Just Revenge

Chapter Four: Phase Two, kinda

Okay, so normally this would be the part where I would awkwardly introduce myself to the best friend and force an unnatural amount of small talk until we started to get more comfortable with each other, but I knew these kids. No, we weren't friends, but we ran in the same circles. My friends were friends with their friends and, in some cases, with them. So, Phase Two did not begin with an awkward hello, it began with me throwing my backpack next to Cortland's chair the next day at rehearsal. It was summer, so we had our rehearsals outside, in the park and Cortland is totally the boujee type that brought a lawn chair to every single rehearsal so the next day I casually tossed my bag down next to his and then went about my business, milling around until rehearsal started. When it did, I went back to my bag and didn't bother pretending I hadn't known where I'd thrown it. I just sat down on the outer ring of his circle of friends and waited for an opportunity.

During rehearsal, I inserted myself into some of the group's conversations – nothing forced, just a couple comments wherever it felt natural. Ironically enough, Harper was part of that group. She was actually my in on a lot of the conversations because – though we hated each other – I did know her pretty well. Anyway, when rehearsal wrapped up, so did my plans for the night. All I'd had was the casual insertion of myself into the larger friend group which I figured I had plenty of time to turn into an invasion of the smaller group Max actually ran with. But an opportunity opened up.

It was when everybody was leaving. Everyone's parents were picking them up and – story of my life – mine were late. I just kind of sat there, leaning against this large oak tree on the edge of the park as the crowd of theater kids around just trickled away and – the thing I never planned on – was that as the crowd got smaller, Cortland's parents never showed to pick him up either. It came down to the last four people – him, me, and this girl from their inner circle named Aurora, and some freshman – when he actually started a conversation with me and I can't really take any credit. It was my phone's fault.

So, I have this really old – basically ancient – model of phone that actually flips open and closed. So I whipped out my flip phone to check if my parents and he just suddenly interrupts his conversation with Aurora.

"That is not your real phone." He said it just like that, like it wasn't a question, but a statement, like he was right, and he was daring the world to contradict him. Naturally, I obliged.

"Right. 'Cuz I obviously just picked it up from the ground. Where everyone leaves their flip phones lying around."

"Are you a drug dealer?" Because this was obviously the natural conclusion to come to when one owns a flip phone.

"Cortland" Aurora reprimanded him as she walked towards her car, "Play nice."

"What? It's a legitimate question to ask when you see someone with a burner phone."

"Why?" I smirked, "You buying?"

He smiled this kind of demeaning smile. I can't describe it exactly, but it's like the look you give to your little brother when he tells you that long division is the hardest problem in the world, "No thank you. Imagine if Harvard saw a drug charge on my record. I'd never get in."

I mock gasped, "The horror!"

He nodded, "Indeed." And yes, that does sound like the kind of word no self-respecting teenager would ever use, but somehow it seemed natural coming out of his mouth – not normal, mind you – but he did pull it off without seeming too slimy.

"Well," I smiled, "If you ever change your mind, the first one's free."

"Free? How will you ever stay in business?" At this point, watching the genius play dumb was getting kind of funny.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll find a way." I flicked my eyebrows up and down.

He laughed at that and then turned around and walked to his mother's car without another word, not even a courtesy goodbye. But still, that was the beginning of Phase Two and the beginning of my thought that I might actually have some fun this summer, even while on the trial of vengeance.