{7} ✔️

Dahlia's POV

************

"So, there's already a writing competition happening at the library and you can sign up to enter on this sheet—" Cadence held up the clipboard and then put it on the desk behind us. "On your way out. First place winner gets $100, second place winner gets $50, third place winner gets $25. You can sign up to enter through September twelfth which is obviously just eleven days away. You'll have until October first to write a children's Halloween story, and if you get first, second or third place your story will be read to the kids at the library's Halloween bash on Halloween night. If you win first place, you'll also win a free CW club hoodie and keychain."

The entire time Cadence was speaking, I was leaning against Mrs. Marley's desk with my arms crossed, staring at Billie as she smirked at me, occasionally poking her tongue out to wet her lip as she looked me up and down, one of her arms resting on the desk and her other arm resting on her lap, her fingers occasionally curling and gripping the crotch of her baggy black cargo pants as she slid back and forth in her seat.

"Ugh—um—and we decided who'd be in charge of writing the newsletters for each grade." I looked away from her and turned to pick up the sheets on the desk so I could start handing them out. "Cadence Knight, Lizzie Messins, Khloe Wright and Jessica Varner are in charge of the junior letter," I called out twelve more names as I handed out the sheets, coming to a halt as I got to Billie. She grabbed my wrist as I went to hand her her sheet and I was bent awkwardly, staring at her. "Thank you, baby." She whispered.

I gulped before heading back to the front of the room. "So, if there are no more questions, the meeting is adjourned."

I watched as everyone stood up and started either walking out of the class or toward me and Cadence so they could sign up for the writing competition. Once the last person had signed up, I handed the sheet to Mrs. Marley who thanked us and told us we'd done a good job handling the meeting before we walked out.

"You stuttered a lot." Cadence teased.

"I think that's my fault."

Billie's voice and the feeling of her arm wrapping around my shoulder made me jump. I looked up at her, smiling a little at how damn cute she looked in her black beanie and the graphic tee I'd let her borrow yesterday.

Cadence laughed. "I think so."

She didn't talk to new people that often but it seemed like she was warming up to Billie quicker than she usually warmed up to new people. Maybe because they had teasing the hell out of me in common.

"I'm gonna go find Caden. Pretty sure he's in the gym and Julian probably is too so...bye!"

She practically skipped off, leaving me alone with Billie.

"You think me becoming a stuttering mess all of a sudden was your fault?" I chuckled. "It wasn't. I had to pee."

"Mm." She hummed. "There's a party at Julian's house this Saturday. I'm pretty sure your friends will be there. How about you?"

"No can do, I'll be busy."

"Doing?"

"Literally anything else."

I opened the door and walked outside and toward Denny's car. Knowing him, he's probably been fussing for the last few minutes about me being late.

"Don't wanna spend time with me?" Billie pouted. I laughed and shook my head. "I just hate parties. They're not really my thing."

"I feel that, but hear me out...please?"

"Wow, I'm convinced now. I should totally go."

"Dude, if you go I'll stay with you the whole entire night. It'll be really fun, I promise!"

A whole night of Billie focusing solely on me? I could do that. "You better stick to what you say, Bilboa."

"Bilboa?" She snorted.

"I needed a nickname for you."

***

"She's gonna make a move on you this Saturday, I know it." Caden let out a grunt as he swung the Wii remote. He did so with a lot of force and yet he still missed the ball. We're playing table tennis and he absolutely sucks at it. "Julian's parties are known for being pretty much all about sex. You walk in and it's like they're filming a fucking porno."

"Wow, I'm so excited to go now." I rolled my eyes as I walked over to switch out the game. We're playing just dance next.

"He's not wrong." Cadence snatched his remote away and pushed him so that he was sitting on my bed and out of the way. "If she doesn't make a move then you definitely should."

I shook my head quickly. "The ball is in her court. I don't wanna do something stupid and ruin our friendship—do we have a friendship? Are we friends?" We've been hanging out a lot but...I don't know.

"No, you're lovers. Keep up." Cadence signed. I cringed. I hate that fucking word. "You're not gonna ruin anything but your panties." She muttered to herself, smirking.

"Look, I like you and Billie together and all that, but you're not having sex with her. You're too young." Caden shook his head.

"We're the same age."

"I said what I fucking said, Doe." He spat. "But she really better stay true to her word and stay with you the whole time though. I don't want some horny dude trying to get with you when I'm not around to beat his ass."

I didn't reply. Caden knew that whatever he said went through one ear and out the other. I don't think I'm the one he should be worrying about anyway. Billie and I won't be doing anything because I don't think she actually likes me. It's Cadence and Julian that Caden should be focusing on. Julian was starting to pay attention to Cadence now and Cadence would drop her panties for him the second he asked. I can't even blame her, I'm gay and even I can see how attractive he is.

"You're perfectly aware of the fact that Kai and D are screwing and yet you never say anything about that." Cadence mentioned.

"I try to not think about it." He sighed.

Kai. Damn, I hadn't thought about her since yesterday when she left. She hadn't sat with me today in health, home ec or English and I hadn't even thought about it until now.

If she doesn't sit with me tomorrow, I'll talk to her during the party. I know she'll probably be there.

"What about you Caden? Who are you planning on trying to get with tomorrow? We need to warn her so she can skip town." I chuckled to myself at my own joke as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I'm going to that party to get wasted. Any pussy that comes along after that is good with me." I crinkled my nose. Thinking about Caden having sex made me want to vomit.

He and Cadence are both gorgeous with their blonde hair, Caden's curly and Cadence's straight as a pole, their piercing green eyes and tannish skin. They're very nice looking, but thinking about either of them doing anything dirty is so disgusting. They're like my siblings.

"I'm just going to hang out." Cadence lied. She would never say anything about trying to get fucked with her brother around, but she doesn't need to because he's already onto her. "If I see you anywhere near Julian I'm gonna embarrass the fuck out of you. I have baby pictures of you in my wallet, you know? One wrong move and everybody at that fucking party sees you covered in shit, shit, and more shit."

I winced at the thought of that picture. Cadence had really bad diarrhea when she was like six and it was not pretty.

"Why do you keep that in your wallet? Don't you get tired of seeing that?" I questioned.

"I keep it in the back with my condoms."

Great.

"Pick a song so I can beat you and then you and your weirdo brother can go home." I laughed.