How Does a Daffodil Survive in Winter?

vii | Changing my Status to "In a Fake Relationship" Now

"What?" I was surprised it had actually worked. Yes, the whole blackmailing thing was meant to work but I always thought I'd somehow mess it up and that it would end with me on the ground in defeat.

"I will help you," Theo stated, sounding calmer than me even though he was the one being blackmailed.

"You talk?" I said stupidly, now it was my turn to be speechless.

Theo nodded.

This was really going a lot different than I had imagined. First of all, I was still alive. Secondly, I wasn't in jail or something. And thirdly, Theo hadn't just laughed in my face and called me crazy.

"Why?" Theo and I asked at the same time.

He looked at me and waited for me to answer.

"Because..." I stuttered. "I hate Lacie. What she did to me ruined everything and I'm sick of it. Now, I have nothing to lose so here I am, seeking revenge."

Again, Theo didn't laugh in my face like I had expected him to.

"What about you? Why did you agree?" I asked after he continued to stand there in silence. I was starting to get squirmish under his gaze.

"Well, you did sorta blackmail me," Theo chuckled lightly.

"Oh yeah. Duh," I laughed awkwardly, face-palming myself. God, I was such an idiot.

"But also, I want to help," Theo added. "What Lacie did to you was cruel and um, if I were you, I'd be wanting to um, get even."

For a second, I forgot how to speak. And when I did, I couldn't remember to say something that was useful. "Th-that's g-great. I mean, I uh, didn't expect it to actually work and um, now that it uh, did work. I um, could've just asked you. As it turns out. So um, that's really great, yeah. And um, I'll get in touch." Yeah, I told him I would contact him when I forgot to ask for his number.

I turned around and began walking away. The thing is, all the while I was standing there, I felt really guilty for getting him involved. From all the research I did on him, he seemed like a good guy. And when he said the thing about Lacie, I just couldn't stand standing there anymore. I had to leave before the guilt took over and I cancelled the plan. But if I were to keep going, I had to figure out how to push all those things behind me. Still, it would've been a whole lot easier if Theo was some asshole like his brother.

I turned around. "Thanks again. You don't know how much it means to me."

"I know," Theo replied quietly. He gave me a weak smile before taking off into the almost-sunset.

I actually did it.

As soon as Theo was out of sight, he was out of mind. Sprinting across the field, I let my arms flail around. My legs jumped, they spun, they shuffled. The concert in my stomach was no longer a nauseating sensation. It was the feeling of excitement. My mouth was like an unstoppable horn, hooting with sheer happiness. And I danced. I was terrible but I danced like never before. I jumped on top of a table and danced like no one was watching, because no one was. And even if they were, I didn't care because for once, I had something to prove myself. I was no longer a complete failure.

Success wasn't a common word in my world. I never got the chance to say it. It was why I was overjoyed at the fact I could genuinely say, "Well I certainly had a successful day."

I didn't know then, but Theo saw me that day, and he was smiling because he felt happy for me too.

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