"HEY GABS," I glimpsed up from my salad finding a tall, willowy strawberry blonde with a fishtail braid down one side of her head, lay her try down at our table. She was wearing a white, floral summer dress and had Georgia Peach written all over her. The chair screeched as she pulled it out and opened up her drink. "I'm Cora, it's Daisy right?" She asked, sending a warm smile in my direction. I gave her a quick nod and looked around the lunchroom that was growing busier.
After we finished gym class and got dressed, Gabby dragged me from the lunchroom, complaining how physical activity made her ravenous. Relief hit me, realizing I wouldn't have to be that one awkward new kid who had nowhere to sit during lunch.
"I heard Piper has got it out for you, girl," Cora said, opening up her fruit cup. "Ignore her, she will eventually get bored and go away. She's like one of those demon creatures in the horror movies that feed on fear. Starve her and the bitch dies," she informed me, shrugging her shoulder and popping a strawberry into her mouth. "Piper is under the impression that she has some claim to Keegan," she continued, "when everyone and their mom knows that Keegan Montgomery does whatever the hell Keegan Montgomery wants. He's practically screwed every girl in this room and then some." Her face twisted into a look that resembled disgust.
"She's not his girlfriend?" I asked, confused. They both looked at me like I had just grown another head.
Cora laughed. "Uh no. Keegan will never have a girlfriend or any type of serious relationship," she told me matter-of-factly. "He has major commitment problems and Piper is just his number one booty-call."
"She is acting way bitchier towards her than usual, though," Gabby chimed in beside me. "Which just shows that she definitely feels threatened by you." She took a bite of her pizza crust and tossed it back on her tray. Threatened by me? I could hardly stand to hold a conversation with Keegan, let alone screw him.
"Doesn’t matter," I said, waving off her comment, "I'm not interested in Keegan, so Piper has nothing to worry about."
Gabby choked on her drink, spewing it all over the table and Cora pulled her arm over slapping her on the back a few times. "Who in the hell wouldn't be interested in that?" Gabby screeched when she regained control of herself. She gestured her head to the left and I followed her gaze to a table a few down from us. Keegan was planted into a seat at a rowdy, overly crowded table with Piper's skinny ass plastered in his lap. Barf. I could care less how attractive he was. I wasn’t interested in having a relationship, especially with a player like him. My heart was sealed in a casket stuck in the ground.
"I would willingly hand over my virginity to that boy with a huge red bow tied around it," Gabby said, pouring dressing over her salad.
"Whatever Gabby," Cora protested. "You're not that stupid."
"Hi baby," a guy with shaggy dark hair tucked under both of his ears and wearing a football jersey, stooped at our table. He pulled out a chair next to Cora. He grabbed her by the sides of her face planting a firm kiss on her lips. "What's going on?"
"Just listening to Gabby tell us about how she wants to gift wrap her v-card and hand it over to your slut bag cousin," she replied, putting her finger in her mouth and making a vomiting noise. I studied the guy and I could see a tiny resemblance of Keegan. They both had the same dark hair but this guy's grey eyes were no match to Keegan's emeralds that had been taunting me all morning.
He shrugged his shoulders. "That's nothing new.” He grabbed a handful of fries and shoved them into his mouth. "Who is this," he asked, moving his thumb in the air and signaling towards me.
"Daisy, she's the new girl," Cora answered, before I had the chance to introduce myself. "This is my boyfriend, Lane." She tilted her head towards him.
He gave me a penetrating look and a sly smile spread over his face. "You're the chick my cousin was telling me about, the neighbor girl. I must say I am somewhat disappointed," he said, and I frowned. My muscles tensed up certain Keegan had told him about me watching him.
"I thought girls named Daisy were supposed to wear little blonde pigtails and wear those tiny shorts. What are they called again?" A rush of relief rushed off me as he looked around the table, waiting for someone to answer him.
Jesus, these people and my damn name.
"Daisy dukes," Gabby answered for him and he snapped his fingers.
"That's it. Daisy dukes. I see you don't have the blonde pigtails but are you wearing those cute little shorts?" He asked, grinning and instantly reminding me of his jackass cousin. Yep, they were definitely related.