“I’m pretty sure something happened with Lori and Garth over summer break, and now it’s a sore spot for the girlfriend.” Rhea shrugs.
“How is Daisy involved in all this shit?” I ask, confused as to why she’s the one in trouble and not the shit head.
Rhea stares at me with her eyebrow cocked, “Have you met any of the people in Daisy’s life?”
“What?” I scoff.
“She was raised by wolves, Brighton. She’s involved because if they were picking on Lori, it would have ticked her off. And Daisy has thicker skin. She fights back for her friend.” Rhea explains and waits for it to sink in.Raised by wolves.Boone, Kaia, Riona.Fucking pack animals.
“So she’s in trouble for standing up for Lori?” I say in disbelief.
“Yup, and I can’t do a damn thing to stop it…” she trails off.
“When I asked you yesterday if you knew anything was going on?”
“I only had speculation. I figured that Mr. Dickson had already brought you into the loop. I’m sorry, Brighton.”
“It’s fine.” It comes out rougher than I mean it to. “I’m sorry. This is just…”
“I get it.” She stops me. “I have to get back to class,” she says as a smirk curls on her face, and I know she’s up to something because her cheeks are pink and her eyes are glassy with mischief. She pops the door to her class open, and the sounds of chatter and laughter pour out.
“Hey, Hellcat,” I call before she disappears. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“No promises,” she hums at me as I turn to walk away, and the echo of her students teasing her about her visitor blankets my heavy, angry footsteps.
I’m pushing bins closed and washing paintbrushes in the back of the classroom when two sets of footsteps barge in and the door slams shut. Before I can announce myself, Garth’s voice snaps through the room—angry, hushed..
“What the hell did you tell them? Why am I in trouble?” he snaps. “It’s your stupid friend making up lies!”
“You know they aren’t lies,” Daisy’s voice comes next, and I freeze. “You’re in trouble because you’re a jerk.”
“Shut up,” he groans, “Lori keeps telling people I forced myself on her, and it’s bullshit. Carly is all up in knots, and it’s your stupid friend's fault. If she would just tell everyone the truth, none of this would be happening!”
“Maybe you should tell the truth!” Daisy gets louder, and I smile—until a tiny squeak cuts through it. “Let go of me, Garth, or I’ll rearrange your teeth.”
I clap my hand over my mouth to stop the laugh that bubbles up at her clapback because I know it’s all Kaia. She would be so proud.
“Garth.” I step out from the washing station, my gaze dropping to his hand locked around her arm. “She asked nicely.”
“That wasn’t nice. And she started it.” He lets go and backs away two steps.
“In here, that won’t work—and you know it,” I say, and he swallows hard. “What’s going on? And I don’t want an excuse.”
“Daisy and Lori are harassing me,” Garth clips—too quick, too confident.
“How?” I ask him, begging him to expand on it.
“Lori’s obsessed with me! She thinks she’s my girlfriend, and she’s turning into a stalker!” Garth raises his voice as I walk toward them. I nod to Daisy so she takes a couple of steps back from him.
“Doesn’t sound like Lori?” I say, confused. “Can you expand on that?”
Garth groans. “This is bullshit!”
“Language, please,” I warn him, “and if you’re having issues with Lori, we can schedule a meeting with both your parents to discuss them.”
“No!” Garth is quick to shut me down. “I just want her to stop!”
“Here’s what we're going to do,” I uncross my arms and lean back against my desk. “You’re going to leave Daisy and Lori alone,” I say. He opens his mouth to argue. “And that includes making sure Carly does, too—until the meeting with Daisy’s parents.”
