Chapter 4: The Peanut Sauce Revenge

Tara's POV

I stared at my phone screen, watching the comments on that humiliating post multiply by the hour. Each notification felt like a knife in my stomach. 

The fake newspaper article had been bad enough, but seeing my mortification spread across every social media platform was unbearable. 

"That's it," I muttered, slamming my phone face down on my desk. "They want to play dirty? Fine. I'll show them dirty."

I spent the entire day researching, planning, and plotting my next revenge. The twins had their hockey practice every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4 PM. They were obsessive about their pre-game routine, always drinking from their personalized water bottle exactly thirty minutes before practice.  

That's when inspiration struck.

I remembered overhearing Zoey's older brother talking about the twins' allergy to peanuts, which will be the perfect bait for me. 

The plan was perfect. A few drops of peanut in their water bottles would have them running off the field within minutes. Public humiliation, just like they'd done to me, but ten times worse because it would be in front of their teammates and coach.

There was just one problem: I needed access to their gym locker room, but it would be hard because the space is always locked. 

I stood up, wandering around, maybe I’d see someone who could help, and that’s when my eyes shot to Cade. 

He was at his usual spot by the vending machines, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world.

"I need a favor," I said without preamble, stepping closer.

He looked up at me with tired eyes. "If this is about the twins, I'm not getting involved." He muttered tiredly. 

"You're already involved. You helped them put fish inside my bag last week, didn’t you?"

His face went pale. "I didn't…” 

"Don't lie to me, Cade. I know you did literally everything they asked you to do, and you won’t want them to know you are a…"

"What do you want?" He shut me up before I could land. But after all, I don’t really know what to say next. Perfect bait indeed. 

"I need you to get me into the boys' locker room at the practice space tomorrow before practice. Just for five minutes."

"Are you insane? If Coach catches us….” 

"He won't. Practice doesn't start until four. The locker room will be empty at three-thirty."

Cade shook his head frantically. "I can't. If the twins find out I helped you….” 

"What exactly do they have on you?" I pressed. "Because whatever it is, I guarantee it's not worse than what I have on you." Lies. 

“Okay. Tomorrow.” 

---

The next morning, I waited by the side entrance with a small bottle of peanut hidden in my jacket pocket. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone could hear it. 

Cade appeared exactly at 3:25, looking like he was going to be sick.

"This is a terrible idea," he whispered as he used his key card to let us in. "Coach will kill us if he finds out."

"Then don't get caught," I said, following him down the hallway.

The locker room smelled like sweat and disinfectant. I found Xavier’s locker first, then Jasper’s, both clearly labeled with their names and numbers. Their water bottles sat on the bench in front of their lockers, exactly as I’d hoped. 

"Keep watching," I told Cade, pulling out the peanut bottle.

My hands were shaking as I unscrewed the cap on Xavier’s bottle. Just a few drops. It’s just to cause them embarrassment, not hurt. 

I was reaching for Jasper's bottle when I heard slow clapping behind me.

"Bravo, Tara. Really excellent work."

I spun around to find both twins standing in the doorway, still in their regular clothes, watching me with identical expressions of amusement.

"How did you…” I started.

"Did you really think we wouldn't notice Cade acting weird all day yesterday? Such a joke," Xavier said, stepping into the locker room. 

Jasper moved to block the other exit. "We heard every word of your little blackmail session yesterday. You're not nearly as sneaky as you think you are."

I looked at Cade, who was pressed against the wall, looking like he wanted to disappear. "You told them?"

"I had to," he said miserably. "I'm sorry, Tara. I couldn't….” 

"He didn't have a choice," Xavier said coldly. "Just like you don't have a choice now."

I gripped the peanut bottle tighter. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Jasper said, his voice dangerously quiet, "that you just crossed a line you can't uncross. Putting peanuts in our bottle? Knowing fully well we were allergic to it? That's not a prank, Tara. That's assault."

"You humiliated me in front of the entire school!"

"With paint and a fake newspaper article," Xavier shot back. "Embarrassing, sure, but harmless. This?" He gestured to the bottle in my hand. "This could have serious consequences. What if one of us had a bad reaction? What if we ended up in the hospital?"

The weight of what I'd almost done hit me like a truck. They were right. I had crossed a line, a big one.

"I... I wasn't thinking clearly," I said quietly.

"And you just draw a big line, Tara,” Jasper muttered. 

I spent the rest of the day in a haze of guilt and shame. I avoided my friends, avoided the twins, avoided pretty much everyone. What I'd almost done kept replaying in my head on an endless loop.

“Tara.” I heard Zoey’s voice, I raised my head to see her standing at the door. Jane beside her. 

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, and they exchanged meaningful look before stepping closer. 

"Sorry for what?" Zoey asked carefully.

“I… I… I almost poisoned the twins…” My voice skipped. 

“But you didn’t.” Jane cupped my face. “Rumors had circulated through the school.”

“But we are trying to shut them up because you didn’t do anything. It was just an attempt.” 

"A person who was hurt and angry and made a bad decision," Jane said gently. "But you didn't go through with it. That has to count for something."

"Does it? I would have if they hadn't caught me."

"But they did catch you," Zoey pointed out.