The Queen Maker

The Mean Girl Challenge

I should have deleted the message.

Instead, I spent the entire night staring at it.

You want to take Fey down?

Who was this person?

And more importantly, how did they know I wanted to take Fey down?

I barely slept.

By morning, I had already convinced myself that it was probably some stupid prank.

Still, the moment I walked through the school gates, I found myself looking around.

“Rielle!”

I turned and saw Maeve running toward me.

“You look terrible.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“I’m serious. Did you sleep at all?”

“Not really.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

I forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

Before she could question me again, my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out.

Behind the old gym. Lunch. Come alone.

My stomach flipped.

Maeve noticed my expression.

“Who texted you?”

“No one.”

“Rielle.”

“I have to go to class.”

I hurried away before she could stop me.

I spent the morning trying to concentrate, but my mind kept returning to the message.

At lunch, I stood outside the old gym, wondering if I had completely lost my mind.

Then I heard footsteps.

I turned.

Drew was walking toward me.

My heart stopped.

“You?”

He stopped a few feet away.

“You came.”

I stared at him.

“You’re the person who messaged me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Because I heard what happened yesterday.”

“You mean Fey?”

“Fey, your film club, the gossip, everything.”

I folded my arms.

“And what exactly do you want from me?”

“To help you.”

I laughed.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

“I know you’re tired of Fey.”

I said nothing.

“And I know you’re not going to beat her by getting into arguments with her in the hallway.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

Drew looked around before lowering his voice.

“Become someone she can’t ignore.”

I frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you stop trying to survive her popularity and start building your own.”

He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

I opened it.

At the top, written in bold letters, were three words.

THE MEAN GIRL CHALLENGE.

I looked at him.

“What is this?”

“A plan.”

I read the first few lines.

Change your image.

Build a squad.

Become popular.

Take control of the school’s social scene.

I looked up.

“You’ve actually planned all of this?”

“For a while.”

“Why?”

His expression changed.

For the first time, he didn’t look amused.

“That’s not something I want to talk about.”

“Then why should I trust you?”

“You shouldn’t.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“You shouldn’t trust me just because I handed you a piece of paper. I’m giving you a choice.”

I looked back at the list.

“Why me?”

“Because Fey doesn’t know what to expect from you.”

“She knows I’m a nobody.”

“Exactly.”

I looked at him.

Drew stepped closer.

“You don’t have a reputation to protect. You can build a new one.”

I shook my head.

“This sounds crazy.”

“It is.”

“Then why would I do it?”

“Because you’re already fighting her.”

He pointed toward the school.

“And right now, she’s winning.”

That hurt because it was true.

Drew continued.

“First step is your image.”

“My image?”

“You’re going to change the way people see you.”

“I don’t want to become fake.”

“You don’t have to.”

He looked at me seriously.

“You just have to stop hiding.”

I looked down at the paper again.

“What happens after the makeover?”

“You build your own squad.”

“And then?”

“You become popular enough that Fey can’t touch you without everyone noticing.”

I smiled slightly.

“And what’s your part in all this?”

“I’ll help you.”

“Why?”

“Because I want Fey gone too.”

There was something behind his eyes.

Something he wasn’t telling me.

Before I could ask, the bell rang.

Drew took the paper back.

“Think about it.”

“Wait.”

He turned.

“If I agree, what’s the catch?”

He smiled.

“You’ll have to trust me.”

Then he walked away.

I stood there for a moment.

“Great,” I muttered.

I was considering trusting the most unpredictable boy in school.

What could possibly go wrong?

When I returned to the cafeteria, Maeve was waiting.

“Where were you?”

“I had something to do.”

“With Drew?”

I froze.

“How did you know?”

“Because half the school saw you walking toward the old gym with him.”

I groaned.

“Of course they did.”

Maeve leaned closer.

“What’s going on?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Her expression fell.

“Why not?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Rielle, I’m your best friend.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you keeping secrets from me?”

I didn’t have an answer.

Before I could say anything, a loud cheer came from across the cafeteria.

Fey had entered. Everyone turned toward her. She smiled like she owned the place.

Then her eyes landed on me.

Her smile disappeared.

She walked straight toward our table.

“Rielle.”

I looked up.

“What?”

“I heard you’ve been spending time with Drew.”

I shrugged.

“Maybe I have.”

Her face tightened.

“Why?”

“Do I need permission?”

A few students nearby laughed.

Fey clearly didn’t like that.

“You think you’re funny now?”

“No. I think you’re asking too many questions.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You really want to play this game?”

I smiled.

“Maybe.”

She leaned closer.

“Be careful what you wish for.”

Then she walked away.

Maeve stared after her.

“What did you just do?”

I looked down at my lunch.

“I think I made an enemy.”

“You already had one.”

“Fair point.”

That afternoon, I went home and stood in front of my mirror.

For years, I had dressed the way I thought people expected me to.

Simple clothes. Simple hair. Nothing that attracted attention.

I looked at myself.

Then I remembered Drew’s words.

Stop hiding.

I opened my wardrobe.

For the first time, I started thinking about what I actually wanted to look like.

Not Fey. Not anyone else. Me.

The next morning, I arrived at school wearing an outfit I had chosen myself.

I wasn’t dressed like Fey.

I wasn’t trying to copy her.

But I looked different.

More confident.

I walked through the entrance with my head held high. People noticed. I could hear whispers.

“Is that Rielle?”

“She looks different.”

“Wow.”

I tried not to smile.

Then someone stepped beside me.

“Not bad.”

I turned.

Drew.

“Not bad?”

He looked me over.

“Okay. Very good.”

I laughed.

“Better.”

He smiled.

“You ready?”

“For what?”

“The next part.”

“What next part?”

He leaned closer.

“You’re going to need a popular boyfriend.”

My eyes widened.

“What?!”

He smiled.

“And I already know who it should be.”

I stared at him.

“Drew, who?”

He pointed at himself.

“Me.”

I almost dropped my bag.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“You want to fake-date me?”

He nodded.

“Think about it. Everyone already thinks there’s something going on between us.”

I swallowed.

“And you’re okay with pretending to be my boyfriend?”

“Of course.”

He smiled.

“Unless you’re afraid you’ll actually fall for me.”

I rolled my eyes.

“In your dreams.”

“Good.”

He held out his hand.

“Then let’s make a deal.”

I stared at his hand.

Something told me that taking it would change everything.

Still, I placed my hand in his.

The second our fingers touched, a camera flashed from somewhere behind us.

We both turned.

No one was there.

Drew’s smile disappeared.

“That’s not good.”

My phone buzzed.

I checked it.

My blood ran cold.

Someone had already posted the picture.

DREW’S NEW GIRL?

And underneath it was another message.

Let’s see how long this fake relationship lasts before I expose the truth.