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She’s not, is what I want to say, but that would be a lie. The only time she’s mean is when she’s dealing with an absolute asshole who’s pushed her to her limits and that would be me so…yeah.
“Isn’t her dad Ralph?” JJ grins. “I love that dude.”
Cadence wrinkles her nose. “His hands are always so dirty.”
“He’s the fucking groundskeeper,” JJ says, tearing his gaze away from Daisy. “Of course, his hands are dirty.”
“Like under his nails, there’s constant dirt.” The grimace on Cadence’s face isn’t attractive. Matches her ugly soul, though outwardly, she’s a complete knockout. I can’t deny it. Naked, she looks pretty good too but shit. She’s not worth the headache she gives me. “It’s gross.”
“He has a garden,” I say in Ralph’s defense.
They all look at me with blank expressions on their faces, like they can’t grasp the concept.
“What? I’m serious. He has a garden out back, behind my building. He’s growing vegetables. Has a few fruit trees and flowers. Rose bushes.” I shrug, hating how closely they look at me. Like they’re surprised I’m talking about gardens and shit, but I’ve always noticed the garden. It’s so large, it’s difficult to ignore. I can stare at it out my room window whenever I want.
Lancaster children don’t stay in the dorms on campus, which gives us a little more freedom, though not much. We have our own suites where we get to live during the school year. Where we can come and go as we please—to a point. “He’s always out there puttering around. Planting shit. Digging up shit,” I continue to explain, realizing I need to shut the hell up so I can be done with this conversation.
Cadence giggles. “I hope you’re not being literal.”
Mya joins in, the two of them laughing, though it dies when they both finally notice the scowl on my face. “God, you’re so moody lately,” she mumbles.
She’s not wrong.
“I don’t mind,” Cadence says brightly and that’s it.
I’m done.
Pushing my chair back, I rise to my feet. “I’m out of here.”
JJ stares almost lovingly at his tray full of food before he glances up at me. “You want to leave now?”
“You can stay,” I tell him, my gaze seeking out Daisy despite my negative feelings toward her.
No one has joined her for lunch. Not my sister and not anyone else. Does she really not have any friends? While we’ve gone to school together the last three years, I’ve never really paid attention.
Now it’s like she’s all I can think about and I hate it.
Hate. It.
She seems perfectly content alone though. Her gaze is fixed on the book, her delicate brows drawn together in concentration. The tray in front of her has a plate on it with a sad looking sandwich and an apple. She’s got one of those giant pastel-colored—a turquoise shade, big surprise—steel water tumblers sitting to her right. Either she’s on trend or she truly likes to stay hydrated because that cup is huge.
“You sure, bro?” JJ asks.
“Yeah.” My gaze never strays from Daisy as I grab my backpack and sling the strap over my shoulder. “I’ll see you after school.”
I’m gone before he can say anything, Cadence shouting goodbye at me as I walk away from the table. I don’t turn back and acknowledge her—what’s the point? I’m too intent on something else anyway.
Someone else.
It’s weird how Daisy has become a constant presence in my life. I mean she’s my academic rival so of course I was always aware of her. And I’ve always thought she was hot, though I don’t discuss her with anyone.
Not even JJ.
Who’s part of Daisy’s group? Who does she hang out with? I really hope her only friend isn’t Vivian, Matthews’ secretary. Talk about pathetic…
Daisy is definitely a loner.
Drawing closer to her table, I stare at the back of her blonde head, the way the ends of her hair curl perfectly. The ponytail is a sweet touch.
