Different 'Round Here - Riley Green

Chapter 10 - Back to Reality

The familiar sights of Sydney rolled past the car window as Daisy stared out, her mind still a jumble of emotions. The long flight from Alabama had left her exhausted, but it wasn't just the physical fatigue weighing her down. She had left something behind—someone, really—and now that she was back in Australia, everything felt off.

Her phone buzzed in her lap, breaking her from her thoughts. A small smile crept onto her lips when she saw the name on the screen.

Riley:
Made it back okay? Hope you didn't leave your heart in Alabama... though I wouldn't mind keeping it here.

Daisy chuckled softly, typing a quick reply.

Daisy:
Just landed. My heart's still in one piece, but you're not making it easy!

The light flirtation helped ease some of the tension she felt. Riley had been messaging her throughout the flight, making sure she was okay and dropping little hints that even though they were miles apart, he wasn't going anywhere. It helped, but it didn't stop the pang of longing that kept creeping up on her.

The taxi pulled up outside her apartment building, and Daisy sighed as she gathered her bags. The familiar sight of home should have been comforting, but instead, it felt strange. She had only been gone a few weeks, but it felt like a lifetime. Everything was exactly as she had left it, yet she felt like a different person now.

As she dragged her suitcase inside, her phone buzzed again.

Jesse:
I'm coming over. Be there in 10. I NEED to know everything.

Daisy smiled, feeling a bit of relief at the thought of seeing her best friend. She had been holding back the flood of emotions during the flight, but now, with Jesse coming over, she could finally let it all out.

Ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door, and Daisy opened it to find Jesse standing there, two coffees in hand and an eager grin on her face.

"Finally! Spill," Jesse demanded, handing Daisy one of the coffees and pushing her way inside without waiting for an invitation.

Daisy laughed, closing the door behind her. "You don't waste any time, do you?"

"Nope! Now sit down, because I need to know everything—starting with the barn."

Daisy groaned, flopping onto the couch as Jesse plopped down beside her, eyes wide with anticipation. "You've been waiting for this, haven't you?"

"Obviously! Now, come on—details, girl. Don't leave anything out."

Sipping her coffee, Daisy shook her head, feeling a mix of exhaustion and amusement. "It's been a crazy few weeks, Jess. I don't even know where to start."

"Start with Riley. Is he as hot in person as he is in his photos? Actually, scratch that—I know the answer. What I want to know is how the hell you're dealing with coming back here after all that?"

Daisy leaned back, sighing deeply. "It's hard. I didn't expect to feel this... off. I thought coming home would help me feel normal again, but it just feels weird. Everything reminds me of him now."

Jesse's expression softened as she nudged Daisy gently. "I get it. Long-distance is hard, especially when it's someone like him. You two have only known each other for a little while, but it sounds like things got pretty serious."

Daisy nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah, they did. And now I don't know how to handle being here while he's all the way over there. It's like I'm trying to live in two worlds, but neither one feels right."