset from this that he decided he was done and never came home one day. He texted my mother and told her he wasn't coming back. You broke up my family.

"Hailie, I'm sorry your family went through that, but you can't blame me or my family for this," I tell her genuinely.

"Yes, I can," she barks. "And I will, forever."

At that moment security finally shows up and escorts her from the stage, which causes people to clap and cheer.

Taking it all in, I turn to Cameron who is studying me. "Are you okay?"

Before I respond, I look to see a heartbroken Adam leaving the dance.

"I will be," I tell him honestly, "but there is something I need to do first."

Author's note: *Please read*

Wow, it's been a while, huh? 

I just wanted to say thank you to every one who has supported me and taken the time to read, vote, and comment on this story! I'm sorry I've been so MIA for a while.

A life update:

I am on my last year of college!! (I'm not crying, you're crying.) I'm currently not even at school right now because *drum roll please* I'm interning at Disney World!!!

I am an intern in the Disney College Program!! Working for Disney has been a dream of mine since I was seven, so being here has been a dream come true. A lot of hard work, but I'm still grateful for this opportunity.

So what's next?:

I'm planning on continuing writing this story and starting some others as well! I started this story two years ago while I was a sophomore in college and I've really missed writing it. I miss being creative in this way.

Keep in touch:

I love hearing from all of you and seeing what you have to say about my story! 

 Follow along on my adventures.  Or even just message me to say hi! I LOVE hearing from y'all!

Tell me what's going on in your lives! Do you have any fun plans for the holidays coming up? What are your favorite holiday traditions? It's a little lonely being away from home this holiday season, but my favorite tradition is cutting down my tree with my family and then going home to decorate it while belting my heart out to Mariah Carey's Christmas album.

Xoxo,

LetTheGamesBegin_