Perfect Revenge by K. L. Denman Page B

mean it, so I add, “Don’t worry about it, okay? We’re even. I’m fine.”
    She bursts into tears and throws her arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Lizzie! I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been for you. So humiliating! And now, room 101? Waahhh.”
    I feel awful, but I manage to pat her back. “It’s okay. Although room 101 really is horrible. It’s like death in there.”
    Rachel emits another sob, and I cringe. Jeez, what’s up with that? I can’t even rub it in about how much I’m suffering? Sick. I sigh and say, “But I only have to go there four more times.”
    â€œStill,” Rachel sniffles, “I had to go there once. And the teacher in charge is such a turd...” She flinches. “I mean, thepoor old guy. I guess he’s been stuck down there forever.”
    I get a little teary-eyed myself over Mr. Mean.
Ouch
! Okay, so it’s really Mr. Snead. I knew that. “For sure, it must be awful for him being there every day. The smell down there is so disgusting.”
    â€œMaybe,” Rachel says, “we should get him a fan.”
    â€œYeah! Or some flowers or incense or something.” I look at Stella. “You know where to get incense, right?”
    Stella grins. “For sure. I might even have some in my backpack.” She starts digging around and comes up with a little cone-shaped lump.
    â€œUm,” one of the watchers says, “I think we’re gonna go now.”
    â€œYeah,” says another. “This is, like, really weird.”
    Rachel looks like I feel. Stricken. Together we say, “Sorry!”
    â€œReally,” I add, “we didn’t mean to bother you. Are you going to be all right?”
    They stare at me. Slowly, they nod and start backing away. As they escape out the door, I hear one say, “Man! That was so totally freaky!”
    I guess it was. Either that or magickal.

chapter twelve
    Science class. Kyle. I walk in and look straight at him. He is so hot. But clearly, he’s also shallow. I mean, he gets turned off of Rachel because he hears a rumor about her? And now he can’t even look at me because I had zits?
    Or is that because he thinks I’m a cheater? Rachel offered to tell everyone that she gave me the exam key, and I was tempted. But then I thought about how much that could hurt her, and I felt sick.I told her to forget it. I couldn’t handle it. I have to protect myself, right?
    Only then she said, “But Lizzie, I’ll feel better if I tell the truth.”
    It’s all very confusing. Things were much simpler when we only cared about ourselves. Like Kyle. I look at him again, and I even feel sorry for him. Poor guy, it must be hard trying to keep up that image.
    He glances up and catches my eye. I can’t resist. I whip off the purple hat. His eyes widen. His mouth opens. And it doesn’t hurt a bit because it’s not like he’s hurt. He’s just shocked. I can do shock.
    And then I remember that he’s going to look like an idiot for telling people about my zits and that might make him squirm. I feel queasy. I turn away and take a few deep breaths. I sit down in my seat, and Mandy plops down beside me.
    â€œWhat do you think, Lizzie?” she asks.
    She’s wearing a pink straw hat, a sweet little number with a curled brim. “Oh, cute!” I say.
    â€œThanks!” she says. “I got it at the mall like you said.”
    Note to self: Do not make the mistake of casting an honesty spell. Things are complicated enough already.
    A love spell though...I gaze at Kyle and wonder. But if I did that, and he fell in love with me, I couldn’t take revenge and ditch him. I must think about that. Whew. My brain sure is getting a work-out lately.
    â€œShould we do the lab, Lizzie?” Mandy asks.
    Man.
More
brain stuff. “I guess. What do we have to do?”
    It turns out to be quite easy. We have to