Reputation
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PHASE ONE
Simple is a word that’s been coming up quite frequently. Weston used it last night to explain the plan. I used it when I wanted to get Weston to help me break up Jackson and Kristina. But one thing I’m beginning to find out as these plans continue is that they are anything but simple.
I walk into the locker room, cringing slightly as I hear the water from the shower run. I planned on a lot of things happening during Weston’s operation, but sneaking into a locker room while Jackson’s showering is not something I’m prepared to do. Not at all.
I hold on tight to the small, white bag in my hands, walking up to the red locker number 182. I keep my feet soft, so my steps aren’t too loud against the cold concrete floor. I start to spin the code onto the lock, a code that I’m all-too-familiar with, before the locker opens for me. I grab his gym clothes and normal clothes, pushing them in the white bag with a smirk on my face. Weston’s been rubbing off on me seriously. I replace his original clothes with a pair of ‘Wombat’ shorts and a pink tank top. And to make it better, they’re both in his size.
And with that, I exit the locker room, silently awaiting the moment when Phase One of Reputation kick starts into action, and Jackson is made to look like the fool he’s always been.
By this time, Jackson is probably scrambling for his clothes, but he should be realizing that the only way he can exit is if he puts on the clothes left in his locker. Any moment now, and he’ll be desperately running to the lost and found, looking for a replacement. Unfortunately for him, the lost and found is halfway down the hall, which gives a good amount of time for Weston to fulfill his part of the plan.
At exactly 10:48, I can hear Weston’s voice ring merrily down the hallway. There are other voices too, and by the sound of it, he might’ve gotten a good amount of the team to follow. I go inside an empty classroom to keep myself out of sight, but I keep my ear pressed to the way, so that I can hear what they’re saying.
“So yeah, I was walking by the locker rooms, and it sounded like Armageddon was going on in there.” Weston says.
“I bet it was those Wombats. You know, the basketball players from Stratford Prep. They know we’re playing them in a couple of weeks and they’re trying to intimidate us.” A guy named Ryan speaks up.
“I believe it was a girl. I saw someone in a pair of shorts that read the word ‘Wombat’ on the back.” Weston replies, and I try to stifle my laugh.
“Of course. You can’t ever trust a Stratford girl.” Another guy says, and I hear some others agree, as they near the locker room.
And just as we had hoped, Jackson steps out of the locker room at that very moment, panic covering his face. He’s shirtless, probably opting out to wear the tank-top in order to have some semblance of dignity left, but he’s wearing the shorts. And apparently that was more than enough for his audience.
At the perfect time, Weston says, “Oops, my mistake. That wasn’t a girl. That was Jackson.”
I’m expecting the guys to burst out into laughter, because I sure feel like I will any second now. But their faces are serious, probably because of the giant Wombat symbol that’s on the side of the shorts.
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Strictly Business
Teen Fiction"It's so simple," I say. "All we have to do is pretend we're in love with each other. You know, hold hands, share Eskimo kisses and all that crap. And at the same time, we'll destroy Jackson and Kristina's relationship. Make them think that thei...
