Page 38 of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

A hot, burning sensation filled my entire body with rage. "Jake would never…"

"How do you know what Jake would do? I've spent every day with him and Scott for years. You've talked to him how many times? I am telling you that he is using you and we're all having a good laugh about how badly you've fallen for it. You should try and have some self-respect. Stay away from Jake."

She stomped off, and I had the strongest urge to curl up in a ball on the floor and stay that way. It hurt to breathe.

But I wasn't going to let her beat me. I wouldn't lie down and die. She wouldn't win. I wouldn't start thinking about what she said and let her mess with my mind. I sent Ella an updated text to tell her what had happened.

She immediately responded with:

Evil wench! Three will be he'll to pay.

That made no sense.

What?

Her reply came quickly.

Stupid auto-correct! Hang on, we're almost there.

I kept tearing down posters, keeping them in a large stack. I didn't want to put them down for fear they'd blow all over the floor. A few minutes later Ella and Trent burst through the door and surveyed the situation. They quickly got to work without saying a word. Not only had Mercedes put them all over the hallway, but on every locker on the first floor. Trent ran upstairs to check things out there; but it was clean.

I had just pulled down the last picture when I heard a voice in the hallway. Jake. Ella ran over to me and grabbed the pictures out of my hand. "Give them to me. I know just what to do with them."

She ran off in the opposite direction and Trent went over to intercept Jake. I heard him say the announcement video was off. My first instinct was to follow after Ella and put as much distance between Jake and me as I possibly could.

I even started walking away when I made myself stop. A big part of me doubted Mercedes had just told me the truth. But why bother lying to me? Why would she go to all this trouble? I looked back at Jake and wondered if all of this had been one big con. If Jake had used my feelings for him to manipulate me. If he wanted to get back together with Ella. If he wanted to distract me to keep me from trying my hardest to win the election. I thought back to our first conversations—when he had wanted me to lie for him. When he'd wanted me to cheat for him. Who was to say anything had changed? Had I been taken in?

There was really only one way to find out.

I came up to them just as Trent said to Jake, "You'd better keep your stupid little friend Mercedes away from Mattie, understand?" Trent poked Jake in the chest with his index finger, as if to emphasize his point.

Jake looked confused. "What are you talking about? Mattie?"

I put on my poker face. "Nothing. Trent's just playing around."

"I'm not kidding, Mattie. If that girl comes after you again, I'm taking it out on him." I was pretty sure Jake could pound Trent into the ground, but I was touched by Trent standing up for me.

"I've got this," I told Trent. He gave Jake one last glare, and went to find Ella.

"Okay, I'm more than a little confused."

I wasn't about to explain to him what had just happened. Because either he was in on it with Mercedes, and I had no intention of crying on his shoulder while he enjoyed my pain, or he had no idea what Mercedes had done and if I told him, it would bring up the awkwardness of me having drawn the pictures, and I wasn't about to go there either.

"Don't worry about it. Um, I've finally finished thatPride & Prejudiceproject. Do you want to go to the library during lunch so I can show it to you?" The sooner I finished things between us, the better. I would never be able to objectively figure out if Jake was using me with him looking all hot and smelling so good and standing so close.

"Actually, I thought I might take you out for dinner to celebrate. I know this great place called Zooma Sushi over on the Pacific Coast Highway. Interested?"

Two days ago I would have thrown my arms around his neck and jumped up and down like I had in the kitchen with Ella. I would have told him a thousand times yes. Because for all intents and purposes, it definitely sounded like Jake Kingston was finally asking me, Mattie Lowe, out on a date.

Half an hour ago I would have been happy but reserved. I would have wondered whether he would bring up the pictures. I would have spent most of the night worrying and wondering when he would say something.

But now Mercedes had tainted it for me. I didn't know why he was asking me. If she had been lying and Jake really did just want to take me out because he liked me, or if this was part of some nefarious plan to use me to get what he wanted. But maybe meeting in a neutral place would make it easier to read him.

"Sure, I can meet you there. What time?"

"Oh," he looked surprised. "You don't want me to pick you up?"

Surprisingly enough, I think I finally had my fill of rides in Jake's car. "The speeches are tomorrow and I have a lot to work on, so it'd probably be better for me to just drive myself."

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