Othello (Shakespeare For Everyone Else #2)

  Chapter One

  “Another rejection letter?” Archer groaned, tossing the paper away from him. “I can’t believe it! Those were my top two schools, and both of them rejected me. My father’s going to cut me off if I don’t get accepted somewhere.”

  “Maybe you aimed too high,” Roderick said as he stooped over to pick up the letter. He read it over. “Ouch. Lack of extra-curriculars. That’s rough, man.”

  Archer snatched the paper from his hands and sloppily crumbled it up. “Shut up. I know. If I was student body president and not the treasurer then maybe I wouldn’t be in this damn mess! I never considered that Capetown would actually run, let alone win.”

  “Devony was helping him,” Roderick said. “It certainly doesn’t hurt to have the mayor’s daughter on your side. They were awfully close during his campaign.”

  “A bit too close if you ask me. What could a girl like her possibly have in common with Capetown?” He frowned, deep in thought.

  “That’s pretty disrespectful, man. His name’s Orion.”

  “Orion? Capetown? What’s the difference? He’s not even from this damn country and he thinks he can just stroll in here and run my school? He could have at least made me vice-president.”

  “Didn’t he offer you secretary?”

  “A woman’s job,” Archer sneered. “I thought treasurer would at least look good on college applications. So much for that. I bet Capetown’s screwing the mayor’s daughter and daddy doesn’t even know about it.”

  Roderick lifted up his head, looking surprised. “W-what? What did you say?”

  “I said that I bet Orion and Devony are seeing each other. It wouldn’t surprise me. What other reason would they have to spend so much time together now that the election is long over?”

  “Do you think?”

  “Why don’t you ask Devony?” Archer asked with a smile.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this before? Dammit, Archer! You’re supposed to be setting Devony up with me!”

  “I’m working on it.”

  “How are you working on it? For the past few months I’ve been patient, lending you money from my trust fund and I’ve got nothing to show for it except my father’s bitching! How long have you known about this?”

  “I guess I’ve always suspected it.”

  “Do you have any proof?”

  “I’ve heard enough,” he said. “It’s not like Orion can keep his mouth shut. He acts like Devony’s some sort of angel.”

  “And you’re only telling me about this now? I thought you hated Orion!”

  “I do,” Archer answered sharply. “Never think I don’t. Have you already forgotten what happened at the damn student election? After I lost to Capetown, other juniors and seniors went up and told him personally that I should be his vice-president. Everyone knows I should have been, but did he choose me? No! He chose Micah!”

  “That’s weird because he’s only a junior—”

  “I know that! Micah’s only a step above useless! He parties and sleeps around and everyone turns a blind eye because his father’s the Headmaster! He doesn’t know the first thing about politics and his face is always buried in some stupid science fiction book. Tell me, Roderick, what does science fiction have to do with running a private school?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I wasn’t expecting an answer,” Archer said. “I’ve been involved with student council for two years but do I get the benefit of the doubt with an outsider like Orion? No, he’d rather make Devony happy by taking a recommendation from her. Now I get to spend my senior year as the lowly treasurer. I have to do all the hard work and get none of the credit.”

  “It could be worse.”

  “How?”

  “Dammit, Archer. I don’t know. Maybe something will change—”

  “Nothing can change now. Elections are over and I’m seeing now how much I’m being screwed over by Capetown’s idiotic decision. I doubt he’s even taking his role seriously.”

  “I heard he’s doing an okay job.”

  “I can think of several jobs he’s enjoying but they would all involve Devony.”

  “Stop!” Roderick said. “I don’t want to hear about it. If you’re so miserable being his treasurer then quit. Who cares, you know? You’ve already been rejected—”

  “So then I’ll have a rep as a quitter? Give me a break, I’ll stick it out. I wasn’t raised to give up when things get shitty. Besides, with me serving under him, I’m pretty sure I’m at an advantage. Orion trusts me – he doesn’t know how my mind works. He thinks I’m perfectly okay being passed over for Micah but he has no idea I’m against him. At the end of the day, I will serve my post well,” he said sarcastically while giving a mock salute. “I care about the school and I care about my reputation, but let me tell you this, Roderick. I’m not the friendly nice guy everyone thinks I am.”

  Roderick lifted up his head, looking at his friend curiously. “If Orion really believes you’re working for him then he’s stupider than he looks. But what are we going to do about him dating Devony? How am I supposed to land her for myself if she’s actually with him?”

  “I have an idea.”

  “Tell me, Archer. Just thinking about the two of them together—”

  “So let’s tell her dad,” Archer said, pulling out his keys. “I think it’s our duty to let him know that his daughter is sneaking around with someone like him.”

  “Could you really do that to Devony? Wouldn’t she be upset?”

  “She doesn’t need to know that it’s me,” he said. “Let’s head over to his house now.”

  “Wait, what? You want to go over to his house and tell him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Face-to-face?”

  “I’m certainly not going to tell him over the phone! Let’s go before it’s too late. I bet she’s with him right now.”

  “You think?” Roderick asked, allowing himself to be pulled along.

  “I know. Let’s spoil his ignorant bliss.”