CHAPTER 6
DAISY
Bella and Noah bicker as they exit the bar and make their way across the gravel lot in the direction of Noah’s truck, completely oblivious to the emotional turmoil currently going on inside of me.
Noah stops first, his brows furrowing in confusion as he sweeps his eyes around the parking lot in search of his friend.
“Where’s Killian?” Bella asks, her steps faltering.
I keep my eyes on Noah as I respond. “He told me to tell you he’s walking home.”
Noah’s frown deepens. “His truck is parked at my house.”
I shrug. “He didn’t mention his truck.”
Noah sighs and unlocks his truck. “Come on. I’ll drop you two home and then go and find him.”
We don’t say anything more as we climb into the truck.
The drive from the bar to our house is short but feels long as tense silence swirls around the dark cab.
Lights from the town whiz past the windows and that, combined with the alcohol and the events of the last twenty minutes make me feel dizzy, so I lean my head back against the seat and close my eyes.
The conversation with Killian plays on a loop in my brain, his familiar words threatening to drag me into the past.
***
“I’m scared, Killian.”
His deep laugh skates over my shoulder, sending shivers coasting down my spine. “Don’t be, angel. I’ll be right here the whole time.”
I look up at the horse and swallow. “What if I fall?”
“Look at me, Dais,” he says from behind me, and I turn in his arms, tilting my head back to meet his slate-coloured eyes.
He brings a hand up, cupping my face and I lean into his touch. “If you fall, I’ll catch you. I’ll always catch you.”
“You promise?”
He places a delicate kiss on my lips, pulling back all too quickly. “I promise, angel.”
My insides warm at the nickname he gave me on our first date. We’ve been dating for two months now, and I’ve known that I’m in love with him for one of those months.
I haven’t told him yet, though.
Part of me is afraid that if I say it, I’ll scare him away. The other part of me is worried that I’m confusing a crush with love.
I mean, I’ve never been in love before so I can’t be sure that’s what I’m feeling, but when he looks at me the way he is now my heart races, butterflies take flight in my stomach, and I feel like I would do just about anything in the world to keep him looking at me that way forever.
Is it normal to feel this way at sixteen-years-old, or is this that puppy love my mom always told me about?
“You ready?” He asks, his voice slightly breathless and I blink up at him in a daze.
I run my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. “Ready for what?”
“To get on the horse,” he smirks.
Heat creeps into my cheeks. “Oh!” I squeak. “Yeah. Sorry.”
Killian laughs lightly and moves behind me again, placing his hands on my hips as he helps me up into the stirrups. I swing my leg over with very little grace and land in the saddle with an oomph.
The horse, whose name I learned is Ace, moves slightly and I panic, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck.
A booming laugh comes from below me, “Dais, you need to let go of his neck.”
I shake my head. “Uh-uh. I think I’m good here, actually.”
I can’t see him, but I can hear his wheezing laugh as he circles the horse to enter my eyeline. “Do you trust me, angel?”
I nod, still not releasing my grip on Ace’s neck.
“Good. Let go and sit up.”
Taking a deep, shaky breath, I do as he says. Killian keeps hold of the reins, keeping the horse steady as I slowly move upright.
Once he’s happy with my position, he hands the reins to me, showing me how to hold them.
“I’m gonna walk a little now, okay?”
I give another shaky nod. “Okay.”
Ace jerks forward slightly before falling into a slow walk behind Killian. He takes us around the large paddock and after the second pass, I gain a little confidence, my body starting to relax.
A huge smile spreads across my face when Ace speeds up a little, causing the wind to whip against my hair.
I’m not sure how long we spend out there riding, but the sun is beginning to set behind the snow-capped mountains when we finally come to a stop back where we started. My face is frozen from the cool, late autumn air and my cheeks ache from smiling so much.
“That was amazing!” I all-but squeal as Killian helps me down.
“You enjoyed it, huh?” He asks, his eyes searching my face, a small smirk playing on his lips.
“I loved it,” I breathe, staring up into his dark eyes.
He sweeps the hair back off my forehead gently before leaning down and rubbing his nose against mine. “And I love you.”
***
“Dais?” A voice jerks me out of the memory and my eyes snap open.
“Huh?” I ask, looking around in confusion. I’m still in the back seat of Noah’s truck. Only now we’re parked outside of our house.
“You’re crying,” Bella states, concern etched all over her face.
“I am?” I ask, swiping at my face. Sure enough, my hands come away wet with tears.
“Are you okay?”
I dip my head in a barely-there nod, reaching for the door handle. “I’m fine, Bells. Thanks for the ride, Noah.”
I take off toward the front of the house before either of them can question me further.
The moment my bedroom door closes behind me, I collapse against it, the sob I was holding in breaking free from my throat. I let the emotions take over as I sink to the floor and grieve for everything I’ve lost.