**Officially published as Clique Bait with HarperTeen!**
Payment is usually a part of a basic transaction. You give and then you take. But, at Arlington Preparatory, people take at their leisure. They take their entertainment in the form of humiliat...
"Jesus, I am sick of having Mr. Hammond on a Monday-fucking-morning." Sophie sighed dramatically and I heard the thud of her leather bag being plonked on the sink.
"Just show him some boobage - one button less makes a huge difference. He'll leave you alone if he's too scared to look at you without gawking," Lola's voice responded. I heard the pop of a lip-gloss bottle opening.
The door opened again, and the intruder's footsteps echoed towards my direction, making me panic for a second before they entered the cubicle beside me. Lola and Sophie fell into silence, no doubt waiting to continue their session when the intruder was gone.
When they had left after an excruciating three and a half minutes, the silence that ensued made me worried that the other two had left too. Until I heard a musical laugh.
"Oh that is so gross! Who took that?" Lola's voice asked.
"Max, apparently. He sent them to Piers who sent them to me," Sophie boasted. "She needs to control her alcohol."
"Right? Such an embarrassment. And to think her daddy made the paper this morning for being nominated for another Grammy."
At this, I realized exactly who she was talking about. There was only one girl at our school with a rock star father. Maddy Danton. When I'd seen her at the party on Friday night, she had been stumbling everywhere. A complete mess.
"Should we mail it to him anonymously?" Sophie asked lazily. I could almost picture her leaning carelessly against the basin, amused by what must have been a scandalous snap.
"I don't know. That would just be cruel. Who'd want to see their daughter like that?" Lola snickered.
"True," Sophie said.
"No, just keep it up your sleeve. Tell the boys not to spread it anymore, keep it within our group. After all, she's our friend remember?"
"A friend who keeps screwing your boyfriend behind your back," Sophie pointed out.
So Maddy Danton was getting it on with Francis Greene. Interesting.
Lola was quiet, and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation for her reaction.
"You'd think Francis would have higher standards, right?" Lola asked in a small voice. I heard her sigh, and a zipper close. "But still. Bitch needs to pay."
"And this photo isn't enough?" Sophie asked. "Jesus, she definitely has it coming then."
"She certainly does." I heard the clutter of what was likely beauty products on the counter. Sophie and Lola's makeup was always so perfectly done, I wouldn't be surprised if they needed a touch up every hour. "Did you catch up with your play-thing?"
"Ugh, yeah, when I was too drunk to function. Seriously, I never thought hooking up with a commoner would be so much trouble."
"Why bother then?"
"Because he's fun," Sophie's voice almost whined, like gaining Lola's approval was paramount. "And he talks a lot. It's interesting."
"I never thought you were interested in words," Lola noted.
"It's not just words," Sophie said. "He knows everything about Arlington's gossip. It's interesting to get another perspective.
"How does he know things?"
Sophie's voice hesitated, and I figured she had shrugged. "Rumors I guess. I mean, it's nothing significant, and none of it is really about us. It's just entertaining to listen to."
"Interesting." Lola paused. "Keep an eye on him."
"Why do you think I'm sleeping with him?"
"Ugh, gross."
"Come on, I've got to meet Li before our Spanish lesson or she'll kill me for not giving her the answers," Sophie said.
Lola sighed. "Okay, I'll see you at Jermaine's"
"Bye, bitch!"
There was a muffling as I assumed Sophie collected her belongings, and then I heard one pair of heels click their way out of the room. For moments after, silence fell in the girl's toilets. Lola Davenport stood only feet away, likely observing her immaculate reflection in the well-lit mirrors.
I silently cursed under my breath at the pain in my muscles, begging my legs to hold on a little longer. Lola finding me spying on her conversation would be the equivalent of death, and it would ruin everything.
Lola emitted another lazy sigh before her footsteps echoed, and from under the cubicle I could see the shadows of her muscular calves flash past.
Her conversation with Sophie had given away more than I could have hoped for, providing me with insight on Sophie's strangely hidden lover and revealing that Maddy Danton was sleeping with Francis, Lola's boyfriend. And Lola was collecting pieces that would help her bring Maddy down.
After the door closed I waited a few moments longer before releasing the tension in my legs and unlocking the cubicle. I cursed some more as I regained full feeling, and shook my ankles out. I made sure to rip the 'out of order' sign from the door, relieved that it had gone to plan and I hadn't been busted.
With more progress than I could have hoped for in one morning, I removed my phone from my Birkin, a small smile fixed on my lips. Will was supposed to be meeting me at lunch to raise suspicion, but I was too desperate for answers to wait another two hours.
Do you know who Sophie Rutherford is seeing?
Just as I sent the text, I decided to send a necessary follow up.
By the way, blackmail girl has your number. You're not safe now.
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