“We were just heading to my house to hang out for a bit. You wanna come?” Maggie asked me and I didn't miss the glare Rachel shot her way. Okay, clearly I was not wanted.

But because I was feeling a bit antagonistic and because maybe I couldn't miss an opportunity to drive Rachel crazy I gave them both my biggest shit-eating grin. “Sure, I'd love to come,” I announced as if it were the best idea I had ever heard.

Yep, that was Rachel groaning under her breath. So, I slung my arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Will you paint my nails, Rach? My cuticles are a mess,” I taunted, brushing her hair off her shoulder. And maybe my fingers lingered a bit over the curls that I somehow never noticed were really soft. And was that a new shampoo she was using? I tried to surreptitiously sniff Rachel's hair. I always loved the way she smelled.

Okay, enough of that train of thought.

Rachel smiled a bit and I figured she was on her way to forgiving me. Because even though she was so easily mad at me, she usually got over it just as quickly. That was the beauty of our dynamic. She found my charm irresistible and I wasn't afraid to use it when necessary.

She held up my hand, her petite fingers curling around mine as she inspected my nails. Huh. I liked the way she held my hand. Were those little shocks of electricity where our skin touched? Nah. I was imagining things.

“Yeah, a manicure is definitely needed. You really need to stop chewing on your nails. It's disgusting.” Rachel dropped my hand and I off-handedly noted that it made me a little sad to lose the contact. I dropped my arm from her shoulder and examined my fingers.

“They're not that bad,” I complained. Rachel only laughed and I was relieved that we had drifted into our normal banter.

I watched as Maggie pulled up short, her eyes following some dude in a green army jacket. It was that new kid, Clay Reed. Maggie had jumped to his defense last week after Paul Delawder tried to use him as a new punching bag. They had apparently talked a few times and now she was fixated on him in a way that was completely out of character for her.

It was really annoying. Mostly because Maggie wasn't the type of girl to go on and on about some guy she liked. I didn't like the minute changes I was seeing in her. Or maybe I just never saw this side of her before. Whatever it was, it was just plain weird.

Plus this guy, Clay, seemed like a f**king nut. What person comes to a new school and refuses to talk to anyone? I understood people could be shy. But he kind of freaked me out. He had this intense, angry vibe that bugged me. But obviously, Maggie didn't get the same vibe from him that I did, because whenever she saw him, this is what happened.

I put my hand in the center of her back and gave her a push. She stumbled forward and glared at me over her shoulder. “Watch it,” she growled. I waved her forward.

“Well if you wouldn't take up the whole sidewalk while you drooled over the new guy, I wouldn't have to,” I pointed out. She gave me the middle finger but kept on walking. Though I noticed her glancing his way a few more times until he finally got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.

When we finally reached our respective vehicles, we stopped. “So, you coming?” Maggie asked, throwing her bag into the ugliest car I had ever seen.

“Is this piece of crap still running? Wait...is that duct tape holding the side mirror on? You've got to be kidding me!” I teased, smirking at her.

Maggie muttered something under her breath that definitely sounded like f**king ass face. I never missed an opportunity to mess with her about the junk heap she drove. Probably because she had been ridiculously stubborn when she bought it. I had told her it was a pile of garbage and wouldn't last six months. Her dad had encouraged her to shop around. But she had refused, saying she knew a good deal when she saw it. And what had happened?

Oh yeah, it had fallen apart.

And I was never one to pass up on an “I told you so” moment.

I flicked the mirror with my finger and laughed as it wobbled. I can't believe she actually drove around in that thing. Rachel nudged me with her elbow and shot me a look that said, shut the hell up. I rolled my eyes. Rachel was the natural mediator in our group. Even if lately, it was she and I that could use the mediating.

“If you're going to be a dick, you can move along, Danny,” Maggie growled, crossing her arms over her chest. I pulled on her rigid arm until she relaxed.

“I'll keep my dickishness to a minimum. Promise.” I held my hands up in mock surrender. The girls each gave me an exasperated sigh but it was followed by smiles. I loved these chicks. They kept me in line. And I didn't know what I'd do without them. There were many times when I felt like they were the only things keeping me together.

Particularly after my parents had gotten a divorce two years ago and my mom started shacking up with her boss. That had been a brutal period in my life. Rachel and Maggie had made sure I was okay in the way only they could. It was a nice feeling to know you were loved like that.

“Okay, we'll see you at Maggie's in five,” Rachel said, moving around to her car. I watched her walk away, a cute grin on her face. Shit. How was I going to disappoint her? Then as if on cue, my phone beeped in my pocket.

I pulled it out and saw it was a text from Kylie.

My parents are gone until tonight. Wanna come over ;-)

My groin tightened in anticipation. I looked up at my friends. Rachel was talking to Maggie and she looked all smiley and happy. I was already planning to blow her off tomorrow. I couldn't go uber ass**le and do it two days in a row. So even though my dick would complain about it later, I declined the invite, telling Kylie I'd call her in the morning.