Page 39 of The Girl I Once Loved

But just as I think that they are finally done, Stacy shocks the hell out of me with her next words.

“Daisy, would you be a dear and take Joshua to his dad so me and Skylar could have a private word? Micheal should be in there somewhere,” she points to the crowded market.

‘Don’t do it, Daisy! Don’t you dare leave me with this woman!’ my gaze begs, but apparently my sister either doesn’t see the plea in my eyes or ignores it completely.

“Sure. After you’re done, you know where to find me, Sky. Okay?” She arches a stern brow.

Fuckity fuck.

She wants me to play nice.

With Stacy fucking Monroe!

Is my sister high?!

“Why the hell not?” I answer with a bitter tone, uncaring if my sister likes my attitude or not.

She throws me a displeased frown but takes hold of Stacy’s stroller and begins to walk the opposite way into the large crowd of people, without so much a goodbye.

Not liking the position she’s put me in, I cross my arms and stare daggers into Stacy as she tries to find the words to say to me.

“God, I’ve thought so long on what I would say to you when this moment came, I’m a little lost on where to start,” she says nervously.

“An ‘I’m sorry’ would be a good start,” I quip back with all the venom I have running through my veins for her, but it doesn’t seem to dismay her in any way.

“You’re right. I am sorry. I wasn’t very nice to you when we were kids. In fact, I was a total bitch to you. I know that. And I’m sorry if I ever did anything to cause you any pain. It was never my intention.”

Is this woman for real?

“You’re joking, right?” I scoff. “You and I both know that it was always your intention to hurt me. Or do you think I’ve forgiven you for sending me to the hospital almost at death’s door? How about how you almost drowned me? How you made me the laughingstock at school, and how you and your asshole friends bullied me every day. Trauma like that isn’t so easily swept under the rug and forgotten, you know?”

To her credit, her eyes lower in shame, as if embarrassed of the things she did to me.

And as I scowl at her lowered gaze, I’m not blind to how she carries herself differently. She looks softer, kinder even, but I’m not fooled. I’ve been on this merry-go-round before, where people aren’t exactly as they seem. They say one thing but do the opposite.

No.

I don’t care if Stacy believes she’s changed.

A snake may shed its skin, but they are still cold-blooded predators, ready to jump at you the minute you’ve lowered your guard to pierce their fangs into your flesh and poison you from within.

And Stacy is a snake if I ever saw one, and not her, or anyone else will change my mind on that front.

“You’re right,” she repeats sullenly. “I know you’re right. I did do all of those things. And that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry and that I hope that maybe one day we can put the past behind us and be friends.”

Scratch that.

Daisy isn’t the only one that’s high around here.

Stacy must be on some very powerful hallucinogenic drugs if she thinks we’ll ever be friends.

“I know it will take some time, but I honestly believe we can get there. I mean, we’re about to become family after all.”

Oh, no she didn’t.

“Listen to me very closely, Stacy.” I seethe through gritted teeth. “We are not family. Not now. Not ever. There is no written rule that says just because Daisy is marrying your brother, we have to be close. I can be civil, for my sister’s sake, but don’t expect me to be your friend, much less your family,” I explain arcticly, doing everything in my power not to drop her here where she stands with just one punch.

Stacy might have spent time wondering what to tell me if our paths ever crossed again, but so have I. And in all the scenarios I played in my head, she was on her hands and knees with a bloody lip after I sucker punched her to the ground.

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