Emma sat on her bed, staring at her bucket list. The words felt heavier now, taunting her. She didn’t know what was worse: seeing it plastered all over school or the way everyone looked at her now—like she was a joke.
“This is my worst nightmare,” she muttered, pressing her palms against her face.
Katie, perched on the edge of the bed, leaned closer. “It doesn’t have to be.”
Emma shot her a glare. “How, Katie? How can this get any better?”
Katie held up a finger, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Hear me out. You tackle the list. Own it. Show them you’re not afraid.”
“Are you insane?” Emma hissed. “They’re waiting for me to embarrass myself again.”
“No, they’re waiting for you to run and hide,” Katie countered. “But if you actually go through with it, if you do it on your terms, they’ll have nothing to mock you for. You’ll be a legend.”
Emma crossed her arms, doubt filling her chest. “That’s stupid.”
Katie stood up and pointed at the notebook. “Emma, they’re going to talk about you anyway. You might as well give them something worth talking about. Start with the first one: sneak into a party. It’s easy.”
Emma chewed on her lip, anxiety twisting her stomach. The thought of stepping into Victoria Sterling’s world made her sick, but Katie wasn’t wrong. The whispers weren’t going to stop unless she did something.
“Fine,” she said at last, her voice barely above a whisper. “But if this goes badly, it’s on you.”
Katie grinned, throwing her arms around her. “You won’t regret it. I promise.”
The house was massive, practically glowing under the moonlight. Music boomed from inside, and the driveway was packed with cars. Emma hovered near the curb, hugging herself, her nerves threatening to strangle her.
“This is a bad idea,” she said, glancing at Katie.
“It’s the best idea,” Katie replied, tugging her forward. “Trust me.”
Emma doubted that but let herself be pulled toward the house. The second they stepped inside, her senses were overwhelmed. The smell of alcohol mixed with perfume, and bodies packed the living room, dancing and laughing.
“Relax,” Katie whispered. “Just act like you belong.”
Emma wasn’t sure how to do that, especially when people started noticing her. The whispers began almost immediately.
“Is that Emma Williams?”
“The list girl?”
“She actually showed up?”
Emma’s cheeks burned. She wanted to disappear, but Katie grabbed her arm. “Come on, let’s find something to drink. You’ll feel better.”
Before they could move, Victoria appeared, looking as flawless as ever in a shimmering silver dress. Her lips curled into a smirk when she saw Emma.
“Well, look who decided to show up,” Victoria said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Emma forced herself to meet her gaze. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
Victoria raised an eyebrow, amused. “I didn’t think you’d have the guts. But if you’re serious about that little list of yours, you’ll need to prove it.” She picked up a red Solo cup from a nearby table and held it out. “Drink.”
Emma hesitated, her heart pounding. She wasn’t a drinker. Her parents would kill her if they ever found out.
Victoria’s smirk widened. “What’s wrong? Too scared?”
The room fell silent, all eyes on Emma. Her throat tightened, but she couldn’t back down now. Slowly, she reached for the cup.
Katie whispered, “You don’t have to…”
Emma shook her head. “Yes, I do.”
With trembling hands, she raised the cup to her lips and took a sip. The bitter taste burned her throat, but she swallowed it, determined not to flinch.
Cheers erupted around her, followed by scattered laughter.
“Guess she’s not as boring as we thought,” someone muttered.
Victoria’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Let’s see if you can keep that energy up.”
Emma wandered through the house, trying to shake the burning embarrassment in her chest. She needed air. She slipped into the kitchen, where she heard voices in the next room.
“Do you think she’ll actually go through with the list?”
Victoria’s voice was unmistakable. “Oh, she will. And when she does, it’ll be the best show this school’s ever seen.”
Emma froze, her breath hitching.
“What if she doesn’t take the bait?” one of Victoria’s minions asked.
“She will,” Victoria said confidently. “Emma’s desperate to prove herself. And when she does, I’ll be ready.”
Emma’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t just humiliation—it was a setup.
“Hey.”
Emma turned to see Jake Matthews leaning against the counter, his usual charming smile on his face.
“Hi,” she said hesitantly.
“I saw you out there,” he said, stepping closer. “You handled it pretty well.”
Emma frowned. “Are you mocking me?”
Jake laughed. “No. I mean it. You’re braver than most people here.” He leaned in, lowering his voice. “If you need help with the list, let me know.”
Emma blinked. “Why would you help me?”
“Why not?” he replied, his smile disarming.
Before she could respond, another voice cut in.
“Careful, Matthews,” Liam Carter said, appearing out of nowhere. “Wouldn’t want to give her the wrong idea.”
Jake straightened, his smile fading slightly. “What’s your problem, Carter?”
“No problem,” Liam said casually, his dark eyes flicking to Emma. “Just don’t trust everyone who says they want to help.”
Emma glared at him. “Why do you even care?”
Liam smirked. “Because this is getting interesting.”
When Emma got home later that night, her phone buzzed. A video of her drinking at the party popped up, accompanied by a text from an unknown number: Your parents will love this.
Her blood ran cold as she heard her dad’s voice from the living room.
“Emma, get in here. Now.”
Her heart sank as she walked into the room. Her dad held up his phone, his face thunderous.
“You want to explain this?”