A/N: I just want to thank everyone again who reads this story and takes the time to review it! Also any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated; I'd like to know how to improve my writing! Please tell me what you think, particularly about this chapter because I feel like I went a bit all over the place with this one. I am still fairly new to the fanfic writing process and would love some pointers!
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"So, was the party really that bad?" Aram asks Lizzie Monday morning as they walk to the cafeteria for lunch.
"Believe me, it was a disaster." Lizzie shudders as she remembers the events from Saturday night. "Audrey Bidwell wants me dead. Promise me you won't go to any of those parties ever, Aram."
Aram shakes his head, disheartened. "I promise, because I probably won't ever be invited to a party like that."
Lizzie pats his shoulder sympathetically. "You're not missing out."
Aram nods, unconvinced, but then lightens up and says, "Did you get to talk to Samar Navabi?"
Lizzie nods. "Yeah, and she even gave me a makeover."
She motions to the skinny jeans and colourful top she is wearing.
Aram briefly looks at Lizzie up and down, then nods in approval. "Even being a guy who cares nothing about his appearance, I can tell it wasn't you who picked out your wardrobe today. This is like the first time you haven't worn a flannel shirt on a Monday."
Lizzie elbows him playfully. "Shut up."
"I'm just saying, maybe even Don will notice, if he hasn't already. I mean, you got to admit it to yourself, Lizzie. You've fallen for him."
Lizzie blushes as they enter the cafeteria. "I don't know. He was the only good thing that happened on Saturday."
Aram raises his eyebrows knowingly, but before he can respond, some random guy on the football team grins at Lizzie as walks by with his friends and says "Lizzie, you're awesome."
Both Lizzie and Aram stare after him in surprise, as more and more people greet Lizzie and offer more greetings and high-fives.
"Aram," Lizzie says, feeling awkward all of a sudden. "Why are people being so nice to me?"
Aram looks around with caution. "I'm not quite sure, but I think it has something to do with your new look and Don Ressler."
Just then, a few of the AV club members walk by with a gigantic poster reading Vote Lizzie Scott For Your 2015 Prom Queen!
Lizzie freezes. She never wanted to be nominated for Prom Queen!
"Hey guys," Lizzie interrupts, catching up to them. "What exactly are you doing?"
Jenny, a sophomore from the AV club, looks up as she watches the others position the poster on the wall of the cafeteria. "Oh, congratulations, Lizzie! You didn't hear? You've been nominated for prom queen! We always knew it'd be you! We're helping you run your campaign, if you don't mind. We can't let you lose to Audrey Bidwell. You've got our votes!"
Lizzie opens her mouth to protest, but Jenny quickly runs to help the others as the poster starts to peel off the wall and almost falls on someone's head.
She's up against Audrey?
This is going to be bad, Lizzie thinks. Really bad.
Aram walks up to Lizzie, as perplexed as she is.
"Aram," she says slowly, her knees starting to give way. "I can't be prom queen."
"What are you going to do?" Aram asks apprehensively.
Lizzie just shrugs, her face blank. "I don't know. I'm so screwed."
...
Meanwhile Pete was having a field day with all the Lizzie Scott Prom Queen hype.
"Dude, I have to say I'm impressed." he says, following Don out of his classroom. "Your plan actually worked, I mean you got Lizzie Scott to be nominated for prom queen, so you're halfway there to beating me."
Don rolls his eyes. "Can you give it a rest, Pete? That's all you've been talking about for the past few days."
"I'm just saying. I think this actually might work for you. This whole bet thing, after all, was for you to get over Audrey, and from what I heard went down between you and Lizzie at my house Saturday night, it's working.
Don can't help but grin. "I don't know, Lizzie didn't seem to enjoy that party all too much. I'm sure you heard about what Audrey did."
"Trust me, I did." Pete shudders. "Didn't know Audrey could be that brutal. You talked to Lizzie about it yet?"
Don shakes his head grimly. "I haven't got a chance yet since Saturday night since I dropped her off. The whole car ride was just. . . silent."
Pete laughs good-naturedly. "Man, this girl is making you giddy. I really wasn't expecting that from Don Ressler, tough quarterback and known womanizer."
"Shut up, Pete." Don says, passing a random sophomore who gave him a high-five. "And who are you calling a womanizer? Didn't you take out three girls in total last week?"
"And counting. Hell, I even managed to land Sarah on a first date. Can you believe that? Sarah Collins! On a freaking first date!"
Don scoffs, although he's smiling. He's glad that Pete isn't all too caught up in the bet as he was before.
(Although he'll admit, he does care a little bit about the money.)
"We're going out to that Italian restaurant tonight, that one downtown that just opened a few weeks ago. You want to tag along, be a third-wheeler?" Pete offers as he winks at a group of giggling cheerleaders before they head off to football practice.
Don shakes his head. "I'll pass."
Besides, he's got other plans.
He has a certain someone he wants to ask out to prom.
…
Lizzie had just finished her lunch and was cleaning up in the washroom, planning to head to the academic decathlon meeting when she hears a familiar voice let out a inelegant sob.
Audrey.
Lizzie quickly runs into one of the stalls and locks the door, hoping that she doesn't have to have yet another encounter with the devil herself.
"He dumped me! He actually dumped me!" Audrey sobs into her tissue, blowing her nose gracelessly. "Michael Williams. Why did I even date that idiot?"
From the little gap in the stall, Lizzie can make out two other figures; Samar and Sarah.
"Maybe because you wanted to make Don Ressler jealous after you dumped him." Samar says humorlessly, and Lizzie stifles a giggle.
Audrey glares back at her and ignores this. "You know what Michael said when I asked why? 'I'm too cool for you.' Like, what the actual hell?"
Sarah rubs Audrey's back sympathetically, while Samar isn't having any of it as she leans back against the wall, arms crossed.
"You know what, Aud?" Sarah says brightly, attempting to put her arm around Audrey but she roughly shrugs her off. "You're totally better off without him."
Audrey manages a smile. "Thanks, you guys are the best. Besides, there's someone new I've definitely got my eye on."
"Ooh! Who?" Sarah prods, intrigued.
Audrey pauses for effect, clearly over her brief mourning state, then finishes, "I think I'm ready to get back together with Don."
Behind the stall door, Lizzie's eyes widen as Sarah stupidly points out, "But he's not new!"
She wants Don back.
"Have you considered what Don would think for a change?" Samar's cold voice jolts Lizzie out of her thoughts. "Like after you dumped him and shoved all your 'dating' in his face, and then now you want him back? Have you even considered that maybe even he has moved on?"
Lizzie smiles a bit, glad that Samar had come to her defence, remembering how nice she had been and how knowing her looks were that night when she had given the infamous makeover.
Audrey gasps, as if she is offended. "Please tell me you're kidding, Samar. Donnie's totally still in love with me. Oh, no, don't tell me now that he's in love with that Lizzie girl. Why is he even associating with her?"
Lizzie withholds a breath.
Audrey waits for a response from either Samar or Sarah, but neither of them speak up, so she shrugs and quickly re-applies her makeup.
"Whatever. Donnie and I will get back together, and we will win prom court. This place sucks, why are we even in here? Let's go."
Lizzie hears Audrey and the other two leave the washroom, Samar grumbling to herself on her way out, and soon it is just Lizzie left alone.
She finally allows herself to exit the stall and heads to the academic decathlon meeting, but she can't help but feel curious of what will become of Don and Audrey.
…
For some reason lately Tom has decided to show up at almost every football practice, and Don had a feeling it was solely so Tom could annoy him even more.
Don was already feeling detached and distracted from the team, partially because lately he's been trying to improve his marks, but mostly because of Lizzie and that damn bet.
Clearly Tom noticed, because he called out every single bad play Don made during the whole practice.
But little did Don know it was going to be far worse in the locker rooms.
"So, Don." he says, smirking as Don finishes changing after his shower. "I hate to say it, buddy, but today, you sucked."
Don closes his eyes and purses his lips, saying sarcastically, "Thanks, Tom. I really didn't know."
He isn't in the mood for Tom's usual snark today, he already has a lot on his mind.
But Tom just keeps on going as he dries his hair with a towel, still wearing that stupid smirk. "So you gonna make a move on her soon or not?"
Don whirls around, but Tom just shrugs. "It's obvious you want her. Everyone can tell. She's already nominated for prom queen, just go get her."
"Thanks, but no thanks. You know, I don't remember asking for your opinion." Don snaps. The way Tom is acting is clearly juvenile and Don's trying his best to block it all out.
Tom ignores this, and keeps on going. "Well if you're not planning on claiming her, you wouldn't mind if I did?"
"What?" He now has Don's full attention.
"She's hot, we all know that now if we didn't before, so is it wrong if I make a move?"
"Don't you dare do anything to her, you son of a-" Don yells, but is abruptly cut off by Tom shoving him into the lockers as the others gather around them.
"You're only saying that because you want her even more, but you know you can never win when it's down to you and me!" Tom retorts aggressively. "Just admit it, admit something for once!
Don swiftly shoves back even harder, making Tom fall over and is about to punch him again until Pete rushes up to him and physically pushes him away from Tom.
"You stay away from her!" Don shouts angrily, picking up his bag and walking away.
"You know, Ressler, you may think that you rule the school now, but I swear, you're going to lose this bet and be the biggest loser this whole freaking school has ever seen!" Tom hollers back at him.
But Don just keeps walking, feeling the eyes of every single person in the locker room follow him out.
This is going to end the right way, Don knows it.
And Tom's not going to win this one.
...