Get Even (Don’t Get Mad)

OLIVIA KEPT HER DISTANCE AS SHE FOLLOWED MARGOT through pockets of lunching underclassmen, past the science building, to the courtyard outside the boys’ locker room. It was completely deserted except for one person.

Ronny stood at a vending machine stocked with nonsugary waters and diet sodas and, much to Olivia’s eternal dismay, devoid of all candy or pastries deemed unhealthy by the administration.

Margot slipped into an alcove behind the water fountain and left Olivia to it. Show time.

“Looking for something?” Olivia asked.

Ronny glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then slowly turned. “Um, I . . . er . . .” His face flushed red as he tripped over his own tongue.

“I know, it sucks.” Olivia leaned against the vending machine, stroking the glass with one pink fingernail. “F.U. won’t allow any junk food.” Olivia giggled as Ronny stared at her blankly. “Sorry, that’s what we call Father Uberti.”

“Oh.”

Olivia tilted her chin. “Are you new here?”

Ronny nodded vigorously, his eyes fixed somewhere near Olivia’s cleavage.

“I thought so!” Olivia batted her eyelashes. “I’d have remembered you.” She stepped closer, and Ronny dropped his backpack to the ground, instantly forgotten. Now all she had to do was lure him away from it for a few minutes. . . .

“So,” Olivia said. “What’s your name?”

“R-Ronny,” he stuttered.

Olivia grabbed him by the hand and circled halfway around, spinning his body away from his backpack. “Ronny!” she squealed. “I love that name. I’m Olivia.”

“Olivia Hayes, right?” he said, clearly wanting to make sure he was talking about the right person when he bragged to his new ’Maine Men buddies.

“That’s me.”

Margot snuck up to Ronny’s discarded backpack and fished out his cell phone, quickly attaching the cloning device, which would copy all its information, including his passwords.

“So, Ronny,” Olivia began, keeping one eye on Margot. “Where did you come from?”

“Arizona.”

“Do you miss it?”

“No.”

Olivia bit her lip. At this rate it was going to be hard to keep him talking long enough for Margot to clone his phone. She needed to amp up the charm factor. “I’ve never been to Arizona,” she said, squeezing his hand. “But I hear it’s . . . hot.”

Her performance seemed to be loosening Ronny up. “Yeah,” he said with a slight laugh. “It’s wicked hot in the summer.”

“I bet,” she said, grazing the back of Ronny’s hand with her finger. “Since you’re new here, maybe I could show you around sometime?”

“That would be cool.” Ronny smiled.

Now she just needed to set a date with him so Bree would have a chance to break into his computer. “What are you doing after school tomorrow?”

“Giving you a tour of my bedroom,” Ronny said, arching his left eyebrow in what he probably thought was some kind of subtle way.

Olivia made a mental note to never be alone with Ronny. Ever. “Why don’t we start with the Coffee Clash tomorrow? Say, four o’clock?”

“Are you sure that’s all you want to do?”

To Olivia’s relief, she saw Margot slip Ronny’s cell phone back into his bag and silently disappear into the hallway. Time to escape.

“It was so good to meet you, Ronny,” she said, blatantly ignoring the question. She stepped around him and began to follow Margot out of the courtyard. “I’ll see you tomorrow at four, okay?”

Ronny grabbed her hand. He wasn’t gentle. “Wait,” he said. He tugged her back to him. “Running away so soon?” He slipped his arm around her waist, holding her firmly in his grip.

Olivia tried to wiggle free. “I’m going to be late,” she said, searching the courtyard for any sign of people. Why did this have to be the most secluded part of the entire freaking school?

“That’s okay,” Ronny whispered in her ear. His breath smelled like banana and Altoids. “It’ll be worth it.”

Was this guy seriously going to assault her right there on campus in the middle of a school day? Mission or no mission, she was going to start screaming in ten seconds if he didn’t—

“Olivia!”

Ronny stopped at the sound of Olivia’s name, dropping both hands innocently by his sides as if he hadn’t been attempting to paw through her clothes.

Olivia stumbled back as Ed the Head trotted toward her.

“Olivia,” he repeated, eyes darting back and forth between her and Ronny. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Olivia said. She wanted to hug Ed. “Have you met Ronny?”

“Transfer student from Arizona, right?” Ed the Head asked. His tone was steely.

“How did you know that?” Ronny asked.

Ed took a step toward him. “It’s my business to know everything about everyone.” He was a head shorter than Ronny and probably thirty pounds lighter, but Olivia appreciated the chivalric effort nonetheless.

“Right.” Ronny checked his watch. “Well, I gotta go.” He winked at Olivia. “I’ll see you later.”

Olivia forced a smile as he turned and disappeared around the corner.

Ed the Head stared after him. “Sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” Olivia said. “But . . .” She eyed Ed the Head’s backpack. “You don’t happen to have any donuts in there, do you?”