The Plan (TheOrionSound)

Chapter Eight

"What the fuck?" I ask, shocked, but they're too far away to hear me, and my words are lost in the music. I take two steps back without turning, then spin around. But, even though I can't see them anymore, the image is still in my head.

I walk away, back past my new friends. I pause for a few seconds before I pass them, considering going to them for help, but they've been Oli's friends longer than they've been mine. I walk away from them, disappearing into the bathroom. It's one of those weird bathrooms with chairs, so I sit down and hide my face, hoping that no one that recognizes me comes in.

They do, because of course. Just my luck.

"Nessa? What are you doing in here?" Lauren asks, sitting down next to me.

"No reason, just tired." I lie.

"Really? 'Cause it looks like you're crying."

"I'll be okay." I promise. "Really, I'll be fine." I stand up and walk over to a sink, wetting a paper towel and starting to fix my make-up. Lauren goes to the bathroom but must've texted Yammy because she shows up a few minutes later.

"Hi girlie." She says, smiling gently at me. "You need any help?"

"No, I'll... I'll be fine." I mutter.

"Can you tell me what happened?" She asks.

"It's a long story." I sigh, "I'll tell you all back at the hotel tonight okay, after the party?"

"Okay."

"And can I ask a favor? Don't question it, please."

"Anything." She smiles. I drop the paper towel into the trash.

"Make sure Oli stays away from me tonight."

Yammy looks a bit startled. "Okay. Come on, I made Callum and Scott wait outside. They wanted to come in after I told them about Lauren's text but they really can't come into the girls bathroom."

Lauren washes her hands and joins us, and we go back outside to meet Callum and Scott.

"Alright guys, lets see how well we can avoid Oli tonight." Yammy says, trying to make it sound at least somewhat light hearted.

"Why?" Scott asks.

"I'll explain later, okay?" I say, and everyone seems to understand not to push it, considering my likely bloodshot eyes and significantly different make-up, since a decent amount has been wiped off, either by tears or water, since I tried my best to fix it before coming back.

We succeed at avoiding him for about half an hour, just splitting up and hiding in the crowd of other Youtubers whenever he comes near us. Scott, Lauren, and Callum bump into him a few times, and talk to him, but Yammy sticks to my side like a bodyguard, which I really appreciate.

I bump into Lizzie and Joel a few times and tell them a lie about why I'm not with everyone else each time.

I don't want to tell Lizzie her plan failed.

I promised her until midnight, the official end of the Vidcon party. And I'll tell her at midnight.

Oli catches Yammy and I at 11:45pm.

"Why are you guys avoiding me? I haven't seen anyone since I left to get punch." Oli asks.

"You know what you did." Yammy snaps.

"Do you know what I did?" He asks.

Yammy glances at me, then responds coldly. "Yes." She grabs my hand and pulls me away and we disappear. Oli tries to follow, but Yammy gives him such a dirty look that he backs off. I didn't even know Yammy could look that pissed.

I'm glad that anger is for me, and not against me.

I'm checking my watch several times a minute for the last 10 minutes. Joel went to the bathroom, so Yammy, Lizzie, and I are standing together talking. Lizzie keeps glancing at my watch then me, probably trying to prompt me to explain, but I don't.

I watch as the time on my watch clicks from 11:49PM to 12:00AM.

I look up an meet Lizzie's eye. "Your plan failed."

Lizzie looks disappointed, Yammy looks confused. "Her... plan?"

"I'll explain soon, let's get everyone else and meet in, er... I don't know where."

"My room." Lizzie offers. Yammy glances behind her and half freezes, her expression changing quickly. I glance up and see Oli.

"Let's go." I say, my tone even. "Now."

I grab Yammy's wrist to make sure she stays with me, and I call Scott to meet us outside. Lauren isn't with him, just Callum, so I get Yammy to call her. Lizzie calls Joel.

We meet up outside the party and walk back. It's uncomfortably quiet, with some whispering.

I hope they believe me.

Lizzie locks the door to their room when we're all in and puts a blanket along the bottom.

"We probably shouldn't let Oli know what room we're in." She mutters, "Everyone around the beds."

Yammy, Lizzie, Scott, and I sit on the beds, Joel sits on the chair, and Callum ends up on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"So what happened?" Yammy asks me.

"Lizzie, can you tell them about the plan?" I ask.

She nods, and begins to explain.

No one speaks while she tells them about her plan to try to set up Oli and I, including her reasoning.

"Now it's my turn." I sigh when she stops speaking. "Today at the convention, Oli asked me to be his girlfriend."

"But you said it fail-" Lizzie begins.

"I'm not done." I continue. "When I went to go find him tonight, I found him. But he wasn't getting punch. He was kissing a girl."

Lizzie looks surprised, Yammy looks murderous. Scott, Callum, and Joel look varying degrees of shocked.

Now's the scary part.

Do they believe me?