Yep, there it was. That little vein pulsing over his temple like a ticking time bomb.
“MK: one, shady fucker: nil,” Bree snickered under her breath as we left the cafeteria with our heads held high. “This is going to be so fun.”
12
Somehow I managed to make it through the next few days without running into the guys at all. After the showdown between Archer and I in the cafeteria on Monday, people had been giving me a wide berth, which I was more than okay about. It gave me a chance to actually settle into my classes, get a handle on the course load, and find a bit of normalcy in this strange new school.
Bree had taken to picking me up a full hour earlier than I'd have liked, but it served a double purpose. It got me out of the house before the guys had finished their gym workouts—yeah, that was a thing they did—and it gave me some time to reconnect with my old bestie. The fact that we also had time to pick up coffee from the one moderately decent coffee shop near SGU was an added bonus.
"Alright, spill," she said as we collected our orders in the cute, unicorn reusable cups she'd bought for us both a couple of days ago.
I thanked the barista, then arched a brow at her. "Spill what?"
Bree narrowed her eyes at me. "Don't play innocent with me, MK. I know you. It's been four days since that scene with Archer in the dining room, and I know you have something planned in retaliation."
I couldn't stop the grin curving my lips. "You don't think it was enough to strip down to my underwear in front of the entire dining hall?"
Bree snickered, but shook her head. "Not by half. He orchestrated a Mean Girls moment, and there's no way in hell you'll let him get away with that shit so easily."
I smirked, sipping my coffee as we made our way across the park to the SGU campus. "I don't know what you're talking about, Bree," I said, rather unconvincingly, checking my watch for the time. "But I'd really love to swing past the student parking lot before we head to lectures."
She gave me a curious—okay, suspicious—look, but followed as I detoured from our usual short-cut. We arrived with perfect timing, which was no shock considering I'd been stealthily tracking Archer's schedule all week. He was punctual to the point of anal, and that predictability was what let me be in the right place at the right time.
His midnight black Corvette Stingray careened into the parking lot and stopped in one of the few reserved spaces right near the main entrance to the university. I knew from Monday's drive to school that Steele would take the next space over when he arrived in about half an hour, but he wasn't my target today. Archer was.
"Okay, what are we here for?" Bree asked after a few moments when no one exited the car. I laughed to myself, imagining Archer sitting there fuming and working up the balls to show his face.
"You'll see," I murmured back, unable to wipe the grin from my face. The driver’s door popped open, and I bit the inside of my cheek to contain my anticipation. It was a simple plan, but—
"Ah shit," I cursed, seeing Archer's perfectly handsome face as he stepped out. Had he seriously changed his routine on the same day as I'd hatched a revenge tactic? Then again, I had to cut myself some slack; it could have just been coincidence that his routine hadn't deviated in the short time I'd monitored it.
Then Kody stepped out of the passenger side, and Bree sucked in a sharp gasp.
"MK!" she exclaimed in a hushed scream. "Did you do that?"
Laughter bubbled up in my chest as Kody turned his face in my direction. His bright purple face. "Oops, that was a misfire. Oh well, means to an end, I guess." I shrugged and gave my two nemeses a little wave when they both glared daggers at me.
Archer took a few steps forward, like he wanted to confront me over the childish prank, but Kody grabbed his arm, halting him. A few quiet words passed between them, then Archer wrenched his arm free and stomped off toward the sports center.
Kody, and his pretty purple face, sauntered over to where I stood with Bree. A huge crowd of snickering students stood around, pointing and laughing and making jokes, but he seemed totally oblivious to them all.
"Let me guess," he drawled as he stopped a few feet away, indicating to his purple face. "Payback for Kalley's juice on Monday?"
I shrugged, still smirking. I wasn't admitting to shit.
Kody shook his head, looking torn between anger and amusement. "I had nothing to do with that, you know? I don't even have the same scheduled break as you all."
I nodded. "I know. But all's fair in hate and war, Kodiak. Sometimes there's collateral damage."
He gave me a knowing smile. "I figured as much. What was it? Powdered dye on our sweat towels?"
I gave him a brow quirk. "I'll admit to nothing. But if I were the responsible party, yeah, that's how I might do it. Sweaty face after a workout wiped with a towel coated in powdered purple food dye..." I shrugged again. "But that's childish and so very high school. We're better than silly pranks and bully tactics, aren't we?"
Kody threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, babe. No. We're really, really not. You're so lucky purple suits me, but my PR manager might have a few words for you if this doesn't wash off in time for Sunday's photo shoot."
I batted my lashes, pulling on the fakest innocent act imaginable. "Well, in that case? Maybe avoid the body wash in the shared bathroom."
His eyes narrowed briefly, and he shook his head with a laugh. "Game on, gorgeous."
When he brushed past me, swaggering into the university halls with total confidence, like it had been his choice to dye his face purple, I let out a long breath. Every time I spoke to him, it was like I only breathed half as much as I needed to. I always seemed to walk away light-headed and weak.
"Damn girl," Bree whispered, linking her arm with mine as we wandered in the direction of my first lecture. She didn't have anything until later in the day but insisted it was good for her to be up so early so she could study. "Remind me never to piss you off again. What did you do to the body wash?"
I chuckled. "Nothing. I just like making him paranoid."
Bree screamed with laughter and was wiping her eyes as she left me to make her way to the library. Me, though? I was already plotting my next strike.
My day went much like the rest of the week had—lots of gossiping and whispering going on around me but no one brave enough to speak directly to me. Not that I gave two craps, though. So long as they stayed out of my war with Archer and his boys, we'd be fine.
Surprisingly, though, at the end of the day when I headed out to the back lot, I found a broad-shouldered guy wearing an SGU football hoodie waiting for me.
"Bark?" I asked, recognizing his messy brown hair from behind.
He turned around, revealing a petite blonde that he'd been chatting with. But they were standing right beside Bree's car, so I had to assume he was waiting for me. Or maybe I was being self-important?
"Hey, Madison Kate," he greeted me with a way too enthusiastic smile. "I was waiting for you."
I grinned, laughing at myself silently. "Cool. Uh, hi." I waved to the girl, who was still standing there and staring at me. Like, hardcore staring. She hadn't blinked once, I didn't think.