| Daisy |

I shouldn't be here.

Watching him.

After what happened.

I shouldn't be here watching the boys play basketball. Logan, Travis and him. I had a feeling that the girls were gathered around because of him. Only he had it in him to draw the girls out of their spots.

Clutching my book to my chest, I watched him snatch the ball from a startled Logan and dump the ball into the hoop with ease. Travis guffawed at how Logan got left . Empty handed.

The girls on the bleachers cheered , clapping and now that I looked closer they were the cheerleaders dressed casually today. Jessica Burns clapped wildly with her side kicks. The blonde leader was drawing in looks of envy of her own.

A blonde bombshell.

Her eyes fixed on him.

And my eyes fixed on her.

A slow burning sensation filling up my veins as her cat eyes glowered and I knew that look. I could recognize it. The dreamy face with hopes.

Where I was standing, tiny rocks were scattered around and I had this sudden urge to smack that look off her face with a rock.

I wanted to hurl a rock at her .

But then his voice caught my violent thoughts right on the edge. .

Dean, do you like-

No, I don't.

That final cut to his voice still twisted in my heart . He said he didn't like me than why did he care if I date Aiden or a drug addict?

Why did he care?

Was he looking out for me because I was his friend's little sister?

It was so confusing. .

Dean bent down to his knees, breathing hard. .the brown hair sticking in every direction . .green eyes sparkling with exhilaration. .mouth going skyward. .the black shirt sticking to his body outlining his wide shoulders and hard chest.

"As Taylor swift said Oh! look what you made me do."

The sing song voice jerked me , my face going beet red at being caught so blatantly. The heart going boom boom against my chest . I tried to fix my face as quickly as possible but it was hard to fool the person that was in front of me.

"Gloria. .," I cleared my throat and thoughts.

A blinding smile beamed from her face. I couldn't even pronounce the name of the designer she was wearing right now . Her golden locks were catching shine from the sunlight. .she looked so beautiful and the fact that she was equally beautiful from the inside just . . .

"I saw you looking . ." She smiled . A knowing smile.

"Yeah, I was cheering for Logan. He plays well. " I tried to sound platonic.

"I didn't see any cheering but I did see jealousy. Loads and loads of it and something else." She grinned slyly.

"Yeah? What?" My voice got stuck in my throat.

Her eyes looked straight into mine.

"You like him don't you? My eyes don't lie to me." She winked.

I tried to make my face go blank.

"Um who? Travis? No he's not my type."

Gloria chuckled at my white lie.

"Girls are cute when they are in denial. Don't lie to me and yourself. By the way, " she made her voice go low, " I like him for you. The gazelle and the lion. " She clapped her hands startling me .

I sighed knowing well there was no use of lying to her. No use at all.

"It doesn't matter. He doesn't like me." I said , glancing at him drinking from a plastic bottle.

"Who said that?"

"He ."

I whispered more to myself.

Gloria leaned in  , a playful smile on her face.

"So? You're going to just give up? Give him up to some Jessica and Brittany?"

The picture of him waltzing with Jessica was enough to make me vomit.

"No?" My voice was weak.

She stood up straight and her gaze flickered at the boys , staying a little longer on my brother .

"My gentle swan, if you believe on something, you never give up. It's not love if you give up at the first sign of trouble now is it? Love is not for everyone." She smiled.

Not at me.

At my brother.

"Also, you need to hide ." She said still looking at him.

"Hide that adoration on your face when you look at him. Hide it well and when the time comes . .unleash it all."

Logan waved his hand at her looking like a kid who got his favorite candy.

And he followed Logan's gaze, brows knotted together. .his eyes going to Gloria's face and then me.

I felt his heavy gaze on me but not more than few seconds.

I wasn't his favorite candy after all.

×××××××××××××××××

Chatting with best friend was a therapy on its own. Jenn called herself my unpaid psychiatrist. She had a date with some hot shot basketball player that wasn't of our school and she was super excited.

To the point that she didn't abuse her breasts . Or complain about their size.

That's how i know she's happy.

Shutting down my laptop, I yawned and then stretched my hands in the air...the popping sounds relaxing me somehow.

It was 10 PM and I was in the mood to take a warm bath and shave my legs and snuggle under the sheets. Just the feel of the sheet over my smooth legs was what motivated me to get off the bed . Just as I was deciding which PJs I should go for , someone knocked on my door.

Twice.

"Come in."

The door was pushed back and —

"Gloria?" I was a little surprised at her peeking her head in . She rarely visited me in my room.

"Hey!" She grinned. " So I need help."

××××××××××××××××

Logan had offered himself but she declined and hooked her arm in mine. Insisting that i be the one who drop her.

Where?

I had no idea.

I would drop her to the edge of the world if she wanted because she was that sweet . And genuine. Her specie was certainly getting extinct.

I knew I was pretty. .but I was nothing in front of her. Who can hold up to Marilyn Monroe?

Exactly.

While driving , she guided me around . .we laughed all the way , she kept talking about my brother and how she's the luckiest girl in the world while I just nodded away. I wanted to stop by Starbucks but then dropped the idea because I didn't want Gloria to be late at wherever she was going to.

As she pointed at a turn , my crappy Porsche turned around at the corner and I noticed immediately that the street was. .alive.

People were gathering around in their trendy outfits, I squinted in concentration at a girl who was vomiting at the side of the road while her friend held her hair up.

Music up in the air.

What the—

"This is my favorite club in the whole world ." Gloria gushed excitedly.

Club?! What?!

Killing the engine, I turned at her . .not sure where this was going.

"I'm meeting a ....friend here. I didn't want Logan to be all fussy and worried so . .," She winked at me.

I nodded.

Not getting her at all.

"Come on , lets get out." She said suddenly, unlocking the door.

I sat up straight.

"What? I-i am not going there." I rasped , staring at the blinging sign of Basement.

She waved her hand.

"Don't be a kill joy. I'll meet him and you can take a look inside all for free." She said that all while looking herself in the rear view mirror and checking her hair.

"But—"

She didn't wait for me . Instead she unlocked the door and stepped out. I saw her taking a beeline and then she was rapping on my window.

Asking me to come out.

For a moment I just stared at her blurred face and then sighed . . rubbing my forehead. .was I really doing this?

But then Gloria was with me so. .

Unlocking the door, I too stepped out.

As soon as I stepped out, a gust of cold wind made me shiver and instantly I crossed my arms, rubbing my arms up and down to warm myself. All I had on was a fleece over my top . I wasn't even dressed for the club neither was Gloria. But the thing with Gloria was she looked hot in everything while I had to actually put an effort .

"Follow me." She said while looking around and then as she moved , I made sure I stuck to her like a glue. As she passed so many people greeted her . Some would cast a questionable glance at me like who is she or what is she?

And indeed I felt embarrassed when Gloria would turn around and say "Das my baby sister."

The bouncer too knew her because his stern face fell apart into a smile. And he let us in.

As we stood in front of the metallic door, her hand on the handle. .she glanced over her shoulder at me.

"Ready?"

No.

"Yeah."

××××××××××××××

I wasn't. . surprised at what I saw inside. I wasn't disappointing either. Gloria had grabbed my hand in hers as we entered. A streak of hot red light fell on my face . And a neon yellow on Gloria's.

People my age and older than me littered the club but the interior of the club was chic and expensive.  The decor was all black . The aura of the club  intoxicating.

In fact I saw quite familiar faces in the crowd with drinks in their hand and just talking.

The dance floor was fairly empty.

"He must be around here somewhere. ." I heard Gloria say. I was too busy in eyeing the surrounding . Well, it was my first time to see a club first hand . .and I got like hmm not bad.

"Who are we looking for?" I asked raising my voice over the music.

"Travis. " She yelled.

Not at me.

At Travis.

And then it clicked in my head.

Travis?!

Dean's friend Travis?

What was  Gloria doing with Travis?

I trailed behind her as she ripped through the crowd to get to him and I was so confused but I didn't dare say anything.

Travis.

Gloria.

She went straight towards the sparkling bar. The bar definitely was not crowded. Shots were being filled . People with grimaces on their faces as the punch hit their throat.

Just as we reached the bar , a tall frame stood up from the stool. Gloria let go of my hand and went in to hug the guy with dirty blond hair.

My heart kind of dropped down to my knees. A cold chill felt all over me. Seeing them hug. .my eyes going from Gloria's head and then towards—

What the actual. . .

That—that couldn't be Travis!!

His dirty blond hair were pulled back into a man bun. Impeccably done smokey eyes , slashed contour that highlighted his hollow cheeks, tonnes of champagne highlighter on top of his cheeks, nude lipstick with a pop of gloss.

The fake eyes lashes enhancing his whole makeup.

And then his eyes fell on me . .a wide eyed me. .as he pulled back.

His grin widening.

"Hello to you too. " He said cheerfully. I looked dumbly at Gloria and then him.

"She got spooked by your avatar, Trav." Gloria whispered to him.

"Or may be she got jealous of my smokey eyes." He winked at her.

Awkward, I cleared my throat , pulling myself together because I was kind of eyeing Travis like an exotic animal at a zoo.

"Sorry . I—i haven't seen you like. . this before so. . .," I bit my bottom lip. "Yeah sorry ."

For the open stares.

He waved his hand . "I get it. I get it all the time. You not the first,  princess."

"Who you talking to?"

A deep voice asked from his back.

Whatever sanity I had left in me. .it too  vanished into thin air as soon as I heard his voice.

I didn't dare move.

Or blink.

Gloria blinked rapidly, innocently. . hooking her arm in Travis's. A sly Travis stepped a little to the side, exposing what was behind.

On a stool, with a shot in his hand.

His luscious eyes moved from the bartender to Travis and then Gloria—the rim of the glass touching his lips—and then on me.

"Travis, didn't you say you have something to show me?" Gloria asked in a sweet voice.

"I did?"

"Yes! Now, " she looked at me with the smile intact, " I'll be right back."

With that she dragged a struggling Travis with herself.

Leaving me all alone in the Lion's den.

×××××××××××××××