Read Butterscotch Backstabber :: Chapter 4: Warheads

My whole day was ruined. All I could think about was that even after we kissed Zoey still wanted Hillary. Even though she's known me longer, even though we are best friends, even though I've always been there for her no matter what. She still wanted Hillary King, and not me.

I've never actually had my body cut open and all my guts ripped out but I imagine it would feel a little like what I was feeling right then. I had such a sour taste in my mouth that I wanted to wash it out. To spit the taste out and try again with something sweeter.

I don't even know why I was making such a big deal of it. I mean Wes had a point. Zoey could like whoever the hell she wanted to like. I didn't have some claim over her and until then I didn't even know I liked her like that. I mean I had all this time to show her I was interested in her but I didn't. So, it's not really anyone's fault but my own.

That didn't stop me from trying to blame Hilary.

I mean it just wasn't fair. What did perfect Hilary have that I didn't have? Just then I was brought back to all her crowning achievements and I cringed because turns out there is a lot about her that I don't have. She's just perfect, which is really annoying.

"Any reason why you are aggressively stabbing your pizza?" Wes asked at lunch.

I glared at him.

"I saw you talking to Zoey this morning, so I'm guessing things didn't go well?"

I glanced over to Zoey who was once again sitting next to Hilary and all the popular kids. He followed my line of sight.

"Poppy, just tell her how you feel."

"Yeah, no. She has a crush on Hilary, she told me so! Perfect," I stabbed my pizza, "little," I stabbed harder, "Hilary!"

My plastic fork broke.

He sighed.

"Well, what did you say to her this morning?"

"I said I was sorry for being stupid. And we kissed."

"Wait rewind, you kissed!?"

"Yeah. We did, it was... nice..." I smiled at the memory.

"Poppy! That's great."

"No, not great because right after she was all like you can help me get in practice so I can wow Hilary. To which I felt my heart shrink three sizes."

"Oh, ouch. You must suck at kissing."

"Not helping!" I snap at him.

"Maybe you should just let it go. There are other girls in the sea."

"I don't even know if I like girls. This is all so weird okay. I mean I am barely coming to terms that I may sort of like Zoey as more than a friend. I just, I don't know. Maybe I'm destined to be alone forever." I pouted.

"Cheer up. Look no one said you had to have it all figured out. Take it slow. You don't have to rush into anything just because Zoey likes Hilary. For all you know they could be a bad match and the relationship could only last a day. Heck, maybe Hilary is straight and or likes someone else."

"Yeah... I guess you're right. You've given me an idea."

"I don't like where this is going." He frowned.

"No, listen. If I could find out if Hilary likes someone else, or better yet get her to fall for someone else then Zoey would have no choice but to move on."

"Poppy," he sighed.

"It's brilliant! I bet I could hook her up with Alvin from work, you know she was asking all sorts of wired questions about him. I bet she thinks he's cute. The guy is single and was totally flirting with her. I could set it up!"

"Poppy you're doing it again."

"What?"

"That thing where you plot out world demise and act like it's okay. Yeah, that thing. You can't go around meddling in people's lives. It's not okay. Karma always comes back around and if you mess around with Hilary karma will get you. Mark my words."

"Karma is just superstition. If everyone got what they deserved then the world would be a better place. Nothing is going to stop me from taking down perfect Ms. King. Besides I'm just trying to set her up on a date. What's the worst that could happen? If anything, I'm being nice to her. So, suck it Sanders."

He sighed and shook his head.

With a new plan in play, I just had to get Hilary alone and start planting the seeds. Make sure she thinks Zoey is definitely not into her and that Alvin is. Steer her way off course and then Zoey will be sad but I will be there to assure her she is great and wonderful and tell her that I have feelings for her. It is perfect if I do say so myself.

This means war.

I have to be sneaky. I have to act like I am Hilary's friend so that she has no reason to doubt me. And when she trusts me completely then I pull the rug out from under her. She'll never see it coming.

After school I walked over to my bike, it wasn't raining anymore so that was good.

"Poppy!" Hilary ran up behind me and engulfed me in a hug.

I yelped in surprise and nearly fell over were it not for her arms holding me steady.

"Whoa, uh where's the fire?" I laughed nervously.

What is she playing at here? Does she know I'm plotting against her? Is she trying to throw me off and make me feel guilty? Well, she'll have to try harder than that.

"No fire. I just missed my chance to talk to you earlier." She giggled into me.

"Oh, okay." I peeled her off of me.

She was all smiles with her lavender contacts. Batting her lashes at me as if she was a puppy waiting for a treat.

"So do you have work today, maybe I could go hang out again." She suggested.

"Oh, actually I'm off. Too bad though I'm sure Alvin would have loved to tease you some more." I smirked.

"Darn." She pretended to be sad.

I giggled.

God, she's so annoying.

She giggled back.

"Maybe we can hang out at your place. I can drive you home. I mean your bike is all wet. You'll get a wet butt." She points out.

"Hmm, good point."

Someone clearing their throat draws our attention.

"Hey," Zoey walks over to us with her bike in hand.

"Oh, hey!" I say too enthusiastically and cringe internally.

"So, what are you guys talking about?"

"Poppy was inviting me over to hang out."

"I was?"

"Oh yeah, we had a study session planned today, remember?" Zoey shoots me a look.

"We do?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Cool! Maybe we can all hang out then. Poppy's place." Hilary squealed in excitement.

"Uh..."

"Race you there?" Zoey challenged me.

"Actually, I was going to give her a ride," Hilary said.

"Oh, well room for two?" Zoey asks.

"I don't know if I can fit two bikes in my car." Hilary eyed her car.

"It's okay, I'll leave mine here," Zoey said.

"You sure?" Hilary eyes her.

Zoey then moved and relocked up her bike.

"Cool, come on Poppy!" Hilary tugged my arms.

"Ah! Okay, hold your horses, let me get my bike yeesh."

I grabbed my bike and once again shoved it up Hilary's rear end. Hehe, okay I just like saying that. Because I would definitely love to take Hilary's overly sweet attitude and shove it up her—

"Anyone cold? I can turn the heater up." Hilary said as I sat in the back, Zoey quickly claimed the passenger seat before I could.

"Nah I'm good." I glanced at my phone as a text came through.

From Wes,

Be nice! Karma is a bitch.

I rolled my eyes and sent back the hand giving him the bird emoji.

"From anyone special?" Hilary asks.

I flinch and look up to notice her watching me through the rear-view mirror.

"As if, just Wes." I snort.

"What's that loser up to anyway?" Zoey asks.

"You would know if you sat with us at lunch." I point out.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Butterscotch?" Hilary offered as we stopped at a red light.

"Don't mind if I do." I grabbed one out of her hand.

"No thanks, not a fan," Zoey said.

I saw Hilary frown at her but grab one for herself and put the other one back in her purse. She popped it into her mouth just as the light turned green. Hilary turned up the radio and one of my favorite songs came on, I was already nodding my head to the beat and mumbling the words under my breath when Zoey changed the station.

"Hey! You know I like that song." I pouted.

"Ugh, that song sucks. No offense." She flipped through the stations.

"Jerk." I pouted.

"Well I like that song too, and it's my car." Hilary slapped her hand away and changed it back.

"Ha! Two against one." I stuck my tongue out.

Hilary giggled.

Zoey gave me the stink eye.

I felt awful. I was trying to be cute in flirty with her but it was having the opposite effect. Maybe Wes was right, maybe I do suck at this.

We pulled up to my house just as LaShawn pulled up with my little half-sister Georgia. She's seven and goes to the same elementary school that LaShawn is a gym teacher at.

"Oh hey, Poppy, I didn't know you were having friends over," he says as I yank my bike out of the car.

"Whatever." I ignore him.

He's almost as annoying as Hilary.

"Poppy!" Georgia runs up to me and hugs me.

"Get off me," I snap at her.

She pouts but let's go.

"Aw, don't be sad little one. Want some candy?" Hilary kneeled down in front of her and offered her a butterscotch candy.

"Yeah!" Georgia cheered.

"Don't give the demon sugar, she'll be up all night," I complained.

"It's just one." Hilary handed it to her.

Georgia stuck her tongue out at me and ran inside, LaShawn not far behind her. I rolled my eyes at them.

"You should be nicer to your sister. You only get one family." Hilary said.

God, I hate her so much.

"If you knew how annoying they are, you'd be on my side here." I moved my bike to the side of the house.

She giggled.

Ugh, why does she giggle at every little thing? So freaking annoying. I led them upstairs to my room, Zoey took her usual spot on my bean bag. I sat on my bed. Hilary sat next to me even though there was a perfectly good desk chair up for grabs.

"So this is your room huh?"

"I know, not as impressive as your perfect room." It came out snapper than I meant it to.

"No! I like it, it's nice and homey. It definitely says this is Poppy's room." She had her hands out in front of her as is she was showing off something.

"What does that even mean?" I giggled.

She giggled too.

"Well, I think it means you should clean up more." Zoey got off the bean bag and sat on the bed next to Hilary.

I was feeling cramped so I got up and went to the desk chair, played it off as if I was just getting out my school work.

"Who has time for cleaning when you work?" I complained.

"Speaking of work, what are you going to do with all that money anyway? You've been working there a year and still haven't spent a dime."

"I'm saving up for a car obviously. Then College."

"Wow, what a great idea!" Hilary said.

"That's because I'm a responsible adult, unlike someone I know who keeps forgetting to get a raincoat." I teased.

Hilary giggled.

Zoey frowned at me.

Wow, I must really suck at this.

"Uh, I have to go to the bathroom Poppy can you show me the way?" Zoey asked.

I gave her a weird look. She's been to my house a million and one times, she knows where the bathroom is. She shot me a look that said, just do it.

"Sure..." I dragged out the word.

"I'll wait here." Hilary smiled at me.

I shrugged and got up to take Zoey to the bathroom.

"Uh, what's up?" I said once we were in the hall.

"What's up! You tell me." she shot at me.

"What?"

"Oh come on Poppy, since when are you and Hilary friends?" she asked.

"What? Since her party, which you lied to me about by the way. Also, what does that have to do with anything?"

"You're acting weird."

"I am not!"

"Are too, is this about this morning?"

I felt my cheeks warm up.

"Of course not!"

"I knew you would be weird about it. God. You think it's gross don't you, I saw you crying."

"I was not crying, that was the water from the rain."

"We were inside!"

"Zoey what is this about, just spit it out."

"Back off Hilary okay!" she snapped at me.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Okay... so what I can't be her friend just because you like her?" I asked.

She shrugged and avoided my gaze.

"Zoey I don't like her like that. Never in a million years will I like her like that."

She sighed and ran a hand down her face.

"I just... I want her to notice me," she mumbled.

"Maybe she doesn't like you like that. Maybe she's straight or maybe she's like Wes and is an ace. Heck for all we know she could have some long-distance boyfriend or something." I said, even though I knew it wasn't true.

She deflated a bit.

"Hey, it's okay. You're great just as you are." I grabbed her hand.

She yanked it free.

"You don't get it at all." She snapped at me.

"Zoey I—"

"Forget it Poppy," With that, she ran down the stairs and left.

"Zoey!" I called after her.

If it was Hilary's plan to get Zoey to hate me again, it worked. She's better than I thought. Well, two could play at this game. This was war, I would get Zoey to hate her if it's the last thing I do.

I walked back into my room and caught Hilary smelling my pillow.

"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked.

She yelped and dropped the pillow.

"Nothing!" she quickly said.

"Right... Anyway, Zoey's mad again and left. So It's just us." I sighed.

"Wait why is she mad?"

"I don't know, because she's Zoey! She's always getting mad at stupid stuff. Ugh!" I ranted.

"Well, that's her loss. She should really learn how to communicate her feelings more."

"I know! I am the one that always ends up apologizing. God, she's so ugh! She says I'm acting weird when she is the one acting weird! I didn't do anything, again! But she still got mad. All I said was she's great the way she is, and she got mad!"

"What! That sounds like a nice thing to say to someone."

"I know! You see!?"

"Well, I think she should have eaten a butterscotch."

I sighed.

"Come here." Hilary stood up.

I walked over to her and she grabbed my forearms in her hands.

"Here is a valuable life lesson I will share with you. Don't let other people affect the way you choose to live your life. If Zoey wants to be sad, then that's her, doesn't mean you have to be sad too. You are you and Zoey is Zoey. Don't let someone else dictate your happiness." She said.

"Wow, uh, okay. Great advice."

She smiled.

I found myself smiling back.

"Now! Just because Zoey left doesn't mean we can't study."

"Do we really have to study?" I pouted.

"Well, no. we can do whatever you want." Her cheeks flushed.

"Good cuz I'm starving. I sort of murdered my lunch earlier. Want to go get something to eat?"

"Sure!"

"Can you drive us?"

"Of course! Hehe," she tacked me in a hug.

"Uh Hilary, can't breathe," I said as she squeezed me tight.

"Oh sorry." She let go.