Infatuation // Harry Styles

Chapter 31

♡ chapter 31 ♡

        Brady Wilson, what on earth are you making me do?" I asked as he dragged me down the hallway, heading in the direction of the cafeteria. It was lunch time, after all.

        "Grace Walker, you'll just have to trust me."

        I sighed, allowing him to tug me through the doors. We stood against the wall and he peered over everyone, squinting as if he were looking for someone.

        And then it clicked that he was looking for Mike. Homecoming was two weeks ago and Brady hadn't done anything yet, though everyone knew he planned on it. I assumed he knew I'd oblige considering I wanted to get back at him just as much for hurting Ivette.

        "You gonna tell me the plan?" 

        Brady smirked. "How would you like a friendly chat with the man?"

        "Brady, I swear to God if you're asking me to seduce him-"

        "Ew, stop, Grace. That's disgusting." He shook his head and pretended to cringe. Then he spotted Mike coming out of the lunch line and grinned. He leaned down to me ear. "Go talk to him and lead him over where the bathrooms are."

        "How the-"

        "Just do it."

        Groaning, I stomped away and in Mike's direction. I knew Brady probably had worms or some kind of disgusting thing waiting for Mike, but I had no idea how to lure someone towards the bathroom. 

      Coming up with the best plan I could, I risked getting mashed potatoes on my shirt as I slammed into Mike. I heard him mutter profanities before a hand hauled me up, and then I was blinking quickly, rubbing my eye.

        "Grace, are you okay?"

        As much as I wanted to punch him, I nodded. "Yeah, but I think there's food in my eye and clearly on my shirt."

        He sighed. "Come on. I'll lead you to the bathroom."

        Surprised at how easily it worked, I had to hide a grin from creeping onto my lips. Peeling an eye open to watch where we were going, I stopped abruptly when I saw an "x" in red tape on the floor. Mike stopped too, and I tried to shrug it off but he frowned.

        Then he let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, I get it. You're playing me, right? Brady has some brilliant prank up his sleeve, huh?"

        "No," I said, avoiding eye contact even though he still saw right through me.

        Mike rolled his eyes. "Then there's just a x on the ground for no reason, right?"

        I opened my mouth to speak, but Brady's voice cut me off. "No, there's an x because I knew Grace would screw up and you would catch on."

        And before anyone could say anything, he pulled a string that was hardly visible off to the side and a bucket above us tipped over. I jumped back as the purple paint doused over Mike's body, splattering everywhere and it was obvious he was livid. But Brady seemed calm enough as he smirked, leaning against the door frame.

        "You little-"

        And then he stepped on the x in the midst of his fury and oatmeal rained from the ceiling. The entire cafeteria had heard the first eruption, and everyone fell silent. The only thing audible was Mike's heaving breaths and Brady's quiet snickers. But then he was charging towards Brady.