CHAPTER 1

Moved On? Nahh!

Chapter 1

“YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED?”

I winced from how loud Eve’s voice was, my chest caving in at the thought of everyone's attention turning to us. I should have known telling Eve this news in public was an absolute bad idea.

“Daisy,” she nudged my arm. “Tell me it's a fucking joke.”

I bit the insides of my cheek. “Well, when you say it like that… you kinda make me wish it was.”

Her mouth formed an ‘O’, and if I didn't shock myself too with this decision I made, I would think she was overreacting.

“Daisy,” her voice reduced to a whisper. “You’ve known this guy how long? Nine months? What are you doing?”

“It's eleven months, two weeks and four days,” I corrected. “That's approximately a year. More than enough time.”

Eve furrowed her brows. “Not for you, it isn't. After everything that happened with An…”

“Nope!” I cut her off, my finger shooting out. “No, no, no… hell no! Do not say his name.”

She scoffed. “You can't bear to hear his name and you're getting married to another man? What do you think marriage is? Some therapy appointment?”

My stomach churned. “Eve, this has nothing to do with An…” I stopped myself, because even after three years, not only could I not bear to hear his name, I still couldn't say it.

Silence settled over us like a heavy blanket of awkwardness. 

I heaved, leaning into the chair. “Eve, I just want to move forward. I mean… I can't remain like this for the rest of my life.”

She reached for my hand across the table. “Daisy, there are a thousand other ways to move forward. Getting married…”

“You don't get it.” I interrupted again. “Daniel makes me happy. He makes me feel safe. When I'm with him, I don't feel insane and I don't have to worry about relapsing and…” I trailed off with an exhale. “He's what's best for me.”

Eve stared at me for a while, her expression devoid of the cheerfulness I had expected.

“So,” she sighed, “this is not some means of escape from whatever it is you're dealing with?”

I shrugged. “Not at all.”

Her forehead creased. “And you really love this guy?”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. “Enough to marry him.”

Her lips parted but she clamped them shut, as if deciding it was better not to argue.

“Very well then,” her hand retracted from mine. “When's the wedding?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Okay, cool.” She began to stand up, then froze. “Wait! TOMORROW?” Another yell.

I shut my eyes, frustrated. “Great. Now the whole world knows I'm getting married tomorrow.”

“Daisy, what the hell?” Her hands flew in the air. “You didn't care to inform me until the day before?”

“In my defense, you've been a hard bitch to find.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“It means you ghosted me, Eve.”

Her face twisted into a frown. “No, you ghosted me! You're the one who was too depressed to reach out to your sister.”

My heart squeezed in my chest. “And you were too full of yourself to understand that,” I retorted. “I got out of therapy over a year ago, Eve. You weren't there throughout that time, but I'm totally fine now and yet you keep treating me like I'm some broken egg you're trying to fix.”

“You can't fix a broken egg.” A voice chipped in from the next table.

“Exactly!” I agreed.

I didn't even turn to the person but since we were doing loud voices and everyone was in our business now, I might as well just fill them in.

A sigh escaped my lips. “Honestly, I wasn't even sure I wanted to tell you, because I knew you'd react like this. I knew you'd question me like some two year old.”

“Daisy…”

“I know. I know I was a complete wreck when he left and I latched onto you like a helpless parasite, but I'm not that person anymore. I just need you to see that.”

The silence that followed was stomach-twisting. I hated it. I hated everything about this moment. It reminded me of…

“Fair enough.” Eve rose to her feet. “All I want is for you to be happy. Maybe one day you'd see that.”

“Wait,” I stood too. “You are coming to the wedding, right?”

“Not if I'm unwelcome.”

My shoulders fell. “Eve…”

She turned her back on me, left me standing there with nothing but regrets at how this conversation had gone. I should have followed my gut. I should have never decided to invite my sister to this wedding.

My hand wrapped around my purse, my eyes pinned on the spot she had been. So much for wanting to fix this.

With a curse under my breath, I walked out the doors and didn't look back once.

“Bitch!”

**********

My apartment was empty, for the first time in a long time.

It was quiet, too quiet for someone who had loud demons living rent free in her head. 

Daniel was gone, having some bachelor's party with his friends. I decided I didn't want a party for myself because in the past three months, I had done too much of it. Since I said yes to marrying Daniel, I think I became someone else entirely.

The party never seemed to end when with him. If it wasn't alcohol, it was drugs. If it wasn't either, it was intense sex. The type that made me forget everything else. 

…including who I actually was.

Do not get me wrong. I loved this new life. Everything was just so liberating. It was the best I had felt in years. Well, except tonight. I felt extremely shitty tonight.

I took out my phone, my fingers hovering over Daniel's contact. Then I changed my mind. I'd been like glue for long enough. He deserved a moment to breathe without me.

While I second-guess every decision I've made that has brought me here, of course.

“Music,” I breathed. “I need music.”

Minutes later, the quiet was erased. I picked up a bottle of whiskey from my bar, kicking my shoes off and sliding into the living room.

I sang along to the songs playing, whipping my hair back and forth as the alcohol began to do its work.

The whiskey burned my throat on the way down.

Good.

Maybe if I drank enough, tomorrow would stop feeling so real.

I twirled lazily across the living room, laughing at absolutely nothing as another song blasted through the speakers. The city lights poured through my windows, painting everything gold and blurry.

This was good.

I was good.

I ignored the tiny voice in my head asking why I felt like I was waiting for something terrible to happen.

My phone buzzed against the counter.

A text, from Daniel. My fiancé.

Miss you already, future wife.

A smile tugged at my lips despite everything.

I typed back without delay.

Go have fun. Try not to marry one of your friends tonight.

Three dots appeared immediately. Then disappeared, only to appear again.

My gaze drifted absentmindedly toward the window as I waited for the reply, and at that moment, my blood ran cold.

Someone was standing by my window.

My heartbeat stumbled.

The figure stood beneath a flickering streetlight, unmoving. I squinted through the glass. Tall, broad shoulders, dark hoodie.

Every muscle in my body tightened violently.

The figure turned away.

My body moved before my mind caught up. I ran outside with nothing on my feet but my socks.

“Hey!” I shouted. 

I know I should have locked my doors instead of running outside impulsively. I should have called the cops even. But here I was, running after the man who had been watching me.

“Hey!”

The man kept walking.

Anger flared hotter than fear. “Are you deaf?” I snapped, storming after him. “I’m talking to you!”

My breathing turned uneven as I got closer. Something about the way he moved made my stomach twist painfully.

But that was impossible… absolutely impossible.

“Stop walking!” I grabbed his arm hard enough to force him around.

But as soon as that action was taken, I

wished I could undo it.

The whiskey nearly came back up my throat, the world slowing to a stop.

Staring back at me was Anthony… and there went the last three years of my life.