Daisy's Code Novel by Amelia Bennett

Oliver stole a quick glance at Yvonne while they walked down the campus path side by side. His heart was racing with excitement, and he couldn’t help but smile. Normally so serious, he kept glancing at her, feeling protective like he could shield her from anything.

Soon, they reached the entrance of the convenience store. “Hey, do you want a drink?” Oliver asked, his eyes bright with hope.

Yvonne had a reason for seeking him out today. While she appreciated his kindness, she felt a little guilty. After all, she knew she was using his feelings for her. She followed him into the store, looking at all the stuff on the shelves but not really wanting anything. Finally, she grabbed a drink and said, “This one’s good.”

Her smile made Oliver’s heart sk*p. “Great choice!” He took the drink from her and grabbed some chips off the shelf. Marching over to the cashier Harley, he placed them on the counter. “How much for these?”

Harley gave him a quick look and quoted a price. Oliver handed over the cash and, with snacks in hand, he walked back outside with Yvonne. They found a bench right in front of the store and sat down.

“Here you are.” Oliver put the chips on the table and handed her the drink, sliding the snacks closer to her side.

Yvonne eyed him, feeling a little hesitant. She wasn’t sure if she really should do it. In the end, she took a deep breath and decided to go for it. “Thanks. By the way, I didn’t see Laura today. Did you?” She took a casual sip from her drink, trying to sound relaxed.

“Uh, no. Ms. Levine was looking for her this morning and said she’d call her parents this noon.” Oliver replied, his heart s**ng a beat as he remembered Laura’s absence from class. With a bit of trepidation, he glanced at Yvonne, relieved to see her expression unchanged.

Yvonne was thinking hard about how to bring up the local thugs. Not noticing Oliver’s unease, she finally asked, “So, do you know if there are any thugs around school? Have you seen these guys before?”

Oliver frowned at Yvonne, confused about why she asked that question.

When Yvonne pulled out the photo, Oliver’s eyes widened. The people in the picture were the same ones he had hired yesterday. How did she know these thugs? His expression grew serious. No one at this school was dumb, after all. His mind raced with thoughts, but he didn’t want to distrust Yvonne.

“Do you know them?” Yvonne asked eagerly, noticing the shift in his demeanor.

Oliver shook his head, furrowing his brow. “No, but they look a bit familiar. Why are you asking about them? They don’t seem like good people.”

“I’m sorry, I lied. Laura is in the hospital. She got hit by a car, and she thinks Daisy might be behind it. I came to look for evidence,” Yvonne said hurriedly, glancing around as if someone might overhear.

She didn’t know a stylish man named Lance was hiding behind a tree nearby. He had just finished work and overheard the conversation about Daisy. Curious, he leaned in to catch every word.

Oliver’s face went pale when he heard what Yvonne said. He had only wanted to scare Laura a bit and never thought she would get hit. He wondered if his plan was the direct cause.

Realizing that Yvonne was suspecting Daisy, he quickly gathered himself. “Oh, I get it now. Is Laura okay? Is she badly hurt?”

She’s alright-just a mild concussion. She’ll be out of the hospital in a couple of days. But if you don’t know them, I guess it’s a dead end,” Yvonne said, her shoulders drooping. She looked ready to give up.

Suddenly, Oliver looked serious. “Give me the photo. I heard some guys on the basketball team say that the area around the school has some thugs collecting protection fees. After school, I can go check it out. Maybe we can track them down.”

“Really? Is it too much trouble for you?” Yvonne’s eyes sparkled with hope as she unconsciously gripped his shirt, her joy evident.

Feeling the warmth of her touch and her hopeful gaze, Oliver’s heart raced. It was a heady feeling. He hid his own emotions and replied, “No problem at all.”

From his hidden position, Lance scoffed at the two. Their acting was laughable. He hadn’t expected such twisted schemes from such a small school. ‘Why do they think dragging innocent people into their mess would benefit them?’ he thought.

Lance turned away, deciding to tell Daisy the news instead of facing those annoying looks. He quietly slipped out from behind the tree and headed to her classroom, but when he got there, he found that she wasn’t there. Just as he was about to leave, he spotted Daisy and Emma coming back from lunch.

“Hey, Daisy, can you come with me? I need to talk to you about something,” he said, trying to keep his tone serious, thinking it wouldn’t be right to do so at school.

Daisy was surprised to see him by the classroom door, as she had never considered their relationship to be anything more than casual acquaintances. She looked just as surprised as Emma did. “What’s up? Is everything okay?” Daisy asked.

“It’s about something important. Just follow me,” Lance said, the urgency in his voice making Daisy more curious yet slightly unsettled. She glanced back at Emma and said, “You go on ahead. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

With that, Daisy walked alongside Lance, their figures disappearing around the corner, leaving Emma momentarily stunned. After a while, Emma finally snapped back to reality and made her way back to the classroom, still feeling a mix of curiosity and intrigue.