Scenario:Loud music, people dancing and drinking—it was a party. Not just any party, though; it was a celebration for our graduation. Hosted by one of the wealthiest students, the house was so big it was almost three times the size of mine.
By surprise (or maybe not), my friend group joined Scaramouche’s. Everyone seemed friendly, but Scaramouche and I couldn’t stand each other. He was arrogant and stubborn, the exact traits I hated. And apparently, I annoyed him just as much.
So how did we end up in a drinking contest? Our friends forced us, and neither of us could back down—it was a matter of pride. After that, everything became a blur.
When I woke up with a pounding headache, I realized I wasn’t in my room—or my bed. Next to me was a shirtless Scaramouche.
He opened his eyes briefly, groaned, and buried his face into the pillow. "Ugh..Honey..it's 7am..shut up and go back to sleep.." he muttered.
Crea la mia versione di questa storia
Loud music, people dancing and drinking—it was a party. Not just any party, though; it was a celebration for our graduation. Hosted by one of the wealthiest students, the house was so big it was almost three times the size of mine.
By surprise (or maybe not), my friend group joined Scaramouche’s. Everyone seemed friendly, but Scaramouche and I couldn’t stand each other. He was arrogant and stubborn, the exact traits I hated. And apparently, I annoyed him just as much.
So how did we end up in a drinking contest? Our friends forced us, and neither of us could back down—it was a matter of pride. After that, everything became a blur.
When I woke up with a pounding headache, I realized I wasn’t in my room—or my bed. Next to me was a shirtless Scaramouche.
He opened his eyes briefly, groaned, and buried his face into the pillow. "Ugh..Honey..it's 7am..shut up and go back to sleep.." he muttered.
Christine Hayes
student, rivals with Scaramouche, short brown hair, determined and competitive
Adrianna Carter
mutual friend of Christine and Scaramouche, supportive and peacemaker
Scaramouche
wealthy student, rivals with Christine, tall with dark hair, arrogant and stubborn
Scaramouche and I had butted heads for as long as I could remember.
The year I had met him, I was in my second year of high school and he was in his first.
That night was the same as all the others, a party we would put our names to and become a model for the school's brochure.
It was held at the Carter's house, a family that would soon become close to both of our hearts.
Scaramouche had just transferred and I had become the smartest in my class.
I studied hard, not because I was smart but because I wanted to be.
I had always been competitive, not with anyone else but with myself.
I challenged myself every day and pushed myself over my limits just so I could have a sense of pride and accomplishment.
That same year, Scaramouche came and stole that right from me.
He became the smartest in school without even studying hard, something that I had tried so desperately to do.
I hated him for it and made it my mission to bring him down.
I tried every trick that I knew, from sabotaging his homework to distracting him during a test.
I had done everything possible to make him fail but nothing had worked.
He always came on top, a fact that had made my blood boil at times.
I sat up slowly, my head still spinning from the previous night.
Scaramouche lay next to me, oblivious to the world.
He was shirtless and his hair was a mess.
I nudged him awake, determined not to let this awkward situation deter me from my goal.
"Scaramouche," I said sharply, shaking his shoulder.
He groaned and turned away, burying his face in the pillow.
"Go away," he mumbled.
I shook him again, determined to get an answer out of him.
"Scaramouche, wake up."
He groaned again and turned away, but I didn't give up.
"Scaramouche!"
I shouted, shaking him hard.
His eyes fluttered open and he stared at me for a second before sighing deeply.
"What do you want, Christine?" he asked, his voice hoarse from sleep.
"I need to know your secret. How do you always come out on top?"
I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
He stared at me for a second before rolling his eyes and turning away again.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how you always come out on top. How do you do it? What's your secret?"
I asked, my voice firm.
He stared at me for a second, his eyes narrowing.
"Look, Christine, I don't know what you're talking about. But I do know that you're not going to get anything out of me."
"I don't believe you," I said, my voice rising.
"You're just trying to make me feel better. But I know the truth. You're hiding something from me."
He sighed deeply.
"Christine, I'm telling you the truth. I don't have any secrets. I just study hard and do my best."
I stared at him for a second, trying to read his expression.
But he was giving nothing away.
I could see that he was telling the truth but I still couldn't believe it.
I had always thought that he was hiding something from me but now I realized that maybe he wasn't.
Maybe he was just naturally smart and worked hard to achieve his goals.
I felt a pang of guilt for accusing him of cheating.
I had always been so focused on beating him that I never stopped to think about how he felt.
I had never considered the possibility that he might be telling the truth. "Scaramouche," I said softly, my voice filled with regret.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you of cheating. I should have trusted you."
He stared at me for a second, his eyes filled with surprise.
Then he nodded slowly, his expression softening.
"It's okay," he said quietly.
"I know how it feels to be accused of something you didn't do."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
"Thank you," I said softly.
"For understanding."
He smiled slightly and nodded again.
"No problem," he said quietly.
"Now let's get out of here before we both get in trouble."
We both stood up and started making our way out of the room, careful not to make any noise as we walked down the hallway.
We finally made it outside and took a deep breath of fresh air before starting our journey back home.
As we walked, Scaramouche turned to me with a small smile on his face.
"Thanks again," he said softly.
"For believing in me."
I smiled back at him, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him.
"No problem," I said softly.
"So, what are your plans after graduation?" he asked.
I shrugged, not really sure what I wanted to do.
"I'm not sure. I've always been interested in business but I'm not sure if that's what I want to do."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"I've always been interested in business too. Maybe we could start our own company together."
I smiled at the idea.
"That sounds like a great idea. We could work together and make it a success."
He grinned back at me.
"I'm sure we could make it happen. We're both smart and ambitious, so why not?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of excitement at the prospect of starting our own business.
"Let's do it," I said confidently.
Scaramouche grinned again and nodded his head.
"Let's do it," he repeated.
We both smiled at each other, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation for the future.
As we continued walking, Scaramouche turned to me with a small smile on his face.
"Hey, Christine?"
"Yes?"
I replied, looking at him curiously.
"Do you think we could be friends now? Now that we're not competing against each other?"
I smiled back at him, feeling a sense of warmth towards him.
"Yeah, I'd like that," I said softly.
He grinned again and nodded his head.
"Good. Because I think we could be great friends."
I nodded in agreement, feeling happy about the prospect of having a new friend.
As we continued walking, Scaramouche turned to me with another question. "Hey, Christine?"
"Yes?"
I replied, looking at him curiously.
"What do you think about starting our own business? Not just any business but something that would make us rich?"
I stared at him for a second, surprised by his question.
But then I smiled back at him confidently.
"I think that's a great idea," I said softly.
Scaramouche grinned again and nodded his head in agreement.
"Good. Because I think we could make it happen."
"Rich, huh? What do you have in mind?"
He chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"How about an app that helps students like us ace their exams without the stress?"
"That's a great idea," I said, my mind already racing with the possibilities.
"We could call it 'ExamAce' and market it to schools and universities. We could even offer a free trial period to get people hooked."
Scaramouche grinned, clearly pleased with himself.
"Exactly what I was thinking. And we could make it even better by adding features like personalized study plans and real-time feedback."
We continued brainstorming as we walked, our conversation flowing easily as we talked about our shared passion for business and innovation.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the streets, Scaramouche turned to me with a smile.
"You know, Christine, I never thought I'd say this to you, but I'm really glad we're friends now. You're not as annoying as I thought you'd be."
I chuckled, feeling the same way about him.
"Yeah, I have to admit, you're not as arrogant as I thought you'd be. Maybe we were both wrong about each other."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Maybe we were. But at least we can put all that behind us now."
We continued walking in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Scaramouche spoke up again.
"So, Christine, tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do in your free time?"
I shrugged, not really having much of an answer.
"I don't really have much free time with school and studying. But when I do have some spare time, I like to read or watch movies." He nodded thoughtfully.
"I can relate. School can be pretty demanding sometimes. But it'll all be worth it in the end when we achieve our goals."
I smiled slightly, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Scaramouche.
"Yeah, that's true. And speaking of goals, what do you think is the key to achieving success?"
He thought for a moment before answering.
"I think the key to achieving success is staying focused and motivated. It's easy to get distracted by things that aren't important, but if you keep your eyes on the prize and work hard towards it, you can accomplish anything."
I nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense. And I think another important thing is being willing to take risks and step out of your comfort zone. If you stay in your comfort zone too long, you'll never grow or achieve anything new."
He smiled slightly.
"I couldn't agree more. And speaking of taking risks, let's take a risk and start our own business together."
I smiled back at him, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation.
"Let's do it."
We both sat across from each other at a small café, our laptops open as we finalized the details for ExamAce.
The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air, mingling with the low hum of conversation from the other patrons.
Scaramouche leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen against his chin thoughtfully.
"We need something big for the launch," he mused.
I nodded in agreement, considering his words carefully.
"How about we launch ExamAce from a hot air balloon at the next tech expo?" he suggested excitedly, his eyes meeting mine.
Scaramouche paused for a moment, then grinned widely.
"That's brilliant! Imagine the buzz we'd create with something like that."
I laughed, feeling the thrill of the idea.
"Alright, let's do it. We'll make sure everyone knows ExamAce is here to change the game."
With the details finalized, we both settled in for a long day of research and work.
Our laptops hummed with activity as we delved deeper into the world of app development, seeking out the best ways to make ExamAce stand out from the crowd.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the café, Scaramouche's voice cut through the air, filled with a mixture of disbelief and determination.
"Christine, look at this."
I turned my attention to his laptop, narrowing my eyes as I took in the information on the screen.
It was an article about a rival app developer who had been using underhanded tactics to manipulate their success.
The evidence was damning—fabricated success stories and manipulated reviews designed to make their product seem better than it actually was.
Scaramouche's eyes met mine, filled with a fire of determination.
"We can't let them get away with this," he said, his voice firm.
I nodded, feeling a surge of resolve.
"Let's make sure ExamAce succeeds on its own merits and show everyone what integrity looks like."
With renewed purpose, we dove back into our work, fueled by a newfound sense of determination.
The café's warm ambiance was shattered as two men strode in with aggressive strides, their eyes scanning the room until they landed on us.
Scaramouche and I were sitting across from each other at a small table near the window, our laptops open as we worked on ExamAce.
The men approached us, their footsteps echoing through the quiet café.
They were both tall and imposing, their faces set in scowls.
One of them slammed his fist down on the table, rattling the coffee cups and making me jump.
"You think you can just waltz in here and take over?" he sneered, his voice dripping with hostility.
Scaramouche stood up, towering over the man with his own imposing height.
"We're not backing down," he said evenly, his eyes locked on the rival developer.
The tension hung in the air as we prepared to defend our dream.
Just as it seemed like things were about to escalate, a barista stepped between us and the aggressive men, her voice calm and authoritative.
"Hey, hey, let's not do this here," she said, her eyes scanning the room as she took in the situation.
The rival developers sneered at her, but Scaramouche and I remained silent, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
The barista's gaze settled on us, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and determination.
"Let's move this outside," she said firmly.
Scaramouche and I exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement.
We gathered our things and followed the barista out of the café, leaving the rival developers behind.
The barista led us to a quieter corner of the café, where we sat at a small table surrounded by plants.
She took a seat between us, her eyes darting back and forth as she assessed the situation.
"Alright," she said evenly, "let's hear both sides of this story."
Scaramouche and I exchanged a glance before he began to explain our side of things.
The barista listened intently as he detailed the rival app's deceitful tactics and our determination to succeed on our own merits. When Scaramouche finished speaking, the barista turned to me for my perspective.
I took a deep breath before launching into an explanation of ExamAce's unique features and our commitment to integrity.
As I spoke, I could feel the tension in the air begin to dissipate, replaced by a sense of understanding and mutual respect.
When I finished speaking, the barista nodded thoughtfully.
"I believe you both," she said firmly.
"But now we need to figure out what to do about it."
Scaramouche and I exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement.
The barista stood up and walked over to where the rival developers were sitting at another table.
She stood tall as she confronted them about their actions, her voice firm but controlled.
One of the rival developers leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms defiantly.
"Why should we care what you think?" he scoffed, glancing dismissively at the barista.
The barista met his gaze steadily, her voice unwavering.
"Because if you don't clean up your act, I'll make sure everyone knows exactly what you've been up to."
The rival developers exchanged a glance, their faces falling as they realized the gravity of the situation.
With a huff, they gathered their things and stormed out of the café, leaving Scaramouche and me to breathe a sigh of relief.
As we sat back down at our table, Adrianna walked in with her laptop in hand.
She spotted us and made her way over, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"I've got it," she said confidently, sitting down beside us.
Scaramouche and I exchanged a glance, our minds racing with the possibilities.
"What do you mean?"
I asked, leaning in to get a better look at her laptop screen.
Adrianna opened up a file filled with code, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she explained her plan.
"We can hack into their app and expose all of their deceitful practices for everyone to see."
Scaramouche and I looked at each other, weighing the risks and benefits of such a bold move.
Scaramouche shook his head, his voice steady but cautious.
"That's a dangerous path, Adrianna. We can't stoop to their level."
Adrianna paused, her eyes flickering with understanding before she nodded slowly.
"I agree," she said, her voice filled with determination.
"But we need to do something. They can't be allowed to continue their deceitful ways."
Scaramouche and I nodded in agreement, our minds racing as we tried to come up with a plan.
We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the hum of the café's espresso machine.
Then, I had an idea.
"We can report them to the app store," I said, my voice filled with conviction.
"They have rules against this type of behavior. Let them handle it."
Scaramouche nodded in agreement, his eyes shining with determination.
"That's what we'll do."
Adrianna pulled out her laptop and began typing away, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she searched for the app store's contact information.
Scaramouche and I followed suit, our own fingers moving quickly as we searched for the right person to contact.
After a few minutes of searching, Adrianna let out a triumphant cry.
"I've got it," she said, her voice filled with excitement.
"The app store has a special email address for reporting fraudulent activity. We can send them everything we've found."
Scaramouche and I exchanged a glance, our eyes shining with determination as we began typing out an email to the app store. We included all of the evidence we had gathered, including screenshots of the rival app's fake reviews and success stories.
We also attached an article about how they had been banned from other platforms for similar behavior.
Once we were satisfied with our email, we hit send and waited anxiously for a response.
It wasn't long before we heard back from the app store.
They thanked us for bringing this to their attention and assured us that they would investigate thoroughly.
Within a few days, the rival app was removed from the app store, and their deceitful tactics were exposed for all to see.
Scaramouche and I breathed a sigh of relief as we watched our dream take shape before our eyes.
We had stood up against injustice and fought for what was rightfully ours.