The Auranade Series - 17. Scorned

Prolog

Just after the bell rings for the end of another week of school, Chad, Vitani and Josh walk through the SyndAcad school halls together. The halls are filled with pink and red balloons and banners.

“Oh yeah, Valentine’s Day’s coming up,” Chad muses at the pink decorations strewn along the hall.

“It’s actually tomorrow,” Vitani informs him as she grabs a giveaway heart-shaped balloon, “Let’s just hope for our sakes that an oscinade doesn’t try to turn the day of love into something ugly.”

“Not that I’ll have much of a day tomorrow. It would seem one of the perks of supposedly being the strongest auranade is having the weakest love life,” Josh moans, “I’m the only one without a special someone; you’ve got Evan and Chad here has that guy from that military school, Aaron.”

“Actually,” Chad says with an awkward grin, “Aaron and I broke up about a week ago. I basically found out that he was just using me to get back at my friend, Dustin. It’s a long story - but the bottom line is that I don’t see any romance in store for me tomorrow either.”

“Aw, I’m really sorry to hear that, Chad,” Vitani says, “But you know, at least you found out the truth about Aaron before you wasted your Valentine’s being with someone like that.”

“Maybe I can’t have more honest company than myself for Valentine’s,” Chad muses.

“You never know who may come along,” Vitani reasons, “Someone you honestly never got over even?”

Chad looks up to see that at that moment that Ray and Rita Allen are passing by them – holding hands.

When Chad looks over, Rita Allen briefly glares at him before she picks up whatever she and Ray were talking about and basically drags Ray past him. However, Ray glances back over his shoulder awkwardly and gives Chad a strange look. Chad turns and shrugs. Ray and Rita Allen disappear around the corner.

“What was that all about?” Vitani and Josh ask Chad curiously, as soon as they were gone.

“As you guys just saw, the guy that I can’t seem to get over still has a girlfriend,” Chad snips, “The same girlfriend that showed up the Friday night he and I made plans to see a movie together – just the two of us. So that’s when it really made me realize that as long as that’s the case, I’m always going to be the third wheel. And if he can’t let go of Rita Allen, why hold on to the thought of something more?”

“We’re allowed to want that special something,” Josh puts an arm around Chad’s shoulder, “We just have to put what happened with Eliza and Aaron behind us and find the special someone else who can give us that. Who knows? If we hurry, we might find them in time for Valentine’s Day tomorrow, hehe!”

“You’re right. Who knows?” Chad shrugs with a grin, “Maybe someone out there sees us that way too.”

= = =

Meanwhile over in the school newspaper room, Dustin is sitting at the computer editing some story.

It’s about a student who recently saved his girlfriend from his jealous psychotic ex-girlfriend – who claims that the boy had sent her a gift basket with a teddy bear for Valentine’s. He scrolls down to a photo of the happy couple in an embrace after their ordeal.

“Well who doesn’t love a good hero?” Dustin muses about the story, which makes him think of Chad.

He smiles to himself as he puts Chad’s friendship bracelet in a little gift bag before he begins to pack up. It’s then that Ray and Rita Allen arrive at the office together, holding some heart-shaped balloons.

“Hey bro, what’s up?” Rita Allen chimes with a smile, as she slips off her handbag on the table.

“Hey sis,” Dustin gets up from the table, “After your exposé on the principal’s office vandalism scandal, your polls for the editor-in-chief position are looking really good. I have high hopes for you next week.”

“Thanks. And I have high hopes for you and your special someone this Valentine’s,” Rita Allen grins.

“I think I learned recently that it’s best not to rush anything,” Dustin replies with a thoughtful look, “I just really want giving back the friendship bracelet to show how much I really value our friendship too.”

Ray looks up at the mention of friendship bracelets and recalls that he had Chad’s own from the party last week. However, when he feels his jersey pockets, it’s not there even though he’s sure he had it.

“Hey, speaking of friendship bracelets,” Ray says, “Have you seen the one I had? I had in my jersey-”

“Yeah. I found it in your jersey before when you let me wear it when it was chilly,” Rita Allen explains to him, “I realized it was the matching bracelet to Dustin’s own and they must have somehow lost it at Amber and Christy’s party last week. So I thought it would be romantic if Dustin could surprise them with it tomorrow for Valentine’s. You found it at the party, didn’t you?”

“Well yeah but, even though it looks like Dustin’s, are you sure it’s the matching one?” Ray asks them.

“Yeah. The brand makes them so they all come in unique pairs,” Dustin tells him with a nod.

Rita Allen smiles happily and adds, “It’s so that you and your special someone can share something no one else does. Isn’t the whole thing just sweet and romantic?”

With that, Dustin looks away with a little blush. However, Ray frowns in confusion. He tells himself that he knows that it was Chad who dropped that bracelet, so does that mean that Chad got it from Dustin instead of Cassie? He wonders if Chad and Dustin might know each other and know each other that well and then, even so – why was Dustin blushing about it and making Valentine’s plans with it?

Ray opens his eyes in shock. Could Dustin be into guys? Does Dustin have some kind of feelings for Chad?

“Well I hope you and this certain someone that you refuse to tell your own sister about have a very interesting Valentine’s tomorrow,” Rita Allen says to her brother, patting him on the shoulder.

“Thanks. I’m sure it will be,” Dustin replies and heads out of the office. Ray frowns in suspicion.

= = =

Meanwhile, back in the hallway, Chad, Vitani and Josh are walking along with plans to hang out at the Libretta bookshop café when there is some loud arguing. All of the students watch from a side.

Two female teachers are fighting with each other at the top of the stairs, when one pushes the other down the flight of stairs! The students watching them gasp in horror. Chad quickly twists his hand so a gust of wind keeps her from hitting early. Josh then rushes forward and catches her before she drops.

The students breathe a sigh of relief and applaud Josh. Josh looks down at the teacher in his arms, not noticing a faint red glimmer in her eyes before a Valentine's Day teddy bear rolls out of her hands.

It hits the floor which triggers it to repeat ‘Happy Valentine's Day’ until the automated voice dies out.

 

Scorned

 

After the teacher is wheeled away on a gurney to be checked out by the nurses, and the school security is speaking to the other teacher, Chad, Vitani and Josh are all hanging out at the Libretta afterschool.

“So how strange was all that just now?” Chad remarks, going over the events in his head.

It’s about then that Amber and Christy enter the bookshop café. The Milano sisters are gossiping with each other about the fact that the teachers were apparently both seeing the same person, a history teacher named Mr. Reynolds, who got them both the same gifts for Valentine’s.

“They realized today that Valentine’s gifts weren’t the only thing they were sharing,” Amber jokes.

“Like, I would go crazy too if someone got me one of those cheap perfumed teddy bears,” Christy adds.

“How tacky!” the Milano sisters say in unison before walking along to find a table.

Meanwhile, Chad, Vitani and Josh look back at each other as their questions were just answered.

“Maybe the twins will realize that fighting over a man is tacky too,” Vitani comments, “Right Josh?”

“Hey! What if the person is worth it?” Josh retorts, “I can’t help it if I bring out the passion in women.”

“Well for one, this is Mr. Reynolds, and two, if the man was worth fighting for, you should be worth something in his eye too, if he’s really worth everything he is in yours,” Vitani says, “You shouldn’t have to literally fight tooth and nail just for his attention to begin with.”

“And I feel like that’s all I’m doing with Ray these days,” Chad speaks up, “I keep trying to explore this thing that he and I have between us, even though he’s just been exploring his relationship with Rita Allen for the last four months. I should’ve known we couldn’t even catch a movie together without her swooping in to stake her claim, and it reminded me that the bottom line is that he’s already taken.”

“To be fair, you’ve never outright admitted to Ray exactly how you felt,” Vitani tells him.

“Not for lack of trying,” Chad retorts and explains, “But the way he just switched around and started a dating Rita Allen back when I was convinced there was something there means I risk a lot if I told him how I felt and he didn’t feel the same way – anymore, if he ever did. There would be awkwardness, it could really mess up our friendship and if he ever told Rita Allen about that – I mean, I just want a sign, a clear sign, that he might feel the same way!”

“You know you might never get that clear sign,” Vitani says, “You have to know if he’s worth the risk.”

“But Chad has a point,” Josh interjects, “I mean, if Ray possibly feels the same way about Chad, then Ray clearly chose to hide behind his girlfriend as a cover, leaving Chad to be the one to make the move that either makes or breaks everything if one of them were reading the other wrong.”

“All that means is that maybe he tried to tell Chad, but something led him to believe that he might be wrong about Chad himself and that it’s better safe than sorry,” Vitani reasons, “Chad, back then, before he started going out with the school reporter, did it ever feel like he was trying to tell you something?”

“Yes!” Chad says, “And I was going to talk about all of that the night of the Halloween party last year when Rita Allen showed up with Rick Hayes’ flash drive. She was wearing it around her neck – to taunt me that she was going to uncover something about me and Rick and that she was going to put whatever it is in the school newspaper. After that, I went to see him during the blackout but -”

“Wait, are you saying Ray’s girlfriend blackmailed you with Rick’s flash drive?” Vitani exclaims, “But why? Was that just to get you to stay away from Ray?”

“Yup. She pretty much threatened me about that for weeks until I remembered that Rick’s flash drive had a password,” Chad replies, “I’d found it one time back when he and I had run off together, and I’d tried to see what was on it while he was out, I was starting to realize that I didn’t really know much about the guy that I was willing to run away with. And who knows what stuff could really be on that flash drive since, as it turned out, Rick was a being of evil who tried to kill me and so many others!”

“But thanks to you realizing who you were, we were all able to stop him,” Josh says reassuringly.

“Yeah,” Chad sighs deeply before adding, “And even though Rita Allen didn’t know the magic words to get access to the information on Rick’s flash drive, she knew the magic words to get Ray right where she wanted him – as her boyfriend and, slowly but surely, away from me.”

“Does Rita Allen know about your feelings for Ray,” Vitani asks, “or does she know that you’re gay?”

“No. Oh no! That would be an even bigger nightmare,” Chad tells them, “All she knows is that Ray and I have this ‘connection’ and she’s convinced herself that it’s all some plot of mine to lure Ray in before I hurt him, just like Rick hurt all of those other kids … like Rick hurt me.”

“You know, this Rita Allen girl could just be blowing everything out of proportion because she’s jealous of this ‘connection’ between you and Ray,” Josh reasons, “I’ve seen you two together and I’ve seen it.”

“But the fact of the matter is that Rita Allen is his girlfriend,” Chad sighs, “Ray chose to go out with her and start a relationship. In that sense, she kinda has the place to be jealous or whatever. But I’m just about tired of being in this place where I feel like an emotional third wheel.”

“That’s understandable,” Vitani tells him, “Although that Rita Allen girl didn’t play fair to start with.”

“What is it they say? All’s fair in love and war?” Chad jokes with a weak smile.

“And like I said, only you can know if Ray is worth the fight,” Vitani tells him and rubs his hand.

“Aren’t there people out there fighting to have a real love like us with us?” Josh asks with a smirk.

Just then, there hear a knock on the window pane next to them. Chad, Vitani and Josh look outside to see none other than Dustin Allen smiling at them through the window. Chad smiles back before he tells them that he and his friend Dustin are going to be hanging out this weekend. He grabs his stuff and heads off to meet Dustin outside. Vitani and Josh watch as Chad and Dustin walk off together.

“I hope Chad can find his happiness somehow,” Vitani comments, “And that maybe you can somehow have that again with someone soon, Josh.”

“Thanks. Maybe another Eliza will come along,” Josh remarks, “Although I’m still not even sure why the first one left in the first place. I know it wasn’t just about college. Maybe Evan might know -”

“Hey Vitani!” Evan says, coming over to them before leaning over and kissing Vitani on the cheek.

“Hey Ev. What’s up?” Vitani asks him, before moving over to let him sit, “What brings you by?”

“Just making sure none of these silly SyndAcad boys were over here trying to woo my girl before the day of love,” Evan flashes Josh a brief glance before tells her, “Because you’re all mine tomorrow.”

Josh looks over at Evan and frowns, thinking to himself that Evan is suddenly acting possessive.

“Sounds like you made plans for us for Valentine’s,” Vitani smiles, “What are we doing?”

“We’re doing us,” Evan replies, leaning closer to her, “How we’re doing that is going to be surprise!”

“Speaking of ‘surprises’,” Josh clears his throat, “I’m surprised Eliza didn’t tell you why she suddenly decided to run off to college when you helped her get settled in over there in France last week.”

Evan looks up as in his head he hears Eliza’s voice say: ‘There’s just a lot more between Vitani and Josh than they let us see’ before he clears his throat and replies, “She said that she wanted more than anything for me to find my way. And I told her that I have found it, I’ve really found something good and something amazing right here in Westpoint City with my girlfriend, my best friend, my Vitani.”

Vitani awes at him before they share an affectionate kiss. Josh swallows in his throat and looks away.

“You know what? Let’s get out of here,” Evan turns to Vitani, “I think the two of us can find a way to have ourselves a little, I dunno, pre-Valentine’s celebration. What do you say?”

“I say this is the first Valentine’s I’ve had in a while that sounds promising,” Vitani nods, “Let’s go.”

The two get and grab their stuff to leave. Evan, somewhat anxiously, heads off to the door first.

Vitani gives Josh a sympathetic look before she goes and asks, “Hey Josh, are you gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. You two have fun,” Josh tells her, “If I’m lucky, love might still come my way tomorrow.”

Vitani smiles at him and rubs his cheek when she hears Evan call out to her. She giggles and runs off through the front door with her boyfriend. Josh watches them leave before he turns back to the table and sighs deeply to himself.

Just then, he hears some extra movement at the table so he looks up, only to see the Milano sisters.

“So we hear that you, like, don’t have a Valentine this year,” Amber pipes up.

“Even when that voracious vixen Vitani has one – and a hot one at that,” Christy adds.

“But you’re in luck today!” the Milano sisters grin, “With a ‘two-for-one’ terrific twin special!”

Josh looks at them both incredulously before deeply sighing and banging his head on the table.

= = =

The next day, on Valentine’s Day, Chad and Dustin are hanging out at the mall, having some sodas.

“So since neither of us have a Valentine today, I figured we could suffer through all of the lovey-dovey awkwardness going on around us together,” Dustin explains as he takes a sip, “No one wants to be a third wheel, right?”

Chad looks up at the mention of ‘third wheel’, thinking about Ray and Rita Allen probably being on a romantic date somewhere. He nods, “Yep. And it’s just funny because, only a week ago, I assumed that good ole’ Aaron and I would still be a thing around this time and that I would’ve gotten to see what it really feels like to have a real Valentine and all that stuff.”

“You’ve never had a real Valentine before?” Dustin asks him with a raised eyebrow.

“Hey! The nerd doesn’t usually get the girl, remember?” Chad says, “Or in my case, the guy.”

“Yup. Now that I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m gay, but because I’m still pretty much in the closet, seems the dating pool closes off,” Dustin remarks, “So despite all of the girls I’ve dated and been with for Valentine’s before now, I’ve never dated a single guy - unlike Mr. Romeo over here.”

“Well, given that my first boyfriend tried to kill me and the second was using me as a way to get back at you over a girl he used to date, I wouldn’t say I’m off to a good start,” Chad chuckles a bit, “Neither of us have really had anything that feels like ‘the one’ yet either, I guess.”

“Maybe that will change for both of us soon,” Dustin leans over the table and replies with a smile.

“Maybe,” Chad smiles to himself before saying, “So in the meantime, tell me, Mr. Allen, since you’ve at least had relationships that survived a Valentine’s Day or two, what is today really supposed to be like?”

“Well, unless you’re really into that person, its just a day where we all put on our best cheesy romantic act to go with the flow,” Dustin explains to him, “But if you’re really into that person … you get all nervous on the inside, wondering what’s gonna happen; if that special person has anything special planned for the two of you. And of course what kind of gifts they’ll think to get you, hehe.”

Chad grins with a nod, “So let’s make a list; 1) Not getting any special gifts for Valentine’s this year.”

“On the contrary,” Dustin smirks and pulls out the gift bag, “I was thinking just because the last guy you dated didn’t deserve to have you doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to still get a little something on Valentine’s Day. So I got you ‘a little something’.”

“Omigod. Dustin, you didn’t have to,” Chad awes as gets the gift bag and looks inside, “Wow. Fancy cologne, a watch and the friendship bracelet! This is all so sweet and thoughtful. Thanks Dustin. And where’d you find the bracelet? Did you really go back to Amber and Christy’s mansion?”

“Hehe, nope,” Dustin smiles pleased with himself, “Someone else found it and it just so happened that I was able to get it back yesterday. So I guess it must be fate saying what we have is far from over.”

“Oh, it’s only just begun,” Chad smiles back, “I think I’m really beginning to see just how amazing you can be. I mean this is just … now I can only wonder what else fate has in store for the rest of the day.”

At that moment, someone takes a seat at their table. Chad and Dustin look up, only to see Aaron.

= = =

Elsewhere, but in the same mall, Evan takes Vitani to a new make-up boutique that opened recently.

“So my magazine at WP got some Valentine’s vouchers for this place and I figured you could treat yourself any way you wanted to do-up before our dinner tonight,” Evan explains to her, “You could do your thing and I’ll do mine to get everything else ready for tonight.”

“Wow, Ev. You’re really going all out today,” Vitani smiles, “Guess I ought to go all out tonight then!”

“Hopefully tonight will be a night that we never forget,” Evan smiles and kisses her before he leaves.

Vitani smiles warmly as she watches Evan walk off. He looks back and blows a kiss before he disappears around the corner. She giggles to herself before she heads inside the ‘Break-Up Make-Up’ boutique.

Inside the place, she sees various clothing, makeup and accessories on sale. The other women who are there look around at her unusually scornfully. Vitani frowns and turns to leave when she bumps into someone. It’s a tall slender woman in a deep red and bedazzled Gypsy-like outfit.

“Hi, I’m the manager - but devoted customers can call me Madam Scarlett,” the peculiar woman introduces herself, “Getting over a break up or looking to make up, we’ve got make-up to cover it all!”

“Just looking to make up I guess,” Vitani grins, “I want to look as amazing as I want tonight to be.”

“Trust me, we here at Break-Up Make-Up Boutique know just what it takes to make your night into something unforgettable,” Madam Scarlett snickers, “Our make-up, perfumes and accessories will let your significant other see the true dimensions of love. Isn’t that right, girls?”

The other women in the boutique, who were looking at her before, now nod and grin in unison.

“But tell me, did your man tell you to go out and glam up just for him?” Madam Scarlett asks her.

“Um no. He left up all of that up to me I guess,” Vitani replies with a smile, “He’s really a sweet guy.”

“Well, now he left it up to us,” Madam Scarlett guides her to the mirrors, “And when we’re done with you today, your boyfriend’s gonna see just how sweet you really can be, hehe! Oh, and before we get started, we want you to have one of our perfumed Valentine’s teddy bears as a gift to new customers!”

The mysterious manager hands Vitani a small cute white teddy bear, holding a pink heart between its paws. Vitani looks at it, musing that it looks just like the teddy bears the teachers had at school.

“I can’t really smell anything,” Vitani says, bringing it to her nose to catch the scent of the perfume.

“Oh, you have to squeeze it to get a whiff of the magic,” Madam Scarlett grins, “Go on.”

Vitani gives the teddy bear a little squeeze. The teddy bear is triggered to say ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’, before a faint pink mist spritzes into her face. Vitani shakes her head before her eyes briefly glimmer red.

“Your boyfriend’s about to see a whole new you!” Madam Scarlett grins subtly and guides her along.

= = =

Just outside, in the same mall, Amber and Christy are dragging Josh around to check out the mall.

“Ugh! Look, it’s ‘Break-Up Make-Up’ boutique! We heard from our dad that, like, some creepy old mystic lady runs this place,” the Milano sisters comment, “Like, who knows what cheap potions some shaman lady is using on people instead of real makeup? I wouldn’t advise anyone to go there. Let’s go!”

With that, the twins yank a reluctant Josh over to the next boutique instead. He insists he wait outside.

The twins shrug and go inside, gawking at some outfits on display. Josh, meanwhile, sighs to himself that he was so desperate this year that he would rather spend Valentine’s Day with the Milano sisters than be alone. He briefly looks up just in time to notice Evan in another store looking at suits.

When Evan comes out as Josh is on his way over, Josh stops him. Evan simply huffs and rolls his eyes.

“Look, now it’s just the two of us,” Josh tells him, “So you can tell me what Eliza really told you!”

Evan seems irritated and quips, “Okay fine. She said that you hurt her and that she deserves better for herself. So she left to find it. And if, as you say, you want what’s best for her, you’d just let her do that!”

“But I don’t understand how I even hurt her?” Josh frowns, “I care about her more than anything!”

Evan recalls in his head, him asking Eliza how Josh had hurt where she said: ‘I want you to be happy but I want you to be careful’. Evan shakes his head of the memory and snaps, “Is that so? Then why is my cousin so convinced that there’s someone you care about more? Look, Josh, you can’t have your cake and eat it too, and it can only be your being greedy that’s the reason you’ve got nothing on Valentine’s Day!”

Just then, none other Vitani walks up to them. Evan and Josh turn and their jaws drop when they see her after Madam Scarlett’s makeover. Vitani’s long hair is now stylishly curled and contrasting against her dark eyeshadow. She has bright red lipstick, matching the short strapless red dress with red heels she is wearing. She stylishly walks over between the two of them.

“And what is it you think that you have, Evan?” Vitani asks him, “Because I am not your little trophy to wave around in front of everyone - especially Josh; just because you’re insecure about my friendship with him now that his girlfriend, your cousin and my supposed best friend, is out of the picture!”

“W-What?” Evan frowns, “Vitani, I don’t understand where this is even coming from all of a sudden?”

“Well understand this. I’m not your ‘one-up’ on Josh,” Vitani states, “What Josh and I have is special in its own way. A way you can’t really begin to understand. I should spend my Valentine’s Day with someone who really values what I am! C’mon, Josh, let’s get out of here, shall we?”

With that, Vitani walks off. Evan stands in disbelief and Josh frowns in confusion before casting a brief glance at Evan and follows her. Evan stands in the middle of the mall in shock and confusion.

= = =

Back in the food court, Chad and Dustin exchange looks as Chad’s ex-boyfriend Aaron sits with them.

“Well isn’t this romantic? My boyfriend and my roommate are out on date,” Aaron quips sourly.

“Well for your information, Chad and I are just, I mean, this isn’t even a-” Dustin begins to retort.

“No, we don’t have to explain ourselves to him about anything,” Chad cuts in, “Other than for me to clarify that I am not your boyfriend anymore, Aaron. It was your supposed plan, or should I say, plotting and scheming, to make me see who Dustin really is, that showed the kind of person you really are!”

“Ugh, c’mon, Chad,” Aaron shakes his head, “Can’t you see you’re just playing into Dustin’s hands?”

“You mean like I played into yours from the beginning?” Chad asks him, “For someone so concerned about Dustin using me, you didn’t mind using me all along as a pawn in this conjured-up vendetta you have against Dustin!”

“That was in the beginning!” Aaron insists, “But what we were starting to have was more than that –”

“You were trying to make me believe that Dustin wanted nothing more than to get me into bed as some way to hurt you,” Chad counters, “While, at the same time, you were apparently hoping to get me into bed the night of Amber and Christy’s party just to hurt him. You were being the very thing you thought would get me to stay away from Dustin. So that could only mean I should stay away from you!”

“I think we should probably go somewhere else,” Dustin suggests to Chad, and starts to get up.

“I was actually having a nice Valentine’s Day before he showed up,” Chad agrees, standing up.

“Well don’t get your hopes up there, Dusty boy. I’m sure you’re thinking you and Chad are on your way to something all special,” Aaron sneers spitefully, “But I got to know Chad, and I got to know that his heart was really somewhere else, even when he was with me, and sorry to say, it’s not with you either!”

Chad and Dustin both frown at that. However, before either of them can say anything more, none other than football captain Cameron Levine and his girlfriend, reporter Felicity Blake, stroll over to them, apparently on a Valentine’s date of their own. Chad wonders if all of this could be any more awkward.

Felicity raises her eyebrow as she can feel more tension than usual radiating from Aaron – over Chad and Dustin? She looks over at Dustin, who tries to make as little eye contact with her as possible.

“Well lookie here, looks like the geek-squeak Chad is double-dating your ex and your competition’s brother on Valentine’s Day,” Cameron Levine jokes, “Does that make him an enemy of yours? Because he’s already an enemy of mine! Just like that show-stealing prick, Ray Torres!”

“Look Chad, let’s get outta here,” Dustin interjects, “There’s way too much sleaze at this table!”

Chad nods and he and Dustin walk off before Cameron Levine and Felicity can say anything more.

Felicity walks up to Aaron and whispers in his ear, “I see you let Dustin Allen ruin another one of your relationships. If you hadn’t given up on us before, you wouldn’t be the only one without a Valentine now.”

With that, she turns and walks away with Cameron Levine. Cameron Levine asks her what she told Aaron and she claims she just reminded him what he missed out on. Cameron Levine laughs and holds her around her waist to tease Aaron as they walk away. Aaron sighs to himself sadly.

Around the corner, Chad and Dustin both take a sigh of relief and sit down on a bench by a fountain.

“Maybe the city mall wasn’t the best idea,” Dustin muses, “I mean I should have figured it’s where all of the obnoxious jock-and-queen bee type couples would be out flaunting themselves – like that slime ball Cameron Levine and of course good ole’ Felicity. I could’ve done without seeing those two today.”

“At least you only have to see them when you’re editing for our school newspaper,” Chad quips, “I’ve got to seem them five days a week. And that’s probably the nicest Cameron Levine’s ever been to me.”

“Yeah, it kinda sounded like he had some kind of bone to pick with you, before your being, as far as he knows, ‘friends’ with his girlfriend’s ex, or even me,” Dustin muses, “I mean, I get why he has a problem with my sister’s boyfriend, Ray Torres; he’s the star player on your school’s football team but – I dunno, maybe he’s just being more of a stereotype with the whole jock-must-antagonize-the-nerd thing.”

“Well yeah, it’s all of that. He’s always on my case like that is because of –” Chad begins to explain.

“Hey look, aren’t those your friends over there?” Dustin suddenly points out.

Chad looks around to see Vitani pulling Josh along with her somewhere, with Josh asking where they are going. He begins to head over to them, but Vitani has already pulled Josh into an elevator to head down. However, she unknowingly accidentally drops the teddy bear before they get in the elevator.

Meanwhile, Chad picks up the teddy bear curiously before Dustin comes up beside him and sees it.

“Hey, cute teddy bear,” Dustin comments, “I didn’t know your friends were involved romantically.”

“They’re not. At least I don’t think they are,” Chad muses, “Vitani’s dating the editor at WP; Evan Ross, and Josh recently got out of a relationship with Evan’s cousin. But I dunno, maybe something could’ve happened today. It’s like something is turning all of our Valentines’ plans upside down.”

Chad looks at the teddy bear and recognizes it as the same kind of teddy bears the teachers from school had. He squeezes it to hear its Valentine’s greetings and get sprayed by the pink mist after it says ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’. His eyes briefly glimmer red as he goes under the influence of the mist.

“Well it looks like your friends have made some kind of plans for the rest of the day,” Dustin remarks, and then blushes a bit as he adds, “So maybe, I dunno, we could make plans to do a little something else later tonight, too? You know, like a dinner or something? I think my sister and her boyfriend Ray are having dinner at this place at the Valentine’s Fair tonight … so we could have something of our own somewhere, I mean, that’s if you want? Somewhere Aaron won’t be?”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Chad says at the mention of Ray’s name, “And you know what? Screw Aaron! He had his fun with me already! Now it’s time that you and I have some real fun of our own!”

Dustin raises an eyebrow, but Chad just smiles deviously and grabs him by the arm and leads the way.

= = =

Meanwhile, Vitani, still under the influence of the pink mist, has taken Josh to an old warehouse, where a rave titled ‘Love or Lust’ is being hosted. When Vitani finally stays in place long enough – to dance – Josh decides to finally see if he can find out what has gotten into her all of a sudden.

“Okay, I was letting you take me wherever because I thought you wanted to talk,” Josh says and then leans over in her ear so she can hear better over the music. “I don’t know if you want all of this to be a distraction, but if you want me to play along, I want to know what’s really going on first.”

Vitani shrugs, “I guess I just realized that I don’t need Evan to show me how special I am, because I already know how special I am. And there’s really so much about me that Evan doesn’t even know, the real me; like my powers and being an auranade. Those are things that you know and you understand. You know me better than anyone else in the world, Josh.”

“B-But you and Evan have a lot of history,” Josh brings up, “He was a pretty big part of your childhood.”

“Well that history didn’t seem to be enough to make Eliza stay in town,” Vitani remarks, “Not for me, her childhood best friend from when we all lived at the orphanage, or for you, the first guy she got serious with since living on the run from the Triad of Doom.”

Josh looks down sullen and shakes his head, “I know I was kind of a player or whatever before she came along. But I really tried to be a better person for her. I wanted to make it work for once. I wanted to know what something real really felt like. But it seems the reality is that I was just fooling myself.”

“The reality is we both want what’s best for her and if she thinks that’s college in another country, we should be happy for her,” Vitani tells him, “Even if we don’t know how we somehow made her decide to up and leave. Meanwhile, Evan doesn’t know the real me yet and it makes me think that, in the chance he found out everything, our history might not be enough to make him stay either! Yet the one thing I can be sure of is that you would never run, Josh. When it all boils down to it, we’re all we have.”

Vitani looks up into Josh’s eyes. Josh looks at her and wonders what exactly is happening with them.

Just as the heat between them builds, the sprinkler systems in the warehouse all go off, earning a cheer of approval from the surrounding partiers. When the water showers over them, Vitani’s eyes glimmer red briefly before she goes back to normal! She looks at her soaked dress. Josh suggests they head out.

When they get outside of the rave, Josh hugs her to try to keep her warm. Vitani meanwhile ponders.

“Looks like the two of you are just getting warmed up,” comes Evan’s voice from behind them.

“Evan! Omigosh! About before! About all of this!” Vitani pushes off of Josh, “We need to talk –”

“I was busy asking around; trying to find you so that we could talk about whatever the heck was going on with you! But now that I see that you just wanted to get cozy with the guy ‘who really understands you’, I finally understand,” Evan sneers, “I guess I just never knew how cold of a person you really were!”

Vitani tries to follow, but Evan has taken off. Vitani sighs in frustration and confusion and turns to Josh.

“Well, I guess you and I are really in the same boat this Valentine’s Day,” Vitani sighs sadly.

= = =

At the restaurant at the Valentine’s Fair, Chad is walking around outside, dressed in his best suit, and keeps looking at his watch. He looks up with a smile when he sees Dustin walking over to him. Time to get this party started, Chad thinks to himself as he gauges Dustin dressed handsomely in a fitted suit.

“Dustin, you came,” Chad smiles, pleased, “I was afraid you were gonna miss our little date tonight.”

Chad grins as he watches Dustin’s nostrils flare a little when Dustin picks up that he’s wearing the same cologne Dustin had bought him. Dustin releases an almost satisfied sigh and swallows on his tongue.

“You’re wearing the cologne I bought you today,” Dustin comments in a soft voice.

“You’re observant, unlike some clueless people I know of,” Chad quips with a grin, “I like that.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were serious about the dinner thing,” Dustin muses, “And did you say d-date?”

“I’m going out with a hot guy on Valentine’s Day,” Chad winks at him, “Sounds like a date to me.”

“Wait? You think I-I’m hot?” Dustin blushes and tugs at his collar, “You know, you’re acting a little different tonight, Chad. Is everything okay? I mean, is this another one of your ‘tests’ or something?”

Chad grins and steps closer to him, fixing his collar, “The only thing I’m testing here is if you and I know how to make a night. I think you and I are really onto something and we should see where it goes.”

Dustin frowns, still a bit confused, and asks, “So why did you want to go to the same restaurant as my sister and her boyfriend? You know she’ll flip if she sees us hanging out together like this!”

That’s what I’m counting on, Chad thinks deviously before he says, “So what? Do we hide away every time Rita Allen’s around? Or do we just let her deal with the fact that you and I are friends and that there’s nothing she can do about it? Because, I, for one, am hoping to spend a lot more time with you.”

Dustin is a bit surprised by Chad’s forwardness - but admits to himself he’s also a bit turned on by it …

“So you’d risk her going full dogged-reporter on you?” Dustin asks him, “For this ‘thing’ between us?”

“At this point, I realize if I live my life just trying to please your sister, that I’m not really gonna have much of a life,” Chad explains, “And if I’m feeling anything tonight, most of all I feel alive! Besides, as far as your sister’s concerned, we’re just two friends hanging out. And if your sister and her boyfriend can live it up tonight, I say so can two ‘friends’ … or maybe more before the night’s over. So you’re in?”

Dustin gulps and after a brief pause nods. With that, Chad grins and they enter the restaurant together.

= = =

Meanwhile, over at Ray and Rita Allen’s table, Ray puts down his menu and Rita Allen looks up at him.

“Hey um there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Ray begins, “About your brother, Dustin. I know this might be little awkward to ask and all, but it’s just for clarification I guess. I was just wondering maybe if um … is Dustin into guys?”

“What?” Rita Allen retorts, “What are you asking? Like if my brother’s gay? Hehe! Of course not!”

“Oh.” Ray muses with a furrowed brow before he picks back up his menu, “Are you sure about that?”

“Ray, I think I know my own brother,” Rita Allen replies, “Look, if this is about him being all secretive about his date or whatever, that’s just him avoiding me trying to find out if they are good enough for my brother by me digging up any of their dirty little secrets like the reporter that I am. Besides, as a reporter, I think if my brother was gay, that’s something I’d notice.”

“Hey guys!” comes a chipper voice that surprises them both. They look up to see Chad with Dustin!

“Wait! Chad, what are you doing?” Dustin asks with a panicked look as Chad grins at Ray and Rita Allen.

Before they can react, Chad takes it upon himself to sit at their table. A nervous Dustin follows suit.

“W-What are you two doing here??” Rita Allen asks them between huffs of surprise and disbelief.

“Oh, Dustin and I realized we had something in common,” Chad speaks up, “No Valentine’s date. So we thought ‘who said only couples can treat themselves to dinner on Valentine’s Day? So here we are, hehe!”

Ray pauses and furrows his eyebrows in disbelief: Chad and Dustin know each other and are hanging out on Valentine’s Day? Wait, the friendship bracelet … but Chad isn’t even wearing his now, even though Dustin has it back. So what’s Dustin’s angle? Does Chad even know what’s going on? What exactly is going on with Chad and Dustin? Ray ponders as he looks at an oddly chipper Chad and a fidgety Dustin.

“Wait a minute, so you actually know Dustin?” Ray suddenly asks and eyes them both strangely.

“Well yeah, he’s Rita Allen’s brother and a very close friend of mine,” Chad says, matter-of-factly.

With that, Chad looks over and notices there is still some strawberry icing on Dustin’s cheek from the complimentary slices of cheesecake that they received on the way in. He reaches over and wipes it off with his finger before sucking it off his finger. Chad makes an ‘mmm’ sound and grins at him. Dustin looks away bashfully. Rita Allen frowns at the odd display and Ray’s face seems to get flushed.

“How come you never mentioned you were ‘friends’ with my girlfriend’s brother?” Ray queries.

“It never came up. But I’m surprised Rita Allen didn’t mention it,” Chad shrugs, “I mean she knew.”

“Really?” Ray muses and looks over at his girlfriend. Rita Allen fake-smiles before huffing in annoyance.

“Wait, so you and Ray are friends?” Dustin asks Chad, when it hit him. Chad simply nods.

“Well yeah. I mean, Ray and I have, as I like to call it, this special connection,” Chad answers, but is looking directly at Ray, “Ever since I rescued him from a cross that Cameron Levine tied him to during the September storm. It was like we were virtually inseparable. Didn’t Rita Allen over here ever mention that? I mean he and I were friends before they even started dating!”

Ray gets a nervous feeling under Chad’s intense stare so he looks away at Dustin and Rita Allen.

Dustin looks over at Rita Allen and frowns as he says, “No! It would seem my sister left that bit out.”

On that note, Dustin thinks to himself that he always figured there was more to Rita Allen’s crusade against Chad, other than his connection to Rick. So it was Chad’s connection to Ray. He figures she just didn’t want Chad near him either as she always was so desperate for him to stay away from Chad.

Rita Allen meanwhile shoots Chad a nasty glare before she snaps, “Well I guess I just never thought the four of us would ever happen to be sharing a table together any time! I mean I certainly didn’t imagine that it would be while I’m on a date with my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day!”

“Oh yeah,” Chad snickers before he casually replies, “Well, I was thinking maybe it would seem rude of me to just like invite myself over to your table while you two were on a date or whatever – but then I remembered just how much you’d insisted that Cassie and I join the two of you on Thanksgiving. You know, when you hired Cassie to get dirt on me about Rick Hayes and all that stuff.”

“Wait w-what!” Ray frowns in confusion, “What do you mean Rita hired Cassie to get dirt on you?”

“Oops!” Chad says in fake surprise, “I guess I just assumed your girlfriend would tell you about all the ‘noble’ ways she tries to ‘protect’ you. Didn’t she share that funny story of how she promised Cassie a story for her modelling career if she could pretend to be my friend long enough to get dirt on me?”

“What are you talking about, C.K.?” Ray asks in disbelief, “She doesn’t have a problem with you! I-”

“Is that so?” Chad chuckles and retorts, “Then why was she using Rick's flash drive to blackmail me to stay away from you for weeks – if I wanted to stay out of her headlines in the school newspaper?”

“What?” Ray repeats in utter bemusement. Ray frowns at Rita Allen. She starts to shake her head.

“Look Chad, I don’t know what the hell you’re trying to pull here!” Rita Allen huffs angrily.

“But why would she want you to stay away from me?” Ray asks him, “She’s always known, even before she and I started dating that you and I have been … we were always … that we … we’re just friends!”

“And that fact bothers her,” Chad calmly explains, “Rita Allen has always been so insecure about our friendship that she’s been trying to use the fact that I used to be friends with Rick Hayes to make me out to be something that wasn’t worthy of your friendship.”

“Is that true?” Ray asks her.

“I-I was just being cautious!” Rita Allen claims, “I was the investigating reporter on the Rick Hayes story and I saw firsthand what that guy is capable of! I didn’t want something like that to happen to you if it turns out that Chad was more involved with Rick than we all think!”

Technically I was more involved with Rick than you think, Chad muses, Rick used to be my boyfriend …

“If you thought Chad was so ‘bad’ for me, why didn’t you tell me about any of this?” Ray asks her.

“Because you wouldn’t have believed me about your precious C.K. unless I had proof!” Rita Allen snaps.

“So, Rick’s flash drive, what was that about?” Ray queries with a frown, “What was on it? Tell us now.”

Rita Allen swallows as she recalls her attempt to access the contents of Rick Hayes’ flash drive:

Rita Allen clicks away at the computer in disbelief before she gasps, “No! T-This can’t be!”

Using the hacking device she bought, she finally got access to the information on Rick Hayes’ flash drive in the form of a photo album called ‘Objective 1’. It had a picture of Chad as the cover photo, which piqued her curiosity even more. However when she double-clicks on the album, an unnerving picture of Rick’s head pops up on the computer screen that laughs evilly. His jaws open disproportionately. A blast of fire comes out that startles the school reporter before the screen simply goes black.

“It was booby-trapped with a virus! I should’ve expected that from someone as twisted as Rick was!”

She yanks the hacking device, with Rick’s flash drive in it, out of the USB port of the computer before she taps away desperately on her computer to get the screen back on. She had her stories and a plethora of important information for the school newspaper on the said computer. Thankfully, after a moment or two, the computer turns back on.

As soon as it is loaded, she checks for all her of other information. It is still there. She sighs in relief.

Unbeknownst to her, the hacking device has still managed to download a single photo from Rick’s flash drive and inadvertently placed it right into her ‘Ray and I’ photo album folder on her computer.

“I don’t know! It had a password and a virus but –” Rita Allen says, but is immediately cut off by Ray.

“So you didn’t have any real proof whatsoever, but you still felt it within your right to go behind my back and blackmail and threaten someone you knew I cared about!” Ray scoffs in disbelief.

“If Chad didn’t have anything to hide,” Rita Allen retorts and looks at Chad, “Why else would he have ever worried about me having Rick’s flash drive in the first place?”

“Because it belonged to a sociopath!” Ray exclaims, “Who knows what that twisted psycho Rick could have had on there that might have wrongfully implicated Chad in anything just because Chad used to be friends with him! For God’s sakes, this Rick guy terrorized kids into attempting suicide!”

That and the fact that Rick was an oscinade, Chad thinks to himself as he watches Ray and Rita Allen.

“You don’t know if it might have implicated a deeper connection between Chad and Rick either!”

“What I do know is that Chad saved one of the kids who attempted suicide by jumping off the library roof during the September storm. Heck isn’t that how you two met?” Ray states, “He also saved me from the cross in that very storm and from so much more since that. And that just sounds like a hero to me! And I think we can all agree here that Rick Hayes, on the other hand, is no hero! End of story!”

“Or it’s only the beginning of the story,” Rita Allen muses, “This could all be an act, this whole Chad-to-the-rescue thing he does! There has to be a reason he’s been pretty much fixated on you from the beginning. Maybe you just might not know Chad as well as you think you do, Ray!”

“Well right now, I feel like I know him a hell of a lot better than I know you,” Ray snaps and stands up.

“Wait, Ray! Where are you going?” Rita Allen asks as she gets up from the table to stop him.

“Somewhere where the air feels less treacherous,” Ray quips and pulls his hand away before he leaves.

Chad and Dustin stand up, where Chad has a contented grin on his face. The other patrons look over.

Rita Allen stands there in disbelief and embarrassment before she whirls around to face Chad.

“You!” Rita Allen sneers, “How dare you show up and ruin my date with Ray! You sly son of a bitch!”

With that, Rita Allen reaches for a glass of punch and throws its contents at Chad. Chad instinctively jerks back and his powers create a protective gust of wind; which blows the punch back in the other direction. Rita Allen gasps as her dress is soaked with punch! The other patrons look and some snicker.

After that, Rita Allen scoffs in humiliation and storms out of the restaurant. Chad smirks to himself.

“Look Chad,” Dustin turns him around and says, “I know my sister played dirty by trying to blackmail you about Rick to keep you away from Ray or whatever. But I didn’t think you would play with her own cards on her Valentine’s dinner tonight. That will probably just fuel her crusade against you!”

“I guess I just thought Ray should finally know what he’s dealing with too,” Chad replies with a shrug.

After that, Chad is about to follow Ray and Rita Allen outside when Dustin stops him again. He holds Chad by the shoulders and guides him over into the restaurant washrooms where they no longer have an audience of the other patrons in the restaurant. Dustin closes the door and turns to Chad.

“I guess you were really frustrated about everything,” Dustin tells him, “But what blew the lid tonight?”

“Look, I was able to find out what a ‘delight’ Aaron was thanks to you. So I just wanted Ray to see how much of a ‘delight’ Rita Allen was,” Chad retorts and looks off, his eyes briefly glimmer red in satisfaction.

“Well I dunno you just don’t seem like your ‘delightful self’ tonight,” Dustin comes up to him.

“Well I thought tonight was very delightful,” Chad smiles as steps closer, “It could be even more so …”

“W-What do you mean,” Dustin gulps as Chad slides his hands over his shoulder, “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking delight in a very handsome boy,” Chad looks at him with eyes seemingly full of desire.

With that, Chad moves in and presses his lips against Dustin’s. Dustin hums in surprise before Chad’s hands slide over his ears to grip the back of his head to deepen the kiss. Dustin gives in and lets his lips part slightly in response, which Chad takes full advantage of. Dustin has to grip onto Chad’s sides to steady himself when Chad begins to guide him back against the wall. Dustin lets out a moan when he feels Chad slide one of his legs between Dustin’s own and begins to slide it up. Dustin seems to catch himself and then suddenly breaks the kiss with a heavy breath. Chad looks up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“What? This is like the fourth time we’ve kissed by now,” Chad smirks, “Each better than the last ...”

Dustin sighs and Chad inhales and releases a contented hum. Dustin gulps, “Chad, I don’t think –”

“I know you want this,” Chad says before he starts to slide his finger from Dustin’s chest to his pants.

“What I know,” Dustin holds Chad’s hands at bay, “What I know is that you’re acting really different tonight and after last time in Amber and Christy’s party, I learnt my lesson not to rush or push anything until I know exactly how you feel too. And even though you’re saying all these things to me, this doesn’t feel like you. It feels more like you just have some point to prove or a score to settle or something.”

“You were up for this kind of fun at Amber and Christy’s party,” Chad pouts and huffs in frustration.

“It was you, Chad, who helped me realize that it isn’t all fun and games when a friend gets hurt in the process,” Dustin explains to him and holds Chad’s shoulders, “And what I want now is for you to let out whatever seems to be hurting you tonight; whether it’s this whole Rick thing, or my sister, or seeing her happy on a date with Ray when you and Aaron just broke up. Just let it out –”

“If it wasn’t for Rick or Rita Allen, I could’ve had that happiness!” Chad begins to cry, “I could’ve had R–”

However, at that moment, some guy comes in to use the washroom. Chad and Dustin exchange looks before Chad then rushes to wash his face before the guy can notice he was crying. It is when Chad splashes his face with water that the effects of the mist wear off and he goes back to normal!

Chad looks up at the mirror after he catches himself. The guy meanwhile washes his hands and leaves the bathroom. Dustin looks over to see Chad with a mystified expression of his face. Chad sighs.

“Hey Chad, are you okay?” Dustin comes over to him and touches his shoulder, “About before –”

“I guess I did have a lot on my chest after all, hehe!” Chad weakly chuckles but says, “And I think I’m finally learning it’s time to let go of all of that tension – thanks to you, Dustin. So I want to thank you, for seeing that I let it get to me tonight and for being the friend that I needed, instead of the, I dunno, friends-with-benefits I guess I was trying to use in order to let go of that tension. You’re good for me.”

Chad reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out the friendship bracelet before he slips it back on his wrist. Dustin is touched by the gesture and smiles. Chad moves forward and hugs him. Dustin sighs.

“Omigosh! I crashed Ray and Rita Allen’s dinner!” Chad exclaims, “Where are they?”

Before Dustin can stop him, Chad rushes out of the bathroom and out of the restaurant with Dustin following him. They run outside only to see Rita Allen standing near some rose bushes all by herself.

Rita Allen turns around and sees Chad and Dustin, and sighs with frustration. She blinks when she notices that Chad is now wearing the bracelet her brother was supposed to be giving to his Valentine …

Besides, as a reporter, I think if my brother was gay, that’s something I’d notice, Rita Allen recalls herself saying to Ray earlier when Ray had questioned whether Dustin was gay. It can’t possibly be that …

“Rita Allen! Um about earlier,” Chad begins to say apologetically, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“I knew it! I knew it!” Rita Allen shakes her head with a chuckle, “You claim to be nothing like Rick, but it was so clear to me tonight how you feed off of other people’s misery! I thought we had a deal; that you keep quiet about my less-than-conventional means of investigating you and I keep quiet about my theories of your less-than-conventional connection to Rick! But you waited until I fell for it. You were calculated enough to wait until Ray and I were having a Valentine’s dinner to crash our romantic time and tell him everything! And you were sure to bring my own brother along for the ‘Rita Allen Roast’!”

“This all just got a bit out of hand, sis,” Dustin tries to reason, when he sees his sister crying.

“This is all just … I can’t really explain it, but –” Chad begins but can’t seem to find his words.

“Well let me explain something to you right now, Chad Blackman!” Rita Allen sneers, “If you thought I was coming after you before, trust me, you haven’t seen anything yet! Just like Ray, and my brother here, and the rest of SyndAcad can’t see that there’s more to you and your connection with Rick. But I promise you, they are all in for a story they will never forget!”

With that, Rita Allen storms off out of the fair. Dustin frowns and tries to stop her before sighing.

“Go on, make sure she’s alright,” Chad tells him, “She’s your sister and she’s in pain ... that I caused.”

“If she didn’t do all those things she did, this would have never happened,” Dustin tells him, “But okay.”

Chad hugs him again before agreeing that they will talk later. Dustin nods and takes off after his sister.

“Well,” Chad picks a rose off of the nearby rose bush and muses, “For the night of Valentine’s Day, this night hasn’t been anywhere near as lovely as I thought it would be. I hope Vitani and Josh are having a better time right now.”

= = =

“For some reason, I totally went off on Evan!” Vitani exclaims, “I can’t explain what got into me!”

After Vitani and Josh agree to meet Chad at the Valentine’s Fair, the three talk about the day’s events.

“It was like Vitani suddenly decided to see everything from this different perspective,” Josh comments.

“Exactly! I feel like I wasn’t myself ever since Dustin and I had an awkward run-in with Aaron at the mall and then I saw you guys drop that little teddy bear,” Chad groans, “I picked it up; then it’s like, I dunno, something made me decide to come down here just to … try to get back at Ray?”

Vitani sighs sadly, “It’s so weird. I got that same teddy bear from a boutique Evan got me a coupon for Valentine’s, run by some lady calling herself Madam Scarlett. And after I got it, it’s like I suddenly started to look at Evan with some kind of scorn instead of lo … the true feelings I have for him. I felt like how those other women in the store were looking at me when I came in all happy about Valentine’s. It’s like they passed all of their negativity about love and Valentine’s into that teddy bear or something!”

Just then, Amber and Christy pass by with some of Madam Scarlett’s teddy bears in hand themselves.

“Hey, I thought you girls said that boutique was too cheap for you because it was run by some old mystic lady,” Josh comments as he notices them, “What made them so special all of a sudden?”

“The fact that a certain Evan Ross got them for us!” the Milano sisters retort, “It’s nice when someone can appreciate you just enough not to ditch you at the mall for somebody else!”

Both Vitani and Josh flinch guiltily. Josh tries to apologize to them but the twins cut him off.

“But you know what? We half-expected it from you already, Josh. But then when Evan told us you ran off with Vitani, when they were supposed to be spending Valentine’s together, it made so much sense to us. We hope she’s really worth it,” the Milano sisters muse, “You two definitely deserve each other!”

With that, the Milano sisters storm off. Chad looks over at Vitani and Josh who stand in disbelief.

“Okay, so I must have really outdone myself if Evan decided to spend Valentine’s Day with those two instead,” Vitani sighs deeply, “It’s like everyone who has one of those teddy bears is full of scorn!”

“I’m beginning to think that’s exactly what’s happening,” Josh remarks, “It’s got to be more than a coincidence that those teachers from school, you, Chad and even the Milano sisters suddenly have so much resentment for the people you care about – after you all received a certain Valentine’s gift from a certain supposed mystic, who, as it turns out, has also set up shop here at the fair tonight!”

Chad, Vitani and Josh look over to see a Tunnel of Love ride run by none other than Madam Scarlett.

With that, the three begin to head over towards her. However, Madam Scarlett turns and spots them.

She jumps into one of the boats and sails away down the Tunnel of Love to flee! Chad, Vitani and Josh try to follow, but there is only one other boat and it can only hold two people. They pause.

“Okay, so this Madam Scarlett messes with romantic emotions and you and I … we’ve been involved with people close to each other,” Josh tells Vitani, “So Chad and I should probably take the boat.”

“R-Right,” Vitani nods awkwardly, “I’ll just head around to the other end of the tunnel to trap her!”

Chad looks at the two of them strangely when Vitani runs off and Josh jumps into the boat. Chad shrugs before he jumps into the boat with Josh and they sail off down the Tunnel of Love. After Chad uses a gust of wind to stir up a faster water current, Madam Scarlett’s boat is quickly in sight.

Madam Scarlett sees them and claps her hand. Some fog machines release the pink mist as fog.

“I recognize the scent from the teddy bears!” Chad realizes. “This mist must be how she infects people with scorn! And this is how she’d infect all of the people who came to take her little boat ride tonight!”

Chad creates gusts to blow all of the pink fog out of the tunnel. Madam Scarlett hisses in anger.

As Chad uses a gust to create a faster current to catch up, some Baby Cupid machines suddenly fly in.

Chad and Josh frown before they notice the drawn darts in their bows have pink vials on them.

“I know I was asking for love this Valentine’s, but don’t let Cupid hit us with those arrows!” Josh yells.

Chad is quick to swipe his hand again to deflect the flurry of arrows shot towards them. However, some more Baby Cupids fly up from behind them. Josh uses an oar from the boat to swat these ones away.

Just then, the water in the tunnel river freezes. They all look back to see Vitani at the end of the tunnel, standing on the ice sheet she created. Madam Scarlett realizes she is cornered and panics.

But at that moment, another Baby Cupid shoots an arrow which hits Vitani and injects the pink liquid!

Chad and Josh gasp in shock as Vitani shrieks before she removes the small dart from her neck.

“The scorn of men is my source of power!” Madam Scarlett begins, “And it’s yours now too, Vitani! Don’t let these men pit us against each other and then take all of the credit! You and I can band together and show these men that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! Let us both destroy them!”

Vitani’s eyes glimmer red with scorn as she walks past Madam Scarlett and raises her hand at Chad and Josh!

Chad and Josh pause in shock. Vitani’s hands start to glow and they watch as the tunnel freezes over.

Before the freezing can reach them, Josh hunches around Chad, just as their boat is also frozen over, freezing them both in the process. Vitani drops her hand. Madam Scarlett grins deviously in glee.

“You’re completely driven by scorn of men!” Madam Scarlett coaxes her, “Use it to finish them off!”

Vitani walks over to them on the ice sheet and raises her and an ice sphere begins to form, readily to blast Chad and Josh directly. However, Josh suddenly breaks out of the ice with his super strength, also freeing Chad in the process. Vitani pauses in shock and Josh uses the opportunity to grab and keep her in a hold. She flails about in scornful defiance. Madam Scarlett pauses in dismay.

“Chad quick! How did you snap out of your trance after your whiff of Eau de Scorn?” Josh asks him.

“I dunno! After I washed my face, it just –” Chad says, “Wait! Could it be eau? I mean l’eau, water?”

Josh recalls that after he and Vitani got sprayed by the sprinkler water in the rave Vitani seemed to go back to normal. He nods that Chad could be right but where would he get water with everything frozen.

“If we could break the ice we’re standing on, since water freezes from the top down –” Chad muses.

“Well let’s break her out of this trance, shall we?” Josh smiles and suddenly twirls Vitani forward.

Chad uses a swirling wind to keep her spinning as Josh smashes the ice with his metallic arms. As Vitani stops twirling and is dazed, Josh grabs her and Chad climbs back into the boat just as the ice cracks.

“You could call this an ice breaker,” Josh tells Vitani, “Let’s go for a swim in the Tunnel of Love!”

Josh and Vitani fall into the water when the ice sheet around them cracks apart. Josh and Vitani then pop back up at the surface of the water with a sharp gasp. Vitani shakes her head and snaps out of it.

“She’s getting away!” Vitani yells and three see Madam Scarlett back in her boat sailing away.

With that, Vitani shoots an ice sphere at her boat, which causes it to capsize. Madam Scarlett falls into the water. Her head soon pops back up with a gasp and she yells in anger at her failed plan.

“Noo! She didn’t tell me that mere water could cancel my powers,” she fumes, “Now I’m soaked to the core and powerless! All of her little vials and perfumes and wretched teddy bears were all for nothing!”

Chad, Vitani and Josh realize that all of Madam Scarlett’s Valentine’s gifts were compliments of the mysterious Benefactress too – just like the oscinades, Lewis Suede and Judge Holden, from before.

“You mean the Benefactress,” Josh says, “Why do you let her and her little devices use you like pawns?”

“She gives those of us with less active powers a means to channel the effects of our powers through vessels we can control!” Madam Scarlett spits, “She gives us the opportunity to take the glory of destroying you three for each of ourselves - as she opts rather to slowly build towards achieving your ultimate demise! And I may have failed, but with what she’s planned, you three don’t stand a chance!”

“Whoever this Benefactress person is will meet the same fate as you right now!” Josh retorts.

“Let’s just give this scornful hag a gift of our own for Valentine’s, shall we?” Vitani smiles at them.

The three nod and repeat the banishment verse:

“Evil spawned from darkness core,

Walk this land you shall no more,

Wickedness be rectified,

Let your face be now denied!”

A penetrating light emerges from Madam Scarlett’s overturned row boat, where the devious mystic is pulled into an opening vortex. All of the Baby Cupid devices also begin to fly into the portal. She screams in defeat before being sucked inside, and the portal zips shut into nothingness.

With that, Chad creates a gentle water current to take the three to the end of the Tunnel of Love.

“Looks like turning you against us only turned her own boat upside down,” Josh muses, climbing out.

“But she did manage to turn my relationship with Evan upside down,” Vitani sighs.

Josh hugs her comfortingly, although they are swishy and wet and they both let out a giggle. Chad watches them and smiles until someone shows up. He taps them and Vitani and Josh look around.

“You know, the Milano sisters told me you were here and that I didn’t want to see you. But I did, and it’s like; I’m angry but I miss you already. I’m still confused as to what happened. So I came looking to at least get answer, and I’ve got my answer now,” Evan says spitefully, “Just like Eliza did. And she warned me about this! But I didn’t think that I was playing with fire. This cold feeling in my chest tells me I was really playing with ice. But I’m not going to be a part of this game you two are playing!”

With that, Evan storms off. Vitani tries to stop him, but he brushes her off and walks away. Josh moves to instinctively console her with a hug but figures that might not be best at the moment. Chad rubs her back sympathetically. Vitani looks back at the flickering Tunnel of Love sign and sighs deeply.

Epilog

At school the following Monday, Vitani and Josh are waiting for Chad by his locker in the hallway.

“I’m really sorry Vitani,” Josh apologizes to her again after seeing her sigh, “I didn’t mean to put you in the same boat as me in the relationship department. I didn’t know Eliza was insecure about us for whatever reason; enough to give Evan those doubts that after Valentine’s Day he’s now convinced that there’s something more between us …”

“But there is!” Vitani turns to him, “We’re auranades, Josh! We just banished the oscinade of scorn who turns passionate feelings into those of spite and scorn; which is the real reason I went off on Evan like that! And I can’t explain that to him! And even if I wanted to, just for the sake of saving our relationship, after catching us at the rave and at the fair at the Tunnel of Love, he’s in no mind to believe me! He just thinks I’m a cold person, and as ice is like my power, I guess he does know me better than I thought.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, this is all just a misunderstanding,” Josh tells her, just as Chad shows up.

“Hey Chad, I hope anything you did wasn’t too misunderstood,” Vitani muses sadly.

“Well, after my whiff of Madam Scarlett’s scorn, I crashed Ray’s Valentine’s date with Rita Allen… with her brother! I think I was trying to make Ray jealous. I dunno. But I exposed Rita Allen for scheming against me with Rick’s flash drive and Cassie, and that pretty much ruined their date. I think that was me being scornful of them out of jealousy,” Chad tells them, taking books from his locker, “But I haven’t seen Ray since he left the restaurant that night. So who knows what our school reporter Rita Allen will do now that I pulled that stunt! I wouldn’t be surprised if I made the paper’s front page this morning.”

“Haha! I knew Chaddy boy over there wasn’t all the goodie two-shoes he pretends to be,” comes the voice of none other than the football captain, Cameron Levine, as he passes by them with his girlfriend Felicity, where he then says, “There’s a whole lot more we really don’t know about you, Chad.”

“You have no idea, Cam,” Felicity adds, recalling her having caught Chad and Aaron kissing before.

With that, the football captain and his girlfriend walk on down the hall. Chad frowns in confusion.

However, some other students pass by the three in the hall and all of them slow down and start to murmur when they see Chad. Chad looks back at Vitani and Josh and they shrug in bewilderment.

“What are you all starting at?” Josh demands, in his more commanding jock voice.

One of the students shoves a newspaper at him before they run off. Josh frowns and opens it.

“What is it?” Chad asks with a shaky voice as Vitani and Josh take a look at the newspaper.

Without a word, they slowly hand the newspaper to Chad. Chad’s eyes bulge in shock as he reads:

'Chad and Rick: Friends? Co-conspirators? Or MORE?' story by Rita Allen.