Cloud Walking
Page 2

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, it's just that I heard Daniel say he was asking Kylie out this weekend.” She finally said. Ahh. Well, it all made sense. Daniel and I were supposed to go to Charlottesville to see the new Jason Statham (mmm yummy) movie at the IMAX theater. We had been planning it for a month. And now it seemed as though once again I was going to be ditched in favor of getting a piece.
“Oh,” was all I could wrangle out, my throat suddenly feeling too tight and my cheeks burning hot. I should be used to this by now. It wasn't unusual for Danny to ditch us. I just wish it would stop hurting so much.
Maggie's eyes were sympathetic but for once, I was glad she wasn't a consoling hug type of person. Because I think I might have punched her. I straightened my back, hefting my book bag up onto my shoulder and shook my hair out.
“Well, that's fine. But that doesn't mean I'm asking Carl out. What's the point of dating someone when you can already see clear as day what their packing under their shorts? And let me say, from what I can tell, it's not impressive,” I deadpanned. Maggie chuckled.
“Good point. Maybe I can get out of my dad's work thing. I could go see the movie with you,” Maggie suggested. I linked my arm with hers as we walked down the hall.
“Yeah, maybe. But are you sure you wouldn't rather be hanging out with librarians on your Saturday? I mean that sounds like a barrel of fun,” I teased as we made our way to our biology class. I watched as Maggie's eyes zeroed in on a dark-haired boy at the end of the hallway. Her entire body froze up and she had stopped listening to me.
At that same moment, I saw Daniel walking toward us, an obnoxious smile on his face. Both Maggie and I were stuck in some sort of lovesick paralysis. I was the first to snap out of it. I pulled on Maggie's arm and she startled, as though she forgot I was there. Hmm. I had never seen her so fixated on someone before. I wasn't entirely sure what to think about that.
“Come on. Before I'm forced to talk to him,” I told her, motioning discreetly toward Daniel, who had been stopped by his friend, Jake Fitzpatrick before he could make it over to us. Maggie clicked her tongue in disapproval.
“You can't hide from him. He's one of your best friends. You really should talk to him before things get even more awkward than they already are,” she advised. I grit my teeth. That was easier said than done. I was not a confrontational person, choosing instead to let things lie until I exploded.
But I think I was almost at implosion point. “Yeah. Okay,” I said, hurrying her down the hallway, her head still craning over her shoulder, looking for that dark head again as I staunchly refused to allow my eyes to wander to the person they so desperately craved. The pair of us were a mess.
Chapter Two
~ Daniel~
“Rachel! Maggie!” I called out, following them as they left the school at the end of the day. I had been trying to find them all afternoon. Rachel and I had plans to go see a movie tomorrow. It was the new action movie I had been wanting to see and she had offered to come with me. But now, Kylie wanted to go out. I was torn. I was always f**king torn. I hated to disappoint Rachel. It was the worst feeling in the world. But Kylie was so damn demanding sometimes.
So why do I put up with it? Why do I keep going back for more? Well, it's hard to break it off when you're led around so easily by your dick. Kylie was hot and she knew it. When we had first started dating last year, I was really into her. I thought she was really nice and sweet and she seemed to make an effort to get along with my friends.
Then we started having sex. I had been a virgin. So once I got a taste of that, it was like a drug. And Kylie knew it. Then she changed. She became a controlling, possessive witch. And there were days when I wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. Then there were the days that I couldn't stay away.
I knew Maggie and Rachel got sick of my relationship drama. And I didn't blame them. I was sick of it. The guys on the soccer team gave me a good amount of shit about it. But I was stuck in an endless cycle of being stepped on and in turn stepping on everyone else. I needed to grow a pair but it seemed a long time coming.
And here I was about to stomp all over my best friend's feelings because I couldn't man up and say no to the girl I was sleeping with. I gave guys a bad name. And that made me a world-class ass**le. I liked to play the oblivious idiot, but that didn't mean I was one. I guess it was easier to pretend you had no idea when you were hurting someone, then to address it head on.
“Rachel!” I yelled again. I knew she heard me. I could tell by the way her shoulders tensed up. Wow. She was mad at me again. I could tell. I let out a breath as they slowed down so I could catch up with them. I couldn't help but check out Rachel as I got closer.
She really was pretty. Long brown hair and pretty dark eyes. She was short but she worked it anyway. Today she was wearing a tight fitting black skirt that stopped mid-thigh. My eyes flitted down her body and I realized that at some point, I had stopped seeing her as just my best friend, but as a girl. And a damn fine girl at that. But I sent that thought deep into the recesses of my head. No sense in dwelling on it.
Maggie looked amused when I finally reached them. I loved Maggie. She was the closest thing I had to a sister. She never put up with any of my bull and I totally respected her for that.
“Yo, Danny boy,” Maggie said as I fell into step beside them.
“Hey girls. Where are you off to in such a hurry?” I asked, looking down at Rachel, who had not as yet acknowledged my presence. I couldn't help but frown. She was pissed about something. It felt like she was always mad at me anymore. And I hated it. Nothing sucked more than those gorgeous brown eyes looking at you as though you were crud on the bottom of her shoe.