The room was dimly lit, filled with the soft hum of laughter and whispered gossip. Isabel stood in the center like a queen surveying her court, flanked by Liz and Carly, while Sam stood nervously by the table, staring at the four identical-looking drinks laid out.
"Sam," Isabel said, her voice sharp, "you remember which one to give her, right?"
Sam swallowed hard. "Uh... yeah. This one, right?" She pointed to a drink near the edge of the table.
Carly rolled her eyes. "We marked the bottom, genius. That one has a dot.
Isabel smirked, brushing her long hair over one shoulder. "Angel's going to wish she never signed up for this competition."
Liz giggled. "She won't even be able to sit still, let alone think straight."
Sam hesitated, looking at the drinks again. "So, I just take it to her and say it's to help her relax, right?"
"Yes," Isabel said, impatient. "Just act normal. She'll never suspect a thing."
Before anyone could say another word, Sam grabbed one of the cups quickly—too quickly—and darted out of the room.
Isabel turned back to the remaining drinks. "Finally. Let's toast, shall we?" she said, lifting one of the cups and handing the other two to Liz and Carly. "To Angel's downfall."
They clinked their cups and sipped with smug satisfaction.
---
The competition hall buzzed with anticipation. Students filled the seats, teachers stood by with clipboards, and at the front, the judges were taking their places.
Angel stood backstage, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Okay, just breathe," she whispered to herself. "You've got this."
She took a small sip from the drink Sam had given her earlier and looked into the audience, scanning for familiar faces. Her eyes brightened when she saw her dad sitting proudly next to Christina. She gave them a small wave. Mira and Vicky were further down, cheering and snapping pictures with their phones.
Her gaze shifted to the back of the hall—and there was Dan, dressed in a dark jacket, seated stiffly beside Isabel and a few of their usual crowd. His eyes were on her, not smiling, not frowning—just watching.
Her cheeks flushed slightly. Focus, Angel. This is your moment.
---
As Angel stepped onto the stage, the room quieted. She sat at the competition desk, the bright spotlight beaming down on her.
The moderator's voice echoed, "First contestant: Angel James."
Question after question, her voice was steady, confident. She beat the buzzer several times, answering before the time ran out.
In the audience, Isabel leaned forward, waiting. Watching. Her smile slowly curled as she saw Angel place a hand on her stomach.
"There it is," she whispered under her breath. "Here we go."
But then... her stomach gurgled.
At first, it was subtle. Just a mild cramp. Then sharper. A tightening twist that made her wince.
"What the—" she muttered, clutching her side.
Dan, still staring at Angel, noticed Isabel shifting awkwardly beside him.
"What's up?" he asked casually.
"I'm fine," she snapped, waving him off—but the color drained from her face as she stood up, then bolted from her seat.
Liz and Carly looked at each other, confused. "What's going on?" Carly whispered.
"I don't know," Liz said, "Isabel's supposed to be enjoying this."
---
In the bathroom, Isabel groaned, slamming a stall door shut
"No... no no no!" she hissed, bending over.
It hit her hard. She realized the horrifying truth.
"Sam! That idiot!" she yelled, but no one could hear her over the flush of the toilets.
She spent the rest of the competition doubled over in the bathroom stall, hearing the muffled sound of Angel's confident voice from the stage.
---
Back in the competition hall, Angel was breezing through the final round.
Despite a few mild cramps earlier, she felt surprisingly fine now. Just a little hungry, maybe.
"I think I skipped breakfast," she muttered between rounds.
She looked toward the audience and locked eyes with her dad, who gave her a big thumbs-up. Christina smiled at her too. Mira and Vicky were on their feet, cheering.
Dan was still sitting at the back, his lips twitching in the hint of a smile. He leaned forward slightly, almost in disbelief.
She's... actually pulling it off.
---
After the last round, the audience erupted in applause. The moderator turned to the mic. "An incredible performance! Angel James, ladies and gentlemen!"
Angel stood up, stunned and glowing, waving shyly.
Dan leaned back in his seat, folding his arms. Whatever Isabel had planned—it backfired.
---
Outside the bathroom, Liz and Carly stood awkwardly, waiting for their friend.
"Should we go in?" Carly asked.
"I am not going into a bathroom that sounds like a crime scene," Liz said, wrinkling her nose.
Just then, Sam came running down the hallway, panic in her eyes.
"I think I gave Angel the wrong drink!" she whispered, breathless.
Liz blinked. "You think?"
Sam nodded. "I wasn't sure which one had the stuff in it... I might've grabbed the wrong one."
Carly slowly turned to the bathroom door. "So... Isabel poisoned herself?"
Sam covered her mouth. "Oops?"