Serpentine Romance

Ch. 3 Breaking the 4th Wall, feat. Zoe, Oz

You arrived early to school the next day. You had texted your friends to meet you before first period to spill the tea.

Pacing a deserted hallway, you swiped open your photos and looked at the shot of Damien and Amira in the locker room. It had been 17 hours since you looked at the photo; you felt guilty just having it. This picture was the clandestine lovers' downfall, taken at the perfect profiling angle, with undeniable clarity, in 12 well-lit megapixels. It was utter condemnation, the power of whose mere possession sickened you.

That meant it was exactly the kind of thing Vera Oberlin would love to have her hands on.

You jumped, nearly dropping your phone yet again, as a bubbly voice called your name. A sigh of relief escaped your lips as Zoe skipped toward you.

"Well, what did you want to show us?"

"Where's Oz?" you asked.

"Hm..." Zoe started. "He was right behind me."

She turned around, looking for her other friend, and Oz crept around her, like he had been there the whole time.

"Boo!" he said, and then started to snicker.

Zoe jumped a mile and shouted, "Dangit, Oz, I wish you wouldn't do that!"

You looked over their shoulders and shushed Zoe, corralling your two friends around a corner. Zoe was grumbling pouty-faced, her tentacle arms folded.

Swiping open your phone, you hid the screen from her and Oz.

"I'm about to show you something you won't believe at first," you prepared them. "But it's legit."

Oz fake-yawned, as if to say, This better be good; I got up early for this.

Zoe reached for your phone, "Lemme see, lemme see!"

You turned it over to reveal the picture of Damien and Amira kissing.

"What! No way!" Zoe snagged your phone from your hands and gasped, holding it up for Oz to get a better look. "Is that Amira and... Damien?" And then after a pause, "Miranda's Damien?"

You nodded solemnly.

Oz looked somewhat shocked, but also aloof. Zoe on the other hand attempted to look stunned, but couldn't keep her lips from curling into a smile. "How did you...? Why do you...?" she stammered excitedly.

You told your friends about your encounter with Vera Oberlin, and then explained how you got the picture.

Oz couldn't seem to get past your crush on Vera, but Zoe was taking in every detail. She whipped out her own phone and started frantically typing notes, passing yours to Oz so he could continue looking blankly at the picture.

"This is perfect, just so perfect," Zoe was muttering. "I needed fuel for my new fanfic on Wattpad, and this is just so juicy! Ah!"

Oz returned your phone and you both shrugged.

"So you think I should show it to Vera?" you asked.

"Yes!" Zoe said. "You and Vera would go great together! You're always talking about how you want to make a name for yourself, and like, Vera is exactly the kind of influential, popular person you want to get with."

Oz nodded.

Zoe continued. "You show Vera your dark side by letting her in on this drama, she gets leverage on Damien and Amira... And I get an amazing plot for my new Wattpad story! It's a win-win... win!"

That settled it. Showing Vera your photographic blackmail fodder was the only thing between you and wooing her over...