Sweet Like Revenge

07 - Infiltration

"Mr. and Mrs. ... what was it?" Richie asked, taking a left at the intersection.

"Mitchell," I said, reciting Matt's surname. I turned to peer at Richie from the passenger seat. "Why?"

"Because." My stepdad made a face. "I should probably know their names if I'm going to meet them."

"Meet them?" I repeated. No, no, no ... "Richie, you don't need to meet them."

"Of course I do!" he insisted as we sped along the road. "You're going to their son's party. It's only polite to introduce myself."

As who? Ana's stepdad?

I couldn't risk Richie blowing my cover.

"Richie," I pleaded, attempting to lock eyes with him as he turned onto Matt's street. "I'm already the new girl. I really don't need to be the new girl with an overprotective father, too."

I watched as Richie's eyes softened. "Father?"

I smiled. "You know what I mean. Besides, these are good kids." I refrained from rolling my eyes at myself. "Matt plays for the Panthers. He's a school athlete—"

"A school athlete." Richie's voice sharpened. "I know the type."

I knew exactly who Richie's disdain was directed towards. My father.

"Please, Richie," I begged. "Trust me."

"I do trust you."

"Then trust that I can make my own decisions about who else to trust."

Silence hung between us as we pulled into Matt's driveway. It seemed to stretch on for miles, asphalt turning to cobblestone that vibrated against our tires.

Richie observed me for a moment, then sighed.

"Okay," he said.

My lips curved into a smile, and I pulled him into an awkward hug.

"Thank you!" I shouted over my shoulder as I grabbed my bag and bolted out the car door.

"I'll be back at twelve," he told me as I rushed to the house. "I'll meet you right here."

I waved as Richie backed out of the drive, shooting him an excited smile. But, as soon as he was out of sight, I felt my smile falter. The nervous butterflies in my stomach awakened.

Because this was it.

The invitation from Matt was a good sign. While I didn't remember him from my initial stint at Irvine, I had come to learn that Matt was a valued member of Sienna's clique, and one of the school's most sought after bachelors. Being on his arm outside of school in addition to inside of school added a little more prestige to my budding social resume, and it also gave me an excuse to cozy up to the Elites. It was a natural way to step into their fortress, from where I could start uncovering their secrets and truly start my journey to revenge.

I turned to find my reflection in the house's front window, fluffing up my hair and pressing down my pastel pink skirt. Elle stared back at me, her cool-as-marble confidence intimidating even me at first. Attending a party with the Elites was something that Ana had always wanted, but something that she never could have done without turning into an anxious, shaking mess.

Luckily, I wasn't Ana that night. I was Elle.

I inhaled a definitive breath of air, then turned swiftly to ring the doorbell before Ana could change my mind.

I heard the bell echoing through the obnoxiously-large house in front of me. I waited, but there was a noticeable absence of footsteps. After another minute, I rang the bell again. Still, no one came to welcome me.