When they leave, Daisy texts to ask if I want to go for a walk around town and stop off for a glass of wine. I’ve got nothing better to do, so I get ready and meet her at the beachfront. She wraps her arms around me in a tight hug, and I return the gesture. It feels like it’s been a while since it’s been just us two.
We’ve both been busy.
“How are you?” she asks as we walk past the parade of bars and restaurants.
I wrap my arms over my chest. “Good. I’ve been good. What about you?”
Daisy turns to me with a wide grin. “I went on a date yesterday with JJ.”
My eyes flick to the lapping waves against the shore. “Oh yeah?” I say as cheerily as possible, despite the hollowness in my chest. “How was it?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs slowly, her grin slipping slightly. “He’s cute and everything, but he doesn’t seem entirely that interested. Which I don’t get, because why would he agree to meeting up with me? Maybe he’s just super laid back.”
My brows begin to furrow at her words. JJ might have been having a bad day yesterday. He seemed agitated when I got home.
“Are you going to see him again?”
“I don’t know.” She sighs. “We didn’t mention it or anything, but I’ll probably see him at the party on the weekend.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“What did you do yesterday?”
I drop my arms to my sides. “I met up with Isaac, we got some ice cream and caught up with each other. It was nice.”
Daisy’s expression explodes. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! Do you like him?”
“Yeah.” I nod slowly. “I like him.”
Her head slumps, and her eyelids hang low. “You know what I’m trying to ask.”
I suck in a breath as the wind whips past us. “He’s nice, but I don’t know if I like him like that. I enjoy his company, and being with him feels easy.”
Daisy wraps an arm around my shoulders and tugs me towards her. “I’m so proud of how well you’ve been doing. I know it’s probably still hard for you, but you’re amazing, Ivy.”
My lips curve into a smile. “Thanks, Dais.”
We walk for a little further until we settle at a wine bar and buy a bottle of white between us. We don’t talk about JJ or Isaac anymore, which I’m beyond grateful for. We discuss Daisy’s plans for getting a job, what I might do after the summer is over, and some ridiculous stories whilst we’ve been away at university.
Our laughter fills the bar, and it brings me so much joy.
As much as I’ve loved making new friends, Daisy has been my longest friend, and being with her feels like family.
I finish my glass of wine when Daisy looks out at the path between the seafront and the line of restaurants. “Oh shit,” she says under a hushed breath.
“What?”
“Julian and Tom and all those idiotic boys from school are coming in.”
My stomach lurches at her words.Julian and Tom.They’re two of Ben’s closest friends.
Shit. I curse to myself in my mind and glance down. “It’s fine.” Daisy cups my hand. “Doubt they’ll come over. I haven’t seen them in years.”
“Yeah,” I murmur.
She continues to talk when I feel a presence near us, but I don’t dare look up. “Daisy Garcia,” a voice shouts across the bar, and I want the floor to swallow me whole. “Holy shit. I haven’t seen you in forever. Still hot as ever.”
I hear Daisy suck in a breath and place her elbows on the table, turning her head to the perpetrator. “Julian, it’s been a while.”
