When Vanessa’s name popped up on my phone, I nearly dropped it. My first instinct was to ignore the notification, but curiosity got the better of me.
Hey, Emma. Hosting a party Friday night at my place. You should come. It’ll be fun 😊
A smiley face? From her? The sarcasm was practically dripping through the screen.
“What is it?” Sarah leaned over to peek at my phone, and her face twisted into a mix of disbelief and irritation. “You’re not actually considering going, are you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she does truly trying to make peace?”
Sarah laughed, sharp and humorless. “Vanessa doesn’t make peace. She lays traps. And this?” She pointed at the message. “This is bait.”
She wasn’t wrong. Vanessa had humiliated me, spread rumors about me, and paraded her endless schemes in front of the entire school. If anyone should know better, it was me. But part of me was tired of running. Tired of letting her call the shots.
“What if I go?” I said, more to myself than to Sarah.
Sarah’s eyes widened. “What? Why? So she can pull some next-level stunt and humiliate you again?”
“I don’t know. Maybe showing up would make her realize I’m no longer afraid of her.”
“She wants you to show up. You’ll be walking right into whatever trap she’s set.”
The conversation stayed with me, swirling in my mind all day. Later, I brought it up to Logan, hoping for some clarity—or at least a distraction.
“Vanessa invited me to her party.”
Logan raised an eyebrow. “That’s... unexpected.”
“Right? What do you think? Should I go?”
He considered it for a moment, his brow furrowed. “I think you should go.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
He shrugged. “Vanessa thrives on making people feel small. Are you walking in there? It sends a message: she doesn’t scare you. Plus, I’ll be there. I won’t let her pull anything.”
By the time Friday rolled around, I’d made my choice. Sarah, of course, wasn’t thrilled.
“This is a bad idea,” Sarah said for the hundredth time as she watched me get ready.
“Probably,” I admitted, pulling my hair into place. “But I’m going anyway.”