"Personally, my favourite part was when she nearly choked a guy twice the size of her!" Malcolm wheezed.
Andre clutched his stomach in laughter.
"Stop it," I groaned in embarrassment.
"Don't worry, you weren't that bad," Andre sobered up. "Except for, y'know, the part where you jumped on top of a table—"
"And proceeded to bellydance—"
"Then nearly fell off of it in front of dozens of other people—"
"And tried to start a fight with an innocent guy—"
"Then jumped into a pool fully dressed—"
"And flashed every person in the vicinity—"
"Knock it off!" I whacked Malcolm in the head.
"Hey, why me?" he howled and then pointed a finger at Andre. "He started it!"
"Yeah, but you're closer," I shrugged, hitting him again.
He slapped my shoulder, and we engaged in a silly catfight at the cafeteria table.
Despite our seemingly argumentative behaviour, I'd never felt closer to the boys. After they'd taken care of me in my drunken state and defended me from the harassment I'd encountered, it reminded me that there were people on this earth who actually cared about me.
Malcolm and I were distracted from our petty catfight when Elias came trudging into the cafeteria, with the rest of the football team in tow. He took a seat across from me, and I gasped once I got a close look at his appearance. He was sporting a shiner on his right eye, and there was a thin cut on his left cheekbone.
"Yikes, did you get run over by a truck?" I winced.
"Hardy har har," he glared at me.
From my peripheral vision, I noticed that the rest of the football team was still standing behind him. Elias seemed to notice too, for he glanced back at them with a stony look.
"Why are you guys still here?" he stormily demanded.
The teammates exchanged confused looks, before one of them decided to speak up. "Well usually we just follow Anthony around, but since you're our new captain..."
I stifled a giggle.
"Go sit somewhere else," Elias ordered, rather displeased. Without further ado, the jocks scrambled elsewhere.
As if Elias could feel my thoughtful gaze on him, he snapped his head towards me, giving me a look so cold I slightly shivered.
"What are you looking at?" he scowled.
"Nothing," I hesitated. "I just wanted to say... thank you for helping me out at the party."
His eyes slightly softened, though I convinced myself it was just the light playing tricks on me. "You shouldn't thank me for doing the bare minimum," he murmured.
Bare minimum? I wouldn't call breaking down a door and beating someone up on my behalf the bare minimum.
I had always been used to people being bystanders. It happened all the time, when Anthony and the other jocks bullied me. It could range from light name-calling to brutal shoves in lockers. Some students found it funny, and would giggle to their friends while pointing at me. Others would look on in pity. Though no one had ever actually defended me—not until the boys came along, that was. They didn't even realize how much it meant to me, and quite frankly, I think that made it all the more meaningful.
"Well, I still really appreciate it," I eventually replied, to which Elias rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I can't help but ask... did Justin do that to you?"
By that, I meant the black eye and cut on Elias' face.
"I'll assume Justin is that pipsqueak who tried hurting you at the party. And no, by the time I was done with him, he couldn't lay a finger on me even if he wanted to," Elias almost sounded amused.
However, that only unsettled me further.
"If that's not the case, then what happened to you?" I asked, perplexed.
His dark eyes narrowed. "Don't act like you care."
My mouth dropped open. "It's just a question."
"Maybe you should mind your fucking business."
"Okay," Malcolm nervously laughed. "Let's all just—"
"I am sick and tired of your attitude," I snapped. "If you don't wanna answer the question, that's fine, but you don't have to be such a jerk about it."
"Yeah, well, if I wanted to be interrogated, I'd go back to juvie," he scowled before promptly getting up and storming away.
I faced Andre and Malcolm with disbelief. "How can one be so... so..."
"Mean?" asked Malcolm.
"Insufferable?" Andre offered.
"Yes!" I huffed. "I don't understand why he hates me so much."
Malcolm and Andre shared a look.
"Trust me, he doesn't," Andre said.
"Yeah, well, it's hard to believe when he acts like that," I sighed in exasperation.
"Don't worry," Malcolm smiled. "Once he gets to know the Daisy that we all know and love, he won't be able to stay away from you."
"Sure," I snorted. "Anyways, I can't be the only one who's noticed it."
"Noticed what?" Andre asked.
"The constant bruises, the random cuts," I said in a hushed tone. "Is someone hurting Elias?"
They exchanged looks, which did not go unnoticed by me.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Malcolm dismissed. "Anyways, why don't the four of us grab a bite to eat after school? We can check out that Italian restaurant on Highway 7."
He was clearly trying to change the topic. I reluctantly dropped it—for now.
"Sure," I said. "But I've got work every day after school, except on Friday."
"Friday's perfect," Malcolm nodded.
"No!" Andre exclaimed.
Andre gave Malcolm a look, and they seemed to be silently communicating.
"Oh, right," Malcom said after a moment, casting me a nervous smile. "We're busy this Friday."
"Doing what, exactly?" I asked, suspicious.
"Studying," said Andre.
"Golfing," said Malcolm at the exact same time.
They both exchanged panicked looks before switching it up.
"Golfing," said Andre.
"Studying," said Malcolm.
I quirked a brow as they spoke over each other once again.
"I-I mean," Malcolm began, "we're gonna study for a bit, then go golfing afterwards."
I was quiet for a moment, then, "okay."
Andre's shoulders sagged in relief, and Malcolm let out a nervous breath.
Obviously, I wasn't stupid enough to believe them. They were clearly hiding something, and I was going to find out what.
*****
On Friday after school, I was sitting in my rundown Kia. It had multiple mechanical issues that I should've gotten fixed ages ago, but hey, it still did the job.
On the other side of the school parking lot, I observed Elias, Malcolm, and Andre. They were standing at the very same black, sleek Lamborghini that Elias drove every day. The three bulldozers didn't even realize how much attention they were attracting, as they laughed and conversed with one another. A group of junior girls happened to walk by, and they whispered and giggled amongst one another as they continuously glanced back at the trio.
Malcolm cast them a flirtatious wink. Andre's lips upturned into a cocky grin. Elias gave the girls a deep scowl, causing them to scurry away in fear.
Andre cast Elias a look of frustration and Malcolm thumped Elias on the shoulder. Since my window was rolled down, Malcolm's voice travelled along to my ears as he yelled at Elias, "stop being a cock blocker!"
"I was doing those poor girls a favour," Elias smirked. "We all know what happened the last time you tried getting with a younger girl."
"Hey, that's not my fault. Her dad shouldn't have been sitting right there!" Malcolm yelled.
"He was in a wheelchair!" Elias yelled back.
The two began to bicker back and forth like an old married couple. I fondly giggled at their antics, although my smile fell short when I saw Heather and her minion, Chelsea, making their way over to the guys. She appeared to have her eyes dead set on Elias.
Both of the girls were clad in their matching cheer uniforms. Heather took the lead, her blonde hair bouncing as she determinedly strode over to the boys. Chelsea, a pretty Japanese girl who I always viewed as Heather's second-in-command, was left to follow after her.
I didn't know what she wanted, and I didn't have a good feeling about it either. While Anthony Miller had always driven the Crazy Daisy hate train, Heather was the conductor. She often said rude things about me, compelling others to shun me. It had even happened with Ruby.
The boys stopped talking once they realized they had company. I wasn't quite sure what Heather had said to them, but they looked unimpressed. With a blank face, Elias bowed his head and whispered something in her ear.
It was rare that Heather didn't get her way, but judging by her displeased expression and the way she stormed away, Elias had said something to make her upset. A sense of pride swelled within me.
"Chelsea, let's go!" Heather barked, her voice sounding more high-pitched than usual.
With a nervous look on her face, Chelsea cast the boys an apologetic glance before running after Heather, her black hair swishing behind her back.
The three boys shared looks, before they decided to call it a day and head into Elias' car.
"Finally!" I huffed.
Once they pulled out of the parking lot, my eyes narrowed and I started my car engine. It was go time.
*****
Uh oh, looks like Daisy's following after the boys! She's so nosy I love it.
School's been keeping me real busy so far and exams are coming up soon, but I'll try my best to post a chapter next week.
QOTD: sunrises or sunsets?
AOTD: sunsets
Hope you guys liked this chapter, thank you so much for 5k reads, I love each and every one of you!
01/11/2023