Chapter 2.

"I hope you're joking about revenge. Because really, I don't think he's worth it" Holly told Kim as she led her out of her office with the promise of free cupcakes.

In the bakery the air was more delicious than any flavour. Somehow the aroma captured everything good in there: the filter coffee, the various cakes, the danish pastries. The blend was perfection, but as a mixture of flavours they would be a disastrous   'coffee-cake-pastry'.

Charlie at the far end of the bakery waved at them eagerly.

"I didn't know you were meeting Charlie" Kim asked and Holly shrugged.

"My van's faulty. She's helping me out with the deliveries today" 

"That's awfully generous of her" Kim snorted and Holly gave her a look.

"Be nice. She's my friend" 

"Some friend" Kim muttered and Holly pretended not to hear her.

"Hey Holly! The bakery smells extra good today" she commented while enveloping Holly into a hug.

Holly wrinkled her nose as she seemed to smell of a certain kind of fragrance she couldn't place.

"Hello Kim! Back from the gym?" Charlie lightly jabbed as she raised her eyebrows.

"No, but I'm heading there soon" 

Charlie and Holly looked at each other knowingly, aware of the fact that Kim was lying. Kim had not visited the gym ever since January. And even when she did then, it was only because she made a bet with Holly that she could stick to her new Year resolutions.

Which of course she didn't.

"Oh! I forgot to thank you for that Vegan Raspberry galette with coconut whipped cream you made for my meeting. Everyone loved it!" Charlie smiled widely.

Holly blushed deeply.

"Oh! That was nothing at all. And surprisingly it came out pretty well..." 

Despite being vegan Holly thought but refused to add it before Charlie launched into a passionate rant of the benefits of veganism.

Kim cleared her throat loudly while wearing a perfect mask of despair. Kim Evans hated being away from the spotlight for too long.

"What's wrong with her?" Charlie asked and Holly shrugged.

"Why don't you tell her what's bothering you Kim?"

Kim, relieved to be in the spotlight again launched into the same story of how Ryder Bates dumped and used her and Charlie listened intently.

After Kim was done with her rant, Holly waited for Charlie's input patiently.

"You, my dear friend, fell into the Ryder trap" Charlie commented as she twisted a large crystal on her necklace.

Charlie was not only a vegan, she also believed in living an holistic lifestyle which included using crystals for good luck, being a minimalist and believed Mandala drawings could bring about emotional wellbeing and healing.

Holly had found her amusing at first but after getting to know her really well, she found out that she was actually a really nice person to be around.  Even though she had a great body, she loved to dress up in flannel shirts and khakis that were twice her size. And with such a small frame, most of the tine it looked like she was being swallowed by her clothes.

"What the hell is the Ryder trap?" 

Holly asked in confusion. 

Charlie leaned closer to explain.

"It's simple. Everyone in New York knows Ryder Bates to be the son of one of the richest investors in the country. He's basically a multi millionaire without even lifting a finger. Now, everyone also knows that Ryder Bates is an incurable player. Come on! The tabloids have a field day deciding which of his scandals to use as an headliner."

Charlie paused for a while.

"And? What's the Ryder trap?"

"The Ryder trap is basically when you fall for Ryder Bates. He entices you with his sweet words and all but after sleeping with you for a maximum of three times. He's basically done. The moment you kiss him, you're basically hooked" 

"How do you know so much?" Kim asked as she folded her arms and glared at Charlie. 

Of course she had been aware of the fact that he was a player, but like every girl who had fallen into the Ryder trap, she had been stupid enough to believe that she was different. Unique even.

"Believe it or not I almost slept with him too" Charlie said.

Kim resisted the urge to gag.

"Okay! This Ryder Bates guy must have a community dick or something. You too? When did that happen?" Kim shouted and Holly begged her to keep her voice down.

Charlie shrugged.

"Last year. I met him at a party. He said he loved my energy. Dropped a line about how he was trying to live a better lifestyle and how he was a climate change activist. I almost fell for it. Till a girl interrupted us and poured a cocktail all over him. Called him an asshole and that was all the warning I needed" 

Holly couldn't help doubling in laughter.

"Sorry, excuse me" someone called from behind.

Three pair of eyes turned to a tall young woman with a pixie cut. She has a surprisingly young face. She was so slim her bones jutted out of her white bandage dress.

"I couldn't help but hear your conversation" she said nervously twisting her bracelet in her hand.

Kim scoffed and looked away.

'You mean you were eavesdropping" 

"Kim! Don't be rude" Holly quickly butted in.

"Go on" she turned to the young lady with an encouraging smile.

"I've also been a victim of Ryder Bates.  In fact I lost my virginity to him. I was just fresh out of college. I went to a really nice club to celebrate and I met this super hot dude. We dated for a month, I thought he was the one so I gave myself to him and he blocked me right after"

"No way!" Charlie said as she covered her mouth.

"Okay. That's mean" Holly replied suddenly pondering on how insensitive this Ryder guy was becoming with every story.

The lady named Catalina joined in by taking a seat and all of them except Holly share the wildest stories they've heard about the millionaire player.

"I just wish we could give him a taste of his own medicine you know?" Catalina said with pain lacing her voice.

"We can! And we will! Definitely. I for one, I am not letting that scumbag go scot free for what he did to me. That idiot probably already slept with half of New York by now." Kim ranted as Catalina nodded along.

"How do you defeat a player? It's going to be quite hard" Charlie confessed.

"I mean he has money, he's got the looks and from what you all are saying, girls are practically falling flat on their faces to be with him. What are you going to do?" 

Kim smiled slyly.

"It's simple really, we do what he has always done." 

"You're not really being clear right now Kim" Holly announced and the rest nodded in agreement.

"Oh it's simple guys. We find a girl who is totally not in to him and immune to his charms and get her to seduce him. We can video his embarrassment and play silly pranks on him" Kim deadpanned.

That's the stupidest idea ever, Holly thought but kept her mouth shut for the sake of preventing an argument.

"How do you know that's going to work?" Catalina pressed on determined, totally unfazed with the fact that she just bonded with three older women because of Ryder Bates.

"Because Ryder Bates always wants what he can't get. He has this mentality that he can get any woman into his bed. I've heard him say it. We just find a woman who is hard to get and he'll move heaven and earth to be in bed with her" 

Kim replied with a small smile.

Charlie nodded slowly.

"But who is this woman that's going to be your pawn in this your game of revenge?" Holly asked while folding her arms, contented with being the voice of reason.

Holly missed the knowing look Kim gives her.

"It's going to be you Holly Grace Michaels. I can't think of anyone better" 

The laughter that exploded from Holly's mouth sent everyone in the bakery staring at her in surprise and unabashed curiosity.

Holly doubled over in laughter as she slapped her legs wondering why Kim never tried out standup comedy. She would have been amazing.

"I'm not kidding. You're the perfect candidate" Kim firmly stated.

"What?" Holly blurted out.