Letting Reality Begin

Chapter Six - The Rise of Revenge

“So who actually wins the bet then?” asked Hayley Woods, as she lounged casually in a comfortable red armchair in the sixth form common room. The school had obviously spent a lot of money sprucing up the common room over the summer and it had definitely been worth it. The place now looked like the foyer of some luxury hotel rather than a room in a private school. And that wasn’t even the best part. The best part was that the common room was completely Popular-free. They preferred to spend their breaks and lunches in the conceitedly named ‘Popular Area’.

“I do!” insisted one of her best friends, Scarlette. Scarlette was sat in the seat opposite to Hayley, sipping what looked like water, but – knowing Scarlette – could’ve been anything. “After all, I said opaque tights – which she had specifically – and you said boots when she was in fact wearing ankle boots.”

“And your point is?” Hayley inquired, although she already knew she had lost. Damn the freaking ankle boots. They were all the same, anyway. In her mind, at least.

Scarlette just rolled her eyes dramatically and held her hand out. Hayley considered protesting against the unfair bet but decided that there was really no point in arguing against Scarlette. She reached into her blazer pocket and pulled out her Radley London purse. “Satisfied?” asked Hayley, as she slapped the twenty pound note into Scarlette’s palm. Well, that was her week’s dinner money gone.

Scarlette smirked smugly at Hayley as she pocketed the twenty pound note deliberately slowly. “I am now,” she replied. Hayley huffed slightly. If only she had bet with Danielle – who had been assigned to be a guide for the Year Sevens today – instead.

Sitting in a chair in between Scarlette and Hayley’s, Misty suddenly thumped the massive Physics textbook she had been reading down on the table Scarlette and Hayley – and the majority of the people in the common room – turned to stare at her. “What was that for?” asked Hayley, her eyebrows furrowing into a confused frown.

“You know what, Hayley?” Misty hissed quietly, leaning forward in her seat so that only Hayley and Scarlette could hear her. Hayley stopped herself from flinching at the angered tone in Misty’s voice. She had no idea what had suddenly brought on this change in Misty. “We’re in Year Thirteen and this is our last year of school together before we go on our separate ways to university or whatever.”

“Yeah...” Hayley managed to agree, shifting around uncomfortably in her seat. She exchanged a quick, panicked look with Scarlette who just shrugged and raised her eyebrows. Misty had always been particularly feisty but Hayley had never seen her like this.

“It’s out last year to do something worth remembering, right?” Misty inquired, her voice completely innocent, although Hayley knew she wasn’t.

Hayley’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to say, Mist?”

“What I’m trying to say it that this is the last chance we have,” declared Misty, her lips twitching into a smile. “Next year the school will finally be free of Chantelle Radleigh and I doubt Logan Deverall’s reign will be as fucking crap as hers, but still. This is our chance to do what we’ve wanted to do since Year Seven. Bring the Populars down.”

Hayley heard Scarlette take a sharp intake of air. “And how do you suggest we do that?” asked Scarlette, carefully. Doubt was evident in her tone. If it was actually possible to bring down the Populars, there was no doubt that they would’ve been able to do it before this year.

Misty’s smirk grew bigger as she said, “Well... Let’s just say that if you can’t beat them, you’ve got to be them. It’s time to let reality begin.”

~~~~

“Jake. It’s official. You’re a freaking idiot,” said Callum, rolling his eyes at his best friend, Jacob Davies as they walked out of their English Literature classroom to go to break.“You can hardly blame Liss for storming out on you. You can be a real jerk sometimes. Or rather, most of the time.”