Regina didn't go far after leaving the cafeteria. She ducked into a side exit, munching on a diet energy bar while spying on the scene inside.
In the center of the cafeteria, she saw Mike laughing and chatting with the other three members of "The Plastics."
"A bunch of bitches..." Regina gritted her teeth, cursing under her breath.
As the "Queen Bee" who had built The Plastics into the most popular clique in school, she was no dummy.
Now that she had calmed down, she realized something about today was fishy. The other three girls seemed to be targeting her on purpose.
Running through the events in her mind, Regina realized that Katie—who seemed the most innocent of the group—was definitely the ringleader behind all of this.
Whether it was intentional or not, Katie was at least half responsible for the state Regina was in now.
"Just you wait... once I lose this weight, you're all going to pay..." Regina was now holding a grudge against all three remaining members of The Plastics.
She was already plotting how she would pay back every ounce of humiliation she suffered today once she slimmed down and reclaimed her throne.
Slowly, as she chewed on the energy bar and felt the sweetness spread in her mouth, her agitation began to settle.
It had to be said: when you're feeling low, food is the ultimate comfort.
But suddenly, Regina stopped chewing.
It hit her—if Katie really had it out for her, then these diet bars she gave her were probably suspect, too.
She looked at the half-eaten bar in her hand, turning it over, ready to toss it in the trash.
But she stopped herself again.
Her eyes flickering with suspicion, Regina carefully wrapped up the remaining half of the bar and pocketed it.
She planned to investigate exactly what kind of "diet product" Katie had been feeding her.
Regina had a sinking feeling that these bars weren't as simple as Katie claimed. The real culprit behind her weight gain was likely right there in her pocket.
---
As time passed, the school lunch period came to an end.
"See you this afternoon, Mike," Katie said in a sweet voice, bidding him farewell as he stood up to leave.
Without the pressure of the "Queen Bee" hovering over her, Katie focused all her attention on Mike.
"See ya," Mike waved at Katie. He exchanged a subtle, flirtatious glance with Karen, then walked out with Lena.
Without the Queen Bee's interference, Mike had thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention during lunch.
"That Katie girl seems to really like you," Lena whispered as she walked side-by-side with Mike out of the cafeteria.
"What, you jealous?" Mike teased, stealing a quick touch.
"No," Lena shook her head, her voice dropping even lower. "You've been getting more... intense lately. Having a few sisters to share the burden might be a good thing..."
Seeing how understanding Lena was, Mike leaned into her ear and whispered, "You're the best. I'll be gentler next time..."
---
During the afternoon Mathletes study session, Mike noticed Katie's attitude toward him becoming increasingly eager.
The girl's burning gaze looked like she wanted to eat him alive.
"Mike, there are still some concepts I don't quite get. Could you come over to my place and tutor me?" When the session ended, Katie issued the invitation with a look of anticipation.
Then, she added in a whisper, "My parents aren't home today..."
Although Katie's parents had their own research institute now, they still took time occasionally to go on field trips to Africa.
"No problem. I love helping people," Mike agreed readily.
Katie was really blossoming. Ever since she learned how to do her makeup and dress up, her charm had skyrocketed.
It was time to make a move.
Shortly after, the two of them arrived at Katie's house.
"Have a seat. I'll get some snacks ready, and we can start studying after we eat," Katie said, taking charge of the evening's itinerary.
Clearly, before making her move, the girl needed a little time to psych herself up.
"Okay, you're the boss," Mike nodded, lounging on the sofa and watching the girl's blushing face.
Ten minutes later, Katie placed some deli meats and bread in front of Mike.
"Hang on, I'll go get you a glass of milk..." Katie said, then swayed her hips shyly as she headed back to the kitchen.
During that time, Katie hadn't just prepared food. She had also slipped into her room to change into something very "comfortable."
She already had an athletic, fit body. Now, she was wearing a tight-fitting white t-shirt and a pair of very short white shorts.
The simple outfit showcased her best assets perfectly.
She walked toward Mike carrying a glass of milk filled to the brim.
Just as she reached him, Katie seemed to trip over her own feet. With a gasp, she sent the milk flying into the air.
It happened so fast Mike didn't even have time to react.
"Ah!"
Along with the scream, the entire glass of milk poured perfectly onto Katie's own clothes. She covered her chest, wiggled a bit, and said shyly, "I'm so sorry! Let me go get cleaned up..."
With that, she blushed and ran into the bathroom.
"She's definitely not wearing a bra," Mike muttered, his eyes lighting up.
That glass of milk had soaked the front of her shirt completely, leaving nothing to the imagination.
Evidently, Katie was using all the tricks her friends Janis and Damian had taught her, but she had tweaked the execution.
Instead of spilling the drink on Mike, she had spilled it on herself.
Mike wasn't oblivious to a girl's signals. Hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom, he called home to let them know he wouldn't be back.
"Not coming home tonight? Did something happen, Mike?" Meemaw asked with concern on the other end of the line.
"Nothing's wrong, I'm just staying at a classmate's house..." Mike replied.
Just then, Katie's voice drifted out from the bathroom: "Mike, I forgot to bring fresh clothes! Can you go to my room and grab me a shirt?"
"Sure, I'm on it," Mike called back. He put the phone back to his ear. "Anyway, Meemaw, I gotta go. Bye."
"Wait a minute—I think I heard a girl's voice," Meemaw said, her tone turning gossipy. "Mike, this classmate you're staying with... it's a girl, isn't it?"
"Uh..." Mike was speechless. "I'm busy, I'll explain later."
"Use protection..."
As Mike hung up the phone, he could still hear Meemaw's teasing advice coming through the receiver.