Revenge (3 page)

Sophie was the most compassionate, kindest one of us all. She was very open and could always make heart-to-heart connections with almost anyone; that was why I’d thought we should pawn Mr. Crier off on her earlier. I knew she hated what we did to Brad, and I was sure she’d free him if given the chance. She was sympathetic, had a nice word for everyone, and was very generous. She also happened to have rich parents, and she had free reign over a credit card, so she always spoiled us with shopping sprees and gifts. Sophie was the kind of person who would give someone the shirt off her back, and she was impossible not to love.

Erin had a bit more of an edge to her, as well as a sharp tongue, but she was lovely to be around and was just a great friend. She took classy to a whole new level with her fashion sense. In fact, the two of them were my most fashionable friends, and they always gave me tips on clothing and accessories that made me look great. Erin could be a dreamer at times, though, and the poor girl couldn’t hold down a job to save her life.

“We could just send some herpes information to his dorm, so the others will see it when they get the mail,” Sophie suggested, holding true to her kinder, gentler form of revenge. “Now that would be embarrassing.”

Lori shook her head. “That’s child’s play, Sophie. I know you’re soft, but Art has to pay.” She then looked at me. “Come back in five minutes, and I’ll have a Snakebite waiting for you.”

“What’s in that?” Juliet asked.

Lori grinned even wider. “Eight ounces of lager and eight ounces of dry cider. He drinks that, and he’ll fall over.”

“I don’t like it,” Sophie said.

“Of course you don’t,” Lori retorted. “But just think about all the info we can get from him. We can ask him why he didn’t show up, why he stood our girl up like that. Just remember, a drunk guy never lies.”

“We’re not doing the handcuff thing,” I said. “I’ve got
other
plans for Art.”

Lori cocked a brow. “What? No cuffs? Why not?”

“I can’t tell you all my secrets, can I? What fun would that be? I don’t wanna spoil the surprise.”

“Some surprises aren’t good,” Sophie mumbled.

“Oh, c’mon!” Lori said, ignoring Sophie’s complaints. “What do you have planned?”

“I haven’t figured all the details out yet, but it’ll make him feel the same way I did when he dumped me. Being embarrassed on Facebook is only temporary, and that’s just not enough. Like they say on
The Godfather
, ‘revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold.’”

“Especially since he doesn’t even realize who you are.”

“Yep. Now, let me just go feel the situation out,” I said with a laugh, then turned to walk away.

As I was making my way back to the living room, weaving in and out of drunken little crowds, a redhead bumped into me and nearly puked on my shoes. Another guy stumbled into me, and a skinny girl blew smoke in my face as I walked by.

Art waved me over, and I handed him the drink.

“Thanks, uh…”

“Alexis.”

He held out his hand, still clueless. “Art.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you too.”

“Just saw my Facebook page. Did you really leave Brad in handcuffs upstairs?”

I laughed. “Yeah. I hate assholes.”

He smiled. “Not fond of them myself.”

“When I knew an asshole was infesting the party, I had to go straight to work. Don’t worry. I’m sure everyone’s seen it by now, and I’m sure some do-gooder will eventually set the jerk free.

“I have a no-asshole rule too.”

“Hmm. Then I guess you won’t have a problem with us making it our mission to rid the world of the asshole plague, even if you’re next on the list.”

“Me?”

I shot him a cold stare. “Don’t even pretend you’re not one.”

“I’m not,” he said, clearly taken aback. “Besides, you don’t even know me, so how can you—”

“Oh, Art, I know you much better than you think,” I said, storming off, “and one thing I know is that you’re quite the asshole yourself.”

“Alexis!” Juliet screamed through the crowded room. “Hey, how’d it go?”

“I called him an asshole and left.”

“And that’s your grand plan? I gotta say, I like Lori’s handcuff idea a whole lot more.”

“Well, he was onto that. He already saw it on Facebook, and he never would have fallen for it. We’ll need a Plan B.”

“Well, what did he say about dumping you on prom?” Sophie asked.

“I didn’t actually mention that.”

“Wait. You mean you’re still incognito?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you shoulda told him what a jerk he was.”

“Like I said, I reminded him of his assholeness. I guess I should have given him a real piece of my mind, but I just needed to get away from him to avoid a homicide.”

“We have to do better than that,” Juliet said. “Maybe we should send the herpes pamphlets, like  Sophie said. Hell, let’s send bed-wetting and erectile dysfunction ones too,” she said with an evil chuckle.

Her laugh and her twisted sense of vengeance was so infectious that I couldn’t help but laugh my head off too.

***

The next day, Juliet came over.

“You just took off. Where’d you go after the party?” I asked.

“With Kyle. We hung out and watched a band. It was cool.”

“I’m glad you guys had a good time, but I really don’t think you should be hanging out with him. You should be out with us, looking for a hot guy.”

“Why? So I can land my own Handcuff Boy?” she retorted.

I shrugged, figuring I deserved the jab. “So that loser didn’t work out. It doesn’t mean all guys are jerks.”

“Well, I hope you find one who can make you happy.”

I sighed. “Yeah. I’m sure my Mr. Right is out there somewhere, and so is yours. You’ll never find him, though, if you don’t stop crushing on your best friend. It’s not healthy.”

“I know, but I’d rather be with him than anyone else. When guys hit on me at that party, drunk or not, all I could think about was Kyle.”

“But he only likes you as a best friend.”

“I know, but I can’t stop the attraction. I’m addicted to him…bad.”

“We’re in college, Juliet. We’re here to have fun and date all kinds of guys. I’m in no hurry to be married and shackled down like my sister. She can only take a few classes here and there, and she’ll never get her degree like that. That’s what happens when you get married and have kids.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed she’s been a bit down lately.”

“She and Tom just aren’t working out. I gotta wonder if he’s tapping someone else. I mean, he’s a good-looking professor, and all those coeds are always hitting on him. He sure as heck isn’t getting any at home. My sister said she has to practically beg.”

“I think they married too young,” Juliet observed. “Maybe he wasn’t ready, really didn’t know what he wanted.”

“Yeah, sixteen was way too young, but she was knocked up too.”

“At least Morgan’s still going to college, even if it’s part time.”

“She works so hard. I can’t help but be proud of my little sis, even if I don’t agree with all her choices. She’s only a year younger than me, and she’s a college student, a wife, a mother, and has her own house. I still don’t even know what I want in life.”

“It’s gotta be hard, but she seems to be making it work somehow. As for you, you’ve got plenty of time to figure things out.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

She suddenly smiled.

“What?”

“Gosh, I can’t get over those pictures of Brad with lipstick all over his face.”

I laughed. “He deserved it. He wanted me to do him at a frat party, handcuffed.”

“Yeah, and you know if you or him passed out, everyone at that party would have found you stark naked. He’s freaking shameless…and selfish.”

“Exactly. He’s a jerk. Who does that on the first date in a house full of people anyway?”

“Meh, I doubted he thought he’d need your consent, especially if you were unconsciousness and drunk.”

“I’d hate to see that happen to any girl,” I said.

“Exactly. I’m glad I know my limit, when to stop. Otherwise, I might do something stupid.”

“Me too, because I don’t think I could do anyone more stupid than Brad!”

***

Monday, after all my classes for the day were done, I went to work. I had worked my way up to manager at The Blue Star, a bar and restaurant, and I’d been told I was doing a great job of running things. It was hard to go to work after being in class all day. I didn’t have to worry about rent, since I was living in one of my mother’s rental houses, but I still had to cover my car payment, gas, car insurance, electricity, food, and other stuff. I didn’t have a trust fund or unlimited plastic like Sophie, so I was forced to work while I attended classes.

On my desk, I found a pile of job applications and
résumés.
The owner, Lois, had left them there so I’d be prepared when the interviewees came in, hoping to fill our open positions of waitress and bartender. I still had twenty minutes before the first candidate was scheduled, so I figured I’d help with the lunch rush.

“Alexis!” Debbie shouted.

Whipping around, I practically dropped the drinks in my hand.

She grabbed my arm. “Oh my gosh! Did you see the guy you’re about to interview?”

“He’s here already?” I asked, glancing at the clock.

“Yeah, he’s early…and he’s flippin’ gorgeous!”

“Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.”

Her entire face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You gotta check him out! He’s hot! I can only imagine the tips he’ll get.”

I glanced over to where Debbie was pointing. “Fuck!” I shouted, a bit louder than I intended to.

“I know! He’s hot, right?”

I blew out a long breath as I realized I would have to interview Art, my old flame that had so quickly fizzled out.

“You’re gonna hire him, right?” she asked.

My gaze narrowed. “I don’t hire anyone for good looks, Debbie.”

Ignoring me, she continued to stare at Art, practically drooling onto her tray. “Look at all those muscles.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. Brad’s built too, and he’s still a jerk.”

“Ooh! He’s looking over here,” she said, grabbing my arm again. “He’s coming this way. How’s my hair?”

“Seriously?” I asked.

He walked over and smiled at me. “Hello. I’m Art Andrews, and I’m here for the job interview.”

I stared into his beautiful brown eyes and smiled. “Oh, yes,” I said. “Let me, uh…I’ve just gotta get your application.” I then hurried into the back office of the bar and reached for his application.

“You’ve just gotta hire him, Alexis,” Debbie said when I walked back out.

“That all depends on his qualifications.”

“Well, he damn well looks qualified to me,” she said, staring. “All kinds of qualified…”

I walked over to Art again, and he shook my hand.

“Hi, Alexis. I had no idea you’re the manager.”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah. About last night…well, I guess I was, uh…a little intoxicated,” I said, trying to remain professional. “I’m so sorry for blowing you off the way I did.”

“Let’s not even dwell on that.”

“Right. Today is a new day,” I said cheerfully.

“Alexis is a very beautiful name.”

“Thank you. Listen, uh…this is a little awkward,” I said. “I don’t usually party with job candidates before the interview. I had no idea you applied here.”

“It’s a fluke. Let’s just make the most of it. I deserve a fair shake, right?”

What you deserve is for me to shake the life out of you, you prick,
I thought, but I knew I had to be polite and courteous; it was in my job description. “It’s so ironic, isn’t it?”

He looked deeply into my eyes. “I know. It’s like we were destined to meet again.”

Maybe it was once, but you screwed it up, I thought. I took a deep breath and considered my options for a moment. Hiring him could be the perfect revenge, because it would afford me the opportunity to really make him pay for what he’d done to me. He wouldn’t last long; I would make sure of that. “C’mon,” I said, leading him back to the office.

He sat down in a chair across from me.

“So…what is your greatest strength?” I asked.

“Well, I pride myself on great customer service, and I have the ability to resolve what might be considered…difficult situations.”

“What did you like about your old job?” I asked, glancing over his application.

“Mostly, I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly, fun atmosphere, and I liked going to work. The management knew all the employees on a first-name basis and tried to make personal connections.”

“What did you dislike about it?” I asked.

“I am looking for other employment because I just didn’t feel like I’d ever realize my full potential there. While I did enjoy working there, and while I appreciated the skills I learned and developed working with that company, I feel my skill set can be better utilized elsewhere, a place where my unique capabilities are more recognized and utilized. I can make any drink. I am happy to offer you a demonstration if you’d like.”