“Miss you more,” I say before hanging up the call.
Isaac is already waiting for me at the beachfront when I arrive. I smile at him as I approach, and he pushes off the metal railings to meet me halfway. “Hey,” he brings me into a hug.
I rise up onto my tiptoes to match his height. My arms wrap around his body, and I press my face into his shoulder. “Hey,” I murmur into the fabric of his T-shirt. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” He pulls away. His warm hands grip my shoulders gently, those dark eyes inspecting my face. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod even though I’m fighting that ongoing battle inside my brain. “Yeah.” I force a smile. “Let’s walk.”
Isaac falls into step beside me and we walk down to the seafront, the waves gently lapping the soft sand beneath our feet. “I was worried about you yesterday,” he admits after a few moments.
I tuck my arms into my chest, clutching onto the granola bar I haven’t found the courage to eat yet. “No need,” I say. “I was overreacting. It was nothing.”
“You’ve struggled with living in Daisy’s shadow?”
When he says it like that, I groan internally. It sounds so pathetic. “Yeah.” I sigh as the ocean crashes into the shore, the sound like music to my ears—peace. “It’s stupid. It doesn’t matter; it’s something I need to get over.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s not stupid. We all have insecurities; best believe I was a fucking wreck at school.”
This time, I look at him and tilt my head so the sun isn’t shining directly in my eyes. “A wreck?”
“I mean, Ivy, you know I wasn’t popular at school.” He laughs hesitantly.
“Neither was I.”
No one is around when we perch on the sand and sit to face the sea.
“But we were on different continents,” he says, lips curling. “You were the pretty girl with the blonde hair and braces for days. Literal days. How long did you have them for?”
I shove his shoulder playfully. “Shut up. It’s not my fault my teeth were all wonky to the point where they considered giving me an operation. It was only for three years.”
Isaac grins down at me, wrapping his arms loosely around his knees. “Three years,” he chuckles. “But I still liked you.”
“Well, that’s kind of you.” I smile and look down at the patch of sand beneath my crossed legs.
“No, I mean…” He pauses and then clears his throat. My eyes peek up at him slowly. “I liked you a lot, I was just too scared to say anything. Biology haunted me because I used to be so nervous and excited at the same time. I thought I would pluck up the courage, but I never did.”
A pulse hits my throat. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because someone like you was never going to like someone like me.”
His words echo around my head, and suddenly I feel guilty. Every fibre inside my body begins to vibrate because how Isaac feels is exactly how I feel about JJ, and it’s messing with my head.
“I might have,” I admit. “I always enjoyed your company. I guess the thought of us being together in that way never crossed my mind because I believed we were such good platonic friends.”
Isaac swallows harshly. “Don’t say you might have.” He lowers his head. “Because I don’t want to kick myself any more than I already do.”
My lips slip into a subtle frown. “I wouldn’t have been ready for a boyfriend at that age anyway,” I say slowly. “I was struggling so much with my body, my flaws, always being second best. I would have been a complete fucking mess, but I’m glad that we’re still friends, Isaac. I really appreciate you.”
He stares at me, and I fear I’ve said the wrong thing. But when he nods, I take a small breath of relief. “I’m glad you’re back.” He drops a hand to trace shapes in the sand. “I was worried I’d never see you again.”
“I needed time away.”
“Of course, I completely get that. I’m just glad I have this time with you.”
A genuine smile creeps up on my face. “Me too,” I say quietly, the sound of the waves building. “I really need a real friend right now. I’m sorry I left and said nothing, you deserved better than that.”
“Well.” He clears his throat. “We can make up for now. Can’t we?”
