Kiss and Break Up (Magnolia Cove, #1)(34)

Daphne was glancing around. “Too late for that, Pegs.”

“There were other warnings?” Willa asked.

“There was one.” I exhaled roughly, then raked a hand through my hair. “It said she’d take something of mine if I didn’t leave Byron alone.”

Daphne cackled, then gave me my books and slammed my locker shut. “Come on.”

“Uh,” Willa started. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Yeah,” I said, speed walking to keep up as the crowd parted for Daphne, and we followed. “Leave it alone. She can’t do anything to me anyway.”

The second bell rang, and I tensed even more.

“She can, but we’re going to make sure she won’t.”

Kayla was checking her makeup in the mirror stuck on the inside of her locker. She wound down her lipstick and capped it when she saw us approach. “Hey, ex-friend. How’s life down in the trenches?” With a whack of her hand, she shut her locker.

“A lot less miserable, thanks for asking.” Daphne held the note between two pinched fingers, her golden nails sparkling. “What’s this shit about?”

Kayla swiped a tendril of black hair from her forehead. “Oh, that? Just making sure a certain someone knows the score.”

“And what score would that be?” Willa surprised us all by asking.

I wanted to slink away into the fading crowd, preferably run home and forget this was happening.

“That when people try to take something that doesn’t belong to them, there’s bound to be”—she paused, directed her freezing gaze to me—“consequences.”

“You cheated on him, and then you broke up. Get the hell over it.”

Kayla scowled at Daphne. “I didn’t cheat. He said we were on a break.”

“Whatever. Just stay the hell away from Peggy. It’s not her fault Byron’s into her.”

Annika tittered. “Oh, you didn’t just go there.”

“I did,” Daphne said. “And by the way, it doesn’t exactly look like you care that much about him when you’ve been sleeping with half of Magnolia Cove’s male population.”

Annika and Annabeth gasped, manicured hands trying to hide their huge smiles.

Kayla growled, stepping into Daphne’s face. “Jealous? Come on, we both know you love sloppy seconds. I’ll try to make sure I leave some other scrappy, broke guy for you to ruin next.”

Daphne lunged.

Willa and I grabbed her just as a teacher passed. “Isn’t there a classroom waiting for you girls?”

“Yes, Mrs. Truncheon,” we all said at once, then disappeared to those respective classes.





Peggy



Kayla’s and Dash’s warnings plagued me, yet try as I might, I couldn’t figure out a way to fix everything.

It all came back to Byron. I didn’t want to dump him. He was sweet, nice to look at, and sent me good night messages.

I’d always wanted good night messages.

Dash had been acting weird all week. Gone were the suggestive looks, words, and the angry glares. The car rides to and from school consisted of talking about Blitz, his bikes, my birthday, and discussing some of the books he’d been reading.

Back to how we used to be.

I didn’t know why that bothered me.

“So I’ll pick you up at seven?” Dash called out the window after dropping me home on Friday. We were going out for Mexican before heading to see the new Avengers movie. Byron had made dinner reservations in town for tomorrow, so when Dash said he was taking me to the movies, I told him it’d have to be tonight.

To my surprise, and a bit of annoyance, he didn’t protest at all.

“Yep, later.” I waved and hauled my bag inside, then almost screamed as Mom and Phil popped up from behind the couch.

Phil was holding a large chocolate cake, and Mom was holding two metallic pink balloons with the numbers one and eight. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you …”

I stood there, trying to take the well-meaning assault as best I could, and smiled in relief once it was over. “Thanks.”

They both gave me a hug, and Phil set the cake on the coffee table. “Made it myself.”

“Thank God,” I joked. “Because it looks so good, and I really want to eat it.”

Mom slapped my shoulder. “My cakes are not that bad.”

Phil and I made a face, and she squawked, throwing her hands in the air as she left the room to grab some plates.

After we finished, I helped them clean up and put the cake in the fridge. “So Dash is taking you out?”

I halted in the doorway, realizing I hadn’t cleared that with her. “I’m not still grounded, am I?”

She walked over, brushing some curls from my face. I was at least half a foot taller than her now, courtesy of Dad’s genes. “No, honey.” She jabbed an acrylic nail between my eyes. “But don’t you lie to me again.”

With a wince, I gently pushed her finger away. “I won’t.”

“Come, let’s go open your presents,” Mom said, grabbing my hand and tugging me to the living room.





“What’d you get?” Dash asked when I climbed inside his car.