That was all I needed to say to Elaine in the bathroom that morning for the news to spread like wildfire through the school. We'd made sure that Shannon, the self-appointed gossip queen of Pemberton, had overheard it. She sure lived up to her reputation.

"So, are you ready to tell me what's going on?" Elaine asked as we sat one of the empty tables in the far, empty corner of the cafeteria. I took a deep breath and told her everything.

"I'm so upset!" She exclaimed, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Why?"

"You guys were so cute." I just shrugged. "I can't believe you guys were just faking it."

"Promise you won't tell a soul," I said gravely.

"Of course. Who would I tell?" She grinned. "Besides..." she began with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"This doesn't sound good," I replied hesitantly.

"Now that you're officially back on the market, I can help you find a cute boy!"

"I think I've had enough of boys," I said slowly. More like I needed to wait for a certain one to get back from the Swiss Alps so I could work out what the hell had happened on the rooftop, but whatever.

With how hectic everything had been, I'd managed to suppress – at least partially – my anxieties about the Logan and Holden situation. Not actually seeing either of them on the first day back didn't hurt either.

Had Holden's dad said anything to him yet? I pulled out my phone and sent him a message.

D: Are you guys seriously in the Swiss Alps?

He replied almost instantly.

H: No? We're at a conference with the parentals

D: Rumour has it you're skiing in the Alps that's why

H: We'll be back in a week tops – go do something spontaneous while I'm gone ;)

"Smiling at your phone ey? See what I mean by it was totally believable?" Elaine grinned. She propped her elbows up on the table, resting her chin in her hand. "Now, which of these boys is marriage material..." She pondered. "I'm surprised you guys didn't just fall in love and date for real."

I rolled my eyes. Fake dating was close enough to novel reality, let alone falling in love as a result. The bell tolled and Elaine walked me to my biology class, waving as we parted ways.

The eager chatter in the class fell into a quiet hush as I found my seat. "Hey," Wes said, opening up his textbook.

"Hey," I replied, setting my stuff down beside his.

"Sorry to hear about...you know."

"Yeah," I said awkwardly. There wasn't really anything sad about the end of a fake relationship. "We're still good friends though," I added, trying to make it seem normal that I wasn't heartbroken.

Thankfully, the teacher began the lesson and I didn't have to continue the conversation. I was convinced that this would go on for a week, tops. It wouldn't be interesting unless there was more drama. I was going to make sure there was no more drama.

My phone buzzed and I peeked at it from my pocket. Parker had been AWOL since the night of the gala and hadn't said a single thing about what had happened. So, I came up with the lamest excuse I could possibly have thought of and texted him first.

D: So when are you going to return my shoes?

Did I have an arrhythmia or something? Because sending a text message shouldn't have sent my heart into overdrive. I quickly shoved the phone back into my pocket. It would probably be considered weird to be texting my ex's best friend.

Wes quickly looked away as if he hadn't been discretely trying to peer at my phone. He cleared his throat and started writing the answers to the questions on the board into his book. "So a few of us from the team and cheerleading squad and stuff are going out for burgers after training? You wanna come with?"

I remembered Holden's message and thought about the fact that it might be advisable to make a few more friends at Pemberton, especially since the majority of them were Holden's friends, so I said "sure."

"Cool as. We finish training at five thirty so we'll probably head off at quarter to six?"

I forgot that I'd have to actually be able to get there and catching a bus home later on wasn't ideal. I could also stay back, but I hated staying back. "Do you know where we'll be going? I need to work out if there are any buses that I can take."

"I can pick you up if you want?"

"Oh seriously?"

"I live about five minutes from here so if you're close it'll be fine."

"I'm about fifteen minutes away? It's probably a bit out of your way."

"No dramas, I'll pick you up. Just text me your address."

"Oh I don't have your number."

"Just give me yours," he grinned.

--

I ended up wearing a pair of light blue mum jeans with a plain white t-shirt. I'd only changed outfits about six times before settling on my final pair of clothes. Elaine would've told me I was seriously overreacting.

Wes ended up texting me for my address and he let me know he'd be there in five. I could hear his car pull into my driveway. I was not surprised at all to find out he drove a late model gunmetal grey Mustang.

He knocked on the door and I waited a few moments before opening the door – just to give the impression I hadn't already watched him walk up to the doorstep. "Hey," I said.

"Hey. You ready to go?"

I nodded. He was in jeans and flannel shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Truth be told, most of the guys at Pemberton looked like they'd just dropped out from a catalogue. I followed him to the car and got in. "How was training?" I asked.

"Yeah good."

"You guys have a game against Blackstone soon?" I remembered the sign me and Parker had made for the basketball team.

"That's the basketball team," he laughed.

"I'm so sorry," I said, feeling the heat creep into the tip of my ears. "What sport do you play again?"

"Football."

"Right. Yep."

"I take it you won't be coming to the game on Friday night?"

"Probably not," I admitted.

We were the last ones to arrive. The team had already found two booths next to each other to sit at. I spotted Clarissa there as well, which was barely surprising, since she was on the cheerleading team. I didn't have anything personally against her but seeing as how she'd poured punch all over Elaine and seemed to have it out for her, she made my skin crawl.

"Hey Daisy," a few people chirped up one after another. I smiled and waved at everyone before sitting next to Wes.

"Have you guys ordered?" He asked.

"Nah, we were waiting for you guys," another guy replied.

I looked down at the menu. There was a heading for beef burgers, chicken burgers and vegetarian burgers. I'd probably get a beef burger. There were varieties with extra patties, more cheese, some bacon. There were too many decisions to be made.

"So what are you ordering?" Wes asked.

"Not sure yet. Maybe the cheeseburger?"

"Safe decision," he nodded. "Their cheeseburgers are so good."

Everyone else was chatting away when Courtney, who was sitting next to Clarissa got my attention. "So I heard that you and Holden broke up," she said.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. It just wasn't working out. We're still friends though." I'd repeated the mantra at least six times that day.

"Typical Holden though," a guy guffawed.

"I warned you he was a piece of shit," Courtney smirked. That was right. On my second day at Pemberton, I'd witnessed the shouting match between Holden and Courtney. "No hard feelings though, right? Us girls have to stick together."

She quickly changed topics and turned to Clarissa instead. "So when are you and Parker getting back together?" Courtney asked Clarissa with a mischievous grin. I could feel my heart sink. Clarissa and Parker had dated. Why did that even surprise me? Her crystal blue eyes seemed to sparkle as she glanced at each of the faces around the table. She giggled, throwing her shiny hazel brown hair over her shoulder. Gosh, did it even glint gold in the light!?

"The hell do you mean 'get back together?' Didn't you guys date in the fifth grade?" Wes rolled his eyes. I glanced at my phone. Parker still hadn't replied.

"I don't get why you girls are so obsessed with the top four," a guy named Danny remarked. "The guys are average looking."

Half of the girls, me included, looked right at him.

"Ok if you think Parker is average, you are deluded," Courtney said defensively. "Also, Holden might be a dick, but that boy is fine."

"What do you think Daisy, you dated him too?" Courtney asked. Everyone turned to face me.

"He was nice," I said. Seeing as there was nothing to fuel the discussion, they turned away from me. Truthfully, he could've made any girl feel special. Perhaps at some point even I felt that way. He knew how to push my buttons and make my heart flutter, pushing at my comfort zone, but never crossing the boundary.

I was disrupted from my thoughts when someone asked me another question. "So Daisy, why are you hanging out with someone like Elaine?"

"Elaine's cool," I replied. "What's the problem?" I spat out. I hated confrontation and I had a feeling this was going in that direction. I hadn't intended on spending a night defending my best friend at Pemberton, but if it needed to be done, so be it.

"Don't you know what she did to Clarissa?" Courtney asked. Clarissa looked away, a moment of sadness – or was it pain – in her eyes, that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

I shook my head slowly.

"Riss, you should tell her," Courtney egged her on, nudging her in the arm.

"Nah. At least now we know what a two-faced slut she is," Clarissa said.

So, Courtney continued for her. "Back when they were best friends in tenth grade, Clarissa was running for committee president for the spring dance. Elaine is all like 'yeah you go for it,' pretending to be supporting her. Next minute she's elected against her and she accepts the role. That's what you call a freakin' snake."

Clarissa laughed to herself and shook her head slowly and added, "That's not even the worst part."

At that point, one of the guys on the team chimed in. "Rest in peace, Brandon," he did a quick sign of the cross before laughing his head off. "What an idiot." For the time I'd been at Pemberton, I hadn't met a Brandon yet. Perhaps that was why.

"We were all at a party together, and Elaine being typical Elaine decides to hook up with Clarissa's boyfriend," Courtney explained. I let out an audible gasp.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Am I sure?" Clarissa scoffed. "I walked in on them. Fucking typical Elaine though," Clarissa elaborated.

"Get this. She even tries to say that Brandon came on to her and that she was fending him off," Courtney added.

"Maybe she was telling the truth. I mean dudes can be total dicks. No offense, guys," I said to the seven or so guys seated around us. "Elaine gets so much crap from guys," I said defensively.

Clarissa looked at me with disdain, but thankfully, the server brought our food out and everyone went quiet to dig in. All I could think was what a mistake it'd been to go without checking exactly who would be there.

Surely the things they were accusing Elaine of weren't true. While taking a bite from his burger, Wes turned and gave me an apologetic look. When the bill came out, Clarissa got up to go pay. "It's on me tonight guys," she grinned.

No one protested, so I didn't either.

Wes drove me home. "I'm so sorry about that," he said apologetically, raking a hand through his hair.

"No it's all good. Thanks for driving me."

"Come to the game Friday night. All players get a free ticket."

"I don't think I'm up for watching a game alone," I replied, hoping that would get me out of it.

"I'll get two. You can bring a friend."

---

expect another update soon! :)

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