When I said how could this day possibly get worse? I meant that as a rhetorical question, not a fucking dare.

Dares are immature anyways.

Thanks to Rachel Amber, I now had a convenient green tea bullshit latte all over the front of my blouse. How could anyone just trip on their own feet? Out of nowhere? It was almost like she did it intentionally.

I almost growl as Kate Marsh steps in front of me, cutting off my much needed escape attempt to my dorm room and violating my personal bubble. Then I forced myself to stop, because who the fuck actually growls? I smile coldly instead, and Kate, naive as she is, beams back with a genuine smile.

"Hi Victoria!" She says brightly. "How was your day?"

"Tragically boring." I say in my best "go away" voice. "And I need to get to my room, if you will excuse me..." I gesture to the door she was blocking.

"Oh actually, Victoria, I wanted to talk to you about the video." I freeze.

"That... In that case... Come in." I reach into my clutch for keys and attempt to unlock the door.

"It helps if you slant the key towards the left." I shoot Kate an odd look over my shoulder but I try it and to my surprise, it works. I step into my room wishing that I'd cleaned it a little more this morning, Kate slipping in behind me.

"Welcome to my humble abode." I mutter. "Please, take a seat and make yourself at home." She actually seems to take the advice and sits on my small white sofa. I sit down on the other end, cursing how small my sofa was and how uncomfortably close I was sitting to Kate.

"I just came here to say thank you for taking the video down. That was nice of you." Kate smiles at me, and I shift uncomfortably on the sofa. Why else are you here?

"Yeah... I'm sorry for putting it up in the first place." She's about to say something more, but I cut her off. "I'm really sorry, okay? But... If you're here looking for a return favour, or blackmail, or something-" I have to stop and cringe at my own lameness. Good job, Chase. You were supposed to apologize without being bitchy. Kate smiles, oddly serene and (wow she does look like an angel when she smiles) that definitely means she has something up her sleeve.

"I suppose you could think of it as blackmail, but I'm also here to ask you to join me for tea on Saturday." I blink. What?

"I-I already have plans for Saturday." I counter. Lies. Kate giggles and suddenly the strong smell of cinnamon is washing over me, overwhelmingly, and my head's spinning (that smells really nice surprisingly) in panic. I can't sit in a nice little circle with all her friends when I'm the reason why her reputation is ruined. I can't sit there and bear the guilt. And why does she smell like cinnamon? Either she uses cinnamon shampoo or she's hiding a cinnamon bun in her ridiculously puffy hair. Kate clears her throat.

"Well, in that case, I do have to blackmail you." What? "You'll come to the tea meet on Saturday or..." She considers for a second, and her gaze alights upon something just over my shoulder. "I'll tell everyone at Blackwell that you collect anime figurines." I whirl around, snatching the case off my shelf but there's a blinding flash and Kate shows me the picture on her phone. Me, looking distraught and holding the cardboard box in both my hands, the figurine visible through the plastic viewing window.

"You can't do that, that's ridiculous..." I trail off because I realize that my voice is panicky and I'm still clutching the box like a lifeline. Swallowing nervously, I try to regain my composure and set the box down forcefully on the coffee table.

"Could you repeat what you said earlier?"

"Tea is at four thirty in my room." Kate stands up and opens the door, offering me a smile(did my stomach just lurch no that's ridiculous). "I'll see you on Saturday." She slips out.

And with that, I'm left with unanswered questions and the lingering scent of cinnamon.

I can't help but giggle once I'm out of the room. Victoria had looked so annoyed when I intercepted her, and her eyebrows were scrunched together in that adorable but also slightly intimidating way.

A stain is one way to do it, Rachel. I guess I owe you one.