Plan B

Nathaniel pov:

"You were stalking me?" She asked, her voice trembling with fear.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.

"No, no, love. I was just pulling your leg. Do I look like a stalker to you?" I asked, trying to ease her nerves.

She looked at me skeptically, her eyes scanning my face for any signs of deception.

"Can't trust beautiful faces," she muttered, looking away.

I grinned at her playful jab. "So, you think I'm handsome?" I teased, hoping to lighten the mood.

She rolled her eyes, not falling for my charm.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have a brain," she said matter-of-factly.

I feigned offense, pretending to wipe away a tear.

"You are so rude," I whined, unable to hide my grin.

"Don't ever joke like that," she said sternly. "You know how scared I was when you said you are stalking me. How would a girl feel being in a car with a stalker?"

But I couldn't help but laugh at her adorable innocence. I promised to always look out for her and keep her safe.

Suddenly, she shouted, "LOOK AT THE ROAD! NOT MY FACE, IDIOT!"

I quickly refocused on driving, but couldn't resist sneaking glances at her beautiful face.

"I'm sorry, you are just so beautiful." I said, trying to hold back a smirk.

She rolled her eyes and called me a "pervert."

But I knew deep down that she liked the attention. As we continued our brief ride, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment being with her. I just want to cherish moments like this with her for as long as I can. Who knows what the future holds, but for now, I'll enjoy this ride with her.

We pulled up to her house, and she hopped out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride." She said.

"Anytime," I replied with a smile.

"Need a lift tomorrow morning?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I'll be good. But thanks for the offer."

"Alright, suit yourself," I said, playfully nudging her arm.

"See you at school, love." With a wink, I revved up my Jeep and drove off, feeling the thrill of the moment.

I was so happy that I went straight to the bar without even stopping by my house. Being at home would have just brought me down from my joyful mood.

I pushed my way through the crowded bar and ordered a drink. The day had been good for me, and I wanted to celebrate it with a cold one.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Grayson appeared next to me. "Hey, buddy," he said, flashing a friendly smile.

"What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I was with Caroline," I replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Grayson's expression changed, and he looked at me with concern.

"You're not getting your hopes up, are you? That girl's got more attitude than anyone I've ever met," He said.

I shrugged off his warning. "I know, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make her trust me."

Grayson took a sip of his drink and contemplated me. "Do you think she'll trust you if you're not completely honest with her? What about your past?"

I froze. My past was something I kept hidden from everyone. I knew if Caroline found out, she'd hate me.

"Look," Grayson said, sensing my hesitation. "If you're too soft on her, you'll lose her."

I knew he was right, but the thought of being hard on Caroline scared me more than anything. I took a deep breath and knew that I had to find a way to make things work.

"This is it. We have to start Plan B," he said, surprising me.

"Wait, already? Isn't it too soon?" I asked, feeling a little hesitant.

"Well, when is the right time, then? When she's dead?" he replied, rolling his eyes.

I sighed, knowing that he had a point.

"Alright, let's do this. But first, we need to find something against her," I said, trying to sound confident.

"I have an idea. Tomorrow is gym class, and Natasha and Caroline are in the same class," he said with a sly smirk.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Interesting. Let's give her a call, then."

"But remember, my sister must never find out about this. She cares about Caroline too much and will never let us get away with it," he said, looking serious. I nodded in agreement, knowing that we had to be careful.

I made a call to Natasha and asked her to meet us at the bar. After waiting for 15 minutes, she finally arrived.

"Are you kidding me? Did you really just call me here to discuss this?" she exclaimed, clearly annoyed.

Grayson, always the peacemaker, tried to calm her down.

"Relax, we just wanted to have a drink together," he said.

"Fine, but if I do this for you, I'm putting a camera in the washroom when she goes to change dress. And my name better not come up in this mess," she said sternly.

"Don't worry, we will keep you safe and I will never mention your name," I promised.

"But what about my freedom? Will I finally be free after this?" she asked, with a hint of doubt.

"Absolutely. You and your boyfriend can go anywhere you want once this is over," I assured her.

"Please, don't be too hard on Cece. She's a sensitive person. And just because I'm doing this doesn't mean she's not my friend," she said with a sad expression on her face.

"You only care about yourself, Natasha. You're selfish," he said.

"We all have to be selfish in this world to survive, Grayson," she replied.

Our gang was a motley crew of misfits, all of us driven by greed and a thirst for power. But Grayson and I were different. We had been friends since childhood, and we had each other's backs. And then there was Addison, the only one among us who was truly selfless. She only wanted freedom, and didn't care about our wealth. All of us were hiding dark secrets, and mystery shrouded our families.

Caroline pov:

As I stepped into the house, Linda's beaming face caught my attention.

"Who was that guy?" she asked me with a curious expression.

"Just a classmate who gave me a ride," I replied.

"It's alright, your secret is safe with me," she whispered with a sly grin.

"Linda, you've got it all wrong," I protested.

"Maybe my mind's too tangled up with spider webs to think clearly. Let me live in my little world," she chuckled.

"But Linda..." I started to say, before she cut me off.

"How was your first day?" Linda asked.

"Bad," I gasped, dramatically falling onto the sofa.

"Oh no, what happened? Do you want me to make you some cupcakes to make you feel better?"

I shook my head, "It's okay, Linda. I'll just go hang out in my room for a bit."

As I walked into my room, my mind was racing with multiple thoughts. How was I going to face everyone tomorrow? Would it be as bad as today? I hoped not.

As I was getting ready to hop into the shower, I suddenly heard a notification sound from my phone. I picked it up to find a message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey, it's Natasha. I hope you're feeling okay. Call me if you need company. And by the way, I got your number from the office at school.

Me: Thanks for checking on me, Nat.

It's only been a day, and I already have two great friends. I feel both lucky and unlucky at the same time. But I know that everything will be okay as long as I stay away from Nathaniel. He's just bad news for me.

Natasha: We can enjoy gym class tomorrow. Forget about today.

I couldn't help but smile as I read her message. She's trying so hard to motivate me. I have a feeling that we might become best friends in the future. With Natasha's words in mind, I grabbed my gym clothes from the closet and packed them in my bag.

I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over my skin. The tension in my muscles melted away, and I felt my mind starting to go numb. This was the one place where I could let go of all my worries, if only for a few minutes.

But life wasn't all about relaxation. I had to work hard if I wanted to get into my dream college, Columbia University. It was my mom's dream for me, and I didn't want to let her down. I had disappointed her enough in the past. And my dad? He had his own expectations, and I couldn't afford to fall short.

As I was getting out of the shower, I saw another message pop up on my phone. I was hoping it was from my Natasha, but it was my dad.

Dad: I arranged a blind date for you tomorrow. The guy is from your school. His name is Nathaniel Wilson. He will pick you up tomorrow evening.

I couldn't believe it. A blind date with Nathaniel? Over my dead body!