doing something naughty for her

Sarah's smirk twisted into something darker, more calculating. She tapped her phone against her palm, studying Isabel with predatory interest. "Fine," she purred. "You want to play hero? Here's the deal—you do one little task for me, and Emma's debt vanishes. Poof."

Isabel's fingers curled into fists at her sides, her nails biting into her palms. The bathroom air felt thick, pressing against her skin as Sarah stepped closer, the scent of her vanilla perfume cloying. "What kind of task?" Isabel demanded, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Sarah's smirk widened, revealing her perfectly straight white teeth. "Oh, you know," she purred, her breath hot against Isabel's ear. "You'll be doing something... naughty for me. If you want to save your friend."

Isabel felt her heart race as she tried to process Sarah's words. She couldn't believe what she was being asked to do, but she also knew that she had no other choice if she wanted to help Emma. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah stepped back, her hands on her hips. "I have a little bet going with some of the guys in my class," she explained, her tone dangerously seductive. "They think you're too innocent to do anything naughty. But I know better."

Sarah leaned in, her glossy lips brushing Isabel’s earlobe as she whispered the details. Isabel’s breath hitched—the heat of Sarah’s body, the way her manicured fingers traced the strap of Isabel’s dress—it all made her skin prickle with dread.

"You’ll walk into the boys’ locker room at third period," Sarah murmured, pulling back just enough to watch Isabel’s reaction. "Alone. And you’ll let them see exactly what you’re hiding under that dress."

Isabel’s heart pounded, her throat dry. She thought of Emma, of her best friend who had been humiliated by Sarah’s cruel words and humiliating photos. She thought of the picture Sarah had of her, too. She would do anything to save Emma from that fate. "I’ll do it," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "If you delete the picture of her and give her clothes back."

Sarah’s laughter was sharp as she tossed Emma’s crumpled clothes onto the tile floor between them. "There," she sneered, nudging the fabric with her designer sneaker. "Happy now, hero?"

Isabel’s fingers trembled as she bent to pick up Emma’s clothes, the fabric damp from where Sarah had kicked them into a puddle near the sinks. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting sharp shadows across Sarah’s smug face. "Third period," Sarah reminded her, tapping her phone screen to show the countdown timer she’d already set. "Don’t be late, or the photo goes up anyway."