Page 99 of Sweet Harmony

“Are youseriously going to tell me that you don’t miss me?” he said.

“What would Imiss?” she asked, that unexpected anger still bubbling inside ofher. “You and I aren’t friends, Daniel. I thought we were, I reallydid, and for a long time I believed we could have more, but thatisn’t true, is it?”

He gave her anuncomfortable look and shoved his hands back into his pockets.“Doll, I don’t -”

“Do not call medoll. I am not a doll or a toy for you to play with at your whim. Iam a real person with thoughts and feelings, and I know that you’vebeen using my affection for you since we were kids. I know that,Daniel. And I was okay with it, because I loved you and I wanted tobe with you so bad that I was willing to take whatever scrap ofattention you doled out to me.”

“Kira, I didn’t-”

“But notanymore,” she went on relentlessly. “My eyes are finally open, andI see you for who you are. A selfish guy who used a girl’s crush onhim to get what he wanted.”

“That isn’ttrue,” Daniel said. “I care about you, Kira. I’m sorry that I’m notin love with you the way you want me to be, but I still care aboutyou as a friend.”

“Oh yeah?When’s my birthday, Daniel?”

He hesitatedand she made a small bitter laugh. “What’s my favourite colour?When did I learn to drive? How long was I depressed after myparents died?”

He didn’treply, and she sighed and gave him a look of sorrow and regret.“You don’t know because you didn’t come around much during thattime, did you? I couldn’t be the attentive, everything is aboutDaniel, Kira that you were used to, so you just disappeared. Youwalked away when I needed support the most.”

She wiped awaythe tears that were starting to stream down her face. “The worstpart? I forgave you for it. I loved you so much that I told myselfit didn’t matter that you abandoned me during the worst time of mylife. I told myself that not everyone was good with death and withgrieving and it didn’t matter because I had Gideon and Grace totake care of me.”

“I’m sorry,Kira.” Daniel’s voice was low, the look on his face one of genuineregret.

“I know youare,” she said. “But it’s too late. I don’t love you anymore andright now? I don’t want to be your friend either. I can’t keepgiving and giving and not receiving anything in return. That isn’thow a friendship works. I deserve better than you, DanielMoore.”

She turned andwalked away. Halfway up the porch steps, he called her name. Sheturned around and studied him in the glow from the streetlights.

“I’m sorry,Kira. I really am,” Daniel said.

“I’ll see youaround, Daniel.”

ChapterEighteen

“It’s twentyminutes after your appointment time,” Kira glanced at her watch.“I’m going to go ask the nurse where he is.”

“It’s fine,”Connor said. “Orthopedic specialists are always running late.”

She chewed ather bottom lip and, without thinking, he reached out and caught herhand, linking their fingers together. “He’ll be here soon.”

She smiled athim before staring at their clasped hands. “I’m sorry. I’m supposedto be supporting you in this moment.”

“You are,” hesaid.

“Yeah, myskyrocketing anxiety must be super helpful for you,” she said.

He smiled andsqueezed her hand. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Me too.” Shestudied his mouth and then looked away, the telltale flush ofembarrassment rising in her cheeks.

“I’m sorryabout yesterday,” he said. “I ignored you all day and that wasreally immature of me.”

“It’s okay,”she said. “I upset you.”

“But that’s noexcuse,” he said. “I hate when people call me cold, but that’sexactly what I was to you and it wasn’t right. I’m sorry.”

“You’re notcold,” she said. “But apology accepted. Also, I’m sorry for, um,upsetting you Wednesday night. I didn’t mean to.”

“It isn’t yourfault that I’m jealous of Daniel. Some fake boyfriend I turned outto be, huh?”

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