Chapter 90

Rya and I exchanged look, annoyed ourselves at this Leah thing. "I'm sorry, Sienna. I knew you wanted to be Prom Queen."

"Only because my mom was Prom Queen." I huffed. "I know she wouldn't care if I was or wasn't, but it'd still be nice."

"You still have time. We're going to set up a killer campaign and get you that crown. Plus, if Nikki or Alyse spend the rest of their days fighting for that tiara, Leah isn't even going to make it on that stage."

"I hope so." I anxiously clicked my tongue.

I walked back with Rya to her locker before lunch ended so she could collect her books, but Leah lingered in my mind. I didn't know how to feel about her. I somewhat felt bad for her because she felt so insecure that she was forced to threaten me but the whole threatening aspect made an unremorseful feeling creep in. Either way, I knew I wasn't going to let her win this. She'd already tried to tamper too much with her life and this bitch needed to know that her innocence act was close to curtain call.

I leant against the locker next to Rya and watched a pink slip of card fall to the floor as she opened it.

"Another one?" she groaned but I knew she secretly liked it. I noticed how her cheeks would flush a light shade of pink as she read them, and a soft smile lightly formed on her lips. She picked it up before stuffing it back into her locker, however something else seemed to catch her eye. It was a small, blue box with a note stuck to the front. The box itself was gorgeous, made from a shiny material that sparkled in the light. She took it out and admired it, glancing at the writings on the front.

"What the hell?" she opened the box to reveal a bracelet. It was gold with several pearls lined around in groups of three to make up petals of small flowers, between them were diamond leaves that glistened against the gold of the base. It was stunning to say the least and looked the utmost expensive.

"Oh my god." Rya gasped as she stared at the prettiest of bracelets I had ever seen. Well, damn. "This is gorgeous."

"Jesus, Rya. Did you piss someone off recently?" I whispered moving to her side to get a closer look at it. I looked at the top of the box to see the same cursive writing that was always in the cards. 'I'm sorry'. "Looks like someone did." I let out a long breath. She couldn't respond to me as she admired the beauty. I looked back at the pink card in her locker and grabbed it.

"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." I read aloud. "It's like a confession." I muttered to myself. "Do you know anyone who'd want your forgiveness so urgently?"

She shook her head, confused with it all herself. "No. I haven't even been in any arguments for the past few days. Where's it from?"

"Jane Austen." I replied. "Pride and Prejudice." That made me think of Roman and a warmth flooded my chest. I kept the books on the windowsill where a picture of Adam and I at Junior Prom used to be, but that specific book I kept at my bedside, admiring it every night. "Hey, what happened after Taylor carried you to the nurse's office?" I asked curiously. Rya frowned. "What?"

"Taylor's... lovely." She began to say. I raised a brow. "I mean, he's sweet, and wonderful, and charming, and, Jesus, does that boy have a gorgeous face. But... well, he's kind of... um... boring?" boring? Out of all the things I expected her to say, I didn't expect 'boring'.

"Boring?" I made sure I heard her correct.

"Yeah."

"Boring how?"

She turned back at her locker and sighed. "He's so sweet – don't get me wrong – but all he talked about was basketball and cars and... basketball and cars and so on and so on." Damn, horrible flirting technique Taylor. "I mean I tried to have a conversation with him, but it didn't... I don't know."

"Click?" I offered.

"Yeah." She nodded in agreement. "Click."

I chuckled lightly and rested a hand on her shoulder, "You've got to give the boy some slack, Rya. I mean, he's liked you for so long he was probably shitting his pants to suddenly be alone with you." She pondered on my words for a few seconds before coming to.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. However, he doesn't strike me as the, how do I put this? Intellectual type? Like, look at all of these quotes, they're all from classic pieces of literature and I've never once seen Taylor pick up a book, let alone a classic."

"Maybe he's searching up the quotes to impress because look." I pointed to the bottom of the note. "They still spell 'sincerely' wrong."

Rya bit her lip nervously. "Maybe..." she then sighed and looked back at the bracelet.

"It's an admirer from afar. They've got to leave some clues behind." I said more to myself than her, but she heard it anyways. I didn't get it myself. Taylor was a pretty confident guy and Rya obviously seemed to have some sort of attraction to him. Taylor was also skilled in flirting, I've seen that guy pick up three girls a night with such ease, but maybe things worked differently with your crush? Nonetheless, it could still be someone other than Taylor, but I had no idea who that other person could be, so Taylor was our only option.

Rya sighed once more but this time heavily as if frustration were getting to her. "I just don't get it. If this person loves me so intensely, why does he never show me who he is? Why is he hiding from me?" fair point. If I had a secret admirer, I'd be driven mad from the curiosity.

I looked at the note once more but a little flap at the bottom caught my eye, I lifted it up to see a different handwriting in block capitals. "Rya!" I nudged her side. Her head shot to my direction and I gestured down at to what I was looking at. "Go behind the courtyard to the maple tree before the field after school. If you want to know who I am, I will be waiting'. Rya!" I hit her side again.

"Oh my god, would you stop?!" she shot me an unamused glare.

"Okay, sorry, but look! They're asking you to meet them today. After school!" I practically shoved the note in her face as she read it again for herself.

"Really?" her face suddenly lit up with surprise.

"Yes! Oh my god, this is something out of a romance movie."

"Shut up." Her face went bright pink. "What d'you think they're going to do? Oh my god, what if they're a creepy stalker who's going to gut and stuff me like they're own personal sex doll?!"

"Jesus Christ." I sighed a ran a hand over my face. "Out of all the outcomes you can think of..."

"What?! Horror movies can really fuck a girl up."

"Clearly." I rolled my eyes. "If you want, I can hide behind the bleachers to make sure you don't get murder."

"Really?"

"Really. Now put that damn bracelet on and make yourself look hot." I grabbed the box out of her hands.

She pouted, "I thought I already looked hot."

I chuckled and rolled my eyes, "Sorry, hotter."

"Thank you." She grinned happily and collected the rest of the books from her locker.