Girl Crush

Chapter 12

 "Eddie's here!" her mom yelled from the living room.

Dani grabbed her toast from the toaster, spreading some peanut butter on it just as she heard the honking of Eddie's horn out front. Of course, impatient as always. She slung her backpack over her shoulder, holding her toast in her mouth and grabbing her thermos of coffee before running out and hopping in the van.

She was still on a giddy high from yesterday. Steve was everything she could have ever wanted for herself and then some. They had lain on the blanket and talked for hours, until the sun was beginning to go down and the temperature dropped. He had driven her home and their goodnight kiss had sent tingles to the tips of her toes and fingers all over again. She didn't think anything could ruin her good mood as she beamed over at Eddie, saying good morning.

"Good morning," Eddie smiled, glancing over at her. "So what did you...." His eyes darkened as they fell on the side of her neck and Dani looked at him in confusion. "Is that a fucking hickey on your neck?"

"Oh shit," she giggled, slapping her hand over it. She had overslept this morning and hadn't really had a chance to look in the mirror. "Oops. I didn't realize it was there."

Eddie hands gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. The muscle in his jaw jumped as he clenched his teeth. Dani sighed, waiting for the protective big brother bullshit, realizing this wasn't going to be the normal ride to school she had hoped for.

"I'm assuming that's Harrington's work," he muttered with disgust, pulling away from her house and driving toward the school.

"Obviously. I'm not going around getting hickeys from random guys," she replied. "He is my boyfriend Eddie. Are you really that surprised that we make-out? I know you make-out with Chrissy. I saw you two practically mating on the picnic table in the woods."

"We weren't mating!" Eddie snapped and she jumped off her seat, her head almost hitting the roof of the van.

"Jesus, could you calm down?" she huffed. She knew he could be protective but he was acting ridiculous. Dani had never seen him so worked up. It wasn't the first hickey she'd sported...but that one she'd known she had. It had been winter and she'd covered it with a turtleneck.

"Sorry. I just, I mean, yeah...we kiss and stuff, but I haven't given her a love bite. Don't you think that it's a little tacky to walk around like that?"

"Oh my god," she snorted. "What are you? Fifty?"

"No," he sighed, "I just didn't think you were that kind of girl."

"And what kind of girl is that, exactly?" Dani seethed through clenched teeth.

"The kind who lets a guy mark you as his property," he stated, glancing over at her.

"He didn't mark me as his property. Jesus Christ, get a grip Eddie. It's not like it's a tattoo or a scar. It's going to fade in a few days and be gone," she muttered. "Besides, why the hell do you care?"

"Because you're my best friend and I don't want some creep mistreating you," he declared.

"Steve is not a creep and he's not mistreating me," Dani said, shaking her head. "And stop being such a goddamn hypocrite. Seriously, I have never known you to be so self-righteous. Get off your high horse. What? What's okay for you isn't okay for me? That's bullshit Eddie."

"That's not what I'm saying," he sighed, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "I just...Harrington had a reputation when he was at school."

"Yeah, had being the key word in that sentence. But he's not that guy anymore. He's actually the nicest guy I've ever met. He's a gentleman and he's so kind. He worries about what I want and need. He's really good to me and he actually thinks I am beautiful."