RYAN'S POV

As I sat through dinner, all I could think about was my phone call with Brad about Phase 2, with the occasional nod and laugh to seem like I was paying attention to whatever football story one of the quarterbacks was telling everyone at the table.

"Do you know of another time she's tried to drug someone?" He had asked.

"Not specifically, but there's no way I'd take any pills or tablets she'd try to give me." I replied with naive confidence.

"You have to think smarter than that Ryan. She will probably try to spike your food or drink so watch out for what you consume and be wary of anything she tries to offer you." Brad cautioned.

"Ask Kim, Luke and Alyssa to be on guard and keep a lookout, but at the same time don't make Ava suspicious that anything is going on. Kim should keep her preoccupied, and Rose's status as a bumblebee will allow her to slip over to your table with the excuse of wanting to greet her bumblebee 'friends'".

"Got it." I confirmed.

"This isn't going to be easy. And to be honest I'm worried for you."

"I am too. But at this point we don't have any other options..."

...

"Ryan I'm going to go get us some punch." Melissa broke me out of my thoughts as she suddenly got up, and touched my arm suggestively.

"Huh? No thank you, I'm actually not thirsty at the moment." I declined politely, immediately sensing that something was odd.

"No, I insist. Don't tell me I worked so hard to source a special recipe from a Michelin star restaurant and bar for nothing?" She attempted to joke casually, but in truth she had skilfully trapped me in a situation where I had no good reason to refuse her guised 'good' intentions in front of everyone who was now watching.

"Uh well then I guess I'll try some." I yielded reluctantly. Maybe I can pretend I'm allergic to one of the ingredients or something...

"Can you get me some too Melissa?" The Bumblebee sitting next to her asked, blissfully ignorant. Or maybe she was simply trying her luck.

"Um, can't you see I only have 2 hands? Get it yourself." Her true colours revealed themselves once more. I winced, but the Bumblebee just shrugged and went back to eating her food unphased.

I tried to observe what Melissa was doing at the punch table from out of the corner of my eye without making it too obvious.

It seemed like Rose had also been just as wary of a situation like this arising as I had; I saw her glide over from the other side of the gym just seconds after Melissa reached the refreshments table. But the biggest gamble was that I had no idea what she was thinking, or if Melissa was even planning on making her move right now.

She met Melissa and they exchanged a few words as they ladled out their punch. Melissa was keen to get back to our table, but Rose was tenacious. She hurried after her, her long skirts billowing around, and her small, suddenly skittish steps were an accident just waiting to happen.

As Melissa set down our drinks, I desperately looked to Rose for any kind of hint as to what was going on.

But I didn't expect her to pretend to trip and spill her punch all over Melissa's dress.

"Oh my gosh Melissa I'm so sorry!" Rose apologised, flustered as Melissa shrieked and everyone on the table tried to help by offering napkins or tissues. It was in that moment, while everyone was distracted, that Rose swiftly switched the two punch glasses in front of me and jerked her head towards the one she moved to Melissa's place at the table.

I took a closer look and saw the last of some kind of tablet fizzling out. In that instant I understood Melissa had made her play, and I wasted no time in quickly taking the non-spiked glass into my hand – safely of reach.

"Melissa are you ok?" I asked, joining in on the ruse of feigned concern.

"Of course I'm not! Do you have any idea how much this dress cost, I –" It was then that her eagle eyes zeroed in on the drink in my hand and she appeared to be immediately placated.

"Melissa is there anything I can do?" Rose asked hesitantly, drawing phase 2 of the plan to a close.

"It's fine. I'm fine, just go." Melissa replied dismissively to Rose who was more than happy to disappear from the scene.

Regaining her composure, Melissa lifted her glass and gave me one final self-satisfactory glance before she suddenly decided to propose a toast.
"To our senior year and new opportunities, may each and every one of us finally get what we deserve."

Everyone raised their glasses and downed the contents of their drinks in one gulp, Melissa included.

I let out a huge sigh of relief which was barely audible while the rest of the table cheered. We had successfully carried out Phase 2 and Melissa was literally going to get a taste of her own medicine for once.

But the night wasn't over yet, and I still had to play the part of being innocent in all of this.

The MC announced that it was time for the slow dance, and my heart gave a bruised and battered throb as I stole a glance at Ava; Just what the heck was Tanner doing coming to prom as her date, and why did she seem so happy about it?

I turned around to see Melissa had been glaring over my shoulder at the pair as well, her gaze focused directly on Tanner.

"Ryan let's go." She barked, abruptly grabbing my wrist and pulling me to the dance floor. We swayed awkwardly to what would have been a lovely song if I'd been dancing with literally anyone other than Melissa Proud.

I heard familiar peals of warm laughter nearby. And as Melissa stiffened and dug her nails into me, my suspicions were confirmed. Ava was dancing with Tanner and laughing loudly and genuinely at whatever he was whispering in her ear.

The muscles of my abdomen grew taut as I felt the urge to go over to them and punch him again, but I resisted.

The song drew to a close, and Melissa grabbed my wrist again and yanked me back to the table.

As we sat back down she had a peculiar expression on her face before she shook her head and pulled out a small flask from her handbag and took a long swig.

Was that alcohol?

"Are you feeling ok Melissa?" I asked uncertainly. We may have turned the tables on her but I didn't want her to be seriously ill.

"Is it starting to get hot in here or is it just me?" she asked, using her hands to fan herself.

"Well, it is a little stuffy." I supposed, eyeing her with confusion.

Melissa's breathing started to get a little heavier as she continued to fan herself and took another swallow of that unidentified liquid.

"Are you feeling unwell?" I asked again, this time with genuine concern.

"I feel fine, better than fine actually." She began giggling wickedly. "I feel really good."

"So, Ryan tell me did you like the punch we had earlier?" She purred.

I was beginning to become uncomfortable now; clearly something had triggered her while we were on the dancefloor. I turned around and searched for Ava and Tanner, but Ava had disappeared from view and Tanner was sitting back at their table again.

"Um yeah it was pretty good punch" I answered awkwardly, not sure how to respond to the fact that she'd started rubbing my thigh with her hand suggestively.

Oh crap.

"Ryan if she tries any funny business just endure it for a moment. If you set her back too harshly too quickly she might retaliate and become immediately suspicious." Brad's words flowed through my mind as I panicked and tried to think of how to escape smoothly.

I fought against the shudders of disgust I felt as she leaned in closer. Her hands trailed up my torso and her fingers played with my bowtie flirtatiously.

"Forget about her Ryan, you need someone who's on the same level as you." She whispered suggestively. "Someone with maturity and class who doesn't just hook up with anyone, unlike some people over there, would know how to show you a way better time. After all, quality is better than the quantity she's probably been with."

I grasped her wrists tightly, stopping her assault. What she'd just insinuated about Ava filled me with rage and I glared at her dead on. Whether it was that drug, or the alcohol I could smell on her breath, Melissa wasn't thinking straight, and she must have mistaken my actions and speechless state as a response of passion.

"That's right," She encouraged as she boldly slid onto my lap forced me to battle all of the neurons in my brain telling me to shove her off immediately. "I knew deep down you were attracted to me. I'll admit I was suspicious in the beginning, but you've been stuck to my side like glue ever since the competition, and I know you've been dying to ask me to the Manning-Davenport gala."

Although it was dark and almost everyone was on the dancefloor wrapped up in their own worlds, I was acutely aware that some people were starting to notice us, but Melissa didn't seem to care.
She paused briefly to peer over my shoulder in the direction of the table my friends (and Tanner) were on, and her lips stretched into a smirk before bringing her face down closer and making eye contact with me.

I couldn't bear to look into those cold snake-like eyes of hers, so I shut my own tightly and angled my head away slightly, racking my brains to find a way of getting out of this situation before I sent her flying.

But once again she misinterpreted my actions.

"You don't have to be so shy with me Ryan." She whispered airily as she grabbed my face with both hands and crushed her lips to mine in a cherry lipgloss-flavoured kiss of death.

My eyes shot open and I gripped her arms in protest but to no avail. She would not let go.

This was SO not part of the plan AT ALL.

How do I make her stop? She's hanging on like a boa constrictor.

This is crazy I can't break free??

Somebody help me!!

Everything that happened in the next few seconds only exists as a blur in my memory.
One moment I think I'm going to pass out. The next? Melissa is abruptly ripped off me by her hair with an almost inhuman level of strength coming from my saviour.

My gaze searched for the one who had help me escape but the second it locked with hers, I was on the receiving end of a glare so deadly I felt the blood drain from my face.

Melissa's hair was one giant tangled mess as she bent over shrieking, and she clawed desperately at the hand that still held her firmly at its mercy.

"Who's the skank now you BITCH!?" My 'saviour' roared.

"Get OFF ME!" Melissa retaliated as she lunged forward and attempted to tackle her to the ground.

My heart jumped as she lost her balance, but she somehow managed to flip over and change the direction of momentum entirely; sending Melissa down instead – with one or two hair extensions less.

She whipped back around less than a second later in a whirlwind of chaos. With her turbulent gaze set on me, she was like a raging storm...and I was the next victim in her path.

I gulped as she wordlessly grasped my wrist and dragged me out of my chair, almost running after her as she hauled me unceremoniously towards the back exit.

Oh I'm in trouble now...

**************************************************
Enjoy <3 

You can hate me a little for taking so long, but I don't want to give you guys something of a quality that's below standard for me :(
Even now I wish I could edit and re-write so much of this story.

But we're nearly there guys, I promise it'll be worth the wait!
Take care,
Cerise xx :)