The First Step Back

Daisy sat across from Louis, her hands clenched beneath the table as she tried to calm the racing thoughts in her mind. The restaurant was quiet, the kind of high-end place where hushed whispers and the soft clinking of glasses filled the air. Louis had yet to say much, his eyes distant, as though he'd already made up his mind. He looked just like she remembered—tall, composed, and heartbreakingly handsome. The silence between them stretched as Daisy gathered the courage to speak.

"I’m glad you made it," Louis finally said, his voice low, betraying none of the emotions she knew he had once held for her. "We need to talk about us."

Daisy's heart squeezed at his words. This was it—the moment he had planned to break things off. She had been preparing for this. Her eyes met his, and she forced herself to speak, her voice trembling slightly. "Louis, I know things have been difficult between us. But I want to fix this. I realize now how much I took you for granted."

Louis raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by her straightforwardness. "That’s... unexpected," he said, leaning back in his chair. "You’ve never been one for apologies. What’s going on, Daisy?"

Taking a deep breath, she pressed on. "I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I let my pride and my insecurities push you away. But I’ve had time to think, and I’m ready to change. I want to do better, for both of us."

Louis watched her carefully, his expression unreadable. "Daisy, you’re not someone who changes overnight. This—" he gestured between them, "—has been falling apart for a while. Why now?"

Daisy’s hands tightened into fists under the table. How could she explain without telling him the truth? That she had already lost him once, that she had seen their future crumble in the most painful ways possible? Instead, she said softly, "Because I finally understand how much you mean to me. I don’t want to lose you, Louis. Not again."

For a moment, Louis just stared at her, and she thought she had lost him for good. Then, slowly, he let out a sigh. "I don’t know if I can believe you, Daisy. You’ve hurt me too many times. You’ve been reckless, selfish, and I can’t keep pretending everything’s fine."

"I know," she said quickly, her voice rising in desperation. "I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. But give me a chance to prove it. Let me show you that I’ve changed."

Louis studied her for a long time, and Daisy held her breath, praying that he would give her the chance she so desperately needed. Finally, he nodded, albeit cautiously. "Alright. We’ll take things slow. No promises, but I’m willing to see if you mean what you’re saying."

Daisy exhaled, relief flooding her. It wasn’t a full reconciliation, but it was a start. "Thank you, Louis. You won’t regret this."

He gave her a small, almost sad smile. "I hope not."

---

After their date, Daisy left the restaurant feeling a mix of emotions—relief that Louis hadn’t ended things but anxiety about how fragile their relationship still was. As she walked out of the restaurant and headed to the parking lot, her phone buzzed. She pulled it out to see a message from Natalie.

Natalie: “How was the date with Louis? Still sure you can handle him on your own?”

Daisy’s grip on the phone tightened, her jaw clenching at the sight of Natalie’s message. In her previous life, she would have confided in Natalie, her so-called best friend, who had secretly orchestrated her downfall. But now, Daisy knew better. This time, she wasn’t going to be the naive girl who trusted the wrong people.

Her fingers hovered over the screen before she typed back.

Daisy: “Yeah, I’m more than sure. Don’t worry about me.”

With a smirk, she put her phone away. She knew Natalie was already trying to get into her head, but Daisy wasn’t going to fall for her games this time. She would play along for now, but she would stay ahead of Natalie’s schemes. This time, she was determined to protect her relationship with Louis—and her life.

---

Later that evening, Daisy returned home to find Liam and Dandelion waiting in the living room. Their eyes lit up when she walked in, though Liam immediately caught the tension in her face.

"How did it go?" Liam asked, putting down his book.

Daisy forced a smile, feeling the weight of the day pressing on her. "It was... okay. Louis is willing to give us another chance."

Liam’s face softened, though his eyes were still filled with concern. "I’m glad to hear that. But you seem upset. Are you sure everything’s alright?"

Daisy hesitated, then shook her head. "I don’t know. It’s hard, trying to fix things. I’m scared I’ll mess up again."

Dandelion, who had been quiet, came over and put a hand on Daisy’s shoulder. "You won’t. You’re already different, Daisy. We can all see it."

Liam stood up, pulling her into a hug. "Just take it one step at a time. You don’t have to rush. We’re all here for you, okay?"

Daisy leaned into her brother’s embrace, grateful for their unwavering support. "Thanks, Liam. I’m going to make things right, I promise."

---

Later that night, Daisy stood by her bedroom window, staring out at the moonlit sky. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Louis might be giving her another chance, but Natalie was still out there, waiting to sabotage her again.

She thought back to the past, to all the times Natalie had pretended to be her friend, all the while plotting behind her back. This time, things would be different. Daisy was ready for her. She wasn’t going to let Natalie—or anyone else—ruin her life again.

As she closed her eyes, the determination within her solidified. The next steps would be difficult, but she had come too far to back down now. She had been given a second chance, and she wasn’t going to waste it.

With one final glance at the night sky, Daisy whispered to herself, "I won’t lose this time. Not to Natalie, and not to myself."

And with that, she turned off the lights, ready to face whatever came next.