The Class Reject: A Pariah in Purgatory (Book II)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Victory was certainly sweater than Artemis and Chara could have expected. It was the Saturday after the horrific fall of van Helsing, and they were still relishing in the glow of their triumph.

"I still can't believe it," Chara said as she spread across her comforter. "It's hard to imagine anything else we do topping this."

Artemis shook her head as she paced the room in her pajamas. "Unforunately, the school didn't really reprimand her for what happened. They gave her a detention and referred her to counseling, but they're probably just going to blame someone from Rinzen again. It was a good start. But this doesn't end until we've destroyed her."

"But what if she thinks one of us is responsible?" Chara then thought, letting Artemis' seriousness get to her. "I just don't see how we can take her down completely without her taking us with her."

Artemis stopped in place before shrugging. "That footage was taken from her house in the Hamptons. I've never been there, but I recognize it from her instagram pics. On that forth of July weekend, Jemma, Klondike, and Soren were there, however. So naturally her blame will be between them."

"But I don't want Jemma to get in trouble," Chara rose up, hugging one of her pillows hard against her chest.

"She won't," the other girl decided, as if things were ever that simple. "Jemma has nothing to gain from doing so. But Soren does. I broke up with him because of what she did. And he was working with her to find Miren. It seems like a perfect motive for revenge. If I befriend Penelope, then that'll sell all of this even more easily."

Chara wrinkled her nose. "You're going to put aside everything to get back on her good side? Are you sure she won't see past it?"
"We go to a Catholic school and her sex tape just got out. No one else is going to want to be her friend." Artemis began to rationalize. "She's going to melt in my hands."

"What are you going to do afterward?" Chara said, growing a bit confused. But maybe it was just her bias. Miren was still alive. All of this seemed like a waste of Artemis' time. Especially when Penelope was Penelope. For all they know, her lawyer might have pulled some bull about the video being doctored or something.

But Penelope would feel humiliated, at least for a little bit. And her sudden shift from social grace would leave an invaluable blind spot.

"I'll get evidence that she ruined Miren's life so they take away her award, and proceed to make her life hell for as long as she lives," Artemis said matter-of-factly. However, it was hard to say if her conviction to her cause was heartwarming or disturbing.

"But what if Miren wants you to just move on?" Chara offered, folding her arms. "I knew her better than you. All she wanted was peace. We shouldn't compromise ours just to punish Penelope," she offered. "She didn't kill her."

"You don't think I realize my motives are selfish?" Artemis was almost yelling, but Chara felt little alarm. This scheme was Artemis' redemption. Who was she to stand in her way when she was withholding the information that would give her peace?

"I didn't say that," Chara replied in a lower voice. "But I get it. You need closure. I need it too. We'll keep this up until we get it."

Artemis nodded slowly, her eyes dimming in consideration. "Thank you."

Chara jumped to her feet. "You want to go get lunch or something? We can continue to draft part II before I meet with my chemistry study group."