Ghosts ✔

122 • Fye

Nothing felt more bitter than going to a wedding when your own relationship had just ended. Yet, Fye didn't have the heart to stay away. Amy was the only person she still considered as a friend and Kozik had always been nice to her. 

Almost three weeks had passed since she'd left Juice. The first days he had sent her a lot of texts telling her how sorry he was and that he hoped they could talk about it once she was ready. 

Fye had no idea when she would be ready. Maybe never. 

She'd gone to the wedding with Kip. Recently he had moved to a town close to Charming. He was the only one she had filled in about her future plans, and he had offered her his spare room until the wedding was over. 

Which was almost. 

The ceremony was over. Most of the time she'd stared at her knees. She really wanted to be happy for her friend, but she kept thinking how much she'd wanted to stand there with the man of her dreams herself. She'd never been lucky in love, and Juice hadn't made things better. All this time she had been a distraction, some consolation prize. Something she had known from the moment Dana came back from the death, and still she had stayed with him, hoping carrying his baby would make a difference. 

As if that was a means to force love. 

It made no sense, she knew that all too well. The loneliness however hadn't been easy either and so she had settled with being someone's second choice. Now she felt ashamed of herself. 

On purpose, Fye hadn't looked around. Now she had congratulated the bride and groom and the party was starting, it was harder to hide. Getting a non-alcoholic drink at the bar, she stood on the side line. This was Kozik and Amy's day; how she felt wasn't important right now. 

After tomorrow, everything would be different anyway. 

Skittishly she looked around. There he stood, a couple of feet away from her. He was talking to Bobby and Jax, talking elatedly and even laughing. It was no act, his face told her he was doing well. A stab of jealousy tortured her stomach. Maybe she should be happy for him, but right now there was too much anger and hurt inside her. 

"Hey," a friendly voice sounded next to her. 

Fye tensed. She didn't want to talk to Dana any more than to Juice. Kip might have made things right with her, but she still felt betrayed by her friend. 

"You'd like to take a walk? There's a beautiful path crossing the flower gardens."

"No thanks," she huffed. 

"Okay." Dana didn't walk away. Fye had no illusions; Dana knew very well she wanted to be alone. Nevertheless, she kept standing next to her. "I thought talking there would be easier than here," she said, waving to the band who was playing a little ahead of them. 

Fye gritted her teeth. Even when she would walk away, Dana would probably follow her. It was better to get over with it. 

"Okay fine," she sighed. "Then take me to those gardens."

Dana smiled. It was no satisfied smirk, it was a genuine smile making Fye's blood boil. Whatever Dana did, whatever emotions she felt, she always seemed to behave perfectly. 

Dana led her to a path leading away from the party. As the noise faded, they sat down on a bench. 

Fye stared at her hands. She felt really vulnerable. 

"How are you?" Dana asked. 

Her soft voice made Fye shiver. Her friendliness felt fake, even when she knew it wasn't.