The Popularity Switch | ✔️

21

CH 21 |

"It's not what it looks like!" Vincent and I chorused, still currently frozen in place.

I know what she's thinking. I mean, we are in the janitor's closet and incredibly close to each other after all. Besides, what is the janitor's closet an iconic feature for? Making out, of course!

Little does Casey know that we were far from ever making lovey-dovey contact, thankfully. As if I'd ever want to be with him, especially since we're at war right now.

And I know you must be thinking — 'but Summer, you're secretly in love with him!' Well sorry to burst your bubble, but not anymore. And I will never be ever again. Because I was in love with his old self, not this cold creature.

Casey raises a brow. "Oh really?"

"Yes really." We once again reply simultaneously, side-eyeing each other for a split second because we keep saying the same thing.

Casey's eyes scan us skeptically before opening her mouth to seemingly object. Luckily, she doesn't get to say anything as we now have two new companies standing in the doorway. Unluckily, the two new companies are Phoebe and Theo.

They stand there with blank faces for a few moments, taking in the scene in front of them. And when their eyes land on me and Vincent, their jaws drop so low that it looks very uncomfortable and unnatural.

Great. Now more people think that we were doing something that totally did not happen!

"Get away from her." With clenched fists and fire in his eyes that resembles a tiger, Theo seethed at Vincent, looking ready to pounce at him.

Unexpectedly, Vincent complies and steps a good foot away from me. He doesn't look afraid of Theo at all, yet he lets him win. The way Vincent is looking at Theo seems like he's trying to tell him that he means no harm and urgently needs his compliance.

And guess what? I'm right. It's amazing how well I can read Vincent... Sometimes. Other times, Vincent just seem like a piece of stone inscription. Unreadable and full of mystery.

How do I know that I'm right? Well, because my assumptions are confirmed when Vincent says, "Listen man, we need to talk."

Theo eyes him dubiously, the fire still burning in his eyes.

"We need to talk too, young woman." Phoebe scolds me like she's my mother, grabbing my arm and dragging me down the hallway.

Once we were far away from human ears, she halted in her steps, released her grasp on my arm and crossed her arms. She appears to be shocked at what she believes she has just witnessed; She believes she caught us smooching, but in reality we were merely seconds away from strangling each other.

I look down at my fidgeting hands and awkwardly ask her, "You okay Phoebe?"

She unfolds her arms and places it on her hips. I can feel her intense glare on me as she says, "I think the real question is, are you okay?!"

I don't know why I felt so guilty. Maybe because of the fact that she seems quite disappointed, especially after all the effort she'd put into this revenge plan... Even though what she thinks happened didn't happen. Or maybe it's because of the actual reason of why we were initially in the Janitor's closet.

Because like Pandora, I just can't help my curiosity.

And I cannot lie to my best friends either, no matter how hard I'd try.