21: Photographs of Evidence

21.

Ivy's POV 

I sat frozen in my seat as Jackie’s words echoed in my head.

Demi overdosed on Saturday. Reports have it that he’s brain dead.

I blinked at her, my brain struggling to process the sentence. “What?”

Jackie sighed, rubbing her temples. “I said—”

“No, I heard you,” I cut in quickly, my voice sharper than I intended. “I just… I don’t believe it.”

Jackie raised an eyebrow. “Why would I lie about something like this?”

I had no answer to that.

Before I could say anything else, the classroom door opened, and our teacher walked in. His usual serious expression was even graver than normal, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“I have an announcement,” he said, setting his papers down on the desk. “And unfortunately, not a good one.”

The class fell silent instantly.

“Over the weekend, one of our students, Demi, was admitted to the hospital after an overdose,” he continued, his voice solemn. “And he is currently brain dead.”

A murmur rippled through the room. Gasps and hushed whispers. But all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat.

It was real. Jackie wasn’t lying.

Demi was brain dead.

The relief hit so hard I almost doubled over from the force of it. My breath escaped in a shaky exhale, my fingers gripping the edge of my desk so tightly my knuckles turned white.

I felt weightless. Lighter than I had in months.

Like something had been ripping at my insides, dragging me down, suffocating me, and now, it was gone.

No more waking up with my chest tight with fear. No more threats hanging over my head. No more suffocating control.

No more Demi.

I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as tears stung the edges of my vision. But they weren’t the kind of tears I had shed before.

They weren’t tears of fear. They weren’t tears of hopelessness. Not even tears of sadness. 

They were tears of freedom.

The first few hours passed in a blur and I barely heard a word my teachers said. I moved through the hallways on autopilot, barely noticing the people around me. It wasn’t until lunchtime that the feeling truly settled deep into my bones.

I was free. And I was starving.

For the first time in months, I piled my lunch tray with food. A full plate, a side of fries, even a dessert. It felt almost unreal to do it. 

And the moment I took that first bite, flavor exploded in my mouth, and it hit me all at once.

How long had it been since I actually enjoyed a meal? Since food didn’t taste like cardboard? Since eating wasn’t just something I forced myself to do to get through the day?

Jackie sat across from me, watching with wide eyes as I devoured my food like someone who had just come back from war.

“Ivy,” she finally said, eyebrows furrowing. “You do realize your boyfriend is brain dead, right?”

I waved a fry in the air dismissively as I munched. “Mmm.”

Jackie stared at me like I had grown a second head. “You’re not exactly acting like someone who just lost their boyfriend.”

That made me pause, but only for a second.

“I’m just… coping differently,” I said, popping another fry into my mouth.

Jackie narrowed her eyes, her suspicion practically radiating across the table. “You’re coping by eating half the cafeteria?”

“Yes.” I took another bite, savoring the taste. “I am. It's a coping mechanism.

Jackie let out a long-suffering sigh and shook her head. “Well, I’m not judging. Do you.”

I smiled and lifted my head, only to lock eyes with Brandon.

He was across the cafeteria, sitting with Amari, but his gaze was locked onto mine with unnerving intensity. It sent strange shivers down my spine.

I stiffened, my fingers tightening around my tray.

And all of a sudden, images flashed in my mind. Images that were too vivid to be imagined. And too real to be hallucinations.

Brandon carrying me. Laying me on my bed. Taking off my shoes. And tucking me in.

What the hell?

The memories felt like a puzzle piece I didn’t even realize was missing sliding into place. But before I could dwell on it, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

I shoved the thought aside, forcing myself to hold onto my newfound peace.

The rest of the day went by in a happy blur, if there was such a thing. It felt light, like I was floating through my classes instead of just dragging myself through them. 

The final class was wrapping up, and our teacher was writing our assignments on the board while the class slowly fizzled into end-of-the-day energy.

I felt a presence beside me and turned to see Amari, her warm, gentle smile already in place.

“Hey, Ivy. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said, still adjusting to the fact that I actually meant it.

She sighed sympathetically. “I’m so sorry about Demi. I know you two loved each other so much…”

I wanted to laugh. To tell her she didn’t have to waste an ounce of sympathy on him. That I was free and that she should be happy for me.

But I just smiled politely. “Thank you, Amari.” That was all I said.

She didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, her expression shifted into something more mischievous.

“What about we do something to take your mind off things? Let’s go shopping after school.”

I hesitated, but she shook her head before I could speak. “Don’t even think about saying no. We have to get dresses for my party.”

And that was how I found myself at the mall, wandering through racks of clothes with Amari.

Aside from party planning, it had been so long since I had done anything that felt this normal. No stress, no weight pressing down on my chest, no constant, suffocating fear hanging over my head. Just fun.

We joked. We laughed. We tried on ridiculous outfits, each one worse than the last. And I bonded with her in a way I hadn’t bonded with anyone in ages.

At some point, Amari held up a sleek black dress, holding it against her body before smirking and handing it to me. 

“This. You’re wearing this to my party.”

I took it, holding it up against myself. It was bold. Confident. Everything I hadn’t been in a long time.

I smiled, feeling something warm settle in my chest. “I love it.”

This feeling. This ecstatic feeling. I never wanted it to end. It was like all my worries had disappeared, like the world had finally given me a break.

That feeling stayed with me as Amari and I shopped some more, until we finally parted ways and I headed home.

But the second I opened my bedroom door, the air shifted.

My body locked up and my breath seized.

My entire wall was covered with photographs. Screenshots. Evidence.

Of me. Of everything I had done.

They were all taped to my walls like a sick exhibition.

All of a sudden, I heard clapping. Slow, and mocking. I turned sharply, and there he was.

Brandon.

Standing in my doorway, with a triumphant smirk on his face.