[𝟑] 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐘 | adam banks

C H A P T E R 19

"Do you have any idea about this?" Charlie directed his frustration at me, while the others cast accusatory glances in my direction.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Seriously? You think I'm in on their scheme when Riley ditched me here with you guys?" I retorted, pushing back against the implication.

"She's got a valid point," Fulton chimed in, coming to my defense.

"Finally, someone understands!" I exclaimed, giving Fulton an appreciative look. "Even my boyfriend, who eventually caught wind of Riley's plan, didn't lift a finger to intervene."

"I did warn you," Charlie muttered, but his words didn't escape me.

"Could you just zip it, Conway?" I snapped in frustration.

"Let's just handle what needs to be done so we can all head home," Connie interjected, attempting to steer the conversation away from the tension.

We began to tackle the tasks assigned to us as a means to settle the bills resulting from Riley's antics.

Julie and Dwayne took charge of the dishes in the kitchen, while Connie and Goldberg focused on the bathroom. The whereabouts of the others remained unknown as they busied themselves with their designated chores.

Charlie, Averman, Russ, and I found ourselves in the dining area, addressing our part of the cleanup.

As I dealt with the used dishes, my silky black dress was now covered by a white apron, an unexpected addition to my attire. Charlie stood by my side, assisting with the task of collecting the used dishes and placing them into the tray.

As I gathered the plates, my previously styled messy hair became even more disheveled, with strands now falling onto my face, further complicating the task at hand.

"Are you alright?" Charlie's concern reached me as he noticed my sniffling.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

"No, you don't seem fine," he persisted, prompting me to finally look at him.

"Of course, I'm not fine! My cousin just played us, and my boyfriend was in on it the whole time, not bothering to stop it. And look at me, I'm a complete mess, Charlie," I ranted, letting out a frustrated huff.

As I refocused on the dishes, I heard Charlie releasing a sigh beside me.

"You know, maybe we should give them a taste of their own medicine," he suggested, wearing a mischievous smirk that caught my attention.

"Physics. Each action requires an equal if not bigger, reaction," Averman chimed in, overhearing our conversation, while Russ interjected cautiously, "Hey, man, let's not go overboard. I've got my scholarship to think about."

Charlie and Averman exchanged frowns at Russ's cautious tone.

"I mean, let's just be careful not to get caught," Russ added with a smirk, eliciting laughter from Charlie and Averman.

"El, what do you think? Are you in?" Charlie turned to me, awaiting my response. I paused, contemplating the proposition for a moment.

"I guess... why not?" I replied, mirroring Charlie's expression, a hint of mischief dancing in our eyes.

***

We altered our attire, opting for a formal all-black ensemble that rendered us reminiscent of either sophisticated thieves or stealthy ninjas.

The team comprised Julie, Fulton, Averman, Kenny, and Mendoza, the latter being tasked with discreetly inserting the tubes into the varsity boys' dorms and securing the doors.

Connie and Guy, as well as Dwayne, assumed the roles of vigilant lookouts stationed outside.

In the midst of it all, I took charge, guiding Charlie and Russ on a covert mission to seize the Brazilian fire ants, a crucial component to boost our plan's effectiveness within the Principal's office.

I fervently hoped that Adam wouldn't be occupying his dorm tonight.

Yes, I was indeed upset with him. However, despite my anger, I preferred to refrain from getting embroiled in any situation, especially one involving my emotions.

I still love him, even if he acted like an idiot at times.

Suddenly, a realization hit me like a bolt out of the blue.

I just said love him.

"Hey, El," Charlie whispered, pulling me from my reverie as he noticed my startled expression caused by my inner thoughts.

Silently shaking my head, I delicately used the vacuum to collect the Brazilian fire ants, carefully containing them within the glass housing. Without speaking, I remained entirely focused on the task.

Beside me, Charlie muttered, "Do you think he'll notice they're missing?" Knowing the principal well, I shook my head in response.

"No chance. There are far too many for him to notice their absence," I replied, maintaining my focus on the task at hand.

After successfully completing our task in the principal's office, we stealthily exited the room, meeting up with the rest of the team in the hallway.

"Did you manage to get them?" inquired Mendoza.

"Yeah, just a couple... hundred," Charlie replied with a mischievous grin, displaying the glass containing the Brazilian fire ants, eliciting quiet laughter from us all.

"Release the hungry fellows," Connie's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.

We watched with anticipation as Charlie emptied the ants into the tube connected to the varsity boys' dorm.

"Sweet dreams, cousin," I murmured with a devious smile, followed by sudden exclamations from each of the dorm rooms.

Amidst shared glances, laughter filled the air as the boys struggled to open the door, thwarted by Julie holding onto the rope that kept it firmly shut.

"Let them out, let them out!" urged Charlie, prompting Julie to release the rope, swinging open the wooden door. The boys inside jumped and writhed in agony, desperately attempting to rid themselves of the swarming ants, emitting piercing screams.

"You think you're funny, huh? You think you're worth a damn?" seethed Riley, aggressively approaching us while trying to brush off the ants.

Charlie mockingly nodded at him, while I couldn't help but respond with a smile, "And you think you're the funny one here?"

"You're just a bunch of troublemakers!" Riley spat out.

"Uh, who you calling white trash?" retorted Russ, backing up Charlie's stance.

"That's right. We'll take you anytime, anywhere," Charlie taunted, teasingly shining the flashlight in my cousin's face.

"Tomorrow, at dawn!" Riley hissed before storming off, followed by the others.

"Goodbye," Charlie called out before turning to me, and we shared a momentary stare before Cole's furious yell broke the tension, "I'm gonna get you guys!"

"Oh, boy, I think it's time to leave," Charlie remarked before leading us away from the escalating situation.