Page 87 of The Ruthless Rivalry

Aubrey, on the other hand, was already deep in her bag, her hands moving with purpose as she rummaged through it.

“Got it,” she said, pulling out a bottle of bright pink hair dye with a triumphant smile. “Thank you, props department.”

With a quick, confident motion, she poured the entire bottle into the shampoo. I twisted the cap back on and gave it a good shake.

We resealed the box in perfect sync, like we’d done it a thousand times before.

“Mission accomplished,” I said, flashing her a grin and holding up my hand for a high-five.

Aubrey slapped it with a grin of her own. Just as we stepped back, the door creaked open, and the student who worked in the mail room poked their head inside.

“Times up,” they called.

Without missing a beat, we grabbed our things and casually place the box back where we’d found it, shooting the student a smile. Then we breezed around the counter and out of the mail office, mission complete.

“So how soon do you think it’ll be before we see him wandering around campus with neon-colored hair?”

Aubrey chuckled, clearly amused by the thought. “Whenever he finds the time for a student to fetch it for him, I guess.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “He’s going to look like a flamingo threw up on him.”

Aubrey burst into laughter. “He’s going to lose it.”

We both chuckle, the tension of the plan melting away, our little rebellion feeling more and more like a victory with every passing second. But just as our laughter died down, I heard a familiar voice calling my name.

“Alex!”

I whipped around to see Alfie charging toward us, his top hat bouncing, his face lit up with excitement.

“Guess the fun’s over,” I groan, though a smile tugs at the corner of my lips.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes fondly, but the truth was, despite his strange quirks and unpredictable nature, Alfie was starting to grow on me. He had a wild imagination, always concocting one plan after another, and half the time I couldn’t figure out if he was on my side or off in his own world. Still, when it came down to it, he was a good person. Maybe a little too much like a spinning top, unpredictable and always in motion, but I had to admit, he was growing on me the more I got to know him.

“What’s up, Alfie?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned, glancing over his shoulder as though he was checking for something. “Just finished with the board and spotted you two, so I figured I’d come share the good news.”

Aubrey and I had chosen the waterside path behind Altair’s main building, avoiding the more crowded courtyard of students at the front.

Alfie’s grin widened. “We got approved! Club Bedlam is the official host of the carnival this year!” He bounced excitedly on his toes.

“That’s amazing!” Aubrey beamed, clearly thrilled, while I barely reacted.Great?

I shifted my weight, unsure how to respond. Sure, it was big news for Club Bedlam, but I hadn’t exactly been looking forward to joining a school club in the first place.

“Aren’t you excited?” Alfie asked, turning his attention back on me.

I blinked, then forced a small smile. “Yeah, sure. Excited,” I said, though my tone lacked enthusiasm. I tried not to make it too obvious that I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.

“This is so awesome, Alfie!” Aubrey exclaimed.

Alfie’s eyes lit up more, his grin widening. “You have no idea how much I’ve been planning for this! The tent’s already up, but now it’s time to really take it up a notch!” He bounced on his toes, excitement practically spilling out of him. “I’m thinking animal-shaped balloons hanging from the rafters, amp up the stage right in the center. Custom games everywhere—ring toss, maybe even a fire element, just to add some drama, we could sell popcorn, cotton candy, maybe have a little photo booth set up in the corner…”

I nodded absentmindedly, half-listening as my gaze drifted to the top of the steps. Then I froze.

Standing casually and chatting with a couple of faculty members, were two people I hadn’t learned about until recently—my supposed grandparents. I blinked, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing.

My grandparents. I hadn’t known they were alive.

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