More than Secrets

Breakfast Club

DANI'S P. O. V.

I speed walk down the long hallway of Green Hills High School, passing my locker, and head straight to the cafeteria.

If Brie finds out about my ride this morning (which ended with me being personally invited to Tyler's party) through the rumor mill instead of from my mouth, she's gonna kick my ass for sure.

Pushing open the doors of the cafeteria I spot Lee's gorgeous auburn curls first, then right next to said curls, is Brie's big Nike sneakers. She's leaning back in her chair with her feet propped up on the table in a very unlady-like manner.

I roll my eyes and make my way over to our usual table.

I'm about to tell them about my ride when I feel something small hit my chest. I look down at the floor and there's a Cheeto laying there at my feet, and an orange, Cheeto-shaped stain right in the middle of my white crop top.

"BRIE!"

She smiles innocently at me and pops another Cheeto into her mouth.

Lee just shakes her head at Brie, "That wasn't necessary, you know."

"I know, but she's late to our Breakfast Club, and on the first day of senior year too, so it's her punishment," Brie replies, tipping the bag of Cheetos and emptying the contents straight into her mouth.

Lee makes a disgusted face at her and I have to stop myself from doing the same. Having a Cheeto thrown at me is probably the least harsh punishment Brie has ever given me, so I'm not about to argue about it.

"Why are you so late anyway?" Lee asks me, "I had to settle on this for breakfast today," she says, gesturing to our table.

That's when I notice that Lee has an unopened bag of Cheetos in front of her and there's one placed in front of my usual spot too.

I smack my head like the i***t that I am. I've completely forgotten it's my turn to bring something for our "Breakfast Club" today - a tradition we started on the first day of freshman year where we each take turns to bring something small to share with each other in the mornings.

We alternate weeks and this is my week to bring a snack... or it was supposed to be, that is.

I usually bring fresh fruit, Lee always brings home-baked goodies and Brie? She brings this... junk food.

"I'm so sorry. I was running late, and then I missed the bus, and then Tyler Black gave me a ride, and then he invited me to his party on Saturday, and then something happened with the rainbow trout -" I start rambling.

"TYLER BLACK GAVE YOU A RIDE!?" they both scream together.

Everyone's, and I mean everyone's, eyes are on me now.

Oh God, so much for worrying about the rumor mill spreading this news. The entire school will probably know about this before the end of homeroom period.

The bell rings - a miracle I didn't know I needed until now - and I sprint out of there as fast as my legs can move, not bothering to wait for Lee or Brie.

I leave them at our table - with their mouths still hanging wide open, no doubt - and head to my homeroom class.

Because our school is so small (our town literally has a population of less than 6 thousand people in total) we only have two homeroom classes per year.

Learners whose surnames start with letters A-L go into one home room class and those whose surnames start with letters M-Z go into the other.

I'm more than a little out of breath as I take my seat.

Our homeroom seats are assigned alphabetically which means I get to sit in the seat right behind, yip, you guessed right, Tyler Black.

I'm tapping my foot nervously, trying to figure out what excuse I can give to the teacher to get me out of this class for the next 15 minutes.

Ugh! Why did you have to go and say those things to me, Tyler? I was happy crushing on you from afar and day dreaming about those lips... and now? I have to spend 15 minutes every morning, sitting behind you after you looked at me with those dazzling green eyes and taunted me with your equally-dazzling white smile.

This must be a cruel joke from the universe... or maybe, a prank being played on me by my crush himself?

I don't know whether this new realization is making me feel better or worse about the whole situation, but I make a promise with myself right now, to never be made a fool of by anyone... not even Tyler Black.

Most of the kids have filtered in by now and have taken their seats.

I spot a flash of red in the first row. Lee's surname is Archer so she's always up front in homeroom class.

I look around and see no new faces among us. I guess it's just the usual crowd this year.

I catch more than a few people looking at me too, but they quickly pretend to be looking at something else as soon as we make eye contact.

Great, that's just what I need this year, to be talked about and stared at like I'm a freak show. Not!

I'm sliding down in my seat, hoping I can just melt away into nothingness. Of course, this is the exact moment when Tyler Black decides to grace me with his magnificent presence.

He raises an eyebrow in question to my awkward position - half my body slumped with my back pressed against the bottom of my chair, and half under the table with my legs sprawled out in the most embarrassing way.

I cringe inwardly, but I'm left so confused too. I feel slightly pissed that he's gone ahead and just taken his seat in front of me without so much as a backward glance in my direction.

What's that all about?

The teacher walks in and I straighten up in my seat and grab a pencil from bag in case we have to take notes.

I notice Lucy Barns, who's sitting next to Tyler, whisper something to him. He replies and I hear her giggle.

I'm already annoyed I'm being ignored by him and now he's making another girl laugh... in front of me? Who does this guy think he is?

Easy there, tiger, he's not yours remember? I remind myself, so you can't call dibs.

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding as the teacher begins to do roll call.

Good. At least now Lucy won't be able to talk to him anymore.

My relief is short-lived though when I see her perfectly-manicured fingers brush along his bicep, pure rage, just like this morning, overcomes me and I snap my pencil in half.

Part of it shoots out to my right and hits Brian Collins' knee. He looks down at the broken pencil and its better half still clutched in my hand, then he looks forward to see the cause of my rage and puts two-and-two together.

A knowing smirk plays on his lips.

Shit. Now he knows about my crush too.

Dani, you are not allowed to be jealous of Lucy. She is a perfectly nice human being... and she does not deserve you fantasizing about the many, many ways in which you can kill her and make it look like it was an accident, I tell myself.

I sigh. This is going to be the longest 15 minutes of my life.