A Hater's Gamble (BxB)

FORTY-ONE

"I'm still a rock star."

M I L E S

Liam and I hadn't talked since Saturday. I supposed I shouldn't have been worried. He was his own person, he wasn't obligated to—

"You son of a bitch!," a nasally voice screeched in the school hallway.

I shut my locker and found Daisy storming towards me with blotchy eyes and a wild look on her face. She might have been shorter than me, but that girl looked like Satan as she thundered through the hallway.

Students began to stare, and I gulped.

Shit.

"I never thought you were capable of something like this, Miles Medley!," she screamed in my face. Helpless tears streamed down her face. "You don't deserve him. I'm...I'm beautiful. I have boobs! And—."
An image of Lilia was summoned in my mind.

Purple sneakers lighting up as she stomped.

Excitement, as she pointed at her Unicorn cupcake.

Sadness, as she admitted Daisy's malicious behavior.

"Daisy, have you ever considered that maybe you're in need of some serious remediation? You're a terrible human being, it's no wonder Liam is so eager to move on," I said, fighting the urge to crush her.

Most students crowded around now were aware of Liam's switch in partners, but I didn't have time to care. To me, it was pointless to hide any longer. How could I shield myself in that way when Liam's affection was worthy of shouting from rooftops. The logic seemed naive, but it was one of the most real things in my life.

Daisy snarled, "I'm not a terrible human being! You think you're so smart just because, what, you're top of our class? He told me he was breaking up with me for...for you. I just—I don't see it."

Daisy's mascara-blotched eyes drifted towards my neck. Her eyes welled with more tears and she grabbed the top hem of my sweater roughly.

"Are those...from-from him?," she asked in a quiet voice, while her eyes darted rapidly over my now exposed neck. "He'd never give me any. He said it would be a sign of love if he did..."

When I saw Liam, I was going to throttle him for not warning me about Daisy's rage. Then, I was going to kiss the hell out of him.

Daisy pulled me harshly towards her, "He's in love with you?," she wailed. "NO!"

Students began getting out their phones and recording the Daisy-induced fiasco. I pulled her hand—the one that held the top hem of my sweater down—away. Liam's marks on me were only partially exposed now.

"Coleman swings left now?," I heard one student murmur.

"He's still hot," a girl said. "His new boyfriend, too."

New boyfriend.

Me, Miles Medley.

"I thought they hated each other," another girl presumed.

"I always thought Miles was good looking."

"Don't say that too loud," a freshman responded, looking frightened. "Liam Coleman is scary."

"I knew Liam wouldn't settle for that whale."

"Oh my god. You can't call her a whale, Stacy!"

No, no, no. Stacy was watching too.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

"Daisy," I said, carefully, watching her ball her hands into fists. "You're a pretty girl, I'm sure you can get any guy you want. You don't—"