Chapter 2

Trevor was bad news—plain and simple. As much as Justin was a playboy, with his endless hookups and carefree attitude, he was still the better brother in Ivy’s eyes. Trevor? He was in a league of his own, and not in a good way.

"Just ignore his teasing," Justin said, glancing at Ivy as they sat in the living room. He knew exactly how his brother could get under her skin, especially when it came to her crush on Justin. Though Justin doesn't know about that part Though.

Ivy nodded, though her stomach twisted at the thought of dealing with Trevor again. She didn’t really have a choice; Trevor thrived on tormenting her, and ever since he found out about her feelings for Justin, he never missed an opportunity to use it against her. 

"He must’ve done something bad at school again," Justin muttered, running a hand through his hair as though the mere thought of his brother exhausted him.

"Suspended again," Ivy murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

"It’s only his second year in college, and he's already bad news," Justin added, shaking his head.

The tension between Justin and Trevor had always been there, ever since they were kids. Despite being brothers, they couldn’t have been more different. Where Justin was laid-back and easygoing, Trevor was reckless and constantly in trouble. They never really got along, always locked in some kind of unspoken rivalry. It was no secret that the brothers weren’t close—there had always been an underlying current of animosity between them, something deeper than just sibling rivalry.

And now Trevor was coming home.

Ivy knew that meant more teasing, more tension, and more unwanted drama in the house. But what she dreaded most was how Trevor would use her crush on Justin as ammunition, throwing sly comments and making her feel even more insecure. The thought of facing him again made her chest tighten.

"Don’t let him get to you," Justin said, sensing her unease. He offered a small, reassuring smile, but Ivy couldn’t help feeling like this holiday was going to be a nightmare.

As much as Justin tried to play it off, Ivy could tell he wasn’t looking forward to Trevor's return either. Even though they were brothers, the bad blood between them was always simmering beneath the surface. And with Trevor's reckless behavior and Justin’s lack of patience, it was only a matter of time before things boiled over.

~~

Knowing Trevor was coming today sent a wave of dread through Ivy's entire body. The idea of going to school, then coming home to face him, was something both she and Justin were not exactly thrilled about. 

"See you later," Justin said, giving Ivy a quick peck on the cheek before heading off.

"Bye, fat head," Ivy called after him, unable to stop herself from smiling as he chuckled and walked away. But the smile quickly faded as she spotted Kulture draping her arm around his neck, all possessive and smug. Ivy's gut twisted.

"Bitch," she muttered under her breath, turning quickly—only to bump straight into Stephanie.

"Hi," Stephanie greeted her, flashing a warm smile. Stephanie was Ivy’s go-to friend, the one she turned to when Justin was too busy with his flavor of the week or—more accurately—his playthings.

"You look..." Stephanie started, but Ivy interrupted her with a sigh.

"Drained," Ivy finished for her, grabbing Stephanie’s hand. "Let’s go somewhere and talk."

Stephanie, ever the loyal friend, followed without a word of complaint. They walked in silence until they reached the quiet haven of the library, finding a secluded spot away from prying eyes. 

"Don’t tell me you finally told Justin about your crush," Stephanie said with a raised eyebrow, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No, of course not," Ivy said quickly, shaking her head. "And it’s never going to happen."

"Why not?" Stephanie leaned in. "I mean, it's obvious you’ve been into him for years."

"That’s exactly why I can’t," Ivy murmured, glancing around before shifting closer to Stephanie. "Besides, Trevor, Justin’s brother, is coming back today."

Stephanie’s eyes widened in mock surprise. "Wait, you have a crush on him too?" she teased.

Ivy rolled her eyes, her reaction immediate and absolute. "Who would ever want to crush on 'that'?" she said, her voice a mixture of frustration and exasperation.

Stephanie giggled. "Yeah, point taken."

"He bullies me constantly, Steph. It’s like he lives to make my life miserable," Ivy added, her tone serious now. "We are not on good terms at all. He knows I have a crush on Justin, and every time he’s around, he uses it to torment me." 

Stephanie frowned, clearly understanding how awful it must be for Ivy. "Ugh, sounds like a nightmare"

Ivy nodded, feeling the weight of Stephanie's words. "It is. Every single time he comes home, it’s like I’m his personal target."

Stephanie's frown deepened. "Why don’t you just tell Justin? Maybe he could put a stop to it."

Ivy let out a small, bitter laugh. " you don't expect me to tell him Trevor is teasing me about my crush for him, Justin knows Trevor tease me a lot but He’d just say it’s Trevor being Trevor and that I should ignore him. It’s easier for him to overlook it because they’ve never really gotten along."

Stephanie sat back, chewing on her lip as she thought about it. "Yeah, I guess. Still, you shouldn’t have to deal with Trevor’s crap alone."

"I know," Ivy agreed, her voice small. "But what am I supposed to do? I can’t exactly avoid him, especially with him staying at the house again."

"You could hang out with me more," Stephanie suggested, her tone light but sincere. "It would give you an excuse to stay away from home."

Ivy smiled, grateful for the offer. "Maybe I will. Anything to avoid Trevor’s constant teasing."

"Now, let's talk about that bitch," Stephanie said, her voice dripping with disdain. Ivy knew exactly who she meant.

"I hate her," Ivy muttered under her breath.

"Then just tell Justin. It's so easy," Stephanie said, her tone casual. "Tell him how Kulture’s been mean to you, and that would end their relationship before it even hits three days."

It sounded like a good idea, a simple fix. But still, Ivy couldn’t bring herself to do it. She let out a frustrated sigh, dropping her head onto the table with a soft thud.

"If only it were that easy," she mumbled.

"It is that easy," Stephanie insisted.

"Justin knows I hate talking about his relationships. He even thought I liked his last girlfriend and apologized to me for breaking up with her," Ivy said, shaking her head at the memory.

Stephanie burst out laughing. "That’s hilarious!" 

Ivy rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, except it made things even more awkward. He’s so clueless sometimes."

Stephanie leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a sly grin. "You should’ve just played along. Told him you were devastated when they broke up. Imagine the look on his face."

Ivy lifted her head slightly, a smirk playing at her lips. "He’d probably freak out, thinking I actually cared."

"Exactly," Stephanie said, laughing. "But seriously, Ivy, you can’t keep letting Kulture get away with treating you like crap. You deserve better than that."

"I know," Ivy admitted, her voice softening. "But I’m just scared that if I say something, it’ll push Justin away. And I’d rather deal with Kulture’s attitude than lose him as a friend."

Stephanie’s expression softened. "You won’t lose him, Ivy. You’re his best friend. He’d believe you if you told him how she’s been treating you."

Ivy shook her head. "I don’t know... What if he thinks I’m just being jealous? He doesn’t know how I really feel about him."

"Then maybe it’s time to change that," Stephanie suggested, leaning forward. "You’ve been holding back for too long. If Kulture’s going to be an issue anyway, why not be honest about everything?"

Ivy sighed, her heart pounding at the mere thought of confessing her feelings. It wasn’t that simple. She’d spent years keeping them hidden, afraid of ruining the friendship. But now, with Kulture in the picture and Trevor returning to torment her, everything felt more complicated than ever.

"I just can’t, Steph," Ivy finally whispered. "Not yet." 

Stephanie nodded, her expression understanding but determined. "Okay, but promise me you won’t let Kulture walk all over you. You’re worth more than that."

"I’ll try," Ivy said, giving her friend a small smile. But deep down, she wasn’t sure if she was ready for the chaos that would come with confronting Kulture—or her own feelings for Justin.

~~

Ivy frowned the moment she spotted Kulture, her stomach knotting with irritation. She was heading over to meet Justin, like they’d planned, so they could go home together. But seeing Kulture draped over him was like a punch to the gut. She sighed but forced herself to keep walking.

As soon as Justin saw her, he smiled, still keeping his arm casually wrapped around Kulture's waist. "Ivy!" he called out, his face lighting up.

He glanced at Kulture before introducing them. "Ivy, this is Kulture. Kulture, this is Ivy, my best friend."

Both girls exchanged quick, forced smiles, the tension palpable between them. Ivy’s insides churned, but she kept her expression as neutral as she could manage. Kulture’s smile barely reached her eyes, and Ivy could feel the smugness radiating from her. She couldn’t help but wonder if Kulture already knew about her feelings for Justin, or she just hated her.

"Nice to meet you," Kulture said, her voice sugary sweet but laced with something Ivy couldn’t quite place.

"Yeah, you too," Ivy replied, doing her best to keep her voice steady, though her gut twisted with discomfort.

Justin pulled his hand from Kulture's waist, leaning in to give her a quick peck on the lips. "I'll catch up with you tomorrow," he said with a grin, but before he could fully step away, Kulture leaned in for a deeper, more intense kiss. Ivy resisted the urge to roll her eyes, feeling the familiar twist of annoyance but keeping it to herself.

"Bye," Kulture said, batting her eyelashes in a way that seemed almost exaggerated.

Justin chuckled, turning to Ivy and throwing an arm casually over her shoulder as they walked away. "You look like you just met a vulture," he teased, giving her a sideways grin.

Ivy let out a laugh, playfully slapping his chest. "I was just exhausted from that Chemistry class. Didn't you see what Miss Katie was doing today?" she said, her voice light and teasing.

Justin chuckled, nodding. "It was like she was teaching herself. Honestly, I almost buried myself between Kulture's legs just to stay awake." He said it with a laugh, clearly joking, but Ivy couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his bluntness.

"You’re so raw," she muttered, shaking her head as they reached Justin’s car.

He grinned as he unlocked the door. "Just trying to prepare you for what the future might hold," he said, flashing her a playful wink.

"Shut up," Ivy shot back, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away. She climbed into the passenger seat, still laughing.

When they arrived at the house, Ivy and Justin stepped into the living room, the usual quiet of the space almost unsettling.

Justin glanced over at Ivy. "You think he’s here?"

Ivy hesitated, glancing around the room. "The house is too quiet for him to be around," Justin said, a bit too confidently.

"Yeah, maybe—"

"Looking for me?" a voice cut in from behind them, dripping with amusement.

Ivy's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened as she slowly turned around to find Trevor leaning casually against the doorway, that signature smirk plastered on his face. His eyes gleamed with mischief as they darted between Justin and Ivy.

"Speak of the devil," Justin muttered under his breath, his entire posture stiffening at the sight of his brother.

Ivy swallowed hard, feeling the familiar tension coil in the air between the two brothers, while Trevor's gaze lingered on her just a little too long. It was already starting.

TBC