Daniel

The diner is packed with Vista High students celebrating the school’s victory. Thankfully, my friends and I manage to snag the last empty table, which gives us the chance to eat overpriced fries while watching the rich kids have fun without worrying about the bill at the end of the night.

“What are we going to eat?” Raymond asks, sitting beside me. 

Carol and Kim take the seats across from us so they can gawk at the jocks—even Carol is staring, which almost never happens.

“Let’s stick to one small basket of fries and two sodas because they’re the cheapest things on the menu,” Kim replies, pointing at the ridiculous numbers printed there.

“Damn, what’s up with these prices?” I gasp, counting the money in my wallet. “Why are the fries so expensive? What are they made of? Golden potatoes?” I barely have enough for bus fare and food, but it’s too late to back out now. I’m starving, and I’d never say no to fries.

Kim waves over the waitress, who approaches our table with a polite smile. She looks slightly confused, probably wondering what we’re doing in a place like this when we aren’t dressed in expensive clothes or acting like money doesn’t matter.

“Do you think Isabella and Justin will come here later?” Kim wonders, staring at the door.

“I don’t know.” I shrug, pretending the answer doesn’t matter to me.

Ten minutes later, the door opens, and Isabella walks in with Justin and their friends, heading straight for the jocks’ table.

“They’re here,” Kim squeals, nearly deafening the rest of us.

I watch Isabella move easily through the diner with her brother and her best friend. She’s wearing jeans, a yellow linen shirt, and yellow sneakers. Her long blond hair falls loose in soft waves over her shoulders, and her green eyes shine with excitement as she smiles, somehow looking even more unreal than usual.

She joins her friends, including her stupid boyfriend, Collin, who seems to be getting all the attention from the girls in the place. I also notice a few guys trying to impress Isabella, but she doesn’t even look their way.

Meanwhile, the waitress returns with our fries and sodas. I force myself to focus on the food, but my eyes keep drifting back to Isabella, who has no idea I’m even here.

Once the food is on the table and the waitress is gone, my friends and I attack the fries like they’re the last ones on Earth, resulting in them disappearing in the blink of an eye, which only makes it worse because we’re still hungry.

“Hey, guys!”

Isabella’s voice makes me choke on the last fry in my mouth. I glance up to see her standing in front of the table, smiling brightly at us.

“Isabella, you were incredible on the field. You’re an amazing cheerleader,” Kim gushes, matching her smile.

“Thank you, Kim. I didn’t know you were coming to the game,” Isabella responds.

“Well, our friend here was pretty eager to come see you,” Raymond smirks, throwing an arm around my neck.

“Did you enjoy the match?” Isabella continues, ignoring Raymond’s words and glancing at the empty basket of fries on the table.

Blushing, Kim exclaims, “It was so fun. Justin is such an incredible player, and he’s so dreamy.” 

“I know. My brother is pretty amazing,” Isabella states proudly.

“Bella,” her friend Katy calls out as she walks over and hooks an arm through the princess’.

“Guys, this is my best friend, Katy,” Isabella introduces, “Katy, these are Kim, Daniel, Raymond, and Carol.”

Looking like she stepped out of a fashion magazine, Katy greets us with a cheerful “hi” and a wave, her gaze lingering on me a little too long.

Why is she staring at me like that? Do I look weird or something?

“Thank you so much for taking care of my girl at your birthday party, Daniel,” Katy suddenly says, her lips curving into a mischievous smile.

What? How does Katy know about my birthday party? Did Isabella tell her about me?

Gesturing between the two popular girls, Kim asks, “How long have you known each other?”

“We’ve known each other since we were toddlers because our parents have been friends for forever,”  Katy explains.

It’s obvious Katy is just as wealthy as Isabella and probably just as spoiled, but she’s friendly and polite when talking to Kim and me—nothing like most of the students at school.

Much to my annoyance, Collin, who’s wearing clothes that probably cost more than my parents’ annual salaries combined, walks up to Isabella and slips an arm around her waist, greeting her with an overly familiar kiss. He’s exactly the type of guy I can’t stand, the kind who loves showing off his family’s money and social status.

“Hi, Collin,” Isabella says as she pulls away from him.

“What are you and Katy doing here?” He throws my friends and me a disgusted look.

“We’re talking to Bella’s friends,” Katy replies dryly, looping her arm through Isabella’s again and gently pulling her out of Collin’s grasp.

“I didn’t realize you were friends with these people, Bella,” Collin continues, his tone dripping with disdain.

Isabella glares at him, pressing her lips together. “These people? They have names—Daniel, Kim, Raymond, and Carol.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about Bella, Collin,” Katy scoffs, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were friends with them?” Collin insists, motioning toward us without even looking our way.

Katy snaps, “What do you want, Collin? Shouldn’t you be hanging out with the rest of the team?”

“Can’t a guy say hello to his girlfriend?” he shoots back, raising an eyebrow.

“Bella is not your girlfriend, and she never will be,” Katy declares angrily.

Her words and the hatred in her eyes catch me off guard, making me wonder whether she hates him or if she’s just jealous.

“Katy, stop, please,” Isabella pleads quietly.

Katy shrugs apologetically, then looks at me. “I’m sorry, Bella, but I just don’t see you and Collin together because it doesn’t feel right,” she declares, all the while her eyes fixed on me, adding to my confusion.

Why does she keep staring at me?  Do I look like a clown or something?

“Katy? Hello?” Collin waves a hand in front of her face. “I’m right here. Why don’t you want me dating Bella?”

“Because my best friend deserves someone better than you,” Katy blurts out.

“Can we please stop talking about this?” Isabella says, clearly uncomfortable.

Collin reaches for Isabella’s hand and laces their fingers together. “Come on, Bella. Let’s go back to our table because you don’t belong here.” 

Isabella looks at me, clearly hesitant.

Don’t go, please.

As if reading my silent plea, she decides, “Actually, I’m going to sit here with my friends for a while. I’ll join you later, Collin,” and then takes the seat next to mine.

To say that everyone is shocked would be an understatement.

“What?” Collin gasps, stunned.

Katy grins and drops into the seat beside Kim, who lets out a startled squeak. “I’m going to sit here with them and—”

“Katy,” one of the jocks suddenly calls from across the room, prompting her to rise to her feet and walk toward him without looking back.

“Bella, come on. You can’t be serious,” Collin scoffs in disbelief.

“I’ll join you later, okay? I promise,” Isabella retorts, gently pulling his face toward hers and placing a peck on his lips.

Collin hesitates for a few seconds before heading back to the jocks’ table, leaving her behind with my friends and me.

“Oh my gosh, I’m starving,” the princess exclaims, smiling at the waitress, who appears almost instantly, beaming at her.

“Hi, Grace. I’d like to order five house burgers, three large baskets of fries, five chocolate milkshakes, and a large plate of nachos. Please add everything to my bill.”

“Of course, Isabella. I’ll be right back with the food.” The waitress nods before hurrying off toward the kitchen.

“You’re really hungry, aren’t you?” Kim chuckles.

“What are you all doing this weekend?” Isabella asks, offering Carol, Raymond, and me a warm smile.

“I’m staying home with my mom and my dog,” Kim answers first.

“Why do you even care what we’re doing?” Carol sneers. “So you can make fun of how boring our lives are because we don’t have money?”

“What’s wrong with you, Carol?” I snap before I can stop myself. “Don’t talk to Isabella like that.”

Carol gapes at me, firing back, “Why are you defending the princess when you don’t even know her?” 

Probably sensing the growing tension at the table, Raymond interrupts, “I’m going to my grandma’s house.” 

Isabella turns to me next. “What about you, Daniel? What are you doing this weekend?”

“I’m going to Hugo’s house to hang out with my friends,” I reply, suddenly feeling nervous.

“I see,” she murmurs, looking away, her smile fading, and something like disappointment flashing across her face, leaving me wondering if I said the wrong thing.

The waitress returns with a waiter trailing behind her, both of them setting the burgers, fries, milkshakes, and nachos on the table before smiling politely at Isabella and walking away.

“That’s… a lot of food,” Kim comments.

“Enjoy,” Isabella exclaims, picking up a burger and a milkshake and standing up from the chair. She then adds, “Excuse me, but I’m going to sit with my friends and my brother now. Feel free to order anything else you want. Don’t worry about the bill; it’s on me.”

She laughs at our stunned silence and walks away, glancing back just once to give me a final smile before turning back to her table.

“Oh my god,” Carol gasps. “Did she really order all this after the way I treated her?”

“See? You keep calling her a snob, but she’s actually way nicer than you give her credit for,” I remark.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s eat,” Kim says, grabbing a burger and taking a big bite.

Raymond nods and joins her, digging into the fries and nachos. I eat too, but my eyes keep drifting back to Isabella, who’s sitting beside her boyfriend now.

“Maybe Isabella isn’t that bad,” Carol admits quietly as she takes a burger, shrugging when I look at her.

Isabella Williams is the only girl who makes my stomach flutter and my face heat up. But at the same time, she’s also the one girl who will always be out of my reach.

Isabella doesn’t belong to my world. Isabella doesn’t belong to my world. Isabella doesn’t belong to my world.

I repeat the words in my head, trying to convince myself to stay away from her and focus on the girls who actually belong in my world.

* * *