Senior Standoff | RETIRED VERSION

Season 4 - Episode 4 | NOT REVISED

A classic 90s chick flick played on my laptop with a bowl of popcorn sitting on the bed between me and Liv. It was difficult to distract myself. One minute, I'd be into the movie, laughing about one of the jokes. The next, I'd remember everything and be weighed down again. This back and forth was almost worse than being solidly miserable.

"So, what are you going to do about the game now?" Liv asked.

"I already beat Hailey, and I'm not speaking to Asher right now. What's the point?" I asked.

"You wanted to prove to her that you could win. She nominated you to watch you fail. If you quit now, maybe you did blow up her game, but you also fall on your ass anyways," Liv said.

I sighed and threw a piece of popcorn down on my bed. "But that means I have to spend time with Asher, and he's probably too busy sticking his dick in some whore to be able to accomplish anything."

"Have you seen what this game has done for you? Since you started playing, you stopped hiding behind Ky and his stupid opinions. You're letting yourself be your own person instead of Ky's dweeb sister. I think you should see this thing through to the end."

"You've seen all the shit this has caused, right?"

"That wasn't the game. Ky and Hailey were pulling some awful moves, but that was happening without it. Senior Standoff didn't make them sleep together."

"It was what brought me and Asher together."

"Fuck Asher! This is about you! Everyone knows you now. You don't have to be scared to talk to them, because half of them want to be your friend anyways."

"I guess so."

A Facebook notification popped up in the bottom corner of my screen. Most of the message was cut off by the small bubble.

James Overton: Hey everyone! Next event starts tomorrow morning at 7am. Each team will have 24 hours to snag the item they're assigned and send me a picture of them with it in front of the Van Buren statue out front. This is the first real elimination event. Last two teams are out.

"Scavenger hunt is tomorrow. You really think I should keep playing?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do," Liv said.

"All right, fine. But if this makes things worse, I'm dropping out."

We started the movie again.

"You know, I just realized I never learned James's camera friend's name," I said.

"What?"

"The guy that always follows James around with the camera but never really says anything? I... don't know his name."

Liv turned and looked at me, laughing. "Are you serious? He was in our Algebra class in ninth grade."

"He was?"

"Yeah. Mateo. You don't remember him?"

"Apparently he's forgettable."

"Oh, my God."

"Well, it's not like he'd super loud like James, who makes it impossible not to notice him."

"You're ridiculous."

"Shut up." I shoved another handful of popcorn into my mouth. At least I felt slightly better.

*

Sitting on a bench against the wall, I was engrossed in my phone. That was when James sent out the message with our item. The angel sculpture off Principal Ritter's desk.