Trouble in Paradise?
Chapter Twelve

I didn’t expect Veronica to come up with her evil plan overnight.

Seriously, does she have a notebook filled with fun ways to ruin someone’s life? Probably.

But there I was, standing in my pajamas out in our driveway, staring up at the windows, at five thirty in the morning.

Across the whole house, written in some red substance that seemed to be dripping, was the words: ‘Fugly bitch’.

Classy.

I sighed and went inside, calling my father’s personal cleaner, Melinda. When he was on holiday, she would always come around and tidy up the place. Even when it’s only me, like right now, she sometimes came to check up on us.

From what she’s told me, she has four kids and is a nurse while also doing cleaning jobs. We always pay her a fair amount of money so that she can support her family.

She picked up on the third ring. “Stephanie! How wonderful to hear from you!” she greeted.

“You too Melinda. Hey, could you come over? There’s a… mess outside that I could use some help cleaning up,” I asked hopefully.

“Sure! Be there in twenty minutes,” she said. Over the years, she has gotten quite close to my family. She’s a very good friend of ours.

I went into the garage and searched around for the old ladder that my dad used to use. I finally found it.

Problem was, it was really heavy.

I tried lifting it, but not having enough strength to do so and it wore me out in minutes. So instead, I dragged it along the ground which seemed like a more efficient way of moving it.

By the time I had gotten the ladder into the front yard, and I had grabbed some cleaning supplies, Melinda’s car had pulled into the driveway.

“Hey Melinda,” I greeted her, giving her a short hug.

She sighed, looking up at the house. “Teenagers,” she muttered to herself and I snorted.

We got to work, bringing out the cleaning supplies and setting up the ladder.

Two hours later, we had successfully cleaned it up, and boy did it take some hard work. I nearly fell off the ladder and died at least twice.

Melinda shook her head.”Don’t let it get to you,” she reassured me, helping me to take the cleaning supplies back into the house and to pack it away.

I nodded. “I know. I won’t.”

She hugged me before saying goodbye, leaving me alone in this big empty house. I sighed and just sat down on the couch, turning on the TV and flickering between channels.

I was still pissed at Veronica for what she did to my house. Normally, I would give her a good old prank back. Maybe some donuts topped with baby powder instead of sugar. Or a raw egg to the face. Either would work.

However, that would only encourage her to do more. She would get more creative with her pranks, and they would probably become dangerous, which I didn’t need. It’s best to just ignore her and move on with life.

Then I realise something.

School is a sort of thing that I am required to go to.

Shit.

I jumped off the couch faster than Usain Bolt and I bolted (Haha puns) upstairs and got showered and dressed in record time. It was eight o’clock by the time I was finished.

I grabbed my house keys and phone, but then I realised that I would’ve already missed the bus. Damn it.

I scrolled through my contact list and stumbled upon Jordan’s contact, which I didn’t know I had. In fact, I didn’t even put it in there. Jordan must’ve, since his contact name had way too many love hearts placed after it.

I rolled my eyes and dialled the number, waiting. He picked up quickly, “Hey Stef.”

“How did you get my number? In fact, how do I have your number? Never mind that, could you give me a lift to school? I missed the bus,” I said quickly, trying to awkwardly put my shoes on while holding the phone to my ear and hopping around like a fricking kangaroo.

He chuckled. “Sure, Blake’s coming too by the way. We’ll be there in five,” He then hung up, making me stare at the phone. What a lovely conversation.

Around five minutes later, Jordan’s black car pulled up in my driveway. I locked the house up before walking to the car and jumping in the backseat, where Blake was sitting.

“Did your mothers never teach you manners? Open the door next time for me, idiots,” I chuckled. “Only kidding.”

Blake grinned. “It’s my favourite person!”

Jordan scoffed. “I’m offended.”

“Yeah well at least S understands me,” Blake grinned triumphantly while I smiled and laughed.

“Blake, no one understands you. You have a lot of problems,” Jordan said slowly, as if talking to a child.

Blake was now the one who was offended, his pretty much perfect jaw hanging open. “S understands me! We can finish each other’s sentences!”

I raised an eyebrow. “We can?”

“This will be good,” Jordan commented from the front while keeping his eyes on the road.

“I love to play basket..?”

“Buffalo.”

“The wicked..?”

“Whale.”

“Kayne..?”

“East.”

Blake threw his hands in the air in frustration. “I give up with this girl!”

I grinned smugly. “Now you’re stuck with him,” I said to Jordan who groaned.

Blake pouted. “I’ll just be the unloved one here then,” he frowned.

I grinned and ruffled his hair. “I love you like my dog.”

“You have a dog?”

“Nope.”

Jordan was laughing and so was Blake, while music played quietly in the background on the radio. The ride to school ended a moment later when we pulled up in the car park, people giving me weird looks. I ignored them, watching Blake and Jordan bicker as we walked into the school buildings, heading for our lockers. I saw Xavier and Ethan waiting for the two boys, Ethan glaring while Xavier just watched intently, before getting bored and then looking away.

“I got class. I’ll catch you guys later,” I said to them.

“Oh yeah? Well you can catch me outside how bo-” Blake started to say before Jordan put his hand over his mouth, stopping him from completing the phrase.

“Ignore him. See you later,” he said, practically dragging Blake away while I was stifling a laugh.

Then, the crowds in the hallway parted as Veronica and her little team of minions walked past.

What shocked me beyond belief is that walking right next to Veronica, as if they were best friends, was Kaitlyn.

But, at the same time, it wasn’t Kaitlyn.

Before, she had refused to wear any type of makeup and now she was covered in it, and it was obvious that Veronica had done it since it resembled her own, which wasn’t a good thing.

The colour of the makeup on their face didn’t match the skin tones of their body, making it look very unusual. Kaitlyn had also ditched her casual look for a shorter skirt, high heels and a tank top, along with a tiny bag that could only hold a phone and that’s it.

They all glared at me as they walked past, but I wasn’t phased. I just raised a mocking eyebrow at them before jokingly flipping my hair and grabbing my books out of my locker, shutting it and walking away without a second glance.

They weren’t going to get into my head, and I was sure of that.