kai parker • villains of circumstance ✔️

CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE

"Here." Alaric says, walking in with a red wool blanket.

Josette grabbed it from him, wrapping it around Daisy and holding onto her shoulders to help her up. Daisy wasn't that hurt, but she was so cold that standing up on her own felt impossible.

The blanket didn't provide that much warmth as they walked into the cold, but Josette being beside her did. She held onto her the whole walk to the truck.

The drive to wherever they were going was fairly silent, despite the few murmurs exchanged between Josette and Alaric. There was nothing on Daisy's part. She just sat there, eyes lifeless and still as she couldn't help but wish she was back asleep. Dreaming about something else.

They took her back to Josette's apartment. Alaric was clearly not happy about it, but Daisy still didn't blame him for the resentment. She took a warm shower, and changed into dry clothes. But didn't feel any better than she did before.

When she walked out of the bathroom, Alaric and Josette's conversation fell short, and they both looked at her. It was immediately awkward, because Daisy knew they were talking about her, and they knew Daisy knew.

Josette cleared her throat. "How's your hand?" She asked.

Daisy glanced down at her palm, the one that she unintentionally sliced up last night with a shard of glass. It was wrapped earlier, but only for a few minutes because before she got in the shower she took it off. "It's—"

"I'll wrap it again." Josette says, getting off the couch and toward her medical bag.

Daisy shook her head quickly. "Josette, it's fine." She says. "I'm probably just gonna go."

Josette turns and looks at her. "Go?" She narrows her eyebrows. "Where?"

Daisy hadn't thought that far yet. "Find a hotel, or something."

"And then do what?" Josette asks.

Daisy takes a deep, frustrated breath. "I don't know. I just— I need to think."

"You can think here." Josette says.

Daisy shakes her head, she wanted to start gathering her stuff together, but she had nothing to gather. "Not with you watching my every move." She scoffs lightly. "I'm fine. Really. It's not like I'm gonna go off and kill myself." She jokes. It didn't land.

Josette bit the inside of her cheek, glancing at Alaric who even had a little bit of sympathy in his eyes. "At least stay for dinner."

It was at that moment Daisy realized what time it was. She glanced over to the clock on the oven. Almost five. How long was she asleep in that bathroom? She wasn't that tired. Maybe it was the crying, or maybe—

"I was dead. Wasn't I?" Daisy asks, the words feeling strange coming out of her mouth. She could tell the question didn't resonate very well with her audience, they quickly became uncomfortable. "Hypothermia?"

Josette took a sharp breath, glancing at Alaric like he'd know how to respond. "Yeah." Josette nods a little. "We think. Don't know for sure." They were walking on eggshells around her, afraid any wrong words would set her off in a crying fit.

When in reality, crying was the last thing on her mind. Her emotions felt stagnant. "Doesn't matter, I guess." Daisy says. "It felt like I was asleep. I guess it's sort of the same thing now." 'Now'. No, it's always been the same thing. You just didn't know. Her continued lighthearted comments were still not making anyone in the room feel any less uncomfortable than they were.