He winced when Cora slapped him upside the head before I had the chance to tell him no. I did own short shorts, though. I had loved wearing them to all the country concerts I used to go to and when Tessa and I would sneak into the football team's camping parties.
"Try not to scare her off with your damn creepiness, Lane," Cora instructed, giving me an apologetic look. "Please excuse my boyfriend, he never really learned the concept of manners."
"It seems your sexy as shit cousin has his eyes set on Little Miss Daisy here," Gabby said, singing out my name like it was some cheap hillbilly movie. I was definitely making a trip to the Social Security office and applying for a temporary name change pronto.
"I wouldn't let Pathetic Piper hear you saying that," he said, taking an overlarge bite of his pizza.
"You wouldn't let Piper hear you say what?" A deep voice asked behind me and I already knew whom it belonged to before I twisted my body around to face him. He was standing directly behind me with his arms across his chest, raising an eyebrow. He glanced around the table and a broad smile spread across his face. "Ladies, it's always nice to see your beautiful faces."
Gabby's face turned into a lovesick puppy while Cora rolled her eyes grimacing. "Shut it, Keegan," she spat, narrowing her eyes at him. "You know the only reason I even put up with your ass is because of Lane." She pointed her finger his way. "Don't you dare think I have forgotten about my cousin."
Keegan groaned, running his hands through his hair. "Damn Cora, are you ever going to get over that? It was forever ago."
"It has not been forever, it's only been a year and she was heartbroken! She believed you actually liked her," she fired back.
He tilted his head back. "Then maybe you or someone else needs to help her out and tell her she needs to ask guys if they like her or not before she fucks them. I didn't make her any promises before or after she decided to spread those pretty little legs for me," he threw back, smiling in earnest. A sour taste filled my mouth.
"You are seriously a pig," Cora scoffed, grabbing a fry from Lane's tray and throwing it over my head at him.
"Dude," Keegan said to Lane, dodging the fry and letting it fall onto the floor. "Control your crazy girlfriend."
"Fuck that, asshat, I'm not defending your ass," Lane laughed.
"You're so *-whipped.”
"Damn straight and I will be *-whipped every damn day for the rest of my life if it means I'm getting the prefix." He gave the entire table a naughty grin and Cora smacked his arm. Grabbing her shoulders, he kissed her cheeks in between his laughs. My stomach hardened and jealousy slapped me in the face watching the back and forth banters between Cora and Lane. I missed having that connection with someone and I wanted it back.
"You're incorrigible," Cora laughed, attempting to swat him away but he just kissed her again.
"That was a good one, though." Gabby said, reaching out her hand to give Lane a high five. Even if my sense of humor was non-existent now, he had managed to get me to crack a small smile.
Keegan shook his head at his cousin again and switched his attention to me. Great, he already sicced the school mean girl on me, what did he want now? "I came over to tell you I can give you a ride home after school."
I swallowed, dreading having to endure another wretched car ride with Piper and her nauseating whine but I felt bad saying no. He was being nice offering me a ride home. Plus, I didn't even know if I had a way home. Neither my aunt nor uncle had said anything about it. "Okay." I told him, keeping my attention on the salad in front of me and separating the cheese from the lettuce with my fork.
He winked at me then patted me on the back. Saluting the rest of the table, he strolled back to his table and a pissed off looking Piper glaring daggers my way. I sunk back in my chair looking away from her.
"God, you are such a lucky bitch." Gabby said, her eyes still on Keegan. "I'm just declaring right now that all girl's nights will now be held at your casa from now on. I would be peeking through his windows every night like some stalker if I lived next to him." I gave her a lame attempt at a smile and gulped.
If she only knew.
I WAS usually the last person to walk into class, making it there at the exact time the bell rang, but Piper had invited me to have dinner with her parents. Anytime a chick mentioned meeting the parents, that was my cue to get the hell out of dodge, which made my arrival to Health class earlier than usual.