DAISY

"Yes?" I answered as soon as I confirmed that Guy was far enough.

"Day?" I heard Cliff's voice on the other side.

It's been so long since I heard the timbre of his voice. I thought, for a moment, that I would feel all the emotions again, but nothing happened, except the bitterness in my mouth as I remembered our last argument in the parking lot.

"I've been trying to talk to you for days."

"You only texted me once," I said, keeping my tone steady. I sat down in the same place where Guy had been and sighed.

"I figured you'd need some time to digest everything."

Digest?

"I went to your parents' house this morning" he said. "Your dad told me you were here in Los Angeles and Elliot said you were spending time at a friend's house, but Cole looked irritated when he said that. I believe you asked him not to tell me about your whereabouts."

Shit. Elliot was terrible with secrets.

"Who is this friend?"

"Is that your concern?"

"I want to know if you're okay, because you don't know anyone here except Ian and Blair. And they don't even know you're still in Los Angeles."

"It's Guy. I'm at his house" I said, waiting for some reaction.

"I thought you didn't like him."

I looked at Guy on the other side of the store. He was talking with a woman in a scandalously short dress.

When the woman turned her back, he met my eyes and pointed to her, while holding up a piece of paper with what was supposed to be her phone number as if to say "Can you believe?"

I smiled.

The moment we had—if he brushing his huge hands against my arms can be called a moment—had quickly been left behind. Guy made every gesture look like it came out of a porn movie, but, obviously, I was nothing more than another ordinary Friday to him....

To think that, for a millisecond, I almost fell for his charm.

"He's a good host, even though he never cleans the pool" I shrugged.

"Day, please come back to our apartment" he asked, his voice breaking. "Just look at what you're putting at risk."

I poked a crystal in my dress as I listened to his words.

"It's seven years of relationship, I mean, you're throwing all of that away"

"Am I throwing it all away?" I felt my own voice increase "Once again you're blaming me for something you did, Cliff! I must remind you that I was not the one who cheated!"

"Well, you're with another guy right now."

I can't believe this. I can't believe he was actually putting that weight on my shoulders and I was carrying it like it was all my fault.

But thinking about everything we've been through, that was always Cliff. We fought over my work and it was my fault for getting such a demanding job. We fought about him breaking the dishwasher and it was my fault for not teaching him how to use it correctly.

I accepted all the blame like an idiot. Even now after finding that out, I still wish he would say that the thing with Margot or the words on the beach were an illusion in my head and that we could get back now, because somehow my brain still associated the image of Cliff with safety.

I was so stupid.

"Cliff, we're done. That's all I have to say."

"Dais-"

I hung up, and put my phone on silent before he could call again.

As we left the store with bags in hand, Guy turned on his heel to face me.

"Do you wanna hang out somewhere?" It was probably his way of asking if I was okay.

It was kinda cute.

"Oh... There's something you could do for me, but I don't know if it's appropriate" I said.

Guy stopped on the sidewalk and looked at me. I felt a chill on the back of my neck, because no one should be that beautiful. In the sunlight, his curly hair had almost an angelic shine on it and his irises were as blue as the ocean across the street.

"Tell me what your real name is."

"No way."

"Just one letter."

"Nope" he started walking again.

"Does it have the letter I? Just answer me this!"

Guy turned around again and our bodies almost collided with each other.

"Yes."

"Finley? Is your name Finley?" He didn't respond and kept walking to his car. "Well, that's what I'll call you now, Finley!"