Chapter 3

This was my senior year and I was determined to make it my best school year yet. And that involved getting better grades—which might be overkill because I was a strict A-plus student—engaging in more extracurricular activities, winning more debates, maybe even attending a few dances.

I was the captain of the debate team which apparently wasn’t much of a surprise to anyone. Even my mom had said she’d wondered why I hadn’t been named captain before now. Being brainy was kinda my thing and I relished in it.

I loved getting good grades; I lived for excellent grades. Winning was second nature to me, which was why I was determined to never let this beef I had going on with Logan end with him winning. I didn’t care what I had to do. I would never back down from a fight.

It also didn’t help that Logan was brainy too. It wasn’t fair. He wasn’t ugly, he was Spanish, captain of the baseball team and he still managed to ace all his exams with amazing grades.

And yes, I checked. I was a teacher’s favorite so checking people’s scores on tests was not an issue for me.

A part of me wish he was terrible at school while another part of me didn’t really care, or at least tried not to. He didn’t even have to try. I’d never seen him with his head buried between a book. His eyes glued to some girl’s boobs, yes but definitely not to a book. I, on the other hand, had to study as much as I could whenever I could. It just wasn’t fair.

Regardless, I couldn’t really care less about Logan. I hated him for several reasons and one of them being how he constantly went to the ends of the earth to make my life a living hell.

As this was senior year, I also had senior year project to worry about. Mr. Handel, the headteacher had said getting an A on the project would greatly help in our college application forms. I wanted to go to Harvard and so it was absolutely imperative that I had a perfect score on the project. I was still thinking about what it was I wanted to do. Mr. Handel specifically said that whatever we choose to do has to help the community to be accepted.

I had lots of ideas but choosing one was posing a problem.

“Have you decided what you want to do for your school project, Lexi?” Aimee asked me on our way to school the next day. Her sandy blonde hair, which was cropped to her shoulders, bobbed as she walked. “I think I want to organize a race for the elderly. You know, to keep them fit.”

“Uh uh,” I replied absentmindedly as Cambridge High came into view. I was giddy.

But not because I was a morning person.

I’d set up my revenge in the chemistry lab for Logan yesterday after school, when I was sure nobody would be around to catch me. It was probably the most genius idea I’d come up with. He would soon learn that Lexi Hale was not one to be messed with. I’d show him. I almost snickered then remembered that no one was supposed to know it was me, not even my best friends.

“Lexi,” Aimee called. “Lexi!” I blinked, coming back to earth. “What in the world are you thinking about? I’ve been talking to you for the past two minutes.”

Right. “I’m sorry,” I told her, clearing my thoughts. “I was just wondering… about my school project.” I improvised. There was no point in telling her anything if she wasn’t going to help me. She and Darren had washed their hands off and so, I was alone in this war.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m thinking of planning a race for the elderly.”

I nodded. “That could work. Have you run it by Mr. Handel? He’s supposed to approve all the projects before they begin.”

“I’m not entirely sure it’s what I want to do. Just going through the motions for now,” she added. A second after, we heard the bell ring for first period.

I couldn’t stop the smile that stretched across my face. Chemistry was second period, so I had two hours to wait until all hell broke loose all over Logan freaking Hernández.

He had no idea what was coming.

Making me look like a fool in front of the entire school? Ha! I’d show him who was boss.

Aimee and I headed to our lockers to get started for the day before heading down to class. Waiting by my locker was Darren. His honey-brown hair was cropped short to frame his head, the result of one of the pranks between Logan and I. Something told me Darren still hadn’t forgiven me for it. He had loved his long hair. In my opinion, he looked better with cropped hair. I mean, he couldn’t deny he’d been scoring more girls since it happened.

He would’ve been the full package if he played sports but Darren was not interested in sports. I didn’t know if he worked out but I knew the mention of anything sport related bored him. Even the coach of the baseball team had tried to recruit him to no avail. He was tall and lean but not lanky lean. More like built but not as built as Logan. His—

I stopped myself. Why on earth was I comparing Darren to Logan? Why would I do such a thing? Darren was a sweetheart and the only thing sweet about Logan was his absence.

“'Sup, women?” Darren said to us when we got closer.

Aimee and I rolled our eyes because Darren was always trying out his charm on us as practice and we got tired of telling him it wasn’t going to work. “'Sup, man,” I replied, taking a deep breath before opening my now sparkling locker and grabbing some textbooks.

“You’re both late again,” he said, kicking off the wall as we continued to first period. “Seriously, how hard is it to wake up early?”

“Hard enough, shithead. You think being this pretty doesn’t take time?” She gestured to herself and I only realized then that she had makeup on. In my defense, I was only late because Aimee took forever to come pick me up. According to her, she couldn’t rush greatness. There was makeup to do, her hair to curl and outfits to match. I didn’t have a driver’s license yet so I couldn’t get behind the wheel. It was taking way too long and I knew it was because I was too scared to take the test.

Darren scoffed, “If that’s what being pretty looks like, I don’t want to see you ugly.”

Aimee screamed a curse word at him then proceeded to chase after him, leaving me behind. I shook my head at their childishness but nothing was able to stop the jittery feeling that went through me.

Logan Hernández, here I come.