Page 50 of Driftwood Daffodil

Sutton whispered, “Jesus hears everything.”

Well, he was right there, kind of. In fake form.

“You could ask him for guidance?” the way she looked at me it was like she discovered the secret to the universe.

“Yeah, I don’t think Jesus can help with Gio Mancini.”

The devil may be an option. At least he could understand Gio. They were both giant evil assholes. I should totally join a satanic cult. Chant in the dark while I danced naked in the moonlight and waited for the Kool-Aid to be served. Now there was a story to tell the grandkids.

At the mention of Gio’s name, Sutton’s eyes went wide, “You’re the girl everyone’s been talking about.”

“No,” I shook my head. That couldn’t possibly be me. I got talked at a lot, and tripped, and a couple people threw things at me. But no one was talking about me.

“Yes you are,” She insisted. “You’re the girl with the sock on her butt.”

Oh,“Yeah that was me.”

Well, I guess it was better than whore. H O R E. I really needed to find that guy.

Sutton leaned back and gave me a once over. “I thought you’d be taller.”

“So did I,” I snorted.

Veda had three inches on me, Kato was over six foot, and I was stuck at five foot even like our mom. She was kind enough to give me her freckles too, which were the only part of me that tanned.

Thanks mom.

“You just started yesterday. Why does Gio dislike you so much?” Sutton asked.

“It’s just this little thing… with his brother and mine.”

How else was I supposed to answer that? Most people didn’t take too kindly to the relatives of murderers, regardless of whysaid murder occurred. It was nice to have someone other than Memphis, even if she was a house of the Lord kind of girl.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Sutton waved her hand dismissively. “Gio and Romeo aren’t that close.”

“Ah,” I breathed, then asked, “who’s Romeo?”

“Gio’s brother.”

He had another brother? Awesome. More Mancini’s in the world. Just what I needed.

“Does he go here too?” It never hurt to know one’s enemies, and maybe Gio’s brother was the elusive mispeller.

“No,” Sutton’s nose scrunched up, “Romeo is old, he’s like twenty-four or something.”

If she said that shit around Maw Maw she’d get backhanded.

“If you weren’t talking about Romeo, then you must’ve meant Atlas. How did you know him?” She seemed genuinely curious about that one.

“I don’t.” Technically I never met the guy.

“But your brother did?”

“Kind of.”

Her brows knit, “Why don’t you ask your brother for help with Gio?”

“He can’t do anything.”

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