Page 28 of The Golden Boys
“Another groupie?”
I expect Lexi to confirm my suspicion, but she doesn’t.
“Far from it. Peep that disinterested,‘I’d rather be at the beach’look on her perfectly made-up face,” Lexi answers. “I’m actually willing to bet she’s the only chick at that table who wasinvitedto sit there.”
Admittedly, I’m intrigued. “What’s her story?”
“Well, she’s super smart. As in, our most likely candidate for valedictorian,” Lexi shares. “Daddy’s in politics and Mom’s Chief of Staff at Cypress Pointe Memorial Hospital. She also has this super loaded uncle who’s top dog at a major marketing firm. As if they don’t already have enough money, her parents are shareholders in a few startups that took off. To summarize, Joss is what I like to callrich,rich,” Lexi jokes.
“Sounds accurate,” I say, eyeing the lineup at that table. Their carefree demeanors, their outward perfection.
“She and her parents spent the entire summer visiting extended family in Haiti and Cuba,” Lexi continues. “And who can forget her sweet-sixteen on their yacht a couple years ago? I wasn’t invited, but Pandora posted all the pics. I’ve even heard rumors that she’s got a solid gold bust of herself showcased in her bedroom, but that’s probably not entirely true,” she mumbles. “But, yeah, sheisone of the dancers. However, she’s not like the other girls. At least not in the Golden boys’ eyes. They respect her; therefore, the entire football team respects her, which means so does everyone else because we’re, apparently, all mindless drones when all is said and done.”
Well, at least I haveoneof my questions answered. I knew the guys were athletes, but it’s now been revealed that football is their sport. Still, I don’t quite understand what it is about Joss that’s earned her such high esteem. I study her during a quiet moment. She’s remarkably gorgeous, yes, but so are all the other girls. Besides, I know for a fact that a girl’s good looks don’t make her an automatic shoo in for respect.
“So, what’s the deal? She dating one of them or something?”
Lexi’s brow arches upward. “Nope, but she and Dane are besties, which is almost the same, I guess. They’ve been tight since, like, early middle school. Everybody knows he’d get on that if the opportunity arose, but it’ll never happen. They’re complete opposites.”
After taking a sip, I lower the water bottle from my lips before speaking. “How so?”
“Well, for one, he’s had more girls on their backs than all the gynos in the county combined. Meanwhile, Joss is a known virgin. The wicked playboy and the angel don’t exactly scream‘match made in heaven’,” she points out.
A laugh slips when I realize how ridiculous that sounds. “I’m sorry but‘known virgin’?What does that even mean? How could anyone possibly know something like that for certain about a person?”
Lexi chuckles while explaining. “I mean she’s, literally, taken a vow to save herself for marriage. Granted, I think it’s something her parents put her up to, but she wears this symbolic ring and everything. Takes it pretty seriously from what I hear.”
The dynamics of their group are interesting enough, but I still see them all as a bunch of arrogant tools who’d plaster an entire hallway with one, unsuspecting girl’s dark secret.
“But enough about Cypress Prep’s royal court,” Lexi says with a sigh. “How are you liking your classes so far?”
My shoulders lift with a shrug and I sink my teeth into the apple again. “Fine, I guess. Same shit, different side of town.”
Although, my day had gotten off to a particularly ugly start.
“I actually got some pretty good teachers this year,” she comments. “At least, most of themseemchill.”
I nod, thinking to myself that I’d settle just for not having any classes with the triplets. So far, I’d gotten lucky, but there were still three class periods for all that to change.
“What’s your elective?” she asks.
“Mm … I got placed in Gym this semester, but not by choice. Pretty sure they gave me whatever scraps were left.”
I assume that’s how it goes for‘scholarship kids’like me.
“What hour?”
It takes a sec to remember, since I don’t yet know my schedule by heart. “Sixth, I think.”
“Sweet. Looks like we’ll be suffering through that one together,” she replies.
“Cool! Should make things more bearable.”
She nods casually before checking her phone. “Shoot. I gotta run and catch my weed guy. He bails from his post about five minutes before the bell rings.” I watch as she quickly gets to her feet. “In the meantime … don’t let this place steal your soul,” she warns. “Happens easier than you think.”
After that, she walks off, disappearing inside the building in search of her‘weed guy’or whatever. It’s just me again, although I feel someone watching. Even before I search for his heartbreaker-greens across the courtyard, I know it’s freakin’ West. Unable to fight it, I let my eyes wander until locking with his.
Only, he’s closer than expected, because he’s coming right this way. Like the stalker he is.