Gray Archer

It's been a week since my birthday, and I can't stop thinking about Daisy.
I've caught myself glancing at her more often.
The little notes she leaves for herself on the fridge, in the kitchen have become a source of fascination for me. They're colorful and full of her bubbly personality, reminders of tasks and motivational quotes that make me smile.

My mind drifts back to the party. I still can't believe Lisa got me that first edition of "
Pride and Prejudice.
It's such a thoughtful gift, something I never expected from someone like her. Lisa has always struck me as arrogant and self centered, traits that make her difficult to be around. Yet, the book is undeniably special, and I can't shake the feeling that there's more to the story.

I hear a knock at my door, pulling me out of my thoughts. When I open it, I'm greeted by Lisa, her smile wide and her eyes gleaming with what looks like determination. I inwardly sigh. "Hey, Lisa. What brings you here?"

She steps inside without waiting for an invitation, her presence filling the room. "I wanted to see how you're doing, Gray. It's been a while since we talked outside of work."

"I'm fine." I say, closing the door behind her. "Just busy."

Lisa looks around my apartment, her eyes lingering on the book she gave me, which is sitting on the coffee table. "I see you're enjoying the book."

I nod, unsure of where this conversation is headed. "Yeah, it's great. Thanks again for it. It's an amazing gift."

She steps closer, her hand lightly touching my arm. "I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to get you something special, something that shows how much I care."

I take a step back, feeling uncomfortable with her proximity. "It's appreciated, Lisa. Really."

She pouts slightly, not taking the hint. "You know, Gray, I've always admired you. You're so dedicated and hardworking. I think we'd make a great team, both at work and outside of it."

I clear my throat, trying to maintain a professional distance. "What are you getting at?"

Her eyes narrow slightly, and she steps even closer, ignoring my attempt to put space between us. "Come on, Gray. Don't be so cold. We could have a lot of fun together."

I shake my head, feeling increasingly irritated. "No I'm good. Want something to drink?" I ask wanting to get away from her but she follows me into the kitchen.

She huffs, clearly not used to being rejected. "Wine" she says then stands in front of the fridge. Looking at the colorful sticky notes on it. She lets out an evil laugh.
"Is she 10? This is so stupid, it ruins the clean aesthetic in here." She says moving to take them off but I quickly grab her hand and push it away.

"Don't touch them. She has built her own order, let her have them." I say not trying to sound too protective over her.

"Please Gray, you can't let your assistant change your lifestyle. She is supposed to adapt to your life, not the other way around." She says rolling her eyes in frustration.

If she wasn't a woman I would probably fight her by now.

"Why are you so difficult? Any other guy would kill to be in your position right now." She says moving closer as I pour her a glass of wine.

I shake my head, standing my ground. "I'm not any other guy. And I'm not interested, Lisa."

Her eyes flash with anger, but she quickly masks it with a fake smile. "Fine, Gray. But don't think I'll give up that easily. I know you guys like it the hard way." She says sipping on her wine.

As she walks back to the living room, I can't help but think about how different this encounter would be if Daisy were here.
We'd probably be making fun of Lisa's persistence and arrogance, sharing a laugh over the absurdity of it all.
Daisy's presence always brings a sense of ease and warmth that I find myself craving more and more.

***

After Lisa leaves, I slump onto the couch, my mind drifting back to Daisy. Her smile, the way she makes me feel understood and appreciated.
It all circles in my head like a comforting refrain.
And then there's my father, who was arrested for being too drunk again. Hearing about it on the news was like a punch to the gut, a stark reminder of the chaos I've tried so hard to distance myself from.

I need coffee.

As I wait for the water to boil, I find myself looking forward to seeing Daisy at work tomorrow, to seeing her smile and hearing her laugh. She's become a bright spot in my life, and I can't ignore the fact that I've fallen for her.
Now, I just need to figure out what to do about it.

This has never happened to me before. I've never felt this way about anyone else. And god it's scaring me.

***

Next morning Daisy doesn't show up at breakfast. And I hate that it makes my mornings bad.

I head out to James and he opens the door for me to step inside the car.

"Morning Mr Gray." James says as I greet him with a smile. James is my most loyal worker. He's stuck with me since I fist started working at Lustre. He knows a lot about me.

"Morning. Do you know why Daisy didn't show up today?" I ask as James nods.

"Yes, she said she wasn't feeling good and would be staying home today." James says. Why didn't she tell me that.

We are quiet for a minute before James breaks the silence. "So...did you like the book?" He asks.

"I loved it." I say confused.
I never told James anything about the present. How could he possibly know about it?

"She looked everywhere for it poor girl. She worked hard for it. We drove an hour away and she cleaned the whole bookshop just to get you that book. She really cares for you, Mr. Archer," James says.

"Lisa?" I ask, my confusion growing.

"What? No...not Lisa. I'm talking about the Pride and Prejudice book Daisy got for you" he says.

My heart skips a beat, and I feel a rush of emotions. "Daisy got it for me?" I ask, my voice tinged with disbelief.

James nods, looking slightly puzzled by my reaction. "Yeah, she did. She went through a lot of trouble to get that book for you. Didn't she tell you?"

I'm stunned. It doesn't make sense. If Daisy got me the book, why would she let Lisa take the credit? My mind races, trying to piece together the events of the past week. The thought of Daisy going to such lengths to get me something so meaningful tugs at my heartstrings.

"I...I didn't know" I say slowly, my mind reeling. "Thank you for telling me, James."

James nods and we arrive at the office. I step out and he leaves me standing there, grappling with the revelation.
I feel a mix of awe and confusion.
Daisy did all of that for me? She cleaned a whole bookshop just to get me a gift she knew I'd love. But why would she let Lisa take the credit?

My mind flashes back to the party, to the way Daisy stayed in the background, looking uncomfortable. I remember her forced smiles and the way she seemed off. It all starts to make sense now. She must have been devastated, watching Lisa bask in my gratitude for something Daisy did.

Anger flares up inside me at the thought of Lisa manipulating the situation, taking something so pure and meaningful and using it for her own gain. But more than that, I feel a deep sense of gratitude and admiration for Daisy. She's selfless, kind, and has a heart of gold. And she did this for me.

I need to talk to her. I need to understand why she didn't tell me. Why she let Lisa take something that was rightfully hers.

***

After a long day at the office, I can't wait to find Daisy.
She stayed home today because she wasn't feeling well, and I've been thinking about her all day.

I drive to her house and text her.

"I'm outside."

She unlocks the door and walks towards me.
She's wearing one of her cozy sweaters, her hair a bit tousled, and there's a softness in her eyes that makes my heart swell.

I walk up to her, closing the gap between us. She looks up at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "Hey" she says softly.

"Hey" I reply, admiring her. She's perfect in every way, and I can't believe she went through all that trouble just to get me the book.
"Did you get the book?" I ask not wanting to wait another minute to know the truth.

She looks down, a shy smile spreading across her face.
"Who told you?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

"James." I say, watching her reaction. She nods slowly, and I can't help but smile. Gently, I reach out touch her face, she leans into the touch. I put my fingers on her chin forcing her to look at me.
"Did you clean the whole shop to get me that book?" I ask.

She smiles. "For 6 hours." She says looking embarrassed.

"Why didn't you tell me, Daisy?"

She looks into my eyes, and I can see the conflict there.
"I...I can't tell you, Gray." She says.

"You can trust me Daze. I want this to work." I admit.

"You don't know me. I'm not good for you Gray." She says with tears in her eyes.

I shake my head, my hand still holding her chin.
"Daisy, I know everything about you.
I know that you talk to yourself whenever you feel alone...I know that you scrunch your nose when disagreeing with something...I know that you hum to yourself when you're in deep thought...I know that you go out of your way to make everyone around you feel special and loved. And I know that you are the most selfless, kind hearted person I've ever met."

Her eyes glisten with tears, and she starts to shake her head, but I don't let her. "I know that you care more about others than yourself...I know that you make the best coffee and add a little extra sugar on yours because you like things sweet...I know everything about you and it drives me crazy to not be close to you."

She swallows hard, her eyes locked on mine. "Gray..." I stop her.

"I need you to know that you are everything I've ever wanted and needed. I see you, Daisy. I see the real you, and god I'm falling so hard for you."

She blinks, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Gray, I..."

"Shh," I whisper, pulling her closer.
"You don't have to say anything. Just know that I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Whatever it is you're afraid to tell me, we'll face it. You're not alone anymore."

And then without thinking Daisy grabs my shirt and smashes our lips together. I immediately give in.
My hands go to her waist pressing her closer to me. Our heated bodies connecting. Her hands go to my hair and she deepens the kiss.
Her perfume floods my nose with familiar scent of vanilla. I'm crazy for her.
I smile against her lips.
We break away for a moment, looking at each other, both blushing.

I look into her green eyes before I kiss her again not having enough of her. Stronger this time.
One of my hands go to her neck tilting her head up for better access.
My heart pounding harder for every second as I struggle to realize this is reality. It's like a new sensation, a new wanting that I just had to have.
I need her closer to me. She pulls away slightly connecting our foreheads. Still closed eyes.

We are both breathless, barely able to speak. She sighs. "Gray?" She starts.
"Promise me...that you won't trust me, ever." She says. And I can't help but wonder what battles she's facing in her mind.

"It's already too late. I trust you completely Daze. I'm all yours." I say as she grabs my hands.
Her hands that fits perfectly in mine.

I can never get enough of her touch.

So our first real kiss happened. <3
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