Rifton Girls' High School is the most elite all-girls school in the city. With a strict scholarship-only admission, a grand school campus and plentiful funding from its wealthy alumni, it is no doubt that the already-talented young ladies within its...
"I get it, I get it!" I groaned, slamming the chopsticks back at the side of the plate. Apparently, being a complete and utter failure at using chopsticks was a sign that I was a tardy, clumsy human being. It wasn't my fault that despite being Chinese, I had only been exposed to forks and spoons as a small bean.
Mom tsked at me one last time before she began nagging at Sebastian about whether any school results had come back. Meals in the Chan household usually meant Mom interrogating everyone. No one was spared the wrath of the tigress - not even Dad at times, although it was mostly targeted at my brother and I. Homework, test results, general behaviour - nearly anything could start a heated discussion full of hysterics with both parties jumping to wild conclusions.
I scraped the last piece of egg off the plate and into my mouth. I was keeping calm on the outside, but my brain was literally screaming with excitement and anticipation, instead of the regular anxiety or the latest school subject that was being a pain in the ass. Today was the day - the day where I destroyed Natalie Kingsley's social life - and I couldn't wait to see what would happen when I did.
"Wow, you're not whining your ass off today about the fake ass bitches? Funny," Seb mused as he shoved another scoop of fried noodles into his mouth. Oh no, I thought as Mom's eyes narrowed once again. "Sebastian Chan, what did you say?"
"Huh?" Seb put on his best clueless little boy face and glanced at me - as did both parents with dangerous looks. I paled.
Oh, Sebastian, just wait, you'll regret this expose.
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As much as I wanted to publicly to shame Natalie in front of the entire school like some iconic movie scene, I knew better. Certain things only worked in fiction; in reality, I would only get into more trouble and have everything backfire on me. It was quintessential to remain unscathed and anonymous, as the Populars had done when they ruined my social life.
I had to be the higher power, the undefeated phantom that reigned supreme.
Good Ol' Nokia Buttons, despite having earned multiple teases for its appearance throughout my primary school era, was so ancient that it was untrackable - and thus perfect for the stealth mission ahead. Since it had a different number that only friends in primary school knew about, no one in Rifton would ever know it was Selene Chan, the loner and the geek.
I walked through the school garden, where certain cliques were settled around stone benches under the shade - including the Populars. Just as I expected, she was on her phone, just like the rest of the clique. They didn't spare me a second glance as I passed. The benefits of being a loner were coming in handy, it seemed.
Passing through the archway that led back to the canteen, I pulled out my drafted text on Nokia Buttons and sent it out.
Do you know someone called Natalie Kingsley?
The reply was immediate.
why? who r u
I grinned. Just the way I'd intended, she was hooked, maybe slightly annoyed by the fact that it could be a potential scammer. I just had to keep her interested, kept her talking to me instead of blocking and reporting. You'll be rather interested to know what she's had to say about you - and none of them are good things, by the way.
