A NICKNAME

∆IVORY∆

"Then let’s mingle," I said, crashing my lips onto his before he could say another word, I can feel him stiffened for a minute, probably shocked out of his mind, once he got into it, he didn't waste a minute to deepen the kiss, turning if from a peck to passionate one, making my legs wobble.

Gently breaking the kiss, he placed his hands on my shoulders.

"You," he said, with a smooth and amused tone, "You’re drunk." 

"You? Do I look like a thing to you?" I scoffed, pushing him back with an irritated look, as the way he called me, 'you' reminded me of the memories of how Jacob used to refer to me, instead of using my name, "Call me Ivory, or better yet, call me the woman who’s about to forget all about a certain jerk named Jacob, don't I appear like a human with a name?"

He chuckled, with a low yet sexy tone, "Ivory, sounds interesting, well, I don’t know what jerk did to you, but he must’ve been an idiot to let go of someone like you." 

"Exactly!" Pearl shouted from behind me, looking proud at his statement.

"See, even this hot guy thinks of me as best, unlike that blind rogue," I said while hiccuping, and pointing at him with a victorious grin.

The man’s lips twitched, but he didn’t correct me. Instead, he reached into his pocket and handed me a business card. 

"Here," he said with a wink, "Call me when you’re sober, I’d love to hear more about this Jacob character." 

I took the card, squinting at the name, "Mr. Hot-and-Mysterious," I said, struggling to pronounce his actual name through my drunken haze. "I think hot and handsome man suits you more than this name."

"You can call me anything you like," leaning closer to me, he whispered in my ear, and with that, I stumbled back to my table, as the handsome man left from there with a bemused expression and Pearl laughing so hard she nearly fell off her chair. 

"See?" I said, holding up the card like a trophy I had won, "Told you I could find someone better just in one attempt." 

Pearl wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "You’re insane, baby girl, but you’re my kind of insane." 

"Damn right," I said, clinking my glass against hers again, as tonight I don't want to be perfect for anyone, I want to live for myself, and the way that gives me satisfaction.

That night, for the first time in years, I laughed until my stomach hurt and let myself forget all about Jacob, I'm not even sure when we stopped drinking or by what we reached home.

The next morning, a loud ring of mobile woke us up, I kicked Pearl, "yahh! Go and answer your call, don't disturb my sleep."

She kicked me back, making me fall from the bed, "it's your mobile, not mine."

This hangover, taking over my life, the pain is so huge, but the moment I answered the call, the growl of my mother got rid of the entire hangover, "Ivory, you bitch, where the hell did you go last night? I want you home within an hour."

She hung the call before even I could respond, I'm furious enough to throw my mobile, but broke enough to pull myself back from taking such a decision as I don't have enough money to buy a new mobile.

Getting up from the floor, I went to get fresh up and ready to go home, Pearl asked with a sigh, "going to that hell?"

I nodded reluctantly, and left her house, only to step into hell just as Pearl asked, I knew it wouldn’t be good, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the venom in their words. 

"Do you think, you deserve to be Jacob’s wife, with a slutty character of yours?" My mother shouted, throwing the tea cup in my direction, thankfully it didn't reach me but fell on the floor.

My father joined her, with his voice full of disgust. "Jessica was always meant for him. If we had found her sooner, none of this would’ve been necessary, how dare you to question their relationship and hurt them with your actions, we fed and raised you, if not because of us, you would've been on the streets, you orphan dog."

I felt something inside me crack, a deep pain splitting through what little hope I had left that they might care for me, Jessica held mother's hand, "mom, please don't scold her, she is just jealous that I might take her things away, as she used to be your daughter in my place."

"Her things?" My mother scoffed, "there's no such thing that belongs to her here, they were never her's in the first place, even this engagement belongs to you, Jessica."

"That's why, I broke the engagement," I said, with a cold yet weak voice, "I don't want something that doesn't belong to me."

Jessica feigned extreme sadness as she wiped at nonexistent tears. "Ivory, it’s all because of me, isn’t it? I should leave, I never meant to come between you two, you don't have to break your engagement, I'll not meet Jacob again."

I wanted to laugh at her actions and words, I knew her dramatic behaviour very well, especially those crocodile tears of her, but I didn’t react, I just stood there, silent. 

"You don’t need to explain yourself, Jessy,” Jacob said, his voice soft and affectionate in a way, he never been with me, "she doesn't deserve your explanation or kindness, she is so adamant and arrogant, leave her." 

Jessy? A nickname? So wonderful, In seven years, Jacob never once called me by anything but my full name occasionally, as most of the time he doesn't even use my name to call me, and now, here he was, calling her Jessy like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

"You know Jessie has a weak body and not in good health, despite knowing all these, still you're hurting her, apologise to her right now," Jacob demanded, with a harsh tone. "Do it, and I won’t take this any further, I might even forgive you."

I stared at him, stunned. "Forgive me? For what? For being foolish? No body apologised to me for how they treated me, instead all blaming me for how I reacted, isn't it funny?"

My silence darkened his face, and he stepped closer. "Do it, or I’ll break the engagement."

"I did it already, the moment I threw the ring away, it shows, I already broke everything with you, why bother about breaking it again?" I said, with a sharp and unwavering voice showing my strength.

Jessica rushed toward me, grabbing my hand with her cold, trembling fingers. "Ivory, don’t do this, if you hate me, I’ll leave home, please, I never wanted you to be sad because of me, I'm extremely sorry."

Before I could pull my hand away, she stumbled back, and threw herself to the ground, as  if I pushed her down.

"How dare you push my daughter?" My slapped me hard before I could even say anything, the pain on my cheek was nothing compared to the words that followed. 

"You’re an evil wench," she hissed beating me harshly, "We made a mistake bringing a bitch like you home, you’re ungrateful, selfish, and vicious. From today, you are no longer a part of this family."

Jacob who is already holding Jessica in his glanced at me with those cold eyes, "I don't want to see your face here after, get lost!"

I had more than enough here, so turned to leave, but my father’s voice stopped me. "I never thought you’d grow up to be so disappointing, I’m disgusted to call you my daughter."

I paused at the door, while my hand trembling on the handle. Without turning around, I said, "Disgusted to call me your daughter? Did you ever treat me as one in the first place?"