How We Were | ✔️ (Complete)

2. Girls

Technically, I didn't lie to Peyton. I didn't actually know Jake Waites. But I knew plenty about him. How could I not?

Everybody talked about Jake Waites.

Hell, the guy was a practically the county mascot. I secretly thought most of the stories had to be made up or at least generously embellished because no one could be that...

Bad. No, Good. No, I didn't know. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious.

And that was exactly what Peyton was concerned about wasn't it? I pushed the thought aside and stepped into the converted barn that served as the employee lounge and staging area, to be greeted by a hoard of giggling girls crowding around a single window.

I glanced through it as I walked towards the lockers.

Jake stood at the entrance, 18 years old, tall, lean, and yeah, okay, sexy. He was bracing his left hand high up on the barn door while he brushed the mud off his boot with his right. He wore a dusty, sun-bleached white tee shirt and jeans with well worn brown leather chaps. His Stetsoned head was dipped low, a cigarette peeking out from beneath the brim. I couldn't help myself. I stared a while.

I mean, I get it.

I'm not blind.

"Here he comes!" someone cried. The swarm scattered instantly, girls scrambling over each other as the more outgoing ones positioned themselves to their best advantage and the shy ones scurried to the darker corners.

Miranda Scott scampered up to the top of a stack of feed sacks by the entrance, cursing hard as a miscalculation nearly sent her sprawling to the floor. Tsk. That would've been fun.

Alas, she made it to the top, crossed her legs, and tossed her carefully sculpted, glossy black curls over her shoulder. She angled her head just so and cleared her throat. Unsatisfied, she gave her bottom a little wiggle to scoot herself closer to the edge. Finally, she plastered her Hollywood smile on her face.

Please.

To be fair, she was very pretty. With her heart shaped baby face, bright blue eyes and a double dimpled smile, she was easily the second prettiest girl in town.

And while I was being fair, she was hardly the worst of the three girls who ruled West Canyon. In fact, she wasn't half bad when she was alone. The fangs only came out when she was with the others, and even then, you could tell - her heart wasn't in it.

Miranda was a follower, a pretty but deeply insecure girl with an intelligence level that was slightly below average. More importantly, while her 'Besties' were filthy rich, Miranda's daddy worked night shifts down at the factory and had a pretty serious drug problem. That little issue left her forever wandering the purgatory of popularity in such a way that I almost felt sorry for her.

Beth McGee, chubby, awkward and oblivious, wheeled a bale of hay through the doorway.

"Move it fatass!" Miranda hissed. "Go! Shoo!"