Chapter 7
By now, the effect of the margarita in my system has faded away. I find it strange how shock seems to drain alcohol from the body. We're strolling along the beach.
After witnessing what happened, I couldn't bear staying there any longer. Christine, as usual, is pretending everything's fine, and I resent her for it now. I shouldn't judge her, but given her past, did she really need to do that? It was just a kiss, right? Nothing more! At least, that's what I tell myself. I speak of the Rhode brothers' kissing skills as if I've experienced Jeremiah's. Gina and Michelle seemed to have hit it off during the short time Sophie and I left them alone. We're avoiding Christine, giving her the silent treatment, even dodging her attempts at conversation.
"Hey there, Señorita!" Daniel's husky voice, familiar to me, calls out. Out of all the places in Mexico, he's here? Right now, I strangely appreciate his presence. As always, having a flirty ex around serves as a perfect excuse to avoid Christine.
"Stalking me?" I ask, resting my hands on my hips, turning to face him.
"That yacht party was mine. I organized it." Of course, that makes sense. Gina's a huge fan, so she probably saw it on his social media. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," he asks, leaving me puzzled.
"Since when did you start reading people's emotions?"
He pockets his hands, glances down, and continues, "It's been years, Kylie. I'm not the same person anymore." Daniel looks directly into my eyes, expressing something unexpected. "While we're at it, I want to apologize for what happened in high school. I know I acted foolishly and never once said sorry. I'm truly sorry." My friends are too far ahead to catch me if I fall. It's the most sincere thing I've heard him say.
"Surprisingly, I'm a bit shocked," I manage to say. "Honestly, I'm not even angry at you. I forgave you long ago for my own peace of mind."
"I know! You're an amazing person." I attempt a sweet smile and go in for a hug. It's odd; he still wears the same cologne. I guess some things never change.
"Kylie!" Justin's voice interrupts. I turn to face him and the others. We left them at the party since we didn't arrive together. Apart from Christine, whom they saw, I doubt they noticed us. Justin gently takes my arm and leads me away from Daniel and his friends.
"What were you doing?" he asks, giving me a curious look.
"Hugging an old friend!"
"An old friend or an ex?" His mention of Daniel catches me off guard. I don't recall ever discussing Daniel with him. "Yeah, that idiot wasted no time reminding me he's your ex." His tone remains calm, and I'm relieved. Glancing back, I see Alex and the rest have disappeared.
"I don't think he meant it maliciously. It was just a friendly hug."
"So now you're defending him?" Justin's close to raising his voice. I sigh and attempt to leave, but he forcefully grabs my arm. "You make it difficult to trust you sometimes." He's almost yelling. I try to keep my cool.
"Is it me making it hard to trust or your insecurities getting the better of you?"
"So I'm the insecure one?"
"Yes! You've no idea how tough it is. It's not easy!" I walk away, leaving him alone in the cold, clad in just a black T-shirt."