It all adds to the bitterness of this shit I fucking did. I know she was feeling the stress from lying to everyone about us, but that is on her. I told her I wanted people to know, that I was fine with our families knowing. I still didn’t understand why she was so against it.
I drive to work on my bike, ear buds in my ears, music streaming from my phone in my leather jacket pocket. Mumford and Sons - “White Blank Page” plays but I’m not really listening, it only evokes the pain and anger I feel and know I’ve inflicted on everyone at this point, not just Daisy. Parking my bike, I tuck my helmet, ear buds, and sunglasses in my saddlebags. Checking my phone for the hundredth time in hopes that maybe I have a missed call or text, as I walk through the open bay doors, but there’s nothing from Daisy. I raise my head and lock eyes with Uncle Nathan, he’s leaning his back against a car that we started working on yesterday and it only takes me a second to know why he’s looking at me like he is.
“Wyatt,” he nods at me in greeting.
“Nathan,” I reply, taking my leather jacket off and throwing it onto a coat rack near the wall.
“Got a minute?” he asks.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I inquire casually.
“I talked to Daisy, she,” he stops and sighs, “told me…about you two.”
He waves a hand around for a second and stops talking.
“Okay…and you’re mad?” I presume.
“No…I mean, well-” he sighs again, “this is tough because I know you’re going through a lot of shit. I know you kid, I know you’ll find your way, I don’t doubt that with you. But, at first, I wasn’t happy when she told me she’s in love with you.”
My heart begins to pound and flicker with life since the last time I saw her on the steps.
“I don’t know the details, but she said it’s over…and I’m putting two and two together that her recent…attitude problem, correlates with you guys breaking up.”
I rub my hand on the back of my neck, I guess for some reason I thought that her being pissed meant she wasn’t devastated about what happened. To hear she’s troubled, or pissy, or any kind of way effected by us being apart…kind of makes me happy.
“I want you to know her deferment-”
“Was all her idea, yeah I know,” he interrupts me.
“And I never meant to disrespect you or Aunt Skye by hiding anything from you.”
He nods.
“This wasn’t supposed to be serious between us…but, no, that’s a lie,” I confess and lock eyes with him. “I made her think it would be casual, when really, I’ve been interested in her for many years.”
I watch him and wait for him to go off on me, Daisy’s still young and I’m still older than her.
“I know.” He lifts a shoulder in a casual gesture.
“Wait, what do you mean you know?” My brows pinching together as I ask.
“For one, you’ve always been pretty obvious…and two, Sven told us when he talked to you about it. I thought one day you’d work the courage up to approach her, and me.”
I chuckle humorlessly. “She was afraid for everyone to know this whole time,” shaking my head.
“Well, knowing my daughter, she was probably scared that you’d break up with her and then she’d have to admit to everyone that she made a mistake, or that it didn’t work, and Daisy has too much pride for that. She was playing safe. So I’m going to go ahead and assume you fucked up, am I right?”
“Let me say that I know everyone thinks I’m going out every night and getting fucked up-”
“I don’t think that, well, I thought that until the night we all went to the tavern and you had two beers.”
“Without sounding disrespectful, I’ve been with Daisy those nights.” I pause and wait for his reaction, which is a tick in his jaw. “So no, I’m not out partying and getting shit faced…but I have been making cash on the side, and like a moron, I let Daisy come with me and she got in trouble-”
“What?” His voice raises as his expression turns to anger.
“Everything’s fine, she got a warning, but that’s what I fucked up with and now she’s pissed, rightfully so.” I sigh.
Nathan puts his hands on his hips and looks up at the ceiling.
“I want you to know that I love Daisy with all of me, I never meant to put her in that position and I never intend to again,” I try to pacify.
His eyes connect with mine, and he looks at me for a long moment.
“So, what are you going to do? You are going to make this right, right?” he asks raising his brows.
“She won’t talk to me; she doesn’t want to see me…I’m respecting what she wants.”
“You love her?” he questions.
“Unconditionally,” I reply.
“Then fuck that, go get her, who cares what she’s telling you. If you love her then nothing should stop you from talking to her.”
I can’t believe he’s telling me this, that he’s telling me to bypass his daughter’s wishes and go after her.
“You’re okay with this? With us?”
“Seeing her being this way, and knowing it’s because she’s hurting…yes, I want you to make her happy. I love you, Wyatt, and I know you two are good for each other.”
He reaches his hand out and I take it in a firm shake.
“You’ve fucked up once, you break her heart again, Wyatt, and I swear to God…it won’t be good what I’d do.”
“Understood,” I tell him.
We get to work and I formulate my plan to get her back. At lunch, I call her and her phone’s back on, but it immediately kicks over to voicemail after two rings.
Daisy, I want to see you tonight. I know you told me that you don’t want to see me, but fuck that, I’m just giving you a warning that I’m coming over tonight and you better be there-
The message clicks off and I groan because that last part I sound like a total controlling dickhead. Dialing the number again,
I didn’t mean you better be there like if you’re not I’ll hurt you or something. I’m over this shit Daisy, you’ve had enough time to get over being pissed, now let’s talk.
That was better. The rest of the day I check my phone for a response, but so far nothing. Time goes by slow as hell, and then I see her truck pull into the driveway, she parks in front of the office and our sisters get out. I wipe my hands off as I walk over, but her truck takes off and back down the driveway, and leaves me standing there like a moron. When closing time finally comes, I call her again and get no answer, so I jump on my bike and head home. My mom’s in the kitchen talking to Irys and neither acknowledges me as I move past them to the steps.
“Dinner’s in the fridge,” Mom says but I head up to my room and shower.
When I emerge, I check my phone again, but still nothing. I’m on the verge of anger but know I’m just going to go to her loft and wait for her to not ignore me. That seems stalkery but I don’t give a shit, I have to put my pride away and my embarrassment for what happened the other night and see her. I dress in jeans and a black t-shirt before heading downstairs. My parents are watching T.V. in the living room with Ruby, Ro, Jo, and Abbey.
“Did you eat?” Mom asks loudly to me in the kitchen, as I lace up my boots.
“Nah, I’m good,” I reply.
“You going to that party at Joel’s?” she asks.
I make a face even though she can’t see me. “No, why?”
“Irys is going, I thought you might be too,” she replies.
Then the girls start fighting over something to watch and I sneak out the back door. When I get over the Daisy’s, there’s lights on in the main house, but the loft is vacant of light. I park my bike outside the garage below her place and take out my phone, nothing. I sit on the bottom steps and wait. The sensor light clicks on and I toy with my phone between my palms.
“What are you doing?” I hear from the house and look over.
Aunt Skye is there and standing at the back door, holding the screen open.
/>
“Waiting for Daisy,” I tell her, knowing full well Nathan told her about our talk earlier.
“You just missed her, she’s out with Irys,” she tells me.
I nod and run my hand over my forehead, then remember what my mom said. I stand and tuck my phone into my leather jacket.
“Thanks,” I tell her, before firing up my bike.
Joel Kepling lives over by the high school which isn’t far, but I see nowhere to park on the street. So I pull up onto the lawn, between people milling about outside. I see and hear a lot of people out back and inside the house as I kick my stand out and get off. People say my name in greeting as I pass by, entering the house to a wall of sound and bodies. Everyone has red Solo cups in hand and I can see through the living room that there’s several kegs in the dining room. My eyes scan the heads, since I tower over most these kids.
“Hey Wyatt,” Tommy Eberson says as he bumps my elbow.
“Hey, you seen Irys or Daisy?” I ask.
“Uh, Irys is in the kitchen, Daisy, no idea, but I did see her earlier.”
“Thanks, man,” I tip my chin as I attempt to move through the crowd.
Again, people shout my name but I don’t give a shit. Finally, I see my sister with that tool Rupert as she stands by his side like a puppy waiting for a command as he talks to his friends.
“Irys.” My voice booms across the room and her eyes, along with everyone else’s in the room fly to me.
Hers widen and she walks toward me. “What? What’s the matter?
I realize she thinks I’m mad by the way I called for her, so I shake my head a little and give her a smile.
“Are you here alone?” I ask.
“No, Daisy’s-” she stops and looks around. “Oh yeah, she went to the bathroom,” she says loudly in my ear.
I nod and pretend to walk over to get a beer as she resumes her post beside Rupert. Instead, I walk back the way I came and cut through the living room. I see a long line in the hallway for the bathrooms I presume and squint in the darkened space to see if she’s there. Then I see him, fucking Blake. He’s facing someone I can’t see and take a wild stab in the dark that it’s Daisy. My eyes remain on him as I slowly slide through the people. He reaches up and then I see a hand bat it away, his expression falling before he puts on a stupid grin and attempts it again, and again is rebuffed. Then his face changes and he grabs something, his bicep flexing as he moves his face closer. Then I see it is Daisy, but her hair looks shorter and darker or something, and she has her head turned. In a few steps, I’m at Blake’s side.
“Come on, it’ll be better than before, it will,” he’s telling her.
My hand grabs the collar of his shirt and his head flies in my direction, his fierce expression morphs to a slack-jawed, wide-eyed loser as he takes me in.
“You like to be grabbed?” I ask him causing Daisy’s head to turn and also take me in.
“No,” he says.
“Then what makes you think she likes it?” I tell him.
His hand removes itself from her bicep as he turns toward me, and I let him go.
“Oh she likes it,” he tells me, getting a boost of confidence.
“What are you doing here?” Daisy asks.
“What did you say?” I snarl at Blake.
“She likes to be manhandled when she gets fucked, used to beg me for it.”
Before he can finish his sentence, I raise my arm and cock my elbow back, balling my hand into a fist.
“No,” Daisy says putting her hands on my arm, immediately defusing me. “Fuck you,” she says looking at Blake.
She sighs and still holding my arm, leads me down the hall back toward the party. Even though my temper is simmering, I can’t ignore how her touch feels like a balm to a cut. She walks into the party and stops, letting go of me as she begins for the kitchen. But fuck that, I take her hand and pull us toward the front door. Even though the music’s loud I can still hear her protesting and asking me what I’m doing, but I keep moving, bringing her with me right next to my bike.
“What are you doing?” she asks, and in the street lights and porch light, I can see her hair is purple.
“I like your hair,” I tell her.
My eyes look her over, it’s a strange sensation that comes over me. Like I haven’t seen her in so long or something, but my eyes instantly translate to my heart that there’s my other piece standing across from me.
“You came here to tell me that?” she asks with raised brows.
“I called you a few times today and left messages that we were meeting tonight to talk.”
“I didn’t get any messages,” she says.
“No you did, you just didn’t check them, which isn’t my fault so here we are talking,” I tell her.
“I’m not gonna talk to you at a party,” she states with a little shrug.
“Okay, do you wanna go to the diner, or your house, or a club?” I suggest knowing the answer already. “This is as good a place as any, now come on yell at me so we can get back together.”
People are walking all around us, laughing and being loud as fuck.
She scoffs and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “Okay, so talk.”
My senses snap into gear, which causes my mind to blank. I stand there blinking with my mouth opening and closing, and I try to think, think, THINK.
“I swear I didn't know what they were using the I.D’s for, but I got inside and there were guys I never saw before and it felt sketchy...so I acted like I was in the wrong place and left. When I left and saw you stopped with the cops, I just panicked but I knew you knew nothing so you'd be fine.”
“Be fine?! I've never been so scared in my life, and then you just leave me there!” she yells.
She’s right and I don’t know what to say to her other than those words, you’re right. Instead, before I can do that, she mumbles, “I knew this was going to happen.”
“No, you wanted something to happen to prove to yourself you were right,” I fire back.
She looks at me like she can’t believe I just said that, but her expression softens for a moment before her eyes narrow.
“Oh fuck you, we’re not talking about me,” she spits.
“I didn't want you to come, remember me telling you I’d go alone? But you insisted,” I blurt out.
“Why did you let me?” she puts her hands out. “You knew this was bad and weird, and you let me go with you.”
“Daisy, wake up!” I look up at the trees before looking back at her. “You knew I sold FAKE I.D.’s which is illegal, I didn't know all that shit was going to go down, but you still knew going with me was to do bad shit, so don’t blame me for all this.”
We look at each other, her chest heaving.
“That still doesn’t take away that you lied to be about what happened in Montana, Missy told me you’re paying off a truck you wrecked. You told me you came home for me, which was a lie, you were just running away from shit like you always do,” she says venomously.
“I did come back for you, I was drinking to deal with Sven and the guilt over leaving you. I was on a bender and listening to your messages and I had the bright idea to drive to the airport and come home, that’s when I crashed the truck.”
“You still lied, why didn’t you just tell me about all that?” she asks.
“The same reason you haven’t told Irys about us, sometimes it’s just easier when you know the truth will hurt someone.”
Her expression shifts, her eyes saddening and I step closer.
“I’m gonna fuck up Daisy, you’re gonna fuck up…but I love you, and when you love someone you take the good and bad.”
Her eyes soften as her lips part, and she presses a hand to her chest. I reach out my hand a little, knowing if she doesn’t take it, it will pulverize. Her eyes look down at my hand before she takes it with both her hands, and the sounds and sights going on around us fade to nothing, and it’s just the two of us. With my other hand, I caress her fa
ce and tuck hair behind her ear as she nuzzles into my palm and I press my lips to her forehead.
“What?”
Both Daisy and I snap out of the moment at the voice, the voice of my sister. Irys’ standing a few feet from us, her expression horrified as she looks between us.
“Irys,” I start, but she shakes her head.
“You promised me, the morning I found you two together on the couch that nothing was happening with you guys.”
“Irys it’s not that big of a deal-” I begin.
“You lied to me.” Her words cut through mine as she remains focused on Daisy.
“I’m sorry,” Daisy tells her softly and I look over, tears pooling in her eyes.
“Fuck you,” Irys snarls and walks past us.
Daisy goes to follow, but I take her arm and stop her, her eyes looking at me.
“Let her cool down,” I advise.
Her expression falls, looking disappointed and dejected.
“You ready to get out of here?” I ask her.
She nods and puts her head down, putting her face in her hand, and I wrap my arms around her pulling her into my chest.
“She’ll get over it,” I tell her and pet the top of her head.
A few minutes later, she nods and looks up, wiping her eyes.
“Are you okay to drive?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she swallows.
“Where did you park?”
She points down the street, and I take her hand in mine and walk her to the end of the block. I help her in and close the driver’s door, as the engine starts and The Kills fill the silence. She leans out the open window and kisses me before I step away for her to pull out.
“My house?” she asks, and I nod, and she takes off ahead of me.
I walk back and start my bike, and Blake’s outside with some other guys. This guy can’t be serious, after what he said to and about Daisy, it’s keeping everything in me to not knock his block off. I get to my bike and tilt it upright as I sit down, and my eyes connect with his, willing him to say something. He thinks because his dad’s the police chief he can do whatever he wants, I fucking wish he would say something to me. When I fire up my bike and he remains just looking at me, I smile and shake my head a little, peeling out across the lawn and over the curb into the street. I pull up next to her truck outside the loft garage doors and see only a few lights on upstairs in the main house. I know Nathan said he was cool with this, but I guess I didn’t clarify if he was okay with me staying over here at night. Taking the long staircase two steps at a time, I turn the handle and walk in. I hear the shower on as I walk in and turn another lamp on next to the couch in the living room. There’s never enough light in here, she lives like a bat I swear. I kick off my boots and pull off my leather jacket, setting it on the chair. The bathroom door clicks open and out she walks with wet hair and in that robe I love her in. I can see by her eyes that she’s been crying. I know Irys will throw a tantrum and be over it by the end of the weekend. But I know this is what Daisy feared, and I feel bad how Irys found out, but it was inevitable and worth it in the long run. I open my arms as she crashes into my chest, I kiss the top of her head and she sniffles. I bring her down onto the couch with me and cradle her, letting her sniffle and cry and go through this with me. Eventually she falls asleep in my arms, but I still sit there with her. Only a few short hours ago, I thought I’d never be with her again. So I smell her hair, feel her heart beating, how her skin feels under my hands, study the contours of her face, the bow of her lips. I take her in and promise to myself and to her, that from now on I will never put what we have in danger again, and let myself forgive what I did, vowing I will be her biggest protector.
Use Somebody: Plantain Series Book Four Page 20