Page 36 of Driftwood Daffodil

Oh the fear was real. I knew he hated the very ground I walked on and wanted to fuck me up in any way he could. I also wasn’t going to let him dictate my life. Mediocrity took work. I had places to go, people to see, and future divorces to plan. Besides…

“If you start following me around like a bodyguard then he’s just going to think he got to me.”

Memphis arched a brow, “He did get to you.”

“But we don’t wanthimto know that.”

There was only one way to handle someone like Gio, and that was to ignore them. The second they knew they could push your buttons, they’d never stop. I’d dealt with enough bullies to know that. Nothing pissed them off more than a non-reaction.

“And what are you going to do anyway?”

Memphis puffed his chest out, “I can take care of myself.”

“You cried last week for thirty minutes when you stubbed your toe.”

I wasn’t even exaggerating with that one. He literally cried for thirty minutes while holding his foot like he broke it. I timedhim. Memphis and pain did not go well together. It was sweet that he wanted to protect me though.

“It hurt,” He whined.

“I’m guessing Gio’s fist will hurt more.”

As comical as I thought it would be to watch him try and accessorize a broken nose, I couldn’t let him get in the middle of this fight. My best friend may think he was protecting me, but he’d just be another victim. And that I wouldn’t allow.

Memphis looked up and pondered his options before letting out a sigh, “fine. But don’t think I’m not walking you to every class tomorrow.”

“Great,” that was an amicable compromise. For now anyway. We could renegotiate terms tomorrow.

“Now,” I said while backing down the hall. “If you don’t mind, I have an important appointment to get to.”

Memphis’s expression dropped into a deadpan look. “You’re going to go home and cry on your bed while listening to Total Eclipse Of The Heart, aren’t you?”

“Pfft, no.”

I totally was. Sometimes I hated how much he knew me.

“You better not waste a single tear on that idiot. Simon isn’t worth it.”

Way to ruin my night’s plans Memphis.

“In case you haven’t noticed I’m a girl. We’re supposed to be emotional and needy.”

“Girls wear make-up and don’t smell like their nephew’s baby shampoo. You might want to try that tomorrow.”

I gave him a salute, “Yes drill sergeant.”

He answered me with a firm middle finger, before spinning around and darting down the hall in the opposite direction. Towards the gym where Chuck was at practice, I assumed.

Once I was free of my unwanted shadow, I spun around and suddenly noticed how empty everything was. I did admittedlyspend some extra time at my locker, but I didn’t think it was that long.

Did everyone rush out the doors when the bell rang? Where was everyone? This was seriously eerie. There should be a couple of people still in the halls to muffle the sound of my footsteps.

I told myself that I was just being paranoid and pushed the door open to step outside.

The parking lot didn’t help my nerves any. It was just as vacant as the school. There were maybe five or six cars plus my truck. On the upside there didn’t appear to be anyone waiting for me, and I checked. Peeked around corners, searched for shadows and found nothing but me, the breeze tickling my calves and my truck. Now that was different.

I stopped to cock a brow at the bright redhorepainted across my hood. Well, it was good to know originality was still alive and well.

Sighing, I unzipped my backpack and dug around inside for a marker. After which I stepped on the front bumper, reached out, and added a w.

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