Eight Boys and a Walker girl

5 | Good girls like bad guys

5 | Good girls like bad guys

"I hate myself."

"Please stop saying that! You don't hate yourself," I say in frustration as me and Danny sit in the back-seat of Harry's car together, his cheek pressed against the top of my head, arms around me so tightly, it's as if he's afraid someone might snatch me away again. He's been saying how much he hates himself on repeat for the past hour since we left Harry's mate's party, and he's squeezing me so tight, I feel as if the blood supply has been cut off from all my limbs now.

"I do hate myself! It's my fault that guy almost hurt you. If I'd been there, I'd have been able to stop him. I'm a rubbish friend."

He looks so sad, I laugh and wriggle away from him slightly so I can take hold of his hands and look properly into his face. "Daniel Eugene Reyes-"

"Alright, no need to name and shame," he grumbles at the mention of his despised middle name, and I grin and continue.

"Daniel Eugene Reyes, stop saying that. That guy was much stronger and older than you. You wouldn't have been able to do shit to him, Mr skinny-arms."

"Hey!" he flexes his muscles indignantly, and I push his arm away with an eye-roll.

"Besides, we both know you don't hate yourself, Mr Big Head. You're freaking obsessed with yourself so stop lying."

He shoots me a smirk. "I mean...who wouldn't be obsessed with me, Eveline my love?"

I shove him. "Me."

"You're my best friend, you spend every day of your life with me, so..."

"That doesn't mean I like you. It just means I have the patience and good heart to put up with you when no one else can."

"But we're besties!" His eyes widen, and he leans forward in anticipation. I groan as I realise what's coming next-

"She my bestie, bestie, she my bestiiiiiia..."

"Aaargh, I think I just heard a cat falling out of a tree ten miles away from your atrocious voice!" I yell, slamming my hands over my ears, "How many times do I have to tell you, bubs? How many failed school-play auditions and dying cats will it take for it to get through your thick skull that you can't sing?"

"That hurt, Evvie," Danny places a hand over his heart and pouts, "My mummy says I sing like an angel."

"Your mummy can suck her big left toe," I mutter under my breath.

It's odd, seeing as I love Danny so much, but I've never really liked Mrs Reyes that much. Maybe it's because I just don't see her very often- it's usually Danny's older brother Paul who opens the door for me when I come round, grunting something about his parents being at work or simply busy. Danny never talks about his parents, either. I get the impression they aren't that close. As for Mr Reyes, when I was five- storytime with Evvie, everyone- me and Danny were throwing a ball about in his back garden when it hit his window. It bounced off and nothing was broken, but Mr Reyes threw his window open and yelled at us solidly for five whole minutes- two innocent little five-year-olds! Okay, maybe not innocent, but still. What sort of guy yells at two sweet little children playing ball? That was my first encounter with Danny's father, and I've been avoiding him since.

"Where are we heading?" I yell over the sound of Caleb and Tyger arguing and Ty singing loudly and off-key to whichever song is currently playing on the radio. Jodi is sat between the twins, poor thing, and has his headphones plugged in, looking sour at being dragged away from his first ever house-party, but we all agreed after that episode with creepo guy that we should leave. All of the McCartney boys- with the exception of Bailey of course, because being five he stayed at home- are in Harry's car- more like truck because it's so huge. But there's one other person missing. Julian. As soon as he and Jace helped me escape from the guy who attacked me, he just...disappeared. When all the boys assembled by Harry's car with apologies and hugs for me, he was the only one not there. Jace gave me his breathtaking smile- he really is beautiful- and asked if I was okay, then hugged me infront of all the boys, making me go red, and whispered in my ear that we'd talk on Monday in school. When he left, Ty wolf-whistled at me and Frankie made a comment about Jace- something about not blaming me for blushing because he was fit or something- whatever it was, it made Danny's fists clench.