All Chapters of Divorce didn't make me your ex: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

DANIELAI swipe the cotton pad over my eye, trying to remove every last bit of makeup. I’ve already changed into my pajamas, so once I finish cleansing my face, I can crawl into bed and sleep. My feet are killing me from all that walking in heels.After five more minutes of scrubbing my face, I brush my teeth and call it a night.I lie down, close my eyes hoping sleep will come quickly, but it doesn’t. My mind is racing with everything that happened earlier. Josh meeting my friends and the looks Ryan was giving him. His hands on my body and the way we danced. His fingers lingering on my lower lip. The look in his eyes. I don’t think he even realizes the way he looks at me sometimes.I open my eyes and stare at the smooth white ceiling, biting my lower lip between my teeth.Am I attracted to him?Or was whatever happened tonight just the vibe of dancing and having fun? I’ve never really thought about it. Josh is a very handsome guy, I won’t lie, but there’s a big difference between lik

JOSHUA— Guys, I’m going to have serious problems if I don’t decide what to get her — Anthony says, spinning in the chair at my desk.He’s been complaining to us for twenty-five minutes about not knowing what to buy his girlfriend for her birthday, as if I could actually help with that.— I don’t know, man, like, maybe buy her a perfume? — Freddie tries to help while I keep working on my new painting.— I got her one for her birthday last year. I can’t give her the same thing again! I need something else — he says, letting out a loud sigh.— Then buy her jewelry — Freddie suggests.— Nah… actually, yes! I’ll get her a necklace. She loves wearing something around her neck.Anthony stops spinning and turns his attention to my painting.— Who’s that?— No one, just a figure — I say.I never paint real people or faces. Anyway, I couldn’t do it with my fingers. I only paint figures or shadows.— You sure? Because none of your other paintings have a woman in them — Freddie says.— Yeah, I’m

DANIELA— Have you ever been in a relationship before? — Josh asks me while we’re sitting on our balconies late at night.— Yeah, I have — I say, pulling my blanket closer around me.— How many?— Just two. I was sixteen when I got into my first one—it only lasted seven months. A year later, I got into my second, and that one lasted longer, almost a year and five months — I say, resting my head against the cold metal railing.— So your second one ended at the beginning of this year — he turns his head to look at me.— Yeah, it ended nine months ago, so I’m definitely over it. For real.— What were the reasons for the breakups, if you don’t mind me asking? — he says, playing with the rings on his fingers, his face calm.— My first relationship ended because I just wasn’t ready to have sex and he wanted to, so we broke up. My second one ended because of distance. He was going to another university in another country, and we thought it would be better to end things before it got harder.

DANIELAOkay, I grabbed jeans, a hoodie, a sleeveless high-neck top to wear underneath, a bra and panties, and what else am I missing? I look around my room to see what I’m forgetting.Of course!I rush to my desk, grab my camera, and toss it into the bag with the rest. A soft knock on my balcony door makes me jump. When I turn, I see Josh standing there.Damn! I forgot to tell him I’m going away for the weekend.I open the door and let him step into my room for the first time. I watch him enter carefully, glancing around.— Hey — I say, going back to my bag to double-check I have everything before zipping it up.— Hey. Going somewhere? — he asks, lifting the strap of my bag.— Yeah, actually I was going to tell you I’m leaving today and coming back Monday morning — I say, sitting on my bed.— Where are you going? — He lets go of the strap and wanders around.— I’m going with my friends on a mini trip to the forest. I was going to ask if you wanted to come since I knew being out in na

JOSHUATime flies when you’re having fun. I’d be having even more fun if Ryan weren’t on this trip with us.I hate how easily he draws Daniela’s attention. It was weird watching them play in the water together, walk side by side, talk, and listen to Daniela laugh at his jokes. He’s like a completely different person when he interacts with her or any of her friends. In those moments, I can really see the sweet guy Daniela told me he was. But the second his eyes land on me, all that sweetness disappears.It’s like he’s nice to his friends, but when it comes to new people, he suddenly turns critical and rude.I think the way someone behaves toward strangers says a lot about who they are as a person. If you’re only nice to me but an asshole to everyone else, then I don’t want you in my life.From the very first moment we met, he judged me and jumped to conclusions without knowing anything about me. He’s the one who looked at me like I was his competition for Daniela. I never once showed i