This May End Badly by Samantha Markum

Author:Samantha Markum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Campus is abuzz the day after we return from Thanksgiving break. Overnight, Mallory Weston reappeared, welded back to her base, but this time upside down, in a long skirt that hangs over her head to show off a pair of big, polka-dotted underwear. Right side up, she had a wide, powerful stance. Upside down, she’s spread-eagle. It’s completely degrading.

In retaliation, Cotesmore announces that we are now required to submit to our head of house a log of at least three hours a week spent in a volunteer group, club, or tutoring session with a minimum of two Winfield students, signed by a faculty member. For me, that means more interactions with Tully, which is the last thing I need.

It also means I’ve been roped into helping the joint-school dance committee, along with the rest of my friends and a handful of Winfield seniors.

“It’s worked out kind of perfectly,” Sumi says when we gather in the Kingdom after our first meeting. “If we want to pull something off, we’ll need to know what to expect behind the scenes.”

“What are we thinking, anyway?” Shawn asks. “It’s not like they’re naming a king and queen and we can just do a Carrie.”

I scoff. “What is this, amateur hour? We wouldn’t do a Carrie even if they were naming a king.”

She tosses the cap from her drink at me, and it bounces off my forehead.

“What do you have in mind?” Jade asks me.

It’s the first time she’s spoken to me directly since our argument. I hope this is a sign she’s ready to put it behind us.

Judging by how Gemma’s expression has brightened, she’s hoping the same thing.

Shawn and Sumi exchange a glance.

“I’m still thinking on it,” I say. “But it needs to be big. It’ll be our last prank before winter break, and it’s the first big merger test since Fall Fest. I bet Winfield will be planning something, too.”

“Of course they will,” says Shawn. “They’re a bunch of asses.”

I pause, slowly turning to look at her.

“Doe’s got that face on,” says Gemma.

Jade leans in. “Care to share with the class?”

“Okay, this might sound crazy—”

“She says that like she’s ever had a single sane idea in her life,” Shawn says.

“But if we can scrape together two hundred bucks, it’s totally doable,” I add, pulling my phone out and doing a quick search. I turn the screen toward them and smile.

We delve into the planning, and when we’ve got a solid foundation, I drop the bomb I’ve been holding since Friday night.

“So, there’s something else,” I say. “Something I found out over Thanksgiving. It’s about the merger, and the Wellborns.”

I tell them what Wells revealed, and what became clear the more I thought about it.

“Three has a sister. Eighth grade,” I say. “She told me she’s coming to Weston next year. I guarantee the merger has something to do with that.”

“They don’t think Weston is good enough,” Shawn says. “If she can’t go to Winfield outright, the Wellborns will bring Winfield to her. Simple.

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