Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“Did he kiss you?” Tabitha asked.

Daisy’s face heated up and Tabitha gasped. “He did!”

She covered her face and Tabitha reached out. “Come on, tell me.”

“You’re going to think it’s stupid.”

“No, I’m not. Nothing about this is stupid. My best friend got her first kiss.”

“It wasn’t exactly a first kiss.” She winced. “Okay. His lips went right here.” She touched the corner of her mouth. “He cupped my face, gently, told me that I had no idea how precious I was, and kissed me there.”

“Oh,” Tabitha said. “Are we happy about that?”

“I … he was sweet. Like crazy sweet. I can’t, this is crazy. I’m so happy right now.”

“So we’re putting this in the awesome pile?”

“We’re putting this in the hell yeah and I want to go out with him again.” Daisy climbed off the bed, removed the towel, and left to put it in the laundry basket. She returned, grabbed the brush, and started to comb through her hair.

“Will you go on a second date?”

“I don’t know. We didn’t say anything. I don’t want to push. Tonight’s date was so amazing. I can’t even tell you how amazing. He’s a great guy. I know that he’s a little strange, but people don’t know him, at all.”

“He doesn’t give people the chance to get to know him, Daisy.”

“I guess, but even I wasn’t expecting what I got. Wow.” She dropped the brush and flopped to the bed. “Tonight was amazing. Thank you for helping me get ready.”

“It was my pleasure. We always made each other promises when we were little to always be there for each other. Do you realize if you marry Anthony and he does become President of The Skulls, you’d be his old lady?”

“And you’d be Simon’s old lady for Chaos Bleeds. I suppose if we look at it like that, two besties besides their men, we could make it work for each other and for them.”

“Not through manipulation or anything.”

Daisy shook her head. “No. I don’t mean anything like that. I meant, reminding them of who they were. The fact we’re friends.” Daisy reached out to stroke some hair back behind her ear. “Did you think about it tonight?”

“I called him. I think he’s pissed at me.”

“Because you’re back home?”

She nodded. “And I’m happy to be back home.”

“If I know Simon, he won’t stay mad at you for long. It’s impossible to do.”

“You promise to never stay mad at me for too long?”

“Promise.”Chapter ThirteenTime didn’t stand still. Not even for Tabitha.

Seventeen came and went without any real event. There was cake and a party. Simon wasn’t able to make it due to a bad turn Lexie had taken. Daisy was by her side throughout.

School finished for another term and she passed all the necessary exams she’d needed to take.

Chaos Bleeds visited Fort Wills.

Simon came and it was like there was no elephant in the room whenever they were together. He held her, told her how beautiful she was, and when the time came for him to leave, she hated it.

The only way she’d come to deal with the pain was by going to the Quad, regularly, much to her parents’ annoyance.

A busted lip and eyebrow started to annoy them. She would sometimes let the opponent get a shot in just so she could feel the pain on the outside. Of course there were people from the Dogs who also liked to challenge her, especially the girls. In the past six months alone, she’d gotten into more fights at school than she could ever know to think about.

Another fight that had her sitting outside the principal’s office, nibbling on the edge of her nails and waiting for her parents to arrive.

The chick in question was one of Daniella’s posse. Another Dogs kid, Rebecca.

“Hey,” Daisy said, coming to sit with her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I figured I’d be here as some backup.”

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I do. I’m not having that bitch say you attacked her.”

“We all know she had it coming to her,” Miles said, climbing on top of the desk.

Anthony had also joined, but he sat beside her and patted her hand. “He takes one of us in, he deals with us all.”

Her throat felt thick as her people surrounded her.

“Gotta say, Tabs, loved how you handled this one,” Constance said.

She laughed.

“I think the head slam was the best,” Rachel said. “Didn’t it, like, hurt?”

She’d head-butted Rebecca after slamming Daniella into a wall.

“It did.” She rubbed at her head. She had a throbbing headache.

John sat down on the floor. “It was badass.”

Markus nibbled on an apple and nodded.

“You know there’s a risk I could get suspended and he could do the same to all of you,” Tabitha said. “That could mean grounded for all of you.”

“Don’t care,” Blaise said. “The bitches deserved it.”

Tabitha sighed, running her hands down her thighs.