The Bet : A Rosewood High short story

Chapter Four

My locker was filled with notes.

Some were calling me names, asking who I thought I was, wondering how I could do that to the hottest guy in school. Others, to my surprise, were supportive.

It turned out that a lot of students were not very fond of Theo and his devilish entourage, and their notes ranged from calling me brave to wishing me luck and asking me to stay strong. I sweeped most of the colourful post-it notes out into my open bag, making a mental note to throw them away later.
I knew making such a move, whether it was bold or stupid like the letters had suggested, would get me into the spotlight. And although I have spent the past three years in this hellhole laying low, I couldn't just stand by and let the rich kids humiliate me any further. But now, as I stood by my locker feeling the eyes of dozens of students on me, I was beginning to wonder if it was worth it.

“Well aren't you ‘little miss popular’ now? Makayla's voice felt like nails on a chalkboard behind me.
I slammed my locker shut, turning to my right to come face to face with my former roommate. Well, more like face to shoulder since she refused to wear anything below a 4 inch heel. “Are you enjoying the spotlight?” She quirked an eyebrow, her brown eyes dripping with malice. “I would if I were you, especially since it won't last long.”

“Is there something you wanted, Makayla? Or are you here just to annoy me?” I leaned against the wall, putting on a false aura of nonchalance that I hoped she couldn't see right through.

“That was a stupid thing to do, Ivy. That stunt you pulled at the dining hall? It's going to cost you.”

“And what stunt is that, exactly?” I widened my eyes in fake confusion. “ I broke up with my boyfriend. Was I not allowed to do that? Besides,” I stood up straight, running a hand down my pleated skirt, “I thought you'd be happy about that. The whole school knows you have a thing for Theo.”

It was true, although they had become best friends only last year after Makayla broke up with Kieran, the captain of the ice hockey team and the person Theo hated the most,  everyone could tell that Makayla wanted more out of that relationship and a few times rumors had circled the school that they had been caught together. Nothing became of that situation, though, and when Theo and I started dating, the student body put the rumours to rest. If only they knew.

“I don't know who you think you are-” her voice dropped to a harsh whisper, her eyes narrowing in anger.

“This isn't about who I think I am, Makayla. This is about my boyfriend and I breaking up, and honestly, that has nothing to do with you.”

I could still feel the eyes on me, the number growing as more people came to watch the second part of the show. I almost laughed. Three months ago, none of them gave a damn about me. Most of them didn't even know my name, but now that I went from Theo's girlfriend to the ex who dumped him in front of hundreds, suddenly I mattered. I brought my attention back to the girl in front of me, her mouth opening to no doubt tear into me, but I cut her off again. “You and I were never friends, so what I do with my life is none of your concern. He's all yours, that is, if he wants you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do with my time.”
I turned away briskly, ignoring the bewildered look on her face, and walked away as fast as I could.

Sleep eluded me that night, my mind running wild with thoughts of my imminent demise. I couldn't help but think of all the new ways Theo, Makayla and the rest of those demons could torment me, and I could only hope that I didn't avoid one public humiliation only to suffer worse. After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, I decided I had had enough. Throwing on a light jacket, I put my shoes on and snuck out of my room. Thankfully, Olivia was a deep sleeper, and she wouldn't notice I was gone. Climbing up the two stories that led to the roof, I sent a silent thank you to our janitor, who never seemed to remember to close this door. Pushing it open with my shoulder, I shoved my hands into my pockets and made my way to the edge of the roof. The view was spectacular, New York City lit up the horizon with millions of tiny twinkling lights. The air felt frigid on my exposed skin, but I didn't mind it. This was my safe space, where I could go to clear my head and enjoy the peace and quiet. During the day, many students would come up here to smoke or chill, but at night, it was deserted.
Or at least I thought so.