"And, who are you talking to on the phone?" Joey's voice cut through my thoughts, making me flinch. I forced myself to look away from my phone and set the phone down on the table. I realized that I had been staring at my phone for longer than I intended. That was the effect Romeo's last message had on me. The thought of whether or not to see him left me torn. A part of me wondered if he was being sincere, probably he needed my help. But, another part of me could not shake the feeling that he was up to something. What if this was all some kind of game to him? What if he was just trying to prove that I was gullible and easy to manipulate? I could not let myself fall for his tricks again. Joey's eyebrows shot up. "You were talking to Romeo, right?" She asked. I shook my head. "No," I lied."Don't bother lying to me," My best friend said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can tell it's him. Damn, I can see it written all over your face."I drew in a long breath, knowing I had to co
"Oh," James muttered, his tone soft and confused.I avoided his gaze, not wanting to see the look on his face. He must have so many questions, so many thoughts. I didn't know where to begin explaining it all to him. I didn't know if I wanted to tell him everything going on."Should I leave?" He asked quietly. "You have a visitor."He paused, then added, "Your ex, I mean."The tone of his voice told me everything I needed to know. He was hurt, and I could feel the jealousy in his words even though he must be trying to hide it. I didn't know what to say.I swallowed hard and finally met his gaze. He had a blank look on his face, but I knew it was a facade. I knew he had a lot going on in his head. "Actually, I didn't have plans to see him. I have no idea why he's here," I explained. James said nothing, and I hated the silence. "You can stay if you want," I added, feeling the need to fill the void. James ran through his hands through his hair, looking away from me."I don't want to s
I knew the school had a strict no – phones policy in the library. But, that didn't matter to me. All that mattered was talking to James. The library was the only place I could speak to him without being interrupted by other students. It was the only place we could talk without no fear of distraction. We couldn't do it in class, or anywhere else in the school. It was lunch time, and the whole place was flooded with students.I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that the librarian had left the library. At last, I could relax knowing that I was alone and no one would bother me. Reaching into my hoodie pocket, I pulled out my phone. My heart was racing as I typed out a message to James. "Hey, can I call you?" I asked, then I dropped my phone on the desk.I held my breath, waiting for his response. The seconds felt like hours as I stared at my phone, hoping for a reply. I couldn't help but wonder if he was angry with me. He hadn't called or texted me since the day he dropped me off and R
I looked down at my hands, which were clenched into tight fists on the table. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweating. I couldn't understand why I was so nervous. Maybe it was the thought of having to talk to a guy I liked about my ex. I swallowed a gulp down my throat , trying to calm myself down. I stole a glance at James, who was sitting across from me. He looked completely relaxed and unbothered, while I was struggling to keep my cool. It seemed unfair that he could be so calm, while I was filled with nervous energy. Well, I was the one who was going to have to explain myself, not him. He was the listener. We sat at our table, the chatters of other customers filling the silence between us. We were waiting for one of the waitresses to bring our orders.I hated the uncomfortable silence between us. It was odd. On a normal day, we would have been discussing books, movies or anything. But now, I was wrestling with my thoughts, while James was absorbed in his phone.Things
I chewed on my bottom lip. I could tell that James wasn't happy with my answer, and I scrambled to explain myself. "It wasn't on purpose, I promise," I muttered. "I just grabbed it without thinking. I didn't even realize it was Romeo's. It was too late when I realized it."James forced a smile, running his hand through his hair. "Don't worry about it. You can wear whatever you want. Even if it belongs to your ex," He said, his voice filled with sarcasm. I lifted an eyebrow. "Is it bad that I said the truth ? I didn't mean to upset you by telling the truth. I could have just lied to you and said it was my hoodie, but I didn't. Wearing his hoodie doesn't mean that I have any feelings for him anymore," I rambled. My hand slowly crept down to my lap, bunching up the fabric of my skirt. I curled my fingers into tight fists. I had told him I didn't have feelings for Romeo anymore. Was that a lie? I was not even sure about how I was feeling these days. But, one thing was sure. I was movin
It was official. And just like that, we were official. I was now James's girlfriend.It only took a single evening at the snack restaurant to turn the tide of our relationship. The conversation had taken a new turn after I said "I want you too" to him. He asked me out again and I agreed to be in a relationship with him.It wasn't out of pity for him, or a desire to avoid hurting his feelings. I truly wanted it, as much as he did. I could think of no one who had treated me with the care and respect James had shown me since the moment we'd met.I knew that my relationship with James could work, if I could put the past behind me and stop dwelling on my history with Romeo. And I had been able to do that. I was done with Romeo, done thinking about him and what we had. What we'd had was over, and all that remained were the lessons I'd learned from the experience. Lessons that would help me become a better person, and a better partner to James.I had even gathered up everything that still be
"Do you really think I should let my hair down?" I asked James, a pout forming on my lips as I looked at him through my phone screen. "I think I look better with it in a ponytail." I added. "No, baby, you should let it down," James insisted. "You're gorgeous when it's down - like a princess that you are."A flush crept up my face as I smiled back at him. Was he just saying this to flatter me, or did he genuinely mean what he was saying?I lifted my shoulder in a half shrug, acting like I was not happy by his compliment. Then, I let my hair fall loose my shoulders. "What do you think?" I asked him. A corner of his mouth lifted."You look stunning. Absolutely gorgeous," He said, picking his words one after the other. James and I were video chatting and I decided to get his input on my hair since he would not be attending the party with me. Well, I had agreed to go to the party with my best friend, Joey because I thought James would follow me. But when I invited James, he had explai
I swallowed a gulp down my throat as I looked up at him. "He's definitely an ass," I agreed, my voice tight.I had to know why Romeo kept showing up everywhere I went. I needed a break from his face.Romeo walked toward me, his hands shoved in his pockets, and his eyes fixed on mine. "You don't belong at these kinds of parties," He said bluntly.I refused to be intimidated by his intense gaze. I kept looking back at him, my chin raised. "This is not the first time you're telling me this," I told him."I'm going to keep saying it until you take a break from these parties you don't like," He rambled, his forest green eyes glinting in the light.I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, breaking eye contact. "Just so you know, I'm enjoying this party," I lied, my cheeks heating up.Romeo scoffed. "You can tell yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. You are enjoying yourself, alone in the corner? And you kicked the guy who was trying to make tonight fun for you."I raised my gaze to me
THREE WEEKS LATER ~ IVY ~I ran my fingers through my tangled hair and sighed as I looked around at my chaotic room. Clothes were scattered across the floor, along with several books that had tumbled from the shelves. The bed was unmade, and various items were scattered across the duvet. In short, my room looked like a hurricane had blown through it. If there was an award for the most disastrous room, I would have won it hands down.My boyfriend would have to take the blame for this mess. Even though I was the one who had left everything scattered around, I couldn't help but feel like it was his fault somehow. What on earth was he thinking, setting up a last – minute date like that, without giving me time to prepare? Don't get me wrong. I was thrilled about the date. I was just feeling a bit stressed out because I didn't have much time to prepare. And, on top of that, I was having the worst time trying to find the perfect outfit. Nothing in my closet seemed right. I was panickin
~ ROMEO ~I pulled into the parking lot and I saw that my dad's car was not there. I heaved a sigh of relief. The monster was not around, and I would not have to see his horrible face and get angry all over again. I turned off the car engine. I reached for my phone and dialed my girlfriend's number. The only person who had been making me smile lately and giving me the will to keep going.Ivy answered on the second ring. "Hey, baby!" She muttered, her voice echoing in my ears. Her voice was soft and soothing, and it calmed my nerves.The corners of my mouth curved, giving a wide smile. "Good girl," I uttered."Bad boy," She said with a chuckle in her voice. "I am at my mom's house now," I told her. I almost said "my parents' house," but that didn't feel right when it was really my mother's house."That is good," She said, her voice reassuring. "Take a deep breath and go inside. Just talk to her. She is your mother, and she deserves to know everything that is going on with you.
"Are you and Samantha in a relationship?" I blurted, unable to stop the question from tumbling out of my mouth.I had not meant to ask it so bluntly, but the question had always been on my mind. I could not get it out of my head. We were in my bedroom now, sitting across from each other. Romeo was leaning against the headboard of my bed, while I was on a chair by the bedside table. His brows drew together, his gaze averting from mine. "I told you I am not dating her. If I was, I would not be here with you, and I would not have told you that I wanted you back," He replied.I chewed on my bottom lip, remembering the way I had felt when I saw them kissing in the cafeteria. I could still picture the way his eyes had met mine. "Why did she kiss you in the cafeteria?"I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "And, you also kissed back.""I'm sorry," He uttered. "It was wrong, I know. I could not just push her away when she kissed me, not with all those people watching. I know that is n
~ IVY ~I drummed my fingers against the surface of my dresser, glancing over my shoulder at my phone. I had tossed it onto the bed after sending a text to Romeo. I was relieved that it had not landed on the floor.The message itself was not risky, but it was an emotional risk for me to send it. I was anxious for his response, and my heart was beating rapidly. I could not stop my mind from racing. What if everything he had written in the letter had been a prank? Why did I always feel so anxious when it came to Romeo? I hated that he had such control over my emotions. At the same time, part of me liked how he could make me feel things I had never felt before. He made me do things I never would have otherwise, like inviting him over at night. I was grateful my mother was out of town in an emergency, and would not be back until the next day. I didn't want to have to explain Romeo's presence to her.I was shaking my leg, still filled with nervous energy. Why hadn't he responded? Was he
My lips moved to my teeth as I bit my bottom lip. My eyes darted down to the letter, taking in the neat, bold handwriting. The letter was not that long. What was I even saying? Romeo had never been the type to write letters. He was never one for expressing his feelings through writing, or telling stories. It was strange that he had chosen to write a letter now, instead of asking to meet in person. I guess he must have thought I would not have agreed to see him. I cleared my throat, preparing to read the letter aloud. I had no idea why my heart was racing. It was just a letter, nothing more. Or was it?I began to read:° My Good Girl ° I miss you, and I can't stop thinking about you. I know it is crazy to say this, but I think I'm falling more in love with you now that we are apart. The more I try to escape these feelings, the deeper I fall. Now, I regret breaking us up. We were almost perfect. We had something special, but I ruined it. I know I didn't do it on purpose, but t
I heard the question, but I pretended not to. The silence that followed was deafening. It felt like the world had stopped turning, and the only sound was my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears. I felt like I was in a different world. I was facing the question I had been avoiding asking myself. The question James had asked had my brain working overtime, even as I tried to avoid it. I could feel my brain trying to work out an answer."Ivy," James said, breaking the silence and pulling me out of my thoughts.I turned to look at him, avoiding his gaze. "What did you say?" I asked. I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, my hand shaking slightly."I asked you if you are still in love with your ex," James repeated, his tone serious.My throat felt dry, and I swallowed hard. I knew that he was not going to let this go until I answered him. But I was not sure if I knew the answer, or if I even wanted to know the answer. Perhaps, a part of me knew the answer to his question, but I didn't want t
My tongue was tied, and I could not think of anything to say. I could not even defend myself, and I just kept my gaze down. I felt like such an idiot, and I hated myself for it.Samantha continued. "I think you should focus on your own boyfriend, Ivy. You know what? I might just tell your boyfriend how much of a slut you are," She snapped at me. I was too stunned to speak, and time seemed to stand still as I listened to the shuffling of chairs around me. The gasps of the students echoed in the cafeteria, and I glanced up. Joey had dumped the contents of her juice bottle all over Samantha's head."Don't you ever call my best friend a slut," Joey growled at Samantha, giving her a deadly glare. Samantha's mouth hung open in shock. "What the heck! What are you doing? What is wrong with you?" She rambled. "Shut up!" Joey barked. "Don't even try me. If you interrupt my lunch with my best friend again, I'll mess up that stupid face of yours and your cheap makeup."Samantha's lips trembled
~ IVY ~Monday mornings were always a source of stress, especially when my timetable had a back-to-back block of math classes - calculus followed by chemistry. This Monday was even worse, though, since our chemistry teacher was running late. A part of me was relieved, since it meant I could catch my breath after the marathon of mental math that calculus had been. Another part of me was frustrated - I had a lot to cover in chemistry, and I knew the teacher would make up for lost time by moving at a lightning pace. I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the noise filling the classroom. I wished the class would quiet down. It was not like everyone's favorite subject, so why were so many people so early? I guess some of them were here to kiss up to the teacher, since she was known for her strict grading. I put my hand to my forehead, a pounding headache shooting behind my eyes. I thought the aspirin I had taken that morning would do the trick, but it didn't seem to be enough. The headac
~ ROMEO ~I kept stealing glances at Ivy through the rearview mirror as I drove. Her eyes were closed, and her head was resting against the headrest. My knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. I hoped I would not cause an accident with my mind so distracted. If I caused an accident, I would never forgive myself - especially given everything I've already put her through.The sound of her phone buzzing broke the silence and she reached for it, opening her eyes as she did so. Her smile confused me, and I wondered what she had seen on her phone to provoke such a reaction. She had not smiled once since I had started driving her home, but there was no denying the look of happiness on her face. I tried not to think about whether it was her boyfriend on the other end.I bit my lip, trying not to ask who she had been texting. I had already made a mess of things. I didn't want to further mess up by revealing my jealousy.I was trying so hard to keep my feelings in check.