**Officially published as Clique Bait with HarperTeen!**
Payment is usually a part of a basic transaction. You give and then you take. But, at Arlington Preparatory, people take at their leisure. They take their entertainment in the form of humiliat...
It's weird how things change so fast. Like how you rose from level three to level two in the space of a week. I was still there, your invisible best friend. Now I'm glad nobody knew me. It makes things easier.
You did subtle things, like changing your hair and hanging around after school to talk with Li in the car park or to help Maddy train the junior soccer team. You were there, and they knew it.
It's when they know you that you start to become their toy. Their puppet.
I miss you. And I also miss your mom's Pomeranian Lulu. Give her a pat for me.
Love Chlo
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William was quick to back away and leave the room, and it took me a moment to match is stride as I followed him. He was leading us towards the stairs.
"I need time to think this over," William said. "If you're serious, then I need to be serious too."
"I don't need you to think it over," I said with frustration. "I want in. Now. Tonight."
William shook his head before running a hand through his hair. "You don't understand. It's a complicated system.
Trust me, I know.
"So you need time to plan how you're going to get me in there?" I clarified. I needed him to be clear on this. I was depending on him.
"Yeah." He shrugged, already moving towards the staircase.
"What am I supposed to do, then?" I gritted my teeth in frustration. I couldn't keep waiting for this. I couldn't depend on him keeping quiet when he had every chance to run.
"Wait. Stay out of their view." He pointed towards the balcony. "If you really want in then you need to stop throwing yourself at Max and Francis."
"I wasn't throwing myself at them," I said in disgust. Was he really watching me with them? I didn't think he'd noticed, despite my attempts to catch his attention.
"Well just stay out of view. We need to be careful."
We. Not him. That was a good sign.
"How long will this take?" I asked.
William sighed and shoved a hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone. "Give me the weekend. I'll make sure we talk before school. Put your number in."
"I want yours," I said defiantly.
"Not a chance. You're still the girl blackmailing me, remember?" He watched as I typed my phone number in as a new contact. "As far as I know you'll hack into my phone or something."
