Page 11 of In the Danger Zone
“She did that ‘cause she thinks she’s too good for you,” Asher mumbled, shoving his clothes into his duffel bag. “She’s, like, smart and all that. Thinks jocks are beneath her.”
I frowned. She hadn’t come across that way. She just came across asscared. “Daisy? Really?”
“Okay, dude, you talked to her for five minutes.” Asher huffed. “I went to school with her. Elementary, middle, and high. I was around her for alongtime. She thinks she’s too good for everyone. Especially guys like us. Athletes. That’s why nobody liked her in school. She had no friends because she was so damn stuck up all the time. She’s a fucking troublemaker. I swear. Was always lying about shit at school and acting surprised when people called her out on it. She thrives on fucking drama. Stay away from her.”
Running a hand through my hair, I watched Asher zip up his bag. “She’s really like that?”
“Really. She started shit with everyone. She’s one of those girls who loves drama and gets off on ruining people’s lives. So, can you just drop it already? It’s bad enough that I have to see her around campus after dealing with her for so long.”
Asher seemed genuinely frustrated with the conversation. He was right. I didn’t know her. Not like he did, at least. When I talked to her at the party the other night, she had seemed so small and shy and all I had wanted to do was help.
But Asher had known her practically his whole life. Longer than me and him had known each other. When we met at hockey camp as kids we were maybe around eight or nine. But Asher had known Daisy from pretty much the start of his life. Maybe there was more to her than I realized. Bad things.
“So? You hitting up those parties with me or what?” Asher asked, giving me a nudge.
“Uh, maybe. Probably. Yeah. I need a break from all this work I’ve been doing.” The semester had barely started and I was already over all the reading I had to do.
“I better see you at this damn mixer too.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there.”
“Alright, cool. But I’m starving after this shit, so I’m going back to the house for some food. First I eat, then I deal with classes,thenI spend the rest of the night partying.”
I just laughed, stuffing my clothes into my duffel bag before turning to Asher. “Meet you there?” I stuck my fist out for him to bump.
Asher bumped it right back. “See ya there.”
Chapter 6
DAISY
“How’s everything going over there, honey?”
My eyes shut at the sound of my mom’s comforting voice. It was good to hear her after seeing Asher’s face the other day. Mentally, I was all over the place. It didn’t help that I had just sat through the most boring lecture of all time for my Visual Arts Introduction class. I was more than ready to bring on the weekend. The last few days had been long and gruelling, and not because of all the work and readings I had to deal with. It was because my past wasn’t just haunting me anymore – it was suddenly clashing with the present.
“Everything’s going really well,” I explained, my back up against the hallway wall. A few students walked by me and I made sure to stay watchful in case I saw Asher. “Classes are good. I like all of m-my professors. They’re all really helpful. And m-my room isn’t all that b-bad. I have a lot of privacy.”
“And what about everyone else? The students?”
There it was. She was bound to ask that question and I didn’t blame her.
I cleared my throat. “They’re n-nice. I m-made a friend. Her n-name’s Leena. She’s really nice.” I didn’t sayhisname. If I did, college would be over for me before it barely even got started.
“Is she spare key worthy? Don’t give it to her yet. A little bit of vetting never hurt anyone.”
After what happened, my parents wanted to be certain that if I at least lost the key to my place that I’d still have a set in the safe hands of someone I trusted.
“I feel like she m-might b-be,” I explained. “B-But only time will tell.”
“Is everyone else being kind to you?” she asked, voice drenched with concern. “They’re treating you okay?”
“M-Mom, you sound worried. Don’t. Please.” I had already been such a burden to my parents. My wholelifeI had been a burden to them. That needed to stop.
“You know why I worry,” she grumbled. “And why your father worries too.”
“Where is he? Is he there?”
“Oh, he’s not home right now, honey. He’s over in Maryville. He’ll try and call you in the afternoon if you’re free.”
