"Avalon, April, fucking Domínguez! I'm gonna end you!"
Diego's voice echoes through the house, sending a surge of adrenaline through me. The countdown to my doom has officially begun. I can practically hear the seconds ticking away.
"You better hide, little piece of shit. When I find you, it's gonna be slow. And it's gonna hurt," Diego's voice drops to a menacing whisper as he enters my room. I press myself against the wall behind the door, holding my breath, praying he doesn't check there first.
I wait for him to make the predictable move of looking under the bed. The moment he bends down, I bolt. My laughter and screams echo through the hallway, but they don't last long. Diego is fast. Too fast. Within seconds, we're sprawling across the living room floor, his weight crushing me beneath him.
"Who's laughing now?" His voice is smug as he keeps me pinned, the pressure of his muscular frame making it nearly impossible to breathe, let alone laugh.
Out of nowhere, Noah appears, grinning as he takes in the scene. "Oh, Diego, blue really suits you. Trying out a new look?" he teases, eyeing Diego's now-bluish hair.
"Shut up, Noah," Diego snaps, but the corner of his mouth twitches. Jason strolls in just in time to witness the chaos, joining Noah in laughing at Diego's misfortune.
"You know," Diego says, his voice deceptively calm, "you just started a war, Avalon. Revenge is coming, and it's going to destroy you." His tone is deadly serious, but the absurdity of his situation—hair now a smurf-like blue—makes it hard for me to take the threat seriously.
This is the consequence of a little blue dye slipped into his shampoo. I know Diego well enough to bet on him not paying attention during his shower. His lack of awareness has paid off spectacularly. He looks a little like a giant, grumpy smurf. Childish, I know, but messing with each other is our thing.
"You better figure out how to make that beanie work, Diego," I say, trying and failing to stifle a giggle. "It's eighty degrees outside today."
"I hate you, Ava," Diego whines as we all head out to the car. Dad's voice booms from the front door as we're leaving, "Hey, Grouchy Smurf! Don't forget your math book!"
Diego groans, and we all pile into the car, still laughing. Noah, ever the instigator, leans over and says, "I think the blue brings out your personality, D. Makes you look brighter."
Diego's glare is murderous. "You think you're funny? Just wait. You'll be joining Avalon soon enough. I'll make sure of it." Jason and I laugh harder, but even Noah knows to back off at that point.
Diego stays silent the entire ride to school, fuming in the back seat while the rest of us sing along to the radio. I don't feel guilty. Not at all. Considering the pranks he's pulled on me in the past, this one is pretty tame.
Once we arrive at school, the boys go their separate ways. Diego, still trying to hide his bluish hair under a beanie, finds himself at the center of attention. Jay snatches his beanie, and within seconds, they're tearing across the parking lot in a chase that has disaster written all over it.
Mia, one of our classmates, notices the commotion. "What's up with Diego? He looks like he's in a bad mood," she asks, her voice filled with curiosity.
Noah and I exchange knowing looks, high-fiving. "Ask Ava," Noah says, still grinning. "She's the mastermind behind all this."
I open my mouth to explain, but before I can, Diego catches up to me, scooping me up and slinging me over his shoulder. "Put me down, asshole!" I yell, but my protests are drowned out by laughter from everyone around us.
"You deserve this," Diego chuckles as he carries me toward the gymnasium. My heart sinks as I realize his destination—the pool. The others follow, curious onlookers trailing behind to see how it will all unfold.
"Diego, please, not the pool!" I plead, panic rising as we get closer. "I'm not wearing any underwear!" It's a desperate lie, but it works. Diego pauses, his grip on me loosening as he scowls.
"Seriously? No underwear?" He rolls his eyes, letting me slide back to the ground.
"Yeah, sorry. I didn't plan on a swim today." I offer a sheepish smile and bolt toward the building just as the bell rings, signaling the start of class. Maybe today won't be so bad after all.
Diego just shakes his head, muttering, "You'll pay for this, Ava."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," I call back as we separate, rushing to our respective classrooms. I barely make it in time, but the satisfaction of not ending up soaked in the pool is worth it.
The morning passes uneventfully, though Diego's scowl remains ever-present. It's clear he's plotting something, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm in deep trouble.
In chemistry, our teacher decides to pair us up for an experiment, and I find myself stuck with Lana, who is as thrilled as I am. Meanwhile, Mackenzie ends up with Jay, flashing me a mischievous smile that promises payback for earlier.
One day, Mackenzie will get what's coming to her. I just need to figure out how.
***
Lunch is where it all goes downhill. Diego approaches our table with a suspiciously smug look on his face. "Hey, Ava," he begins casually. "Do you know what's great about physics class?"
I frown. "You didn't have physics today, Diego."
"Exactly," he says, grinning. Before I can react, something cold and sticky pours down my head. My entire lunch tray—now drenched in bolognese sauce—hits the floor as Diego sprints away, cackling like a madman.
"You helped him!" I shout at Jay, who is laughing so hard he's nearly doubled over. I grab my plate, intending to exact some revenge, but Jay dodges just in time. The plate hits Marco instead, sending a splatter of sauce across his face.
Oh no. Marco's grin is anything but friendly.
In a split second, my face is covered in bolognese, too, pasta clinging to the sticky liquid Diego dumped on me. Laughter erupts around us, and I can't help but smirk back at Marco. The food fight is on.
Unfortunately, it doesn't last long.
"Someone explain to me what is going on here?!" The cafeteria falls silent as the principal's voice cuts through the chaos. And that's how Marco, Jared, and I end up in detention. The worst part? My brothers get away scot-free. The little pricks.
Detention is surprisingly fun. Marco spends most of it trying to charm our English teacher, who is overseeing us. Jared and I spend the time tossing crumpled paper back and forth, trying to stifle our laughter.
We're still sticky from the bolognese, even after a quick shower. I've borrowed some oversized clothes from the guys, so I look like a mess—hair still faintly smelling of sauce. They've called our parents, too. My life is officially over.
"Come on, Professor. You know I'm your favorite," Marco says with a wink, trying to negotiate his way out of writing the essay we're supposed to be working on.
The teacher throws a paper ball at Jared, who is pretending to doze off, and sighs. "Life isn't fair, Mr. Davis. But maybe if you start your essay, I'll see what I can do."
Marco grins. "I always knew you had a soft spot for me."
Eventually, the teacher relents, letting us wander the hallways for an hour. We end up breaking into the physics lab, where I know Jay's locker code. Let's just say he'll be in for a surprise tomorrow. As for Diego, I'll find a way to get back at him. Eventually.
By the time we return to detention, the teacher covers for us when the principal stops by, giving us a half-hearted lecture on respect and responsibility. He lets us go early, cementing his status as my new favorite teacher.
Maybe things are finally looking up.