Ten

Chapter Ten: frozen

Jose had a car accident and was rushed to the city hospital. It wasn't anything life-threatening—just a few scrapes on his arm and a cut on his face—but it still shook Will when he heard the news. The thought of anything happening to his younger brother made his chest tighten. He didn't waste a second. He left everything and headed straight to the hospital.

The city hospital.

That fact alone made his stomach twist, because she worked there. Daisy.

Being that close to her, being in her space again after all this time—it was something he wasn't prepared for. He didn't even know how he was supposed to feel about it. A part of him secretly hoped to see her, just to know she was okay. But the other part—the one still carrying guilt and confusion—wasn't sure if he deserved to.

He pushed all that aside as he focused on Jose, who winced but still tried to crack a joke the moment Will walked in. After making sure the doctors had checked him thoroughly and that he had a room to rest in, Will ruffled his brother's hair like he used to when they were younger.

"Rest, alright? Don't move around too much."

"You sound like Mom," Jose teased, smiling tiredly.

Will just shook his head with a small laugh, then left the room. But the second he stepped outside, a strange tension took over. Like the air around him had changed. Like something—or someone—was pulling at his attention.

And then he saw her.

Daisy.

She was standing by her car in the parking lot, flipping through some papers, probably discharge files or shift notes. Her hair was tied up the same way he remembered, loose strands falling over her cheek. His breath caught. She looked just the same—but also different. Like life had added something to her. A weight. A strength.

He didn't know what to do. For a second, he considered ducking back, getting in his car and leaving. He didn't want to cause a scene, didn't want to ruin her day. But his legs betrayed him. He couldn't move. It was like his feet were glued to the concrete, his heart thudding so loud he was sure someone could hear it.

Then she looked up.

Their eyes locked.

Time didn't stop—it collapsed. In that moment, it was just her and him, standing in the thick silence of everything they hadn't said to each other. Questions, regrets, memories. All of it pulsing between them.

Should he be happy?

Should he call her?

He didn't know.

And before he could even lift a hand or open his mouth, she broke the stare, got into her car, and drove off.

Gone.

Again.

And he just stood there, his heart screaming all the words his mouth refused to say.

She had left him.... again.

He didn't know what to do. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

He stood there a little longer before finally leaving.

______

She didn't know why she left.

It just happened.

She stopped the car and walked down the ocean. It was windy, she was cold. She forgot the exhaustion she felt minutes ago. It was now replaced with something else. Something she couldn't name.

For the first time in eight years, she saw him again. A part of her was happy and another part of her wasn't. The hurt she felt years ago. Everything.

She didn't know why she was thinking too much. He may have forgotten everything and moved on already. It was eight years and there was no way Will was still holding on to everything inside like she did but she couldn't be more wrong.

Izzy went on another date and Daisy was alone at home. She tried to sleep but sleep didn't come. She tried to read but couldn't focus. She was just lost in thoughts.

She tried to stopped thinking about him but not thinking about him, made her think about him more.

She was 18 when everything happened and according to her, she was too young to fell those many emotions all at once that's why she left to a place she knew he hated so they wouldn't run into each other but she forgot that one can't run from family forever and one day he had to go see his family.

She stayed up a little longer and didn't know when she finally fell asleep.