Students filed out of the gym as Rodney and Chelsea remained behind, assigned to clean up after the student-teacher volleyball match. With a score that had teetered on the edge until the final moments, the students' three-point victory meant Mr. Anderson would get a pie to the face at the year-end assembly. But for Rodney, the end of the game meant being alone with the one person he was trying to avoid at all costs, Chelsea.

  "Rodney?" Chelsea's voice broke the silence, as she piled some chairs by the wall.

  He glanced at her, but didn't stop sweeping. "Yeah?"

  "I just realized I don't think we have ever actually had a conversation, you know. Which is wild because Hunter nonstop talks about you,” The observation hung between them, it was clear to Rodney she was genuinely curious.

  Rodney could feel his palms start to sweat, he had really hoped they could clean the gym in silence. He didn't really want to say he had been avoiding her because the whole open relationship thing she had with Hunter was weird to him and he didn't understand it. “Oh yeah, I guess you're right. I’m just… bad at people, you know?” he managed, stopping his sweep.

  Chelsea nodded slowly, a soft smile gracing her lips. “I get it. But I’d like to get to know you better. I mean Hunter seems to like you and, sometimes, I feel so lost when it comes to him.”

  "Join the club, I don't know what he is thinking half the time," Rodney offered, knowing exactly how she was feeling. "It takes a lot to get Hunter to open up about anything, but he does do it when he is away from everyone else."

  "So like if I took him on a camping ship?" she asked, clearly thinking about the details. "I was thinking about planning one this summer."

  "Actually, Hunter’s not much of a camper," Rodney confessed, the guilt tightening its grip as he inadvertently found himself giving relationship advice to the girl his boyfriend was also dating. "But Niagara Falls... his family used to go every year. They stopped going two years ago but he still talks about it,"

  "Niagara Falls," Chelsea repeated, her face brightening. "That's perfect, my aunt lives there, we could stay there!" She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug, but Rodney couldn't bring himself to return it. "Thank you so much, Rodney."

  "Hey, no need to thank me." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm sure the two of you would have fun either way. We're almost done here, so why don't you head out, I can take care of the rest."

  As Chelsea collected her belongings, she threw him a look over her shoulder. "Thanks again, I love Hunter so much, I just want to make him happy you know." Then she was gone, leaving Rodney alone in the gym with his thoughts.

  Wheeling the stacked chairs back to the storage room, Rodney knew he couldn't shake the feeling off. He pulled out his phone, intending to text his mom, but Hunter came walking through the gym doors before he could.

  "Need a ride?" Hunter asked, leaning against the bleachers.

  "Where's Chelsea?" Rodney's gaze looked past Hunter, the words barely squeezing past his clenched jaw.

  "Home probably. She takes the bus," Hunter replied casually, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it over one shoulder.

  "Why didn't you offer her a ride?" Rodney probed, feeling guilty after the conversation he just had with her.

  "Cause I didn't feel like it," Hunter said simply, his hazel eyes locking onto Rodney's. "What's with the third degree?"

  "Chelsea cares about you. She said she loves you," Rodney blurted out, unable to hold in Chelsea's confession. "She's making summer plans, Hunter. It’s going to crush her when she finds out you care about me more."

  "Relax Rodney, she'll get over it," Hunter assured him, but Rodney began to see the cracks in Hunter's words.

  "Can't do it anymore," Rodney muttered, shaking his head. "Hunter you have to choose one of us. You're playing with our hearts, and I'm beginning to think she isn't exactly aware of your open relationship."

  Hunter's expression didn't waver. "I mean we never said we were exclusive but I need you Rodney," he insisted.

  "You need me? Hunter, you lied to me, again," Rodney's voice cracked. "You are cheating on her. I can't do that to her. She deserves better than that." He took a step back, his decision cementing with each heartbeat. "This ends now, Hunter. If you won't make the choice, then I will."

  With that, Rodney turned and walked away, leaving Hunter alone in the dim gymnasium. As he pushed through the doors into the cool night air, Rodney felt lighter, he didn't have to hide or feel guilty anymore, and he didn't need Hunter to feel loved.

  Rodney strode to the stop lights at the corner, pausing to wait for the walking signal. The lively chatter from a group of middle schoolers nearby distracted him from his own problems, he wished his biggest worry was whether or not his crush liked him back.

  "Hey, Rodney," Erica's voice caught him off guard, her tone unusually gentle. He glanced up to find her standing there with a tentative smile.

  "Hi, Erica." Rodney managed a weak nod, confused by this unexpected encounter. They hadn't exactly talked to each other recently outside the odd group project.

  "I heard about what happened... you know, earlier this year," she started, fiddling with the strap of her backpack. "Glad to see you are doing ok. I meant to check in earlier, I just didn't know what to say."

  Rodney offered a half-hearted shrug. "It's okay. Thanks for thinking of me, though."

  "Actually, I was wondering..." She bit her backpack strips tight before continuing. "Would you want to go out sometime? I feel really bad about about what happened,"

  Rodney knew he should have been flattered by the offer, but his heart wasn't in it. "That is a nice offer, really. But I just need some time alone right now. Just got out of something complicated," he said, hoping she'd understand.

  Her expression shifted, a shadow falling over her features. "Oh, I know about Hunter," she said, catching Rodney off guard. He felt the colour drain from his face.

  "How?" His voice barely rose above a whisper.

  "Let's just say I've become good at going unnoticed," Erica replied, a hint of pride lacing her words. "You learn a lot that way."

  Rodney's mind raced, terror gripping him at the thought of their secret being exposed. "Erica you can't tell anybody about that,"

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  "And I won't as long as you are dating me," she said, her voice steady. "No one needs to know you and Hunter are into each other. And yes I have photos to prove it."

  His stomach churned at the ultimatum. "Fine," Rodney conceded, feeling trapped. "You win."

  "Great!" Her smile returned as she bounced away, leaving Rodney terrified about the idea that photos of him and Hunter could be leaked at any moment.

  ---

  The Clock Tower restaurant hummed with the sound of clinking glasses and low conversation. Rodney sat across from Erica, his fingers tracing the condensation on his water glass. The light from the antique chandelier felt like a spotlight on him.

  Erica leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table. "Remember our first date here? Two years ago?" She sounded almost wistful.

  Rodney nodded, thinking back to that awkward night. His focus had been on Ally that night, he never thought Erica was actually into him. He also remembered how Erica seemed to enjoy ruining Ally and Matt's relationship a little too much.

  "Look, Erica," Rodney began, his voice firm despite the knot in his throat. "What exactly do you think is going to come from this? I mean you saw me with Hunter, so why do you think I would be into girls?"

  "Come on Rodney, you can't fake how into Ally you were. You've just been led down the wrong path," She explained. "I'm sure once you spend some time with me you'll realize just how much we are alike,"

  He hesitated, she was right about his feelings for Ally. "That's not how this works. You're blackmailing me," he crossed his arms. "I'm only here because you threatened to out me to the entire school. I don't want to date you."

  She didn't seem to care, leaning in closer. "You were the first person who ever really noticed me. I know you, probably better than you know yourself."

  "Erica," Rodney sighed, frustration seeping into his tone. "Can't we just be friends? I mean after everything you've done I think that is a good offer."

  She simply smiled, as if she had all the answers. "Trust my process. You'll realize how great we can be together."

  Rodney dropped his gaze to his untouched meal, the appetite he didn't have disappearing completely. Silence settled over them, heavy and uncomfortable, as he tried to think of a way out of this mess.

  ---

  Rodney felt Erica's fingers entwined with his, he fought the urge to pull away, not wanting to risk her wrath. The pulsing corridors of SDCI were abuzz with chatter and the slamming of lockers that morning. Rodney tried to guide Erica away from his friends' lockers but she dragged him forward.

  "Hey, what's this?" Derek called out, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Rodney and Erica together. He approached with a wide grin, his eyes flickering between the pair as he tried to read the situation.

  "Man, this is unexpected," Derek said, clapping Rodney on the back. "When exactly did this happen?"

  "It's pretty new," Rodney murmured, doing his best to act happy. He felt sick lying to Derek, but Erica was too close to tell him the truth.

  "Oh, maybe you can tell me all the details after school," Derek asked, catching the look of discomfort on Rodney's face.

  Erica tightened her grip on Rodney's hand, her dark eyes narrowing just enough for only Rodney to notice. "He won't have time after, Derek. We have plans,"

  "Sure, sure," Derek replied, though his brows furrowed with concern. "Just hit me up when you can, Rod. I wanna hear all about it."

  "Will do," Rodney managed to say before being tugged along by Erica, away from his friend.

  Once Derek was out of earshot, Erica's sweet smile melted into something more calculating. "You need to keep your distance from him," she whispered, her voice low and firm. "He's nosy. And if he tries to get between us, well things could end up coming out."

  "Right, of course," Rodney agreed, his stomach tying itself into a knot.

  ---

  The minutes crawled by until Rodney finally slipped into his seat for history class. With practiced stealth, he retrieved his phone and tapped out a quick message under the desk. Every vibration of the device against his leg was a reminder that Erica didn't control him, he had ways of talking to Derek without her knowing.

  'Meet me at my place after school. Need to talk.' he texted Derek. He held his breath, waiting for the reply.

  'Gotcha. See you then.' Derek's response was almost immediate, a small victory in Rodney's stormy day.

  ---

  "Are you sure she didn't follow you?" Rodney asked, peering through the blinds as Derek made his way up the front path.

  "Relax, man. Erica isn't some spy movie villain," Derek chuckled, shaking his head as they both checked behind the bushes lining the walkway.

  "Can't be too careful," Rodney said, ushering Derek inside.

  In the safety of Rodney's room, surrounded by familiar posters and the faint scent of worn books, Rodney spilled everything. Derek listened, his expression growing increasingly grave.

  "So, she's blackmailing you with these photos?" Derek asked, leaning forward, elbows on knees.

  "Basically," Rodney admitted, feeling the weight of the secret lift slightly as he shared it. "And I don't know what to do. She could out me and Hunter to the entire school..."

  "Maybe you can get her to delete them?" Derek suggested, tilting his head in though. "If she's as into you as she says she is, maybe you can convince her it would be a way for her to prove it,"

  "Erica won't give them up," Rodney interjected, looking down at his carpet. "She knows these photos are the only reason I'm playing along. Without them, she knows I'd bolt."

  Derek nodded slowly, as he tried to think of another solution. "It's a tough spot, Rod. But there is no way I'm going to let her out you."

  "Well if there was a way I could get to her phone without her noticing, I think I could delete them. But she is never away from her phone."

  "Well if she keeps them on the cloud then all we need is her laptop and password," Derek reasoned.

  "That's brilliant, I know for a fact she leaves her laptop in her locker at school," Rodney beamed actually seeing a way out.

  "Perfect, so all you need to do is figure out her password."

  "Right, I'm on it," Rodney smiled, making a plan to get the password and combination to Erica's locker and end this relationship once and for all,"

  ---

  Rodney spent the next week being the perfect boyfriend, a forced smile graced his face every time he was Erica, but she was never able to tell the difference. He even let her sit at his usual lunch table, with Matt, Madison and Jordan.

  "Hey, you," she cooed, linking her arm with his after lunch. "You were great during lunch today. So attentive."

  "Ah, well, I'm just happy you're happy," Rodney said, following her back to her locker. His gaze darted around the bustling hallway, as he tried not to make it too obvious that he was trying to memorize her locker combination. 32-18-27. The numbers seared into his mind alongside the thoughts of deleting the damning photos.

  "Such a charmer," Erica giggled, oblivious to what he was trying to do. She deposited her laptop into her locker, then spun to face him, a playful gleam in her dark eyes. "So, walking me home today?"

  "Of course," Rodney replied, mustering all the enthusiasm he could fake. "I am looking forward to it."

  As they walked side by side back to class, Rodney observed Erica with a careful eye, noting every time she swiped her password into her phone. She always did it so quickly that he barely had time to register it.

  "Rodney, you're being so sweet lately," Erica said, breaking into his focus. "I knew you would come around eventually."

  "You're right, I guess I didn't know just how great you were," Rodney said, trying to sound as honest as possible.

  "Speaking of which, can you hold my books for a second?" Erica asked, handing him a stack of textbooks. She rummaged through her bag, and Rodney watched keenly, wondering what she was digging for.

  "Sure, no problem," Rodney replied, his heart racing as he balanced the pile. Erica dug out a lip gloss from her bag, she quickly applied it as the bell rang, ensuring Rondye would be late for his class.

  "Thanks, you're a lifesaver," she beamed, reclaiming her belongings and leaving him to race to his own class.

  ---

  At home later, Rodney sat on the edge of his bed, his phone lying dormant in his hand. He replayed the day's interactions, wondering if he could guess the password on his own. Erica's trust was his ticket to freedom, yet it felt wrong to be lying to her like this. Suddenly his phone buzzed to life.

  "Hey, Rod," Derek's voice was clear over a video call. "Were you able to find out her password?"

  "Well, no..." Rodney admitted with a sigh. "But I did memorize her locker combo, so we can at least get to her computer."

  "Hey, that is one step closer," Derek offered a half smile. "Just hold in there."

  "Yeah, I just want this to be over," Rodney frowned, looking away from his camera. "I don't know how long I can keep pretending this is ok. It's killing me."

  "Hey, you know we are all here for you. And if she outs you, you know we're gonna fight for you," Derek reassured him, offering a virtual fist bump through the screen.

  "I know," Rodney muttered as he returned the gesture. "Tomorrow's another day, right?"

  "Right," Derek affirmed. "And if you want I can 'accidentally' spill something on her at lunch. Nothing that stains, just something that gets her off the table for a little while."

  "Thanks, Derek, but I think I'll be ok," Rodney assured him, a small smile graced his lips. "Talk to you tomorrow," he said as he ended the call, laughing to himself about Derek's suggestion. For now, he had to play the part, but hopefully, he would have everything he needed by the end of the week.