Not to be super annoying or anything, but ONE MORE CHAPTER AND THINGS ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING! YAAAAAY!
Thank you, as always for your reviews! I'm glad people are happy about Seth's travelling being a part of this story. I can't wait to get back into the swing of things revolving around the pack, and hope you like what I have in store for these guys!
To anyone out there who might be going through something similar to Daisy, I'm with you, and I wanted to put a message out there and say that you are so, so tough and strong and amazing, and I know how scary and frustrating life can be sometimes. It took me a really long time to realise I'm not a hopeless mess of a person, and that these things make us stronger, and I hope your story has a happy ending like the one mine took this week.
This one's a long chapter, so I'm sorry about the length, but I hope you enjoy!
Daisy's mother was sad to see her pack our suitcases into the small car the next day, but she gave us both a hug in departure. Nena moved Noah's arm in a small wave as we backed out of the drive and started on our way to Jasmine's house. Nothing of the night before was raised, and I was set on leaving her to her thoughts until she was ready to talk about it more, if there was ever a time. I knew what she'd been keeping to herself, and I felt as though there was a lighter weight on her shoulders as she smiled at me and spoke to me through the morning, her eyes a little less guarded.
"Jas is working today, but she should be home in the next hour or so. She wants to go out for some drinks tonight, if you feel like it. One of my other friends will be coming, with her boyfriend. Jasmine is bringing her…whatever Matt is to her. It will be like a triple date," she finished excitedly, and I smiled to myself at her use of the word 'date'. "And I think a few of the girls I used to work with will be showing up, as well. I thought it would be easier to see everyone at once instead of trying to make multiple plans."
She picked up the key, which had been left strategically in the withered potted plants on Jasmine's front porch, opening the door and giving me room in the hallway to let me pass with our suitcases. Hers was much lighter, with the extra room from presents she'd brought along from Forks.
"This is the spare room," she mumbled, turning on the light switch. The day was much cooler than the previous ones since we'd been here, but she still turned on the air conditioning and let the cold air fill the tiny two-bedroom house.
Daisy sorted through her suitcase for the first time since our arrival in the country and I followed suit, hanging shirts in the tiny built-in wardrobe opposite the bed. She tossed up between two dresses, finally pulling out a lavender sundress with small puffed sleeves and putting it to the front of the rack to change into tonight. I opted for a buttoned shirt and a pair of brown pants. It would be warm, but I wanted to look nice for her.
Jasmine got home, dressed from head to toe in reflective neon work wear, and she met us at the entrance to the room. "How is everything?" she asked.
"Perfect, Jas. Thank you," Daisy grinned from her place on the floor, where she was curling her shoulder-length hair away from her face. "How was work?"
"Alright. I'm sick of being treated like a girl, and then being the only one who knows how to work out any issues they have, but it's been four years of that, so I guess I should get used to it."
Her friend showered, and then the two girls sat on the floor in front of the mirrored doors of the wardrobe, sharing makeup products and doing themselves up. I got the impression Jasmine wasn't the biggest fan of Daisy's other friends I would be meeting tonight, but then again she didn't seem to be overly fond of anyone but my imprint.
When it was time to go, we climbed into Jasmine's work truck and made a twenty-minute drive to the busy tavern where we'd be eating and spending our evening. Jasmine told me she wasn't much of a drinker, so she'd be driving us so Daisy could enjoy herself.
"Hello!" Daisy grabbed a skinny, pale girl with glasses and no makeup when we found the table that had been reserved, hanging onto her tightly. The girl had light blue eyes, freckles and long, light-brown hair that hung to her waist.
"This is Seth! Seth, this is Lily,"
"Hi Lily," I shook her hand warmly, and smirked. "Daisy, Jasmine and Lily. Do you guys stick to a theme, or is it just coincidence?"
"Nah, I only choose friends if they're named after plants." Daisy chuckled.
The tavern served piles of food that would keep even me satisfied, and Daisy moaned happily as she tucked into a huge chicken schnitzel piled with cheese, avocado, bacon and hollandaise sauce. "I always get the same thing, every time I'm here. It's the best." She told me happily. She couldn't finish the last few bites, as well as a handful of fries, so I helped her out, stopping when both of our plates were cleaned.
Daisy continued bringing beers to the table as she and her friends talked about everything they'd missed since last seeing her. Lily's boyfriend, Eli, a short Asian boy who worked on boats as a fisherman, was incredibly friendly and the two of us fell into a conversation about work and hobbies like I'd known him for years. He was into cooking as well, and we shared recipe tips about fish and sauces. It was nice speaking to someone with extensive knowledge of cuisine, and I told him genuinely I would be putting his ideas to the test.
A small group of girls, three sister, Daisy told me, showed up after a couple of hours. Kaitlin, Sophie and Ally. No three of them looked alike at all, but the bickering and jokes they shared told me they were indeed siblings. They all embraced my imprint tightly, the three of them hugging me in greeting instead of the handshakes I'd been going to offer. Jasmine rolled her eyes as they spoke, taking over the conversation, but kept her mouth shut and let them talk, looking over the group interestedly. In her tight mini dress and tall heels, she looked a little out of place among the more relaxed-dressed group of people, but she answered when spoken to and let them go about their business.
We migrated out of the eating area to a large outdoor yard, taking up a long bench in the center of the grass. Two of the sisters and Jasmine immediately lit cigarettes, and Daisy turned to me sheepishly. "Um…I smoke cigarettes with Jasmine. Will that make you think I'm gross?"
"Of course not," I immediately told her. She was going to not smell like herself, but it wouldn't make much of a difference with her friends so close to us. "Just don't make a habit of it."
"I can't have more than two at a time, or I feel like I'm going to throw up," she snickered as she thanked Jasmine and lit her cigarette easily.
"Do you want one, Seth?" Jasmine offered, holding the packet toward me. I waved her off with a small thanks.
The music got louder as the night went on. Daisy enjoyed herself fully, downing her fourth beer until she was leaning into me and laughing messily at what her friends said. She suddenly groaned, leaning in on herself as if it would help her disappear.
"Jasmine," she hissed over the song, kicking her blonde friend under the table to get her attention.
Jasmine followed her gaze to the door, as did the majority of us. Lily cursed under her breath, and Kaitlin and Sophie muttered to themselves quietly while Ally brightened up with interest.
I knew who he was immediately, flagged by a tall, dark friend who was already looking over the girls at the table. They were both overdressed for the location, wearing dress shoes and jackets, and Alex immediately began making his way to our table.
"Hey," he said easily, dragging a chair from the bench beside us and sitting to Jasmine's side.
"Letting you know where we were going was not an invitation for you to follow us." Jasmine said sternly, not even looking in her brother's direction as she spoke to him.
"Well, we were already out. Thought we might as well call in. This is Dave."
"Hi, Dave," Ally grinned, looking between Alex, his friend and my imprint. His teeth were bright against his dark skin as he greeted them all warmly.
"Hi, Daisy," Alex spoke, leaning slightly down the table. Daisy took a long draw of her cigarette, leaning against me a little more solidly. I wondered if I should wrap my arm around her, or if she would hate that. "How's settling in overseas going?"
"It's amazing," Daisy told him shortly. "This is Seth, he's a local over there."
"Nice to meet you, man," I shook his hand over the table, nodding to him as I was unable to find words at that moment.
"I feel like we should dance," Daisy sighed, directed only at the girls across the table from her. Ally and Kaitlin stood, and Daisy and Sophie put out their cigarettes in the ashtray between them all, Daisy's crumpling with the force of it. The three sisters and my imprint left us, my eyes following them until they disappeared inside, out of sight.
Alex and his friend slid into the chairs they'd vacated, and the rest of us sat in an uncomfortable silence for a long moment.
"So, Seth," Lily started awkwardly. "Daisy seems a bit more confident since I saw her last. She said you've been taking good care of her over there."
Jasmine smirked, the first time she seemed happy with anything Lily had had to say for the night. "Yeah, Seth seems like the greatest, honestly."
"Are you her neighbor, or…" Alex's eyes were interested, but he chewed on his bottom lip while he waited for information.
"No, I live about fifteen minutes from her. I met her in the closest town from us both. She's doing really well," I directed the end of my statement to Lily, who smiled at me gratefully. "She's a really nice girl, and I'm glad she's starting to feel a bit better."
"Yeah, she was a mess before she left. Wasn't she, Alex?"
"Don't do that, Jasmine." Her brother rolled his eyes and took a sip of his beer.
"Don't do what? Put you in your place? Did you come here to see if she would go home with you?"
Lily sucked on her lips nervously and Eli focused very intently on the drink in front of him. Alex picked at the wooden table, his voice not wavering when he spoke. "I just wanted to see her, while she was here."
"Don't play games with her, Alex. You did it for three years. And incase you missed her reaction to you showing up, I don't think she wants to see you." Jasmine replied, seeming just as unfazed.
He shrugged. "We're as welcome to be here as you are."
"I'm going to get Daisy another drink," I sighed as I pushed myself away from the table, picking up both of the empty glasses to take inside. She really didn't need another one, but I wasn't in the mood to get roped into whatever what going on between the siblings over my imprint. The air conditioning was a welcome relief as soon as I stepped inside, looking over to the large amount of people on the dance floor, lit up in the dark room by colored lights. I dropped the glasses on the bar, wandering to stand at a tall table, my eyes zeroing in on Daisy as she danced with Sophie, her arms around the other girl's neck. Her eyes were closed and she swayed from side-to-side with the music, her dress flicking as she swayed her hips seductively. It was just another thing that hit me as a surprise, seeing my innocent imprint move the way she was.
As if she could feel me looking at her, she opened her eyes and looked straight at me, grinning and beckoning me over. I followed, of course. I would never go against anything she wanted.
"Sorry I left you alone out there," she yelled over the music, leaving her friend to dance in front of me instead. "Is Jasmine pushing him yet, or are they being civilized?"
"I don't know if I would use the word 'civilized'," I shouted back. "She thinks he followed you here so he could take you home with him."
"I'm not doing that!" she told me, shaking her head.
The song blended into another, and I nodded my head toward the bar. "Do you want some water?"
She nodded, mouthing a thanks at me as Kaitlin dragged her back into their little circle, and I waited in the short line to be served.
I saw him out of the corner of my eye before he spoke, standing next to me as though he'd come out as a part of our group. "Hey, man," he called over the noise. "Is she okay?"
"She's good," I told him, glancing at him and looking ahead as the person in front of us walked forward and placed their order.
"She looks good," he was staring at the dancers now, and I clenched my fist in my pocket. I wanted his eyes off her, and for him and his friend to leave as quickly as they'd come.
I asked for a glass of water for Daisy, a beer for myself, and Alex put his order in as well, waving the hand off that was holding my wallet, as if I was going to pay for his drink. I was unsure what the game of thrusting his card out to make the payment for both of our drinks were, but I wasn't in the mood for arguing with him.
I managed a small thanks when we took our drinks, and he motioned to a small table against the wall, leading me to it and setting his drink down. "How long have you guys been seeing each other?"
"We're not really seeing each other. We've been hanging out for a couple of months." For the first time, I wished our relationship could have progressed further, just to have the satisfaction to tell him she wasn't available.
He nodded, his eyes surprised. "Jasmine told me you guys weren't together, but I didn't know if she was just saying that."
"Your sister doesn't really seem like someone who would be bothered with lies." I told him, frowning through my discomfort.
"Well, she never really waited to rebound in the past, so I just thought…" he trailed off with a small shrug.
I chewed on my words, not wanting to overreact. "She told me once her ex had cheated on her. Maybe she wanted to act out in the same way."
He laughed once, sarcastically and pompous, and I wanted to smack the stupid grin off his stupid face. But I didn't need to cave his head in with such an audience. That wouldn't go down well for my first overseas trip. "Are you waiting to be the guy she acts out with?"
"No, I'm not really interested in being anyone's rebound." I muttered, not sure if he'd be able to hear me. I took a large sip of my beer, wanting to feel its effects, if only for a short amount of time before my increased metabolism wiped it out of my system.
"So you're not interested at all?"
"Oh, I'm definitely interested," I told him honestly. "I wouldn't have flown halfway around the world for someone I wasn't looking for something with. I'm just not the type of person to push her into something she's not ready for."
He was quiet, his eyes flicking behind me, and I smelled her as she neared the table. "Hey," she greeted me, picking up the glass of water and gulping it down quickly. She wiped the small beads of sweat off her forehead and pushed her hair from her face. "It's hot out there. Do you want to go back outside? Alex, I think the girls want a dance partner, if you're keen." He understood the conversation was over, and wandered onto the dance floor, taking his drink with him.
Jasmine was in a deep conversation with his friend when we got back to the table, telling him he should take her brother and go to their next destination, and Lily reached across the table and squeezed Daisy's hand with a sympathetic smile as we sat down. "We're probably going to take off soon, we both have to work tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?"
"I'm so drunk I can't walk in a straight line, so I think I'll be fine," Daisy sighed, finishing her water. "And I'm going to get a gin. Because I've finally learned how to drink, and I don't know when to stop, apparently."
"Take care of yourself," Lily's eyes were worried, and I smiled at her when she looked to me.
"I'll make sure she's okay." I told her.
"It was really, really nice meeting you, Seth. Thank you so much for taking care of her over there. It's nice to know she has someone to spend time with." Lily made her way to our side of the table, and I stood to say goodbye, giving her a small hug in parting. She stood on her toes, tugging me toward her, and I followed, leaning my ear to her mouth. "I really hope whatever is going on works out for you guys. She needs someone who actually cares about her."
"Thanks," I whispered in response. I shook Eli's hand, telling him it was nice to meet him, and the two of them disappeared after hugging Daisy and telling her to keep in touch.
"I'm going to get you a drink," I told Daisy before I could sit down again. "Are you sure you're alright for another one?"
"Please," she smiled at me desperately, and I nodded and obeyed, walking back to the bar and getting her a gin and another water to wash it down with.
Alex and the sisters eventually rejoined us, and I didn't miss how Daisy turned her body on the seat in my direction, leaning into me and tracing patterns on the thigh of my pants as we spoke. The three sisters eventually left, saying they were going to have to deal with another hangover during a family lunch over their holiday break tomorrow, and then there was just the five of us, Jasmine left to her own devices to keep conversation with her brother and his friend while Daisy and I were in our own little world.
"What are you guys up to tomorrow?" Alex asked, directing the attention back to him as his voice carried over the table.
"Well, I'm on call, so hopefully I get the whole day off, and I think Seth and Daisy were just planning on hanging around at my place for the day."
"I think I'm going to need a sleep in," Daisy giggled, leaning back too far on the chair. I caught her by her arm and pulled her upright, torn between wanting her intoxicated enough that she wasn't stressing about her current situation and not wanting her to get sick. I pushed the water toward her, and she picked up the glass immediately.
"I've got the day off," Alex told us, though no one had asked about his plans.
Jasmine chuckled. "Well, good for you. Make sure you keep yourself really busy so you don't crash our plans again."
"No fighting!" Daisy's voice was high and quiet, and she grinned at me, laughing to herself as she leaned her forehead against my shoulder. "You're warm," she murmured.
"And you're drunk," I chuckled.
"You're not drunk," she frowned back at me. "And you've had as much to drink as I have! You should get drunk, and then we can do stupid things!"
Jasmine eyed the two of us silently, then finally stood and grabbed her things off the table. "C'mon little miss, we've got to get you home before you embarrass yourself."
She didn't say goodbye as she helped me get Daisy to her feet, throwing her friend's bag over her shoulder and making sure I had her as we pulled her from the table.
"Bye, Alex!" Daisy called back, not looking at her ex as we led her to the door. "Don't ruin any girl's lives tonight," I smirked, wondering if he'd heard her, and Jasmine held the door open for us as we made our way back inside, toward the exit.
I had my arm around Daisy's waist, holding her to my side as we walked through the tavern. Her hand gripped my shirt against my back, and she walked slowly, concentrating on her feet as we made our way out the front and to Jasmine's work truck.
"Have you got her?"
"Yeah," I half-lifted her into the back of truck, fitting her seatbelt before I closed the door and crossed to sit in the back next to her. "How are you feeling, kid?"
"I feel really good!" she insisted excitedly, reaching around the chair in front of her to grab Jasmine's shoulders. "Jas, can you play that song?! The one that we used to listen to all the time when you were mad at your boyfriends and we'd drive around!"
A chirpy song played immediately, and Daisy grinned and fell back into her chair, singing along although she didn't know the majority of the words.
I grinned and went between looking out of the window and looking at my imprint as Jasmine drove back to her house, thanking her for driving, and for a good night.
"It would have been better if my idiot brother hadn't decided to show up," Jasmine muttered, her blue eyes in the mirror flicking to her friend in the backseat every couple of minutes, checking on her periodically. "Sorry about that, Seth. He's a jerk."
"It was alright," I raised my arms as Daisy finally withered and fell into my lap, closing her eyes and putting her hands over her face. "You okay?"
"The car is making me feel sick," she groaned quietly. I immediately lowered the window beside me, the warmer air filling the space around us, but she breathed the fresh air in deeply. I pulled her hair off her face, rubbing my hands over her damp forehead, and traced her scalp delicately with my fingertips. She took to staring up at me, her eyes slightly unfocused, but questioning me silently. I smiled down at her softly.
Jasmine had left the air conditioning running in our absence, and the small house was cold when she unlocked the door and pulled Daisy in, dragging her straight to the bathroom and turning on the shower. "Do you want to throw up? You might feel better."
"No, that scares me," I heard Daisy tell her quietly. "Can you get my jammies?"
Jasmine and I walked into the room my imprint and I were sharing, and she grabbed the shorts and shirt off of Daisy's pillow. "I'm going to get her in the shower. We'll be a couple of minutes."
"Take your time," I sighed, sitting myself on the edge of the bed.
I heard Daisy giggle as Jasmine helped her out of her clothes and under the running water, and then Daisy complained about not feeling well again. I felt a little hopeless as I listened to them, telling myself I should be the one taking care of her, but I didn't want her to be in such a vulnerable state the first time I saw her naked. Jasmine finally pulled her back into the room, dropping her onto the bed, her hair damp and her legs and arms bare as she rolled into a ball.
"Good luck," Jasmine smirked at me. I looked down at my imprint, who had her eyes closed and was breathing in deeply through her parted lips. "Use the garbage bin, if you're going to be sick. It's right here, okay Dais?"
Daisy nodded silently, and I rested my hand on her shin. "I'm going to take a shower, but I'll be right back, okay?" she nodded again, and I stood and grabbed a change of clothes, closing the door behind myself and her friend.
"You're good to her," Jasmine told me quietly, just loud enough for me to be able to hear. "It's refreshing to see someone who actually looks at her."
"I don't understand how your brother couldn't, she's amazing."
"She is," she wandered a few steps into the hall, getting further from the door of the bedroom, and folded her arms across her chest. "I wanted to have a chat with you, but I think we should keep things short tonight so you can get back in there. Do you mind taking ten minutes tomorrow? I just want to figure you out, before anything happens between you guys."
"Of course," I said immediately. Jasmine was intimidating, in an odd way for someone her size, but I knew she was important in Daisy's life. "But just so you know, there's nothing really going on. I'm just there for her when she needs someone."
"Yeah, you say that, but I watch you. You've always got your eyes on her, and I know that's not just an 'I want to be friends' thing. I don't want her to get hurt again, she's dealt with enough shit in her life."
"Trust me, I know," I told her gently. "I'm not going to do anything to put her in a bad situation. I really, really care about her. And if she wants to just be friends forever, I'm okay with that."
"You're blind," Jasmine scoffed. "That girl would bend over backwards for you. But she's scared, and she's shy, and she doesn't know how to make the first move."
"I don't think –"
"No, I'm telling you," she spoke over me. "She told me you tried to kiss her, a few weeks ago. She was really angry at herself that she stopped you. She wants more to happen Seth, trust me. She wasn't even infatuated with my brother like this, when things between them were good. She's just hopeless at putting herself out there."
My confidence swelled at her words, and I was speechless for a moment. Jasmine smirked and squeezed my arm reassuringly. "Jesus, you're warm…go and take a shower, and get back to her. I'll talk to you in the morning."
I showered quickly, washing off the smell of other people's cigarettes and the lingering scent of beer and sweat. I pulled on my shorts and t-shirt before I was completely dry and wandered back to the room, where Daisy was humming and staring at her fingernails, still curled in a ball on the end of the bed.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"It's nice to be lying down," she sighed, watching me closely as I sat down and pulled the sheet over my thighs. "I'm cold,"
"Well, I'm the best hot water bottle in the world," I tapped her pillow, and she climbed up to lay beside me, stretching her legs under the blanket and turning on her side so she was facing me. I rested on my pillow and smiled at her, pushing her hair off her face. "Are you comfy?"
She nodded, moving over so she was against my side. I raised my arm and she lowered her face onto my chest, her foot seeking out my leg under the sheet. She raised it enough to throw it over my shin, holding me to her tightly. I wondered if she was going to try anything, but she yawned widely, and I turned off the lamp. "Goodnight, Daisy,"
"Goodnight, Seth. I hope you have sweet dreams."
Daisy's POV
Seth was already awake when I opened my eyes in the morning, quietly turning the pages of the book he'd brought along with him. I watched him for a minute, wondering when I'd made my way back to my side of the bed, the blanket now covering me. It was still cold in the little room, and outside the sky was grey, thick clouds blocking out any hint of blue sky.
"Good morning," I didn't know he'd realised I was awake.
"Morning,"
"How are you feeling?" I thought about it, stretching and studying myself.
"Still haven't experienced my first hangover," I told him proudly, pushing myself up and reaching for the bottle of water on the bedside table.
He chuckled and set his book down. "It looks like it's going to storm,"
"If we're lucky," I smiled, looking outside the window. Australian thunderstorms were the most beautiful thing in the world, when they happened. It was usually the case of a week of hot days and then a big change before it all happened again.
I switched on my phone, pausing when I saw Alex's name pop up on the screen.
It was really nice seeing you tonight. I hope you made it home safe.
That was nice of him, honestly. I was happy I'd been on his mind. I was satisfying to make him suffer a little through the night by paying him not attention, and I guess it had worked. I felt bad for thinking it, but I wanted to torture him a little after the three years of hell he'd put me through.
Nice to see you, too. Hope you had a good night. I wrote back quickly.
His reply was fast, and I cheered myself on a little. I was doing a good job of putting myself in his mind. If I didn't see him the rest of the time we were here, I was happy with that. But I would have been disappointed if I hadn't been able to show off to him, at least a little bit.
What are your plans for the day?
Just a quiet day for us. Jasmine said yesterday something about getting pies from the bakery down the road for lunch, so we'll probably do that.
Again, he was fast to reply. Nice. Those pies are the best! I was wondering if you wanted to catch up at some point? I don't know how long you're staying, but I have until the tenth of January off. It would be nice to see you.
I let him sit on that, tossing my phone to the end of the bed without a reply back to him, feeling very proud of myself.
Jasmine was drinking a coffee, watching the news in the dining room when we got up. It was late into the morning, and it looked as though she'd eaten breakfast a couple of hours ago.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauties," she greeted us happily, standing to make us coffee and tea. "What do you drink, Seth?"
Seth insisted he make it, and she sat down across from me, watching me as though she had something to say. "I'm going to talk to Seth today, you have to leave."
"That's nice," I whispered back.
She smiled sweetly at me, and then her voice was louder. "You should walk down the road to that amazing pie shop and pick some things up for lunch! I haven't had a call from work, so that's promising. I'd usually hear from them before now. Looks like I'll be home for the rest of the day."
"Yippee!" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at her excited expression. I was nervous for her to talk to Seth. Jasmine was blunt, and too honest. I didn't want her to scare him away, or tell him I had the world's biggest crush on him. That could be just as scary to him as her threatening him over hurting me, which I know was sure to come up.
"You should go sooner, rather than later. You know they always sell out of chicken and asparagus early, and they're the best."
I thanked Seth for my tea, and drank it slowly, not really wanting to leave him to deal with her. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get away with it forever, and all too soon our mugs were empty, and she was looking at me expectantly.
"I guess I'm going to get lunch," I sighed, excusing myself from the table. "Seth, can you help me with something?"
He followed me obediently, back into our room, and I closed the door behind us.
"Jasmine wants to talk to you. If she gets weird, or she freaks you out, just tell her to stop, okay? She's nice, but she likes to have her say. She'll stop if you ask her to."
"She's fine," he told me gently. "She talked to me a little last night, I knew this was coming."
"Oh," I frowned, and opened the closet to grab a dress for the day. "Well, don't read too far into anything she has to say. She can be dramatic. And sometimes she thinks she knows everything, so –"
"Daisy," he chuckled. "Don't worry about it, trust me. I'm big and strong, I can handle whatever she throws at me."
"Okay," I finally gave in. I grabbed a dress, a lightweight lace thing I'd owned for years, and hesitated on putting it on, smiling at him as he left the room.
The pie shop a couple of blocks down from the little house was one of our favourites. It was a regular occurrence, when I was with her brother after she'd just moved into her home, that we would walk to the bakery and bring bags of pies and cakes back to her house, her listening to me complain and cry over whatever her brother had done to upset me that week.
I walked slowly, enjoying the humid air and the quiet streets, smiling at dogs that passed me on walks with their owners. I'd never lived in the immediate area before, and it was comfortable knowing I wouldn't be dragged into conversation by someone I hadn't seen in a long time.
I reached the little store and stopped dead in my tracks, my feet turning back to face the way I'd come of their own accord as I swore under my breath and talked to myself. "Are you fucking serious?!"
"Hey," Alex stood from the little table by the door, his hands in his pockets as he jogged over to meet me. There was nothing on the table, which told me he hadn't been here to eat. He'd been waiting for me to show up, which was creepy and weird, and a little flattering in a strange way. I'd done better than I thought at making him want to see me.
"Hello," I didn't really want to look at him, so I settled on turning back to the shop and eyeing its sunny yellow exterior. "Are you stalking me?"
"Kind of," he admitted with a confident chuckle.
Ew. Still full of himself. "How did you know I'd be here alone?"
"I didn't. I got lucky."
"I have to get lunch," I started walking back to the store, ignoring him as best I could, but he fell into step beside me. "I don't think your sister would appreciate me bringing you back."
"I know," he told me, his voice still too confident for our conversation. I wondered if there was anything anyone could do to take him down a peg, but I'd given up on it years ago. "Seth seems nice."
"Seth is the best," I said without missing a beat. "What were you talking to him about yesterday?"
"You," we fell into the long line of people ordering food, and I continued stare ahead instead of at my ex-boyfriend. "He said he's interested in you."
I couldn't help but smile a little. "Did he?" I finally turned to look at him, and he was watching me interestedly. Alex was a professional people-reader. He was a salesman from the second he'd started working, and he used the tactics he'd picked up on at work in his day-to-day life, priding himself on being able to read people as well as he could. I remembered him reading books about manipulating people, and using it to your advantage, and he would tell me proudly all the things I fell for over dinners before he kicked me out for the night to see his friends.
He kept his hands in his pockets as we made our way to the front of the line. I ordered two family-sized pies, one chicken and one beef, and a tray of assorted cakes. Jasmine didn't have a sweet tooth, but I knew whatever I wasn't able to eat Seth would finish.
Alex put in his own order, and took my wallet out of my hands when I went to pay.
"I can pay for my own food," I told him shortly. He ignored me, holding out his card and waiting for it to beep in approval. I thanked the woman who immediately turned to the next customer, and sighed when I walked out, into the now gentle rain.
"It's raining," he stated obviously. I resisted rolling my eyes.
"It was nice seeing you again," I started. "We're leaving on New Year's, so I probably won't see you beforehand."
"Do you want a lift back to Jas'?"
I hesitated, trying to think up an amazing excuse. "No, it's okay. I don't mind the rain."
"Well, it looks like it's going to get heavier. My car's right here."
I sighed. It was picking up just as we were standing here, and knowing the thunderstorms in this area, I was only going to risk getting myself and the paper bags holding the food completely saturated in the ten minutes it would take to walk back. Not to mention the flimsy white lace of my dress would be sure to give everyone a show the more I got drenched. "Okay," I followed him to his car, struggling with the bags in my arms as I opened the door and slid into the passenger's seat. It smelled the exact same as I remembered it, and I tried not to let myself get all sentimental, but it was hard. I'd been strung up on this guy for a really long time, and the fact that he hadn't seemed interested the majority of our relationship had only made me want him more. 'Treat them mean, keep them keen,' he used to joke to me when I called him out for mistreating me. I clenched my teeth together in frustration as he pulled away from the kerb.
"I've missed you," he started quietly. I sighed in response, not really knowing what to say. "You look really good. I like the short hair."
'Thanks," I put my hands to the ends of my damp hair and tugged on it gently. "I like it short."
"What brought that on?"
"You," I told him honestly. "I thought if I cut my hair off, I would feel better about being single. And then that wasn't enough, so I bought a ticket to the States and disappeared."
"I was surprised," he told me. "I didn't even know you were leaving, and then I saw Jasmine put that photo of the two of you online, wishing you safe travels."
"Yeah, your sister did a lot for me," I turned in my seat to watch as he left the street. "That was her house back there, in case you've forgotten."
"I know, I thought we could go to the beach to talk." He kept his eyes on the road, following traffic on the main road, and I pushed myself back into my seat.
"You've resorted to both stalking and kidnapping me. I would have dreamed about this a few months ago."
"Not now?"
I smirked at him. "No, I'm quite happy with where I'm at, thanks."
We were both silent until he stopped the car in the large parking area, looking out over our town's most famous beach. Despite the weather, there were hundreds of people around, most making their way out of the water and up the sand to their cars and houses to escape the coming storm.
"I'm sorry, for what I did to you." He said softly, turning down the radio so I was listening only to him.
That was a surprise, and I was speechless for a long moment. "The first time, or the last hundred?"
"All of them," he said. It looked as if it was difficult to be saying this to me, and I watched him with intrigue. I'd never seen him talk to me like this before. "I was taking you for granted for a long time, and I always thought you'd be there to come back to. I honestly thought I was going to marry you one day."
"Well, you're not," I said with a nervous chuckle. "I tried to sort things out a lot of times, Alex. It wasn't for you, and I get that. I don't think you'll ever sort yourself out enough to have a real relationship, honestly." I was a little bit proud of myself. I was normally quite passive and shy, but he'd hurt me enough, and I had no problem dishing it back to him now.
He twisted his lips. "Do you know how long your staying over there? Are you waiting for your visa to end?"
"I don't know, honestly, Alex. I'm just going with it all until I figure myself out."
He chuckled. "Still trying to find yourself? Isn't that what you were doing when you took off to England a year ago?"
"Stop it," I sighed. "I'm happy! I like it there. I have a dog, his name is Hugo, and my house is great."
"Aren't you lonely? You don't know anybody there."
"I have Seth," I told him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the bag of food, handing me one of the cakes. I looked down at it, my appetite suppressed with my situation. He'd bought my favourite pastry, something I'd missed when he'd ordered back at the shop.
"I know your family would be happy to have you back. My family would be happy to have you back."
"I do miss your parents," I murmured, picking apart the pastry and bringing a small piece to my lips. It was delicious, and I hated myself for digging in to the rest of it. "But I am happy, really. I don't need to see everyone all the time. I'll probably be back a couple of times a year, anyway. And it's not like I saw my family often, even when I lived here."
He thought over what I had to say for a long time, pulling apart his own pastry and eating the pieces quietly. I watched the people running to their cars as the rain now belt forcefully against the windscreen, the water running through the car park like a river.
"I think, knowing that you're so far away, opened my eyes a bit. I want to keep in contact with you, and I want you to know that I'll be waiting for you to get home."
"No, you won't," I disagreed uncomfortably. "You'll move from one girl to the next, like you did when we were together."
"I haven't seen anyone since you left," he told me, looking over at me seriously. "I wasn't lying when I told you I loved you, Daisy. I asked you out for years before you said yes. Doesn't that tell you something?"
"It wasn't enough," I said evenly.
He lowered his head, and it took me a moment to realise he'd started crying. I was shocked, and I crumpled the empty paper bag up in my hands and tossed it to the floor as I leaned toward him, not knowing what to say.
"It killed me to see you there with someone else last night. Dave tried to take me out after and introduce me to girls, but I was only thinking about you. I left him at the next bar we went to and went home and messaged you. And then I had to wait until this morning to hear back from you, and it was torturing me. You don't seem to be there for me anymore."
"Because I spent three years fighting for your attention!" I told him angrily. "You complain about one night, with Seth, of all people! Nothing is happening there, Alex. He's my friend, and that's it. Don't hold that against me!"
He wiped his eyes, straightening in his chair as he turned to me. "I apologised for back then. I can see now what I was doing to you, and I know it wasn't fair."
"No, it wasn't," I agreed. "You never let me meet any of your friends, you never went out of the house with me," I scoffed. "You gave me a fucking schedule of when I was allowed to call you, or see you! That's not how relationships work, Alex. People in our place were moving in together, and getting engaged, and I was excited if you reached out to me first! It was all mind games, and it was shit."
"I'm sorry," he said again, quietly, reaching out and taking my hand. He pulled it into his lap, his fingers tight against my own as he held it. "I've grown up, I promise. You made me grow up. You were the first girl I ever fell in love with, and I don't think that's going to go away any time soon."
"Don't," I started gently, leaning away slightly as he moved toward me, but he tugged me by my hand, and then lowered his face to mine, kissing me gently.