Daisy in a Meadow

15 - Secrets

"Personally, my favourite part was when she nearly choked a guy twice the size of her!" Malcolm wheezed.

Andre clutched his stomach in laughter.

"Stop it," I groaned in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, you weren't that bad," Andre sobered up. "Except for, y'know, the part where you jumped on top of a table—"

"And proceeded to bellydance—"

"Then nearly fell off of it in front of dozens of other people—"

"And tried to start a fight with an innocent guy—"

"Then jumped into a pool fully dressed—"

"And flashed every person in the vicinity—"

"Knock it off!" I whacked Malcolm in the head.

"Hey, why me?" he howled and then pointed a finger at Andre. "He started it!"

"Yeah, but you're closer," I shrugged, hitting him again.

He slapped my shoulder, and we engaged in a silly catfight at the cafeteria table.

Despite our seemingly argumentative behaviour, I'd never felt closer to the boys. After they'd taken care of me in my drunken state and defended me from the harassment I'd encountered, it reminded me that there were people on this earth who actually cared about me.

Malcolm and I were distracted from our petty catfight when Elias came trudging into the cafeteria, with the rest of the football team in tow. He took a seat across from me, and I gasped once I got a close look at his appearance. He was sporting a shiner on his right eye, and there was a thin cut on his left cheekbone.

"Yikes, did you get run over by a truck?" I winced.

"Hardy har har," he glared at me.

From my peripheral vision, I noticed that the rest of the football team was still standing behind him. Elias seemed to notice too, for he glanced back at them with a stony look.

"Why are you guys still here?" he stormily demanded.

The teammates exchanged confused looks, before one of them decided to speak up. "Well usually we just follow Anthony around, but since you're our new captain..."

I stifled a giggle.

"Go sit somewhere else," Elias ordered, rather displeased. Without further ado, the jocks scrambled elsewhere.

As if Elias could feel my thoughtful gaze on him, he snapped his head towards me, giving me a look so cold I slightly shivered.

"What are you looking at?" he scowled.

"Nothing," I hesitated. "I just wanted to say... thank you for helping me out at the party."

His eyes slightly softened, though I convinced myself it was just the light playing tricks on me. "You shouldn't thank me for doing the bare minimum," he murmured.

Bare minimum? I wouldn't call breaking down a door and beating someone up on my behalf the bare minimum.

I had always been used to people being bystanders. It happened all the time, when Anthony and the other jocks bullied me. It could range from light name-calling to brutal shoves in lockers. Some students found it funny, and would giggle to their friends while pointing at me. Others would look on in pity. Though no one had ever actually defended me—not until the boys came along, that was. They didn't even realize how much it meant to me, and quite frankly, I think that made it all the more meaningful.

"Well, I still really appreciate it," I eventually replied, to which Elias rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I can't help but ask... did Justin do that to you?"