The Popularity Switch | ✔️

4

C H 4 |

"WHAT?!" I exclaim for the second time today. This is bad, this is really bad─I cannot face Vincent, I repeat─I absolutely cannot face Vincent! It'll be utterly bizarre of me, I'm so not asking for a death wish!

Call me a coward... because I am one.

Sue me.

But hey, don't blame me for wanting to spare my life!

In reaction to my sudden outburst, the Chauffeur comes to an abrupt stop and taking this as my one and only chance to escape, I jump over the car and run for my life. From a short distance, my father is calling my name repeatedly, but I don't give two shits for I am determined to not become a murder victim tonight by the pure wrath of my ex-best friend.

Seriously, I am not planning to die today, especially in the hands of a delinquent who nearly set his own principal on fire─and is involved with underground, illegal business too!

I wonder what the heck did the principal do to him...

I gulp. Now I'm thinking about what I did to him, and what kind of revenge he'll get on me. And now various gory, R-rated violent scenes are playing through my mind....

Oh my, I think I'm going to throw up.

Change of plans─I bolt to the nearest cafe/restaurant and dash into the bathroom, entering one of the cubicles and pouring my stomach contents out. Oh man I feel much better. After that, I gurgle water in my mouth to get rid of the horrible aftertaste of vomit, then scurry through my bag and pop an extra mint in my mouth. I glance at my reflection and immediately wince.

I look like a hot mess. Minus the hot part.

My mascara is now generously smudged under my eye thanks to my eyes watering whilst I emptied my stomach, my lipstick has crackled and scraped off a bit and my hair resembles a bird's nest. Not a very pretty sight.

I heave a sigh and ultimately end up reflecting on that one error I've made that I've been regretting unconditionally for the past three years. I find myself constantly praying that time machines exists so then I could travel back to that very moment when he confessed his feelings for me...

And just kiss him instead.

But no, I'm stuck in this stupid reality where I ended up humiliating him in front of the entire school and as a result, he got bullied, beaten up and trampled on by everyone. All because of me.

He was treated like a piece of trash; like as if it was ridiculous and bollocks of him to even think that he'd have a chance with me; like as if he didn't deserve me.

But the truth is, I didn't deserve him. Nor do I now, regardless of how rebellious he's become.

Speaking of now...

"Summer!" Suddenly, dad's muffled calls and pulsing knocks are deciphered in my brain. "Summer! Is everything okay? What on Earth is going on?"

Aw shoot, the dinner!

"U-ummm..." I stutter, finding it difficult to reply to him while my head is drowning in so many thoughts. I cough convincingly, "I feel really sick again. You should go without me."

There, that should do the trick.

"No," he slammed. Damn it. "You can't go home by yourself, especially at night! We just moved here and you know how dangerous New York can be."

Probably not as dangerous as Vincent's bloodthirsty, vengeful, murder-y eyes!

You must be thinking: why can't he just drive me back home? Well, my father's not a fan of wasting petrol. In fact, he is very passionate when it comes to protecting the environment. Which is ironic because he owns hundreds of factories around the world ─ many of them being pollution-spitting. Apparently he's "working on it"... which as a matter of fact, he has.