kai parker • villains of circumstance ✔️

CHAPTER FIVE

"I think I'm actually gonna go to a diner with—" Josette begins.

"No, it's time to go home." Joshua interrupts her.

Josette's shoulders slump. "Okay." She says quietly, she turns back to Jen and Daisy. "I'll see you guys on Monday." She sends them a soft smile before turning to follow her family off of the field, Kai walking a good distance behind them.

—

The door to Andy's dinged as Jen and Daisy walked in together. The diner was full. She looked around at the busy tables. A teenaged couple eating side by side, sharing a single milkshake. A group of cheerleaders collapsing with helpless giggles as they conversed with some of the football players that were now out of uniform.

"Hendrix!" Tommy shouts.

Jen and Daisy both turn their heads to see Tommy waving at them from a booth not far form the door. He was sat their with a few of his friends and their girlfriends, who Daisy wasn't very familiar with. She knew sitting with them would make her feel painfully out of place, but she wanted to be with Tommy.

She smiled awkwardly at him as her and Jen walked over to the booth, sitting down as people scoot over to make room. "Hendrix, what do you think is the best sci-fi movie ever made?" Mark, one of Tommy's friends asks as soon as she sits down.

Daisy thinks for a second, not having an answer prepared for the conversation she just walked in on. "Um..." She thinks. "Back To The Future was pretty good." She shrugs.

"Oh, I love that movie." Tommy says.

Daisy smiled excitedly at him. "It's one of my all time favorites." She perks up a bit.

"Wrong answer." Mark says, continuing the conversation amongst the table.

Daisy and Tommy's smiles linger on each other for a second before turning to tune in to what everyone else was saying. They probably sat there for an hour or two. Daisy and Jen didn't do much talking, more observing and giggling amongst themselves.

Daisy, as much as she hated to admit it, did like the feeling of hanging out with the 'cool kids.' She always liked to view her self as better than them, more advanced, more unique and much smarter— but she wanted to fit in just as much as everyone else.

"I better get going. I have work tomorrow, and it's late." Tommy speaks up, Daisy turns to face him. "You need a ride Hendrix? Your house is on the way to mine."

Daisy shakes her head. "That's okay, Jen drove—"

"Yes, she does need a ride. Thank you." Jen interrupts, smiling at Tommy widely. She then proceeds to push Daisy out of the booth herself. Tommy laughs a bit as he stands up and puts his varsity jacket on.

Daisy gives Jen a look of, 'will you be okay alone?'

"I'll be fine." Jen whispers, urging her to go on.

Daisy wished she would've said something else. Being around Tommy in a group setting was fine, but sitting in a five minute car ride with him, completely alone, made Daisy feel a bit sick to her stomach.

The two walked out together, their height difference an exact foot. Jen watched proudly through the diner window as Daisy got in Tommy's car and they drove off.

"I saw Back to The Future opening night with my sister." She spoke first, trying to start conversation. "The clock tower scene is literally so cool."

"The clock tower scene?" He said confusedly.

Daisy smiled awkwardly. "The clock tower scene? At the end..." She trailed off as she could tell Tommy wasn't following by his expression.