It's Not What It Looks Like

ꜰɪᴠᴇ | ꜱᴇᴛ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ

‧̍̊˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧̍̊

𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧.

This isn't a fact that most people would be too thrilled to hear, but it's a fact nonetheless.

As far as the planning itself goes, the whole scheme is (in her own entirely unbiased opinion) practically faultless. The only problem is, however, that if she wants her plan to work, she also needs to come up with a so-called secondary plan: and it has to be good enough to persuade Silena Valentine to participate in her evil plot.

But just because Mena is skilled at making plans, doesn't mean she's any good at sticking to them.

On the contrary, really.

If searching for an example, just take a look at the aforementioned secondary plan, and the way Mena nearly ruins it by simply blurting out her thoughts the first chance she gets.

"You and I," she announces, balancing her textbook on the top of her head. "Should pretend to be a couple."

And, well, then.

That sure is one way of approaching things.

Afternoons spent at the Valentine household are endlessly pleasant. The warm light inside seems even homelier when in contrast with the stark whiteness outside of the window, where the sparkling snow awaits curious wanderers. The soundtrack of Barbie and the Nutcracker can still be heard faintly through the floorboards, although Lucy had fallen asleep in front of the TV half an hour ago.

Mena herself would prefer a cosy afternoon nap to homework, but she supposes you can't exactly win them all.

Silena seems to share this sentiment. She's sitting at the desk while Mena lounges on the bed, head bent over her chemistry workbook. All bundled up into a warm hoodie, with a steaming mug of cocoa to her right, she almost looks as though she belongs on one of those aesthetic study blogs. The only thing that betrays the perfect peace of this scene is the way she clutches her pen with excessive force, and occasionally looks at the book before her like she wants to set it on fire with her mind.

But other than that, she's peace incarnate, really.

"No."

Silena doesn't even look up from her notes as she says it, and Mena takes this as a grave offence.

"But," she protests, sitting up. The history book falls down on the comforter, entirely forgotten. "I haven't even told you about my plan yet!"

Silena looks up, unimpressed.

"Is there any chance that we can keep it that way?"

"It's a very nice plan," Mena promises.

Silena sighs, leaning back in her chair. Mena chooses to take that as an invitation to keep talking.

"Aren't you angry with Jonah and his friends?"

Silena, as was to be expected, is quite angry.

"Obviously," she says. "Pretending to like someone for your own personal gain is just cruel."

Mena nods, eagerly.

"Right, yes. And it also started as a plot to get you jealous. So, I've been thinking," she pauses, for the drama of it all. "What do you feel like would be the best kind of revenge?"

Silena shrugs.

"I don't know. A punch in the throat?"

Ah, good old Silena. Ever the practical thinker.