Chapter 195

I rushed into the first stall. Wendy and the others would expect me to hide in the last stall again. While they looked for me there, I would try to slip past them and sneak out the door to the hallway.

“But I only saw one pair of feet go past the stall I was hiding in, and a soft voice called my name. “Daisy, it’s me. Are you in here?”

“Amy! Thank the Goddess, it’s you.” I flung the door open and hurried to her side. “How did you know they locked me in here?”

“I was looking for you and saw those Alpha girls come out of the bathroom,” she explained. “I knew they were up to no good when they jammed the janitor’s mop into the door handle.”

“Then I heard them mention your name, and I put it together,” she added. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, but Wendy tore up two of my photos,” I replied with a shaking lower lip. “One was the selfie I printed out from our trip to the book fair.”

“We can take another selfie,” Amy said. “But I think you need to go home for the day. You don’t look well.”

“I was leaving this school forever,” I said. “I’m tired of being bullied and called an imposter. And without you, there is no reason for me to keep attending this school.”

Amy’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can’t transfer somewhere else now. The school year, our last school year, is almost over. Prom is only a few weeks away.”

I shrugged. “I can’t handle any more crap, and nobody would miss the imposter.”

“I would miss you!” Amy declared before throwing her arms around me. “And you’re not an imposter. I’m sorry I came down on you so hard on the roof. But I’m upset about Justin.”

“I don’t blame you,” I said. “I should’ve told you when I discovered he is an Alpha.”

“Justin told me you went to see him and demanded he tell me,” Amy said. “And he told me that you called him at his grandmother’s house and told him I was upset and that he should tell me the truth.”

I nodded. “I couldn’t stand you not knowing the truth. Yet I thought he should be the one to tell you.”

There were voices in the hall. We both jumped and held our breath, waiting to see who came in the door. But whoever was outside the bathroom door had moved on down the hall.

“Let’s get out of here, Amy,” I said. “Let's go somewhere to talk.”

“Do you wanna go back up on the roof?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No. I mean, let’s leave the school. We can go to my apartment.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “But when we get there, I should call my dad. He knows I had a fight with Justin. I don’t want him to worry if he finds out I left school.”

“Let’s go,” I said and walked to the door.

But Amy insisted on checking in the hallway to make sure the bullies weren’t out there lurking somewhere. It felt good to have each other’s back again.

When she didn’t find anybody, she came back for me, and we went out the side door. We didn’t speak until we were on Second Street.

“So, where do you live now?” she asked. “I heard Mr. Wilson made you leave his mansion.”

“In an apartment downtown,” I replied. “Wait till you see my balcony seventy-two floors in the air.”

Amy giggled. “I do love a good view.”

The bus took us to Third Avenue, and Amy was delighted with everything about the building and my apartment.

“It’s fantastic,” she said as she looked around my living room. “Mr. Wilson must still care about you to set you up in a place like this.”

“I miss him a lot,” I said.

Mrs. Carson came out of the kitchen. “Daisy, you’re home early. Are you sick?”

“No, I was having a bad day and needed to leave,” I explained.

“What happened?” she asked.

I decided to tell her the truth. “Some mean girls were calling me an imposter and stuff.”

“They locked her in a bathroom,” Amy added.

“Mmm, who were they?” Mrs. Carson asked.

“Just some bullies.” I needed to change the subject. It was embarrassing. “Mrs. Carson, this is my best friend, Amy.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Amy,” Mrs. Carson said. “Why don’t you two get comfortable, and I’ll make you girls a snack.”

“That would be great,” I told her. “Come on, Amy. I’ll show you my balcony.”

Mrs. Carson served us pizza snacks and slices of her apple pie while we talked and reconnected while enjoying the fresh air and the view.

I felt totally recharged after spending an afternoon chatting with Amy.

“I’m going to forgive Justin,” Amy decided. “He deceived me because of my dislike of all Alphas. But I can’t claim all Alphas are bad if the guy I love and my best friend are Alphas.”

“You called me your best friend,” I said. “Does that mean I still am?”

“Well, yeah,” Amy responded with a smile. “You always have been.”

I hugged her. “Thank you. I won’t keep anything from you ever again.”

“I didn’t make it easy for you or Justin to tell me the truth,” Amy admitted. “Maybe I should judge people by their actions and character instead of their status and wealth.”

“But many Alphas are exactly what you believe them to be,” I said.

“Like the bullies who locked you in the bathroom?” Amy asked.

I sighed. “They wanted to be my friend when I was Daisy Wilson, but all they wanted was my status and popularity to wash off on them. You are my only true friend.”

After an emotional hug, our friendship was stronger than ever. I was happier than I had been since my nightmare began.

“Why don’t you stay the night?” I asked. “I have a guest room.”

“Dad needs me at the restaurant tonight,” she replied. “But hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you come along and help out? We’ll come back here after we’re done.”

I grinned. “That sounds great! I miss hanging out at the restaurant, and if I help you, you’ll get out of there faster.”

“Dad will make us dinner,” Amy added. “He has steak and scallops on the menu tonight.”

“Ooh, I love your dad’s scallops! I’m in,” I declared. “I’ll change into black jeans and a white shirt in case you need me to help bus tables or something.”

A night at the restaurant with Amy was just what I needed. My problems melted away as I helped chop vegetables, fill condiment bottles, and stir sauces.

It felt great to wear an apron and do real work while feeling like a part of the Gray family again.

Before the dinner rush began, Mr. Grey cooked us a delicious dinner, and we ate together in the kitchen. It was like old times when the happiest part of my life was spent in the restaurant.

We finished eating minutes before the evening's hungry customers began pouring in.

The restaurant was doing better than when I had worked there. I was kept busy filling in at the prep table, the dishwasher, and bussing tables.

By nine o’clock, the place was packed. Amy had been called to the front to help clean up a mess from a dropped tray that had broken several glasses when Mr. Gray asked me to run an order to table seven.

“Trina is busy helping Amy clean up the mess,” Mr. Gray said as he hustled around the kitchen. “This order will be ruined if it sits here much longer.”

“Sure,” I replied. “No problem.” I washed my hands and tied a clean apron around my waist before loading two dinner plates and two side dishes onto a tray.

“I’ll be right back to make more salads,” I said and carried the tray through the swinging door that led to the dining area.

Amy was kneeling on the floor near the hallway to the bathrooms. I would ask her if she needed help before I returned to the kitchen.

Carefully balancing the tray of food, I made my way across the room to table seven.

“Hi, I’m Daisy,” I said as I placed the food on the table in front of a young couple. “Your waitress will be over to check on you soon. Is there anything else I can get for you now?”

“I think we’re good,” the male customer said.

I smiled at them. “Enjoy,” I said and began to back away.

My smile froze on my face, and I almost dropped the empty tray when I saw another young couple being seated a few feet away at table four.

It was Victor and Olivia!