“Why?”

“Because I like you. I like you a lot, Molly.”

“Then I’m afraid we can’t do this friend thing very well.”

“Molly, don’t—”

“I mean it. I don’t need distractions right now. I can’t handle a relationship. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to.”

I wasn’t ready, and neither was he. He didn’t see the signs that I did: the daisies, and the way he was with Mackenzie. He missed Daisy and their baby. He wanted a life from the past, and I couldn’t go back. I could never look back at what could have been, because it would drive me insane. It would drive me to cut myself again, so I could drain life out of my wrists.

After a moment of silence, he finally said, “If I can only have a friend in you, I’ll take it, because I cannot imagine not having you in my life at all.”

So that’s what we became: summer friends. I studied during the year and came back for the summer to watch Mackenzie and work at Doctor Burke’s office. Our happiness wouldn’t last long, though, because our best friend was about to have her heart broken.