Chapter 3
I closed WhatsApp and opened up Daisy's photo album. There were tons of recent pictures, mostly selfies, and a few shots of us together. I kept scrolling back, and about three months ago, I found a hidden album.
I tapped it open.
It was packed with photos of Daisy and G, shots of them eating out, at the movies, and even her in a hotel robe...
There was one where Daisy was snuggled up in G's arms, making a heart at the camera. Her smile was ridiculously sweet, so much brighter than any smile she ever gave me.
As I was scrolling through her phone, the sound of water from the bathroom suddenly stopped.
I locked the screen, put her phone back where it was, and shut my eyes.
Daisy stepped out wrapped in a towel, slid into bed, and hugged me from behind.
"Babe, are you asleep?" she asked.
"Almost," I replied.
She kissed the back of my neck. "Love you."
I stayed silent.
After a while, her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
Outside, the rain kept pouring, tapping relentlessly against the window. Lying there, I went over everything in my mind one more time.
She'd been cheating on me for four months, keeping it all under wraps. She called him her first love, slept with him, went on dates, and while I was working hard for her, she was getting cozy with someone else.
What was she really after? What did she want from all this?
Maybe she was just waiting for the right moment to dump me and run off with her first love. Or maybe she wanted me to keep being her fool, footing the bill while she played around, and then come back when she's had enough fun.
Either way, it was pretty laughable.
I turned to look at her. She was sleeping deeply, breathing steadily, with a faint smile on her lips, no telling what kind of sweet dreams she was having.
Suddenly, I remembered something. Last month, we hooked up a few times, and one time, she suddenly said, "Babe, let's have a baby."
I was caught off guard and asked her what made her suddenly want a kid.
She just said, "I just want one. Don't you?"
I said, "We can't afford it. Let's wait a while."
She got upset and gave me the cold shoulder for days.
Thinking about it now, she was probably trying to get pregnant with that guy, planning for me to unknowingly raise their kid.
She thought I was clueless.
I rolled over, turning my back to her.
A plan was slowly taking shape in my mind.
The next morning, I was woken up by my alarm, and Daisy was already out of bed.
I could hear eggs sizzling in the kitchen and her humming a song.
I lay there, listening to that familiar tune, my mood strangely peaceful.
"Babe, time to get up and eat!" Daisy called out.
She walked in carrying a plate with two fried eggs, two slices of toast, and a glass of milk for me. Her own breakfast was just half a grapefruit and a cup of black coffee; she was on a diet lately, saying she wanted to look good in a pretty dress this weekend.
On the weekend, she was going to see her old flame.
"Thanks," I said, sitting up and taking the plate.
She sat on the edge of the bed, forking watermelon into her mouth, but her eyes were glued to her phone.
"What are you looking at?" I asked.
"Nothing, just scrolling through my feed," she replied.
She swiped a few times, then turned her phone face down and almost hid it under the bed.
I took a bite of the fried egg, it was cooked just right, the yolk still runny.
"What time do you get off work today?" she asked.
"Usual time. Why?" I replied.
"Nothing. I want you to come shopping with me tonight. It's been ages since we went out together," she said.
Whenever we went shopping, Daisy would always end up buying a mountain of stuff, and I'd be the one lugging all the bags behind her while she strutted ahead. The store clerks all recognized us and would joke, "Oh, your boyfriend really spoils you."
"Sure," I said. "Anything in mind?"
"Nope, just wanna browse," she replied.
After breakfast, I headed out for work. Right before I left, she tiptoed up and pecked me on the lips. "Drive safe."
I nodded and stepped into the elevator.
As the elevator doors closed, I saw her immediately grab her phone and start texting again.
On my way to work, my thoughts were all over the place.
I remembered how we first met, set up by a mutual friend. She'd just broken up with someone and was feeling pretty low, so my friend asked me to keep her company.
I took her out to eat, watched movies with her, and stayed up late talking. Gradually, she got better, and she told me she was grateful I'd always been there for her, said I was the best person she'd ever met.
I asked, "So, will you be my girlfriend?"
She smiled and said, "Sure."
I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was a spring evening, cherry blossoms lining the street.
The breeze sent petals drifting into her hair, and when I reached over to brush them off, she caught my hand and asked, "Will you always be by my side?"
I told her I would.
Now that I think about it, maybe her "always" just meant until her first love came back.