Page 24 of Wicked Nasty

“He holds my entire life in his hands now. The school won’t let me continue unless I live with my sponsors - aka my parents. It's some outdated rule. Plus, I would have to face my mom and dad... it's just a whole mess now.”

“And this partner of yours, is he trustworthy?”

I fiddle with my butterfly ring nervously, unsure of how to answer. “Danny... I don't know. There's a part of me that wants to trust him, but there are also red flags screaming for me to run away.”

“Is Danny at least good-looking?” Liz asks playfully.

My cheeks flush at the thought of Danny's handsome features. “I wish I could say no, but damn... he's hot. He's part of this group called the Elite Five - they pretty much run our school. Top students all play lacrosse and come from wealthy families. And yes, they're all ridiculously attractive.”

“Ugh, typical,” Liz scoffs as she slides a plate in front of me with a BLT and apple pie.

“I know, right? And he's such an asshole... but like a charming asshole,” I groan.

“That's the worst kind,” Liz chimes in.

“What color are his eyes?”

“Gorgeous green,” I admit, thinking of the olive hue with a golden ring around the iris.

Liz whistles and fans herself dramatically. “Girl, you've got it bad for him.”

“No way,” My face heating up even more.

“Uh huh... what kind of car does he drive?” Liz asks slyly.

I sigh. “A blacked out BMW E30. It's lowered and looks like something out of a movie.”

“Yep, there it is. Are you on birth control yet?”

“Liz!” I exclaim, feeling flustered and embarrassed by her blunt questioning.

She simply laughs and hands me a second plate - this one holding a generous slice of chocolate pie. “Let’s be real here, Becca. That boy will rock your world in both the best and worst ways.”

“No way,” I insist, though part of me secretly wants to believe her.

“Oh yes,” Liz nods sagely. “He's going to be toxic for you... but in the best damn way.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I mumble as we both laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

The muffled sounds of laughter and chatter fill the air as a steady stream of customers enter the cozy cafe. I finish up my BLT, savoring each bite of crispy bacon and juicy tomato. My homework lies forgotten on the table as I watch Liz expertly navigate between tables, taking orders and delivering meals with ease. It is the perfect balance of chaos and calm.

Feeling guilty for neglecting my schoolwork, I pull out my notebook and jot down ideas for our upcoming community project. I can’t let Danny take on most of the work; it went against my nature to sit back and let someone else do all the heavy lifting. Especially when Danny has already used my biggest secret as leverage against me.

With a heavy sigh, I turn to my Xpad and begin searching for potential greenhouse options. The screen illuminates with various links, which I quickly save into a document and send off to Danny.

Suddenly, Liz appears at my side with a plate of steaming turkey dinner. "Girl, you've been working for hours. You need to refuel."

"Thanks," I reply gratefully, realizing how hungry I actually am. "I didn't even realize how much time had passed. I got caught up in these project ideas."

Liz chuckles as she makes her way to another customer. "Is this for that boy?"

I can’t hide my blush. "Yeah, it's the one."

She playfully rolls her eyes before giving me a knowing smile. "Well, don't let him do all the work!"

I grin back at her confidently. "Don't worry, I never planned on it."

Astheclockstrikesten pm, I reluctantly decide to call it a night. The dim light from my phone illuminates the room as I gather some snacks and make my way to my car. The parking lot is eerily quiet at this hour, and I can't shake off the feeling of being watched. With a quick glance around, I hurry into my car and lock the doors behind me. Taking a deep breath, I settle in for the night and hastily set up my makeshift bed in the backseat.

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