by Bijou Hunter
Thirty - Daisy
Mylie Anders was one of the popular girls in high school. While she had no interest in me, she always kissed Ruby’s ass. Oh, and she hated Harmony. Most girls in high school hated my younger sister. She was too naturally beautiful and easy-going. While the teenage years were horrible for most people, Harmony floated through her awkward phase without a bit of awkwardness. Yeah, I’d probably have hated her a little too, if I didn’t love her so much.
I don’t know why Mylie invites us to her bachelorette blowout in Common Bend, but she seems especially keen on Ruby attending. My older sister had an edgy cool in high school. She didn’t care what anyone thought, giving her power the popular girls couldn’t claim. Ruby was also dating Bonn, who never suffered an awkward moment in his life. He was born gorgeous, and no doubt looked sexy taking a crap. Those Halstead men were easily flawless like Harmony.
Mylie begged and nagged until Ruby agreed to attend the party. Not wanting to be stuck for hours with only women she didn’t like, she asked Harmony and me to suffer with her.
I’ve never been to a bachelorette party, but I expect something smaller with a dozen women drinking while the bride opens gifts. Instead, Mylie’s friends throw her a massive party to celebrate her upcoming marriage to a real medical doctor. I swear I hear three times in the first ten minutes his profession but never his name.
We arrive at the house to the booming beat of Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise shaking the two-story house. Harmony whispers to me something about white girls wanting to play tough bitches. I nod at her comment and take a cup filled with spiked punch.
“We give it an hour,” Ruby says, “and then bail.”
“Aren’t you having fun?” Harmony asks, shaking her butt to the beat and bumping our grumpier older sister. “If you fake like you’re happy, she’ll throw less of a tantrum when you want to leave.”
“I don’t know why Mylie even cares if I’m here. We were barely friends in high school, and I haven’t been in high school for a long time.”
“Who knows?” I say. “Old people confuse me.”
Ruby dips her fingers in her drink and then flicks them at me. I try to duck away from the sticky drops, but I’m too slow, and my feet are too big. I nearly fall on my ass trying to avoid getting a tiny wet. Ruby and Harmony laugh at me. Even embarrassed by my lack of skill, I still take a bow.
“It’s all comes naturally,” I say.
Ruby loses her smile. “Bitch at four o’clock.”
“I don’t know what four o’clock means,” I say, glancing around.
“I think it means behind you,” Harmony says, being unhelpful since I look behind me to find a wall.
“I see no bitch. Is she invisible? Do you think I’m Superman and can see through walls?”
Harmony laughs while Ruby narrows her eyes and glares in the direction of the bitch. I finally locate four o’clock when I spot Brittany Sams.
The rumor-spreading blonde butt-stain sees me seeing her, and she smiles like a fucking crazy person mocking the victim in her car trunk. I smile back at her like I assume Camden looked at Liam before busting his head open.
“I’m going to say hello.”
“Why?” Ruby grumbles.
“Whatever do you mean? I’m a warm, outgoing person who loves my fellow American women people. Now fuck off while I go chat up the butt-stain.”
My sisters laugh at my comment, but Ruby still makes one last ditch effort to grab me. I dodge her hand, nearly fall on my face but eventually reach Brittany. Staring into the eyes of the bitch stain whose lie traumatized me into eating salad for frigging months, I can’t be sure I won’t kill her. I mean, I’m fairly sure I won’t, but I did eat a lot of damn salad.
“I was hoping we’d run into each other,” I say. “Everything going okay with you?”
The blonde shit-stain grins, and I notice a little lipstick on her teeth. “Yeah, I’m great.”
“Has anyone been treating you weird?”
Her smile fades, and her blue eyes narrow. “Why?”
“No reason. I was just thinking people might be looking at you in a weird way. Or treating you differently. I’m happy to hear you haven’t noticed anything yet. I don’t want Mylie’s party to get awkward.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” she demands, and I think she’ll splash her drink at me.
“Since I’m dating Camden, I’m not holding a grudge anymore.”
“I don’t know what you heard but…”
Leaning closer, I growl, “Are you calling Camden a liar because I will so snitch you out for talking shit about him?”
Brittany repeatedly opens her mouth to respond but changes her mind each time. Finally, she exhales really hard, and I’m hit in the face by a smell that makes me think of Camden or maybe the back of the school bleachers.
“Why does your breath smell like semen?” I balk, stepping back. “No, don’t answer that.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Did I hurt your feeling? If your answer is no, well, give it time, cum-breath.”
“I didn’t even start the rumor because of you. I did it because of Harmony. She’s a stupid whore who stole my boyfriend.”
“How does starting a rumor about me being fat hurt my skinny sister who your high school boyfriend wanted more than you?”
Brittany again thinks about responding, but she’s flustered from too much liquor and too little knowledge about how bad at fighting I am. If she had any idea how easily I’d fall over if she poked me, I bet I’d already be on my ass.
Storming away from me, Brittany leaves an odd smell in her place. I hurry back to my sisters and frown at them.
“Do I smell like semen after I’ve been with Camden?”
Ruby smirks. “Daisy, I don’t go around sniffing people.”
“I do,” Harmony says, clearly having downed her drink and smiling way too much, “And you smell like happiness after you’ve been with Camden.”
Ruby and I burst into laughter. I laugh so hard I think I might pee. It’d be less funny if Harmony weren't serious. Booze turns her into a dippy hippy.
For the next ten minutes, I have the best time with my sisters. We drink the spiked punch and reenact my smack talk with Brittany. My threats get cooler with each retelling.
Before we have too much fun, Mylie appears with her bridesmaids. They’re wearing crowns, glitter, and matching “diva” T-shirts. I let myself imagine getting married to Camden and wonder if I’d be as obnoxious as these twats. Deciding I would, I nearly miss Mylie’s announcement about the strippers arriving.
Helpfully, she yells, “The man meat is here to shake their asses and long dong silvers!”
“I haven’t seen a long dong silver in a long, damn time,” Harmony whispers to me.
“You’re lying.”
“A little but I’m still horny.”
Laughing at my buzzed sister, I keep her at arm’s length, so she doesn’t use my leg for her jollies. Ruby watches us both, and I know she’s annoyed. If anyone deserves pity for going too long without a dick near their vaginal area, Ruby should get the telethon.
I’m busy teasing my sisters in the corner of the living room when the strippers arrive with their signature Let’s Get The Party Started song. I start laughing at the thought of swinging dong, and Harmony nearly falls on her ass giggling next to me. Ruby is laughing too until suddenly she isn’t, and I think she’s ready to shift into a green monster and tear up the damn place.
“What?” I ask, using the wall to keep me upright. “Who turned you Hulk?”
Ruby’s smoky brown eyes stare at me as she shakes her head. When she opens her mouth to speak, only a squeaky noise comes out. I look around, wondering whose ass I need to kick.
Bonn Fletcher makes a fetching cop even if his uniform has tear-away pants. I suddenly understand how he’s able to live in the same condo complex as Camden. Bonn has the body to be a stripper, but that doesn’t make the shock any easier for R
uby. Even all these years, she remains hung up on her first love.
“I need to get out of here,” she says when I wrap an arm around her shoulders.
Nodding, I set down my drink, grab Harmony, and start making our way through the crowds of chanting women. I hear someone calling Ruby’s name, but we never stop moving. Harmony grips my shirt to keep from losing us in the crowded room. We’re nearly at the door when Ruby can’t ignore Mylie’s voice any longer.
I turn to find the party paused so everyone can look at the bride chasing us. Ruby doesn’t even look at Mylie. Her gaze is locked on Bonn’s. The former lovers share a mental conversation. Bonn doesn’t flinch or show a hint of fear at having his big secret outed. Ruby doesn’t hide her feeling nearly as well.
“Don’t you want to see your baby daddy dance for us?” Mylie asks, barely containing her evil glee.
Ruby stares at Bonn, completely oblivious to Mylie. I feel like I should say or do something. Normally, I’d let Harmony play peacemaker, but my younger sis looks ready to puke. Besides, half of the bitches at the party hold a grudge against her.
“For fuck’s sake!” I holler, “High school ended a long time ago, ladies!”
I grab Ruby’s hand and snag one of Harmony’s before pulling them out the front door. People are following us, and I don’t know if we’ll get to the car before Ruby loses her shit. My older sister’s reaction can go two ways - broken hearted tears or broken faces rage.
“Ruby wait,” Bonn says, hurrying to stop us. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Would it have mattered?” Ruby demands, finding her voice and apparently leaning toward a rage reaction.
“I only work outside of Hickory Creek. I never wanted you or Chevelle to know,” he says and then adds, “I needed the money.”
“What about your dad? Think he’ll be okay with your side job?”
Bonn’s expression flickers, revealing genuine fear. Recovering his emotionless expression, he shrugs his big shoulders. “You do what you want.”
“I will as always, asshole.”
Ruby storms away as Harmony and I run to catch up.
“A stripper,” she mutters, fumbling with her car keys.
I take them from her and pull Ruby into a hug. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. He’s not mine. What do I care what he does?”
“Are you going to tell his dad?”
Fighting tears, Ruby shakes her head. “His dad treats him like shit. I’m not giving Howler any ammo to make it worse.”
As much as I want to comfort Ruby, the damn party remains focused on us. Mainly because Mylie is still enjoying her ridiculous revenge against Ruby for some long ago offense.
Harmony stumbles into the backseat. “The bitch is coming.”
Ruby shakes her head and walks around to the driver’s side. Rather than get into the car, I face a glowing Mylie.
“That was a bitch move,” I say.
“I didn’t realize Ruby would be upset. I figured seeing him shake his ass would bring back good memories.”
Her friends snicker at her comment, but I’m uninterested in them. I’m too busy thinking about how much bullshit from high school still taints our lives. Everyone is still mad about some stupid thing or another. Even this grown woman on the verge of marrying above her pay grade can’t avoid taking a swipe at a girl who pissed her off nearly ten years earlier.
“You should be more careful about how you treat people, Mylie, especially when you have such an important day coming. It’d be a real shame for something bad to happen at your wedding.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m just saying a lot of things can go wrong at a wedding. The food, an expected guest, your dress, a no-show groom. So many things.”
Stepping closer, Mylie loses her smile. “You best not be threatening me.”
“Or you’ll what?” I say, erasing the space between us. “Will you sic your bridesmaids on me? I suggest you focus your energy on the big day.”
Mylie points her finger at me and growls, “I’m warning you.”
“I’m warning you right back, bitch! “ I holler, losing my temper and feeling damn good about it. “You better stop wagging your fat fingers in my face and bugging your ugly eyes at me, or I’ll rip off those cheap ass nails and use them to clean out your eye sockets.”
Mylie freezes, and I feel her friends go quiet too. Camden told me once how overly specific threats freak out people. You claim you’ll beat the shit out of a guy, and he’ll shrug you off. You claim you’ll shove your stinky sock down a guy’s throat, and he’ll wonder why you’d be so specific unless you meant it.
I get the same reaction from Mylie and her friends, which is a good thing since I’m terrified she’ll use those cheap ass nails to claw out my eyes. If she hits me, my sisters will jump into the fight, and then the bridesmaids will jump in, and I’d end up a bloody ball on the floor watching my sisters battling sloppy-drunk chicks. Since I’m not a fan of that scenario, I stand firm while Mylie backs down.
“You should enjoy your party,” I tell Mylie. “Stop all this fussing and feuding and hope for the best outcome you can still get.”
The bitch flips me off and walks away, but I know she’ll spend her entire wedding day waiting for my payback. I don’t know if that revenge will be enough for Ruby. Hell, Mylie might even need to worry about Bonn’s temper.
For now, I focus on Ruby. Once I get into the car, she hits the gas and speeds away from the house and out of Common Bend.
“I think that drink was spiked with more than booze,” Harmony says, leaning over in the car.
“Do you need to puke?” I ask.
“No, but I feel weird.”
I reach back to rub Harmony’s head, but my gaze is on Ruby. Seeing her hands wrapped in a death grip around the steering wheel, I don’t know if I should push her to talk or let her stew in her thoughts.
“I don’t know why I care,” she says once we’re home with Harmony tucked in bed.
I stand next to my sister and wish I had a clue what to tell her.
“You care because you loved him.”
“I keep waiting to get over him.”
“Bonn is special, but he fucked up.”
Ruby nods and leaves Harmony to sleep off the twice spiked punch. “How do you feel? You drank that punch too.”
“I only had one cup. I’m buzzed but not overly so. Maybe they only drugged Harmony.”
“They’re so stupid,” Ruby says, sitting on the couch with her knees pressed against her chest. “Harmony has a kid now. She has a job taking care of sick, old people. She’s got a damn grown up life, and those bitches are still mad their high school boyfriends all wanted to nail her.”
“What was Mylie’s deal with you?”
“She’s always been really into getting my approval. Probably because I was the one person who didn’t care about her crap. When she invited me to the party, I guess I didn’t make a big enough deal of it. She likes to show off, but I’m not impressed. What do I care what other people have or don’t have? I only care about my life, no one else’s.”
I know Ruby is thinking about Bonn and how she still cares about his life.
“I don’t think construction pays much during the off seasons.”
“No,” Ruby says, wrapping her arms around her legs. “He wants to live up to a stupid idea in his head. As if Chevelle would love him any less if he lived in a smaller place or drove an older car. She doesn’t care about any of that. You know how much she adores him.”
“His dad fucked up his thinking.”
“Yeah and his mom always focused on what they didn’t have. How they lived in a tiny apartment while Jude lived in a giant house. She was bitter, and he got into his head how he has something to prove.”
“It’s easy money, and he did take those dance classes growing up.”
Ruby struggles against a smile. I laugh at the thought of Bonn taking ballet classes as a kid and no
w shaking his ass for drunken women. Ruby finally gives in and giggles too.
“His mom forced him to take those dance classes as a way to piss off Jude. I don’t think she thought he’d use the lessons this way.”
“Think she knows?”
“No way. I don’t know how he’s managed to keep it a secret, but Mylie will blab.”
“Can’t imagine he thought his secret would stay secret long. People talk, and there can’t be that many male strippers, and he’s damn hot. No offense.”
“Why would I be offended by his hotness?”
“I didn’t want to rub it in your face.”
“Like he’s rubbing his junk in Mylie’s face?”
I really, really don’t want to laugh, but the image she paints sends me into hysterics.
“Oh, poor, hot, Bonn, I mumble, laughing.
“The bitch better tip him well.”
“Once his pants come off, I’m sure they’ll all tip him well. I’d probably shove a twenty in his panties if we’d stuck around.”
Ruby laughs. “It is easy money. If it makes him happy, I should be happy for him.”
“You aren’t, though.”
“No fucking way. He broke my heart, and I want his life to suck, but not so much that it affects Chevelle,” she says and then sighs. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
“Sure, but you’re in good company. We’re all fucking idiots. I was threatening people left and right tonight, and I can’t fight for shit. Harmony is a fucking idiot because she’s effortlessly attractive and that’s not fair to the rest of us. Bonn is a fucking idiot for losing you. Mylie is a fucking idiot because she exists.”
Ruby pats my hand. “I have to say Camden’s been a bad influence on you, and I really like the results.”
“Thanks. He gives me confidence.”
“Aren’t you supposed to find that from within?”
“I don’t know.”
“Me either, but that’s what I tell Chevelle. She is the only one who can bring her happiness or some shit. Fifty percent of parenthood is lying so children don’t turn jaded before hitting their teenage years.”
“Sounds easy.”
“Shut up,” she says, flicking my nose. “Shut the fuck up so hard.”