The Revenge Artist - Philip Siegel Page 0,35

and pick apart every last detail.

I find myself on a semi-high that I contracted from Leo. Yes, I’m happy for my clients when they find someone. But I’m just as happy for myself. This works. My planning works. Finding something you’re great at and doing it is like falling in love with a part of yourself.

I float to my locker after class and linger there for a moment, taking in my talents. But where there’s a parade, there’s rain.

“Do you have time for a coffee run?” Melanie asks. Her laidback demeanor is nowhere to be found.

“We have class.”

“Lunch, then?” Urgency coats her voice. I know something bad is coming. I can feel it churning inside her, sending dire waves into the hall.

“What’s wrong?”

“Paulina dumped Jake.”

***

Not even ogling Pierced Barista can cheer me up. Melanie stays mum until we get our coffee. We take a table covered in a collage of vintage postcards.

I heave out what feels like a barrel of air, sweating through my sweater. “What happened?” I ask.

“Paulina found an email Jake had written to Sofia, saying she’s the one he wants to be with.”

“What?” I nearly choke on my caffeine fix.

“Yep. She thinks Jake was using her to get to her sister.”

“Do you believe him?”

“I do,” she says unconvincingly. “But it was his email. I checked his sent mail folder, and it was there.” She shuffles her coffee cup in circles. The Internet doesn’t lie, but maybe her best friend did.

“Do you think he was set up?”

“Like a break-up scheme?”

I nod yes. Maybe someone really hates Jake or really likes Paulina, but I can’t think of any suspects. They’re kids who fly under the radar and tend not to solicit any feelings for or against. I, on the other hand, am probably much more polarizing.

“Maybe someone’s doing this against me.”

“Not everything can be about you, Becca,” Melanie says teasingly. I’m too caught up in my thoughts to laugh.

“Think about it. First Bari and Jay get broken up, now Jake and Paulina. What are the odds that the two couples I united would be torn asunder one right after the other?”

Melanie is unconvinced. I’m surprised she’s not jumping to defend Jake, hanging on to any hope of clearing his name. She spins her coffee cup in circles above a postcard from the 1893 World’s Fair.

“What do you think? It’s definitely suspicious.”

Melanie seems more resigned than curious. “He really stepped in it this time.” She continues spinning her cup in her hands. I know a nervous gesture when I see one.

I don’t say anything. I just wait for the truth.

“Melanie…”

“It’s nothing.” Melanie pushes her coffee cup to the side. “It’s just…a part of me always wondered if he was trying to get close to Sofia.”

“What?” I nearly leap out of my chair.

“We were on a camping trip last year, sitting around the fire, and he said that he wished he could date her.”

“Sofia.”

Melanie nods. “I told him to go for it, but he shook it off, said he didn’t have a chance. And then he never mentioned it again.”

“That was the only time he said something?”

“To me, yeah. Over the summer, he started talking about Paulina, so I never gave it a second thought.”

I don’t say anything. I taste bile rising in my throat.

“I’m sorry, Becca. Really. I didn’t think it was anything. Until now.”

Of course. Why did I let the earnest demeanor throw me? He really had me going. But Jake is still a guy, and Sofia is still hot.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “Guys suck.”

I shrug. “It’s not your fault.”

It’s a crisp fall day without the frigid breeze, one of the last days before winter approaches. We’re early when we get back to school, so we sit on the hood of her car sipping our designer drinks like faux badasses. We chat about classes and teachers and other stupid school stuff that feels fresh because I’m getting a new viewpoint. There’s something freeing about talking to Melanie. I’m unshackled from the usual girly drama that follows me.

“So, what about you?” I ask, slurping down some fall goodness. “I can offer my relationship engineering services at a steep discount.”

“I’m waiting for college guys.”

“Good call.”

“Are you and Fred going to try the long-distance thing?” She pretends to dribble her empty cup and sinks it into the trash can.

“We may not have to. We both applied to Bartlett.” It comes out so easily the words don’t feel real until I see Melanie’s reaction.

“Wow.” She’s more surprised than excited. I’m glad I’m not