Page 2 of Ghost Note

“Don’t do this,” he whispered roughly, drawing my eyes back up to him. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Tears formed, threatening to roll down my cheeks. “I love you, Danny.” It was a simple statement, but it was the strongest truth I had.

“Iknowthat. I know.”

“But it’s not enough.”

“Not… not enough to stop me.”

His words winded me, making my lips part, and my breath hitch in my throat. “It’s not enough,” I repeated quietly.

“Daisy, listen, there’s more I want to say but—”

“You should go.”

“Let’s just take a minute and talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re leaving. We’re over.”

Danny’s face fell, and the words that had always come to him so easily looked to be stuck in his throat as he stared at me helplessly.

I took a step back, retreating from his handsome face. I couldn’t look at the things I loved about him for a second longer, like the way his veins in his strong forearms pulsed beneath his skin, or the muscles that tensed beneath his tight, black T-shirt. I couldn’t see his strong jaw and perfect lips for a second more. The guitar was his addiction, yes, but he had always been mine. I was a young woman desperately in love, being crushed by a man I never thought would do this to me. Danny had always been one of the good ones. A boy who’d grown up too soon because his soul had been here before, and one who was chivalrous for his young years. He was the kind of guy who kept you safe from all the bad things out there in the world.

Until he became the worst thing to exist in mine.

“Go, Danny,” I croaked. “Just fucking go.”

He rose to a stand, his face creasing in pain with every step I retreated. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t handle him looking like the wounded victim when this was what he wanted. I couldn’t take on more pain when I could barely carry my own.

“Fine,” I whispered. “If you won’t, I will.”

“Zee…”

“Don’t you dare follow me.”

Just before I turned to run away, I thought I saw him reach out an arm and open his mouth to speak but whatever he had to say never got spoken. Whatever he thought about doing never got done, and so I ran.

I ran until my breaths became too tight, my feet became too clumsy, and my knees hit the dirt. My cries of despair filled the skies like those of a wolf howling to the moon. I broke apart under the blanket of a starry night, with nobody around me to pick me up or tell me everything would be okay, no matter how much I prayed.

No gods answered my calls.

No parents came to my rescue.

No friends found me in the dirt.

No lovers scooped me up in their arms.

And that was the fateful night that the love of my life, Danny Silver, chose a future with his band over a lifetime of contentment with me...

Thanks to a stupid little thing called music.

One

Five Years Later

“There you go, Mrs Rafferty.” I handed the paper bag filled with trinkets and balls of wool to the old lady who was a regular in the shop. “Make sure you take care and stay safe. Don’t let the sunshine fool you. I heard it could get a little stormy out there later.”

“I don’t ever let those silly old weather forecasts dupe me. I’m old enough to feel the rain approaching. Trust me, we’re going to be just fine today.”

---