As I stepped into Daisy's room, I couldn't help but pause for a moment.
The space was elegant yet cozy, with soft cream-colored walls and warm lighting that gave the room a welcoming glow.
A large bed sat in the center, covered in plush pillows and a neatly folded throw blanket, while a vanity table lined with makeup and perfume bottles rested against the far wall.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the garden outside, sheer curtains swaying gently with the evening breeze.
Everything about the room felt carefully curated—stylish, but unmistakably Daisy.
I looked at Daisy as she walked past me. "Did you renovate your room again?"
Daisy chuckled. "Of course. I can't bear to look at the same decor for too long."
"That's our Daisy."
I looked in the direction the voice came from and saw Amy exiting the bathroom.
My face lit up.
"Now that everyone is here," Daisy said, getting our attention. "Let's get this sleepover started."
By the time I sat down, Daisy had already claimed half the bed, lying on her stomach with her legs swinging behind her.
Amy sat upright near the headboard, watching me like she was about to start an interrogation.
I barely had time to get comfortable before Daisy tossed a pillow at me.
"Alright," she said. "Talk."
"Tell us everything," Amy added.
I took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. "I kissed Harley…" Their faces lit up with amusement as they inched closer to me, "… on the cheek."
Amy nudged me, disappointment evident on her face. "Seriously?"
I nodded and then explained to them everything that happened leading up to the kiss.
Daisy turned onto her back and stared up at the ceiling while hugging a pillow. "Harley is getting bolder by the day."
"I don't know what to do anymore," I confessed.
Amy and Daisy looked at each other as I fell backwards onto the bed, with my free hand draped over my face.
"He's not going to wait forever, you know," Amy said. "A person can only handle rejection for so long."
"Even if he does wait," Daisy added, "someone else will come along and snatch him away. Then what?"
"I don't know," I mumbled. "I wish it wasn't so hard. I am scared to love Harley."
"It's not," Daisy said, looking at me. "Whatever is preventing you from being honest with your feelings is—"
"Does it have anything to do with you losing your parents?" Amy interjected.
The room fell silent.
I flipped over onto my stomach and buried my face into the pillow. "Can we talk about something else?"
"It's your birthday this weekend and you still haven't told us what you want for your birthday," Amy said.
"I know," Daisy said excitedly. "How does a gift-wrapped Harley sound?"
I grabbed my pillow and sent it flying straight into Daisy's face. Amy burst out laughing, only to have the pillow hit her face next.
"I will like anything you guys get me," I said, sitting up in the bed with my legs crossed.
Amy and Daisy grabbed a pillow each and sent it flying toward my face. "Not helpful at all."
I fell backwards laughing as the conversation became a distant memory. Thank heavens.
With a mischievous grin plastered on my face, I looked at Daisy and asked, "When are you going to ask James out?"
Daisy's face turned beet red.
"You have the hots for James," Amy said in a teasing tone. "How cute."
Daisy looked away while twirling the end of her hair. "Well if you must know, we have a date Friday night."
Amy and I squealed in excitement.
"You and Harley should join us," Daisy suggested with a wicked grin. "We could double date."
"No way," I replied. "I plan to relax this weekend and get wasted."
Amy and Daisy looked at each other before looking back at me.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," they replied.
I raised an eyebrow. "You guys have been acting funny lately. What are you hiding?"
"If you can't figure it out, then you must be truly dense, girl," Amy said.
I smacked her shoulder playfully. "Shush, Amy."
The room gradually quieted as we settled back into the bed, the earlier chaos fading into a comfortable stillness.
I lay down in the middle of the bed with Amy on the right and Daisy on the left, under a white fluffy duvet blanket.
"So," Daisy said quietly. "Are you going to keep running from this?"
I frowned. "Running from what?"
"From him."
I didn't answer.
Amy turned on her side, facing me. "You're not scared of love, Sophie."
I let out a small breath. "Then what am I scared of?"
Amy held my gaze. "You're scared of losing him."
My chest tightened.
"That's not true," I said quickly.
"Then why do you look like you're about to cry every time his name comes up?" Daisy asked.
I opened my mouth to respond… but nothing came out.
Because they weren't wrong.
I looked down at my hands, my fingers tightening against the fabric of the blanket.
"I just…" I whispered. "I don't want things to change."
Daisy sighed softly. "They already have."
Silence fell over the room.
I hated how true that sounded.
Amy shifted slightly closer to me. "Sophie, if you keep pushing him away… one day he's going to stop trying."
My throat felt tight.
"And what if I'm too late by then?" she added quietly.
The thought made my stomach twist.
Daisy reached over and flicked my forehead lightly. "Then you'll cry, eat ice cream, and we'll fix your life again."
I let out a small laugh despite myself.
Amy smiled. "We always do."
I shook my head, but the tension in my chest didn't ease.
"What if I ruin everything?" I asked softly.
Daisy didn't hesitate. "Then at least you tried."
Amy nodded. "And honestly? You're already ruining it by doing nothing."
I looked at them.
At how sure they sounded. How easy they made it seem.
But it wasn't easy.
Not for me.
"I'm scared," I admitted quietly.
Neither of them laughed. Neither of them teased me. Instead, they moved closer to me.
We stayed like that for a while, the room quiet except for the soft hum of the night outside.
My thoughts drifted back to Harley.
The way he looked at me.
The way he said my name.
The way everything between us felt like it was about to change… whether I was ready or not.
I closed my eyes.
And for the first time… I stopped pretending.