Page 2 of His Daring Girl

And if this were a test, I’d fail. This girl is prettier than anyone in this school, but she’s nice. She doesn’t want to associate with mean kids, but that’s not going to leave her a lot of options here because most everyone is mean. The wealth and pretension is bred thick within these walls, and if you’re not in line with Cassie, you’re a bottom dweller like me. But I would happily be her friend.

“It’s nice to meet you, Presley. I’m Ruby.” I try to tip my cheeks up into a smile, but it’s such a foreign thing to do and makes me feel awkward. “So, did you just move here?”

“Yes.” She nods. “Well…kind of. I actually just moved back. I lived here up until sixth grade, but then my parents got divorced and I lived with my mom full-time. But now I’m back living with my dad again.”

I feel like she just revealed a lot without giving many details. Being a kid of divorced parents has to be hard. I can’t imagine having to split my time back and forth or having to live with one full-time. There are a million things I want to ask, but I doubt she wants a stranger prying into her personal life. I’d love to know the reason she decided to move back. Halfway through her senior year, having to start a new school and make all new friends… There has to be a motivation behind her decision, because that’s a kid’s worst nightmare.

Although, if my parents told me they wanted to sell the house tomorrow and move, I’d be excited. I’d love to attend a new school. Meet new people. No longer be Ruby the saggy tits whale. No longer have to watch my back for fear of Cassie coming for me. But that’s never going to happen. My parents have built their business here, and there’s no moving anywhere. So I’m going to have to suck it up and deal for the next four more months. Wait… Did she just say she movedback? That meansshe’s lived here before, which means we would’ve been in school together when we were kids. But I don’t recognize her at all.

“Really? I’ve lived here my entire life, and I don’t remember you going to school with us.”

“That’s because my parents had me in an all-girls private school before I moved away, so you wouldn’t have seen me.”

“Oh.” That explains why I’ve never met her. I wish I could go to a private school, but my parents can’t afford it. At one point, I even begged my mother to homeschool me, but she said that I was being ridiculous and needed to put on my big-girl panties and not let what kids say get to me. Sticks and stones and all that wonderful advice, which doesn’t actually stop the rejection from hurting or make it any less miserable to be faced with the cruelty every day. Which is why I read. At least the characters inside my books aren’t mean to me. They’re who I cling to to find my strength and make it through my days. I look back down at my book, not knowing what else to say to Presley. I’m not used to talking to people. And I don’t want to say something that will make her not like me.

“So, is this teacher hard or easy?”

“Mr. Stanley is nice.” I close my book, excited that she still wants to talk to me. “I’d say a bit on the strict side, but he’s a fair teacher.”

“That’s good.” She giggles. “Calculus isn’t my strongest subject.”

“Oh.” I turn toward her. That’s something I can help her with. It’s something that might make her like me more. “Well, if you ever have a question or need help, just ask. It’s my favorite subject and I’m not trying to brag but I have a hundred in the class, so I’d be happy to tutor you if you ever need it.”

“Thanks.” She lights right up at my offer, and I tuck my head, trying to hide my excitement. The fact that she might actually be willing to spend time with me makes me feel giddy inside.

Mr. Stanley calls our attention to the front, and I turn with a smile on my face. This day feels like it’s going to be better than all the ones that have come before it. I may have even made a friend.

CHAPTER 2

Chase

Out with the old. In with the new.

“Don’t you dare invite her to your party, Chase.”

Cassie’s getting on my last nerve. I’m so fucking sick and tired of her telling me what to do. The girl’s insecurities are starting to outweigh my patience.

“You’re just jealous because she’s a knockout and you hate that she’s prettier than you.”

I’m shocked when the words come flying out of my mouth. I think I’ve finally hit my limit. The girl has had my balls in a vice grip for the last year, and as fun as it is getting sex on the regular, I no longer think it’s worth the headache that’s attached to the pussy. When we first started dating, Cassie was nice, but once we were steady into our third month of being together, I started getting glimpses of a side of her I didn’t like. But then we had sex and my dick started making my decisions for me. She was my first, and I was still getting my sea legs when it comes to sex, so Irode out the bad weather of her personality and stuck it out. But lately, she’s been getting on my last nerve, and I’m fucking done.

“She is not prettier than me, Chase, and that’s not the reason. She was rude to me in class when I went out of my way to be nice to her and offer her a seat with us.”

Is she really going to play the victim card here? That’s all Cassie does these days. If she gets a B on a test, she claims it’s because the teacher is jealous of her or has some kind of vendetta against her family. If another girl wears the same outfit as her, it’s because she was intentionally trying to outshine her. Like somehow some random sophomore knew exactly what Cassie was going to put on in the morning. Now, she’s claiming the new girl was rude to her. She’s fucking delusional.

“She wasn’t fucking rude to you, Cassie. She just said no thanks.”

“Yeah, but she chose to sit with the loser over us.”

And?Looks to me like the new girl is not only smoking hot but she’s smart too. I was shocked as hell to see her sitting with the recluse, but when Cassie made her rude comment, I couldn’t blame the new girl for making her choice. I didn’t want to sit with Cassie either. Calling Ruby a loser in front of everyone was a bitch move.

“You’re such a bitch, Cassie. I’m done with your ass. Consider us broken up.”

God, that feels good to say. It’s been long overdue. About nine months overdue.

“Yeah, well good.” She cocks her chin, looking even bitchier. “I was going to break up with your pathetic ass anyway. It’s your best friend I’ve been imagining while I’m fucking you, Chase, just so you know.”

She looks over at Kyler and the anger rolls through my shoulders. I’m pissed I wasted so much time on her. I should’ve listened to my best friend’s advice and broken it off last year. I’dthought about it at the end of the year, was about to end things, and then I pussied out. She told me she loved me and it felt like a dick move to break up with her then. I figured I’d be gone for the summer with football training and college tours, so I’d wait and do it at the start of this year, but my ass fell right back into the toxic routine. I allowed myself to get wrapped up in the envy of my teammates because I was getting my dick sucked off behind the bleachers during halftime. Little did they know that the only thing arousing me was the risk of getting caught. Cassie’s mouth definitely isn’t good at giving head. The only thing that mouth is good at is spewing venom.

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