BOOM!: Part Three

     "An idea?" She raised an eyebrow, seeming suspicious about my big smile and cheerful tone. "Explain please."

     As we made our way out of the classroom and pushed our way through the stream of students heading in every direction, I began telling her the plan. "It all has to do with a bit of sabotage," I whispered, eyeing her closely.

     "Sabotage?" she piped, surprised.

     I made a sign that told her not to talk so loud and resumed my explanation. "Yes. Lila and her friends tried it on us and now's it our turn. What goes around, comes around, eh?"

     Sweat was forming quickly on Vicky's brow and I could tell she was feeling horribly nervous. "Uh, Devyn," she said, trying to sound brave, "I really don't think this is a good idea."

     "Why not?" I was quite shocked from the response. Vicky always said yes to my plans, no matter what.

     "Well, it's just stupid stooping down their level," she said. "I mean, we're better then that. We can win on our own."

     My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I listened to Vicky's rejection. "Are you crazy? Did you see what they're building?!"

     "Well, yeah…" Vicky stopped at her locker and fumbled with her books as she tried stuffing them inside.

     "That looks like it cost six figures to make," I said, exasperated, pulling out my lunch bag. "We have to give them a dose of their own medicine. If not, they'll keep going at it."

     "I don't know," muttered Vicky, wheeling around towards me. "I really don't want to get into trouble."

     "Trust me, we won't," I said determinedly. "We'll make sure everything is perfect."

     **************

     After lunch, the class sat quietly in Ms. Fringle's class, the scratching of pencils being the only noise that you could hear as everyone copied notes from the blackboard. Ms. Fringle suddenly coughed and peered at her watch in such a deliberate manner that I knew what was going to come next.

     "Class, please stop your writing for a moment," she announced in her usual calm voice. "Ms. Devyn has something to say to a certain student."

     Lila sneered and I heard her whisper to her friends, "This ought to be good."

     It took all my courage and pride to get up there, but I somehow did. I could feel all of the fifty-three eyes staring at me, including Brandy's third eye (she's a mutant Usul). I cleared my throat, looking down at the ground from fear of seeing Lila cruelly smiling along with the others.

     "I-I…just wanted to, um…"

     "Hurry up, we have notes to copy," a voice yelled out.

     "Allison! Don't interrupt Devyn while she's trying to apologize," Ms. Fringle snapped.

     Allison batted her eyelashes and shot her an innocent look. "I'm sorry, Ms. Fringle, my mistake."

     The oblivious teacher smiled warmly at her, glad that Lila's best friend had 'learned her lesson'.

     "As, um, I was saying, I'd j-just like to apologize t-to Lila and that's pretty much, um, it…"

     "What are you apologizing for, Devyn?" I turned to Ms. Fringle who had a little look in her eyes that was telling me to continue on, even though all I wanted to do was to run back to my desk and be invisible.

     "For, uh, hitting Lila w-with a book," I muttered, my cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

     A few students laughed under their breaths, glad of what I had done to Lila. They were the rejects, though, so it didn't really matter what they thought.

     Lila sniffed and covered her paw over her unharmed eye. "I forgive you, Lila, although the pain can be grueling at times."

     Ms. Fringle smiled sternly. "That's enough, Lila. And thank you Devyn. You may go back to your desk now."

     I smiled, but felt exhausted inside.

     **************

     Later that day, Vicky and I sat in her bedroom, working slowly on our ugly project.

     "I told you, it'll be much easier finding ways of sabotage if we see how their project works first," exclaimed Vicky, noticing my pouts.

     I glared at her, not concentrating on gluing my Popsicle sticks in the proper area. "Who cares? It's more fun then doing this."

     "Devyn, don't you realize this project counts for ten percent of our final science mark? Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"

     "Well, if Lila's ruining my life, while I try to accomplish good grades, then no! It doesn't matter. What I had to do today was humiliating and she deserves payback," I yelled angrily.

     Vicky suddenly flung the handful of popsicles she had been holding at me and shot up from the ground. "Get out!" she cried, thrusting a paw towards the door. I could see her eyes forming a thin layer of tears. My heart skipped a beat as I looked at her tearful yet angry face.

     "I-I'm sorry, Vicky, I r-"

     "I SAID GET OUT! URGH, I CAN NEVER WORK WITH YOU! IT'S ALWAYS LILA THIS, AND LILA THAT! DON'T YOU REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING? YOU CARE MORE ABOUT HER THEN YOUSELF! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" she shouted furiously. She then bent down, pushed the castle aside and began forcing me towards the door.

     "Fine! But I said I'm sorry!" I stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind me. She never came out, which was what I was expecting her to do.

     Fueling with rage, I stormed down the stairs and out of the house, breathing in the cool springtime air. What the heck was her problem? Didn't she understand everything that Lila and her friends put me through? She was my best friend; she should have been more supportive.

     Oh well, forget about her, I thought to myself. There are more important things to take care of.

     **************

     The next day was absolutely horrible. The moment I walked through the doors of the school, I landed on my behind with immediate pain because of all the marbles that had been deliberately placed there. I ground my teeth and ran off as the other pets laughed at me. I knew that they definitely wouldn't be laughing if they were in such a humiliating position.

     I hurried over to my locker, swung open my locker door and threw my backpack lazily, leaving it in the messy pile that had formed since September.

     I threw a glance to my side, and immediately noticed Vicky walking slowly down the halfway, trying forcefully not to look in my direction.

     A peppy voice suddenly called out, "Hey Vicky!"

     I wheeled around to see where the source of the call from and immediately my eyes widened in horror. There, on the other side of the hallway, was Lila smiling and waving at her. Vicky giggled in a fake tone and waved back, which was very unlike her nervous self.

     "Glad to see you're not with that loser," Lila added, smirking. I knew she could feel my eyes glowering at her.

     "Yeah, she's an idiot," said Vicky more softly. "Our friendship is over."

     This, of course, was a plan to make me heated with jealously. Instead, I thought to myself, If that's the way she's going to act, so be it. Forget about her.

     I piled up my English homework from last week and some textbooks in my arms, the heavy weight pulling down on my muscles. I had difficulty closing my locker, but managed to and started to make my way towards Ms. Fringle's class. Suddenly, I felt a violent jerk and there I tumbled, landing straight on my face.

     "Oh my gosh, what a loser!" Lila exclaimed, giggling along with her friends and Vicky, while others joined or some merely smiled.

     I mumbled some curses under my breath, picked up all my things and rushed towards the class, feeling embarrassed from everything that had just happened. I hadn't seen who had tripped me. I just desperately hoped it wasn't Vicky who had done it. If she did, then it was most likely a clear sign that our long-lasting friendship was over.

     Soon, I was seated in my desk and tried to hide behind a book, while the other pets ran in. I heard Lila telling everyone about my 'fall in the halfway', as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

     "Class, class, settle down," said Ms. Fringle, motioning for everyone to sit in their seats.

     Moments later, the class was quiet and Ms. Fringle said, "Please hand in your English essays at my desk. Remember, if you don't hand it in today, it's an automatic zero. No exceptions."

     I yawned sluggishly and opened the front of my textbook to grab my essay, but to my shock, there was nothing there.

     "What the…?" I whispered, flipping through pages to see if I had accidentally misplaced it.

     I grew more and more nervous as minutes passed and most of the class had handed the papers in. Ms. Fringle soon took notice and asked, "Is everything all right, Devyn?"

     I looked up, tears forming in my eyes. "No," I whispered nervously. "I-I think someone stole my essay, Ms. Fringle."

     Ms. Fringle raised an eyebrow. "You think someone stole it? Who?"

     I gulped, my mind feeling suddenly numb. "Vicky."

To be continued...