The Perfect Candy

Chapter 16: What are Sisters For?

Faith was eating her feelings. She sat alone in a corner booth of Bananza, staring sullenly into her melting sundae, and wanted to break something. She hadn't asked any of the other three to come with her. Hope had rushed off to follow her during lunch, trying to find a way to keep the peace. Faith had angrily brushed her off and skipped the second half of her classes. She was on her fourth sundae.

She saw the shadow fall over her as someone slid into the booth across from her. Hazel eyes met blue and her sullen pout turned to a scowl. "What are you doing here? Run out of cheerleaders to practice with?"

Matt didn't rise to the bait, shooting her a killer smile as he leaned back in the booth opposite her and stretched his arm out along the back. "Hope told Jay about your mental break at lunch."

Her eyes narrowed at that and she frowned. "Mental break?"

"How else would you explain how you treated Candy?"

He made her blood boil with his cocky, smirk and holier-than-thou attitude. "And just what would you know about how I treated Candy? Are you so bored that you're spying on us?"

Matt just rolled his eyes, "She's a smart girl, Fay. If she wants to hang out with Coop, it's none of your business."

Faith straightened up at that and pushed her sundae away, shooting him a murderous look. "Candy is my best friend. Everything she does is my business."

Matt didn't bat an eye at her tone as he leaned forward and took a bite of her forgotten ice cream. "I'll admit that Coop and I don't run in the same circles, but the guy has never spent as much energy on a girl as he has on her."

"It's the challenge," Faith sniffed.

"Is it?" Matt asked, watching with an indulgent smile as he licked the spoon clean. "Because it seems to me that Coop hasn't ever been interested in anything that required effort. I've never seen him actually inside the school this often ever." He shrugged, "Seems a bit out of character."

Faith snatched her now nonexistent sundae back. If she felt a little shock when their fingers brushed, she'd never admit to it, and she glared. "Why are you here, Matt?"

"You're Jay's little sister; we're practically family. I don't want to see you miserable because of some stupid fight about a guy."

The comment, meant to reassure, sent her into a rage. Shooting to her feet, her chin jutted out and she shot him her most vicious look. "We're not family, I'm not your sister, and I don't need your shitty advice."

***

            Sera watched Faith storm out of Bananza from her booth on the opposite side of the restaurant and then turned her gaze back towards her ex, Matt, who remained in the booth Faith had previously occupied. Matt's gaze was focused on the door Faith had walked out of. She didn't like the way he'd been looking at the other girl, and she didn't understand just what it was Faith and her friend, Cathy, had that she didn't have.

            "It's ridiculous," Missy said, snapping Sera back to the present. "I mean girls have been trying to snag Coop for forever. What does that nerd have that we don't have?"

            Across from the table, Missy was looking at her expectantly. The girls had been more than a little surprised when she'd suddenly lost all interest in getting back at that girl. She hadn't told them of her conversation with Ellie, or the true reason behind her leaving the squad. She wasn't proud of the fact that she could be intimidated by someone. "Passing fascination. The next time a girl throws herself at him, she'll be on her ass," Sera replied.