Six Little Secrets(22)

‘What was that about?’ Yvette asked when they reached the hallway.

‘Apparently someone cheated off my test,’ Jackie said. ‘He was warning me to keep a lookout for the culprit.’ She scanned the hallway trying to find out who had done this to her. She knew she hadn’t cheated. Someone had set her up. There were plenty of people who suffered because of her rumors. She had to narrow it down to one person and destroy him or her.





CHAPTER ELEVEN




JACKIE



Saturday


The hairs on the back of Jackie’s neck started to tingle. She held her composure, feeling the eyes of everyone in the group on her. The limelight was her home. Today, however, she wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole. She wouldn’t let her composure crack, not like Cece. Cece was dramatic on a typical day. Jackie loved it when all eyes were on her, but she rarely used negative emotions to get there— she was no amateur which was why she didn’t associate with the drama queen.

Before, she held back from calling Cece ‘princess’ even though the nickname was perfect for her. Jackie didn’t want to agree with anything Q said. That would reveal she didn’t hate him as much as she let on.

Cece almost ruined this for them. Jackie was determined to complete her task with style and grace to get this person off her back for good.

Jackie knew she pissed off a lot of people, but it was worth it for the adoration or fear she inspired in most. Besides, for someone to pull off a stunt like this, they had to think about her a lot. Which was fine with her. Adoration came in many forms.

‘What does it say?’ Teddy asked.

Poor Teddy. Too bad he’d gone first. Two strikes against her classmates. She was determined to keep it that way with a win in her pocket.

‘Who are you without your looks?’ Jackie read, feeling the swirl of pleasure from the attention. There was nothing like it. At least this person appreciated her effort. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. ‘They can be deceiving and so can what you present to your peers. Unlike the others, you have a choice between two missions, permanent humiliation or temporary. Your opportunity for each is inside separate envelopes taped to the underside of the table. You have thirty minutes.’

Jackie flipped the slip over, making sure she didn’t miss any part of the instructions.

‘Well, I guess I should get started,’ she said and shoved her chair away from the table. She bent over and spotted two card-sized envelopes stuck to the underside of the desk. She pulled them both off. One had a bold ‘1’ and the other had a ‘2’ emblazoned on the front. The one with the number one on the front was bulkier, and there was something inside that was almost the length of the envelope. The second envelope had a smaller bulge, thin, like a pencil.

‘I guess they are choices based on each of the outcomes the note mentioned?’ Jackie guessed.

‘Which are you going to choose?’ Q asked.

‘Well, of course, I’m going for the temporary,’ Jackie said. If she was going to suffer humiliation from this unknown person, then temporary was the way to go. Her reputation could handle either, but she’d be a fool for choosing number one.

She ripped open the second envelope and took out a red slip of paper. Reading it aloud, she said, ‘You’re looking for the truth. And I want to expose your lies. They are one in the same. Find five red letters among the slips. Place them in the correct order and apply to face. Leave until I say so.’

Jackie pulled out a tube of her favorite hypoallergenic lipstick from the envelope. It was in her signature shade, Pink Blossom.

‘Apply to face?’ Teddy said.

‘Temporary humiliation,’ Jackie said aloud. ‘Depending on the word I write on my face in lipstick, I guess.’ She couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed by her task, though she wasn’t complaining. It was better than Cece’s task. Jackie would have hesitated as much as Cece if she had to post a nude photo of herself anywhere.

‘You might want to hurry, there are a lot of slips here,’ Holly said.

Jackie placed her hands on the desk and smirked at the group. ‘You all agree to help me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to help you.’

‘That’s funny coming from you,’ Q said.

‘Look,’ Jackie said, letting out a sharp breath. ‘We’re in this together whether we like it or not.’ She couldn’t believe these jerks. They were going to be sorry when it was their turn.

The doors to the library opened, and Cece shuffled to the table.

‘How are you?’ Zoe asked when she sat. She raised her red-rimmed eyes to the others.

‘How do you think I am?’ Cece asked.

‘Zoe didn’t do this to you,’ Teddy said.

‘I don’t know that,’ Cece said.

‘Are you serious?’ Zoe asked.

‘No,’ Cece said, rolling her eyes. ‘Sorry. I’m in a crappy spot right now, and I really don’t want to talk about it. But even if it’s not someone in this room, he or she is watching us.’

‘What makes you think it’s a she now?’ Jackie asked.

Cece sighed. ‘I don’t. I can’t imagine a girl would ever do that to another girl.’

‘Girls can be vindictive,’ Holly said.