Page 56 of Driftwood Daffodil 2

For a second I thought they’d finally shut up – I didn’t know how much more I could take of their high pitched voices – then I stood back up and saw them staring at me. Their eyes were wide and glimmering with so much sweetness it made my teeth hurt. My lips actually curled.

“Can I help you?”

The red head propped her chin up with her hand and said, “We just want to know your secret.”

Why would I tell them my secret? Not to mention they’d have to be more specific than that. were they referring to one of the many things I didn’t tell Maw Maw, or my secret pet opossum I had in the treehouse in the woods behind the trailer. I called him George.

“Yeah,” The other added. “How did you make Atlee a one woman man?”

Okay, now I was confused.

“Atlee?”

They nodded.

“Atlee Fiore?” I clarified.

They nodded again.

“Are we talking about the same guy, because I’m pretty sure Atlee’s over there flirting with that blonde.”

We all looked in that direction and sure enough, there was Atlee charming the pants off the girl three rows up. I just hoped he didn’t actually charm her pants off. There were some things I never wanted to see.

Girl number one rolled her eyes while the other snorted out, “Ugh, hussy. That must make you so mad.”

Was she talking to me?

“Why would that make me mad?”

“Awe,” the red head placed her hand over her heart. “You have so much trust in him, I adore that.”

“What?” I was getting the feeling that I was missing an important piece of information for this conversation.

“See, that’s a key component for a relationship…”

Girl number two nodded. “I wish I could trust Ken that much.”

I was going to side step the fact that the barbie look alike was dating a guy named Ken and go back to… “What?”

“You two are so cute together…”

Girl number one finished, “Who’d have thought Atlee Fiore would be a good boyfriend.”

Hold up. “Did you say boyfriend?”

They both nodded.

“As in, my boyfriend?”

They again nodded and I burst out laughing. Like full on clutching my belly laughing. Me and Atlee… that was the best joke I’d ever heard. Until I noticed they didn’t find it funny. The two girls weren’t giggling, snickering or even smiling. They were serious. Was that why everyone suddenly wanted to talk to me?

“Atlee and I aren’t dating.”

“You don’t have to hide it.” Girl number two rolled her eyes, “The whole school already knows.”

The whole school? Fantastic. Although I guess it made sense. Atlee did seem to pop up everywhere I was. So, everyone wanting to talk to me? This was all Atlee’s fault. I felt a nut punch coming. Especially when Atlee strutted back over and kissed my cheek.

“Your oven mitts madame.” He dropped the mitts on the counter and I seriously considered slapping the shit out of him with them.

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