𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐲'𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞

20 | 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝐴 𝐾𝑖𝑠𝑠

"Don't worry," Keiona assured with a smile. "I mean, worse case scenario--"

"This is the worst case scenario!" I exclaimed, throwing my head back against the cars' passenger seat in agitation. "I mean, think about it. Sullivan hates me because he thinks I'm dating Victor. Vicky hates me because the whole school thinks we're dating, and then Kayla hates me because I'm with her crush twenty four seven," I rambled. I heaved a tired breath, my eyes bulging from their sockets.

Keiona forced a hopeful smile with her hands smoothing over the wheel to her yellow Mini Cooper. "Well, thank you for texting me. I could use another girl friend around. I've been all over the place since my ex boyfriend moved."

"You've dated?" I asked, then dumbly said, "I mean... I'm not surprised, you're drop dead gorgeous, but me on the other hand--"

"Are fucking adorable and beautiful," Keiona concluded my sentence. She added in a sing-song tone, "and if Sullivan can't see that-"

"God," I groaned. "You sound like my mom or worse, Kayla. So, what school do you even go to?" I glanced over at her while she mindlessly drove. She was fixed on the road wearing beautiful sunglasses, propped on the bridge of her nose as I held my hand to my forehead like a makeshift visor. 

"Havenset High, I live like thirty minutes away from you," she noted with a lighthearted shrug. "Listen, how mad was Victor?"

"Pretty mad," I voiced sheepishly. "Kayla now thinks I'm dating her crush and I haven't been able to explain that it was all a joke and now I have a fucking party to go to this week." I jumped excitedly and invited, "you should come! Oh my God, please?"

"I'll have to see." She scratched the back of her neck, the bottom of her lustrous curls tickling her hand. "But I would love to go. From what you've told me, Sullivan sounds rich-rich."

"I know, right?" I bragged, laughing all the while. It cut off the second that she inched the car into a parking space, my stomach up to my throat and my heart to my gut. "This was a bad idea."

"You said no one else would go with you, maybe that was a hint?" she suggested with a chuckle. "Listen, we'll go in, get the expensive ass shirt, and leave."

"Not that simple," I muttered. "I walk out four hundred dollars-less."

Keiona unbuckled, popping open the car door as I followed. She was naturally a taller girl and now that she wore loud heels, she was a good two feet above me. "Don't worry," she assured again. "We'll go in, 'geter done, and leave."

Easy enough.

As we entered the fluorescent mall in the capital of Wyoming, Cheyenne, I was already freaking out in my shoes, the skylight allowed for a sea of light to flood the indoors and though I wanted Victor to be here, I knew he needed space after Sullivan had started the forest fire of rumors that I created. Apparently, it was big news for him.

I thought that I wouldn't need to warn Sullivan about the whole not telling the school thing, but I guess that was two things to take note of about my infamous crush. He likes frogs, and gossip.

"Here we are," she started sweetly.

"This is pathetic." I stared at the big bold white letters of Armani Outlets. "We look like we don't belong."

"Babe, what are you talking about?" she reprimanded, waving her hand down her length. "I wore my good skinny jeans just for this."

"I know," I chuckled, but shrugged nonetheless. "I'm gonna wear a shirt, showing the brand, that I gave four hundred dollars too for no reason other than what?"