by Brit Benson
I take her hand, bring it to my lips, and kiss her knuckles. She sighs. “Your turn,” she says pointedly.
I know what I want to ask, but I don’t want to overwhelm her, and I’m not sure I’m ready to hear her confirm how badly I’d hurt her that night at prom. She doesn’t hate me anymore, and that’s enough for tonight. So instead, I go for a lighter secret.
“Samantha broke up with me because I was spending too much time with you.” I grimace and raise my eyebrows.
“Samantha...?” Ivy cocks her head to the side and looks at me quizzically, before her face lights up with realization. “The girl you were dating when I transferred to BU? That was Samantha, right?”
“That was her.”
“Oh man. I’m so sorry. I liked her. She was nice. Did she not realize we hadn’t seen each other in over a year? I could have backed off.”
“She understood at first. But she was right to dump my ass. One hundred percent, I was spending more time with you. I don’t blame her, and it wasn’t a messy breakup. No hard feelings. I think she’s engaged to a mechanical engineering major now.”
I lie back down on the bed, and Ivy curls herself in front of me. I pull her body into mine and breathe her in.
Everything about this woman lights me up and calms me down at the same time. I’m buzzing and energized, comfortable and content. She’s the only person who has ever felt right. Ivy is the tranquility of home and the exhilaration of adventure. I won’t need anything else in life as long as I have her.
“Something happened,” she whispers after a while. “After graduation, I mean. Something happened to me. It’s why I left.”
“You didn’t leave because of what happened with us? At prom?”
She shakes her head, and I feel something wet hit my arm. Tears.
“No,” she says with a sniffle. “It wasn’t prom. I kind of wish it was, but it wasn’t. Something happened, and after I had to go to Bowen to kind of deal with the aftermath, I guess. I started seeing a therapist. I transferred back when I was ready. I promise I’ll tell you all about it. Just not now, okay?”
I press a kiss to her head and hold her more tightly, my protective instincts in overdrive. Pieces of a puzzle start to come together. The panic attack. If someone hurt her...
“I’m here when you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Just...when I tell you. I need you to promise you won’t look at me differently. I don’t want it to change how you see me.” Her voice is pained, heartbreaking, and I pull her in tighter.
“I promise, Ives. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what.”
* * *
“So how was your weekend, Matthew?” I ask on Monday as I pass him the extra sandwich I brought. I’m not even going with the façade of trading anymore. I’m just bringing him lunch.
Matthew averts his eyes. “It was okay.”
I watch him as he takes a bite of his sandwich. “Just okay? Did you do anything fun?”
He shrugs. “Not really.”
My mind flits back to my literal run in with his father last week at my mom and dad’s firm. Matthew has been growing increasingly more withdrawn, and I’ve decided to speak to the school guidance counselor about him this afternoon. I spoke to my mom, so I know that she’s been in contact with Matthew’s mom, but Matthew needs all the additional support he can get.
“Hmm, well,” I say nonchalantly. “I read a really great book this weekend that you might like.”
Matthew snorts. “You read books?”
“Of course, I read books! Books are awesome. This one is about a dragon and a little boy who is a dragon rider, and there are elves and fighting and magic.” Matthew is watching me, intrigued. “I can loan it to you, if you want.” I pull the worn paperback out of my backpack and slide it to him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, definitely.” He snatches it up.
“I think my mom and dad are going to get a divorce,” he says quickly as he’s thumbing through the paperback.
“I’m sorry,” I say back, even though I’m pretty sure his dad is mega asshole. Matthew shrugs.
“I’m happy about it. I don’t like my dad.” We sit in silence for a moment, because I honestly have no fucking idea what to say, before Matthew adds, “My mom says we might have to move.”
“Moving could be a great new adventure, you know? A new beginning.”
“Yeah,” Matthew says with a hesitant smile. “I guess so.”
* * *
I’ve spent every single free moment this week with Ivy. Even when I’m not with her, I’m thinking about her. She’s so fucking perfect.
I can’t keep my hands off her.
I can’t keep my mind off of her.
It’s just intensified my need to keep her.
On Tuesday, I walked her to her morning lecture, strutting like a damn peacock because it was my hand she was holding, and it was my lips she kissed goodbye, and I didn’t give any fucks that it looked like I was a love-sick, simpering fool. Because I am a love-sick, simpering fool, and I’m totally cool with it.
Wednesday, she met me after soccer, and we ended up making out and groping each other like teenagers in my car at the intramural fields. My windows were fogged, my dick was rock hard, and I had to jerk off twice in the shower after I dropped her off at home. It was fucking torture in the best way.
Thursday, I surprised her at the library, barricaded us in her study room, laid her out on the table, and covered her mouth with my hand while I ate her pussy until she came all over my face.
Twice.
Tonight, I have every intention of repeating that in the comfort of my room, where I don’t have to stifle her moans. Jesse is going out with some of his pre-med friends, so I have the condo to myself. She can be as loud as she needs to be, and I plan to make her scream.
Just thinking about this shit makes me hard, and I have to discreetly shift in my seat to alleviate the tightness in my jeans from my semi. While my educational psychology professor goes over the assignment that’s due next week—the assignment I’ve already finished—I slide my phone out of my pocket and text Ivy under the table.
Me: So, I’ve been thinking about this girl.
Ivy Bean: What about her?
Me: When she smiles, she has this adorable dimple in her cheek that pops out.
Me: I fucking love that stupid dimple.
Ivy Bean: Yeah? What else?
Me: She has these gorgeous blue eyes that sparkle when she laughs. They get darker when she’s turned on. I like being the reason her blue eyes get darker.
Ivy Bean: Keep going.
I grin proudly, knowing that Ivy is probably eating this up. I picture her staring at her phone, smiling really big, with her dimple on full display.
Me: I’m kind of hoping I’ll get to see her tonight.
Me: I’ve got plans that are sure to turn her eyes to the darkest midnight blue.
Ivy Bean: I think she is intrigued by your plans.
Me: Really? How do you know?
Me: You know her?
Ivy Bean: .....
Me: Oh you thought I was talking about you?
Ivy Bean: ..........
Me: Damn. You’re so conceited.
Me: You give a girl two good tongue fuckings and suddenly she’s obsessed with you...
Me: *Mariah Carey gif*
Ivy Bean: *middle finger emoji*
Me: *kissy emoji*
Ivy Bean: *crying emoji*
I laugh out loud at the exchange, and then immediately have to apologize to the people in the seats next to me when they shoot me irritated glares.
“Sorry, guys.” I wave my phone a little. “Reddit.”
Me: Seriously tho. Want to come over tonight? Jesse is going out with friends... *water emoji*
Ivy Bean: I’ll be there.
I’m cheesing like an idiot, and I don’t even fuckin care who notices.
I’m walking to the student union to grab lunch with Je
sse when my phone rings and I see it’s Ivy. She never calls.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
“I’m really sorry to ask this, Kelley, but can I borrow your Jeep?”
“What? Why?” Ivy is attempting to hold her voice clear and steady, but I can still hear the worry there. The waver of fear.
“I got a call from Jacob’s school. There’s been an incident, and they can’t get ahold of my mom. I wouldn’t ask, but I let Bailey borrow my car so she could go home for the weekend, and I don’t know how to drive her stupid motorcycle.”
“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up, and we can go together.”
“I’m outside the library.”
“I’ll be right there,” I tell her. “And Ivy?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s going to be okay. We’ll go to the school and we’ll straighten everything out. Jacob is going to be fine.”
She pauses and I hear her deep inhale and exhale.
“You’re right. I’ll see you in a few.”
I hustle to my car and head straight for Ivy, picking her up from the library and starting the drive back home. For the entire hour-long drive, Ivy is distraught. She fluctuates between eerie silence and blaming herself for whatever has happened at Jacob’s school today. We don’t even know what it is yet, but she’s certain it’s her fault.
“I haven’t spoken to him in over a week.” The disappointment is evident in her tone. “I never go more than two days without talking to him, and it’s been a week. Gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t realize I’d let it go this long.”
She’s scrolling through her phone. “He called on Wednesday and I missed it because I was too busy...”
She lets the sentence trail off, disgust coating her words. I know what she was going to say, though. On Wednesday, she was too busy with me, in my car, hooking up. She hasn’t talked to Jacob in over a week because she’s been so focused on spending time with me.
A feeling of dread coils deep in my gut. I know that her distress is due to worry for Jacob, but I’m worried that it’s got something to do with us too.
“It’s okay, Ivy.”
“It’s obviously not okay, Kelley. We wouldn’t be having to go to Jacob’s school if everything was okay.”
“I realize that it looks bad, but I think that if we just try—"
“Can we just not talk for a while? I need to think.”
“Sure.” I wince and nod.
When we get to Jacob’s school, Ivy is out of the Jeep and striding up the steps before I can even shut my door. I jog to catch up to her right as she’s turning the corner into the office.
“Hi, I’m Ivy Rivenbark,” she speaks hurriedly to the receptionist. “Principal Grey called me. I’m here for Jacob Rivenbark.”
The receptionist gives Ivy a sympathetic smile. “Yes, have a seat please. Principal Grey will be right out.”
Within minutes, a tall, balding man I do not recognize appears from behind the desk and asks us to follow him. He’s wearing a rumpled black suit, a red tie, and bags under his eyes.
I place my hand on the small of Ivy’s back as a show of comfort, to let her know I am here as backup if she needs me, and she sends me a tight smile. Then she turns slightly, forcing my hand to drop, and a chill of unease runs up my spine. Shit.
When we enter Principal Grey’s office, there are four people waiting for us. Jacob, another young boy about Jacob’s age, and a man and woman whom I am assuming are his parents.
The tension is thick, and I watch as the couple look Ivy over with distaste. I bristle at the attention, even though Ivy is unaware. This kid’s parents probably see Ivy’s messy bun, messenger bag, leggings, BU sweatshirt, and Chucks as a sign of immaturity. They are probably wondering why Ivy, of all people, is in this meeting to represent Jacob. They are most definitely underestimating her, and I have to hide my smirk.
Big fucking mistake, assholes.
Ivy rushes to Jacob’s side, and when he turns our way, I notice his right eye is starting to swell shut and his lip is busted. I am murderous, but it’s nothing in comparison to the fury rolling off of Ivy in waves. She sends a glare at the family in the other set of chairs, and I notice the other boy has a bruise forming on his chin. Good. I hope Jacob got a hit in on this little shithead.
Ivy takes the seat next to her brother, and I take the seat next to her.
“Principal Grey,” Ivy begins, “I would like to know why my brother looks like he just stumbled out of a cage fight, and I would like to know it right now.”
“It seems as though Jacob and Kyle got into a scuffle in gym class. And as you know, we have a zero-tolerance policy for fighting.”
Ivy flicks her eyes to Kyle, then to his parents. “A scuffle? And what started this scuffle?”
The principal opens his mouth to speak but is immediately cut off by Kyle’s father. “Your brother,” he sneers, “attacked my son. My son is innocent, and I want that boy,” he flings a finger in Jacob’s direction and glares at the principal, “expelled.”
Ivy, cool as a fucking cucumber, stares down the boy’s father. Gone is the nervous, frantic girl who rode here with me. In her place is a glimpse of the stern, no-nonsense, fearless attorney she will soon be. My heart swells with pride. This woman is brilliant.
After a moment, Kyle’s dad fidgets in his seat, and Ivy turns to Jacob. I don’t have to see her face to know it’s awash with compassion and patience.
“Is this true, Jacob?”
“No, Ivy—”
“It is so! He hit me! He—”
Ivy whips her head around to the boy and interjects, “—it is not your turn to speak, Kyle. Exercise some respect and restraint, please.”
“You don’t speak to my son that way!” the mother yells, and Ivy glares at her.
“If your son knew basic decorum, I wouldn’t have to reprimand him. Now, wait your turn. I’d like to hear Jacob’s side of the story.”
Ivy turns, dismissing the woman. Kyle’s mother is fuming, but she clamps her mouth shut and stares daggers at the back of Ivy’s head. I smirk at her, and she huffs at the same time her husband sneers.
“Go ahead, Jacob.”
“H-he s-stole my gym clothes again, Ivy. W-when I told him that I w-w-wasn’t.” Ivy puts her hand on Jacob’s, and he takes a deep breath, never breaking eye contact. When he starts speaking again, his voice is stronger, and the stutter is barely audible. “I told him that I wasn’t going to take it anymore, and if he didn’t give them back, I would go to the office. He called me some names and blocked the door. When I tried to push past him, he shoved me to the ground and started hitting me.”
Ivy’s body is tense, and I hear Kyle start to protest, but his mother halts him. Good thing, because I am about thiiiis close to snapping on them. How dare this little punk fuck with Ivy’s brother, with my brother, because that’s what Jacob is. He’s family.
“Did you hit Kyle back?” Ivy questions.
“Yes. It’s how I got him off me.”
Ivy nods, then turns back to Principal Grey. “Jacob was acting in self-defense.”
“Like hell! If this boy—”
“Sir, you need to calm down. You are acting irrationally, and if you cannot conduct yourself like an adult, I will have to request Principal Grey remove you.” The man’s eyes flare at Ivy and he grits his teeth, but she turns back to Principal Grey, who looks both amused and intimidated.
“Principal Grey, I am aware of your zero-tolerance policy for fighting. As per the handbook, I expect you to give Kyle the full three-day suspension for his aggression against my brother.” When Kyle’s mother starts to protest, Ivy throws her hand up in a “stop” signal, but never takes her eyes off of Principal Grey.
“Given the nature of this scuffle, as you called it, and the fact that Jacob was acting in self-defense, he will receive no punishment, and you will make sure that Kyle is instructed to stay away from Jacob for the remainder of the year. You will switch his classes immediately, as
I have proof that this is not the first time Kyle has bullied Jacob. Kyle’s behavior is becoming more violent.”
She pulls a manilla envelope out of her messenger bag and hands it to the principal.
“In there, you will find documentation of other instances when Kyle has bullied, insulted, taunted, and harassed my brother, and the dates of phone calls I have made to inform you of Kyle’s behavior. There are copies of harassing notes that Kyle has left in Jacob’s locker, as well as the names of witnesses—students and teachers—who were present when these events occurred. Principal Grey, you and your staff have allowed this to go on for too long. I understand that you are busy and there are a lot of students in this school, but bullying is a serious offense, and you have been negligent in your unwillingness to step up and stop it. There is no excuse.”
Principal Grey looks shocked and effectively scolded, and I have to hold back my chuckle. I want to go full-on Jesse on this room and shout, “hell yeah, that’s my girl,” but I refrain. Because I am a fucking teacher. Hah.
Ivy turns now to Kyle and his parents. “Make no mistake, what Kyle has done to Jacob is assault. I will be photographing his injuries and including them in my file along with the other evidence. You need to find a way for your son to harness and manage his aggression, because you are raising and enabling a bully. If you don’t find an outlet for him and he uses my brother again as an outlet, I promise you that I will press charges. I will charge him for assault, and I will throw the book at you.”
Ivy turns back to Principal Grey. “Thank you for having us in today. I feel this meeting has been effective, and I trust we should have no further issues. Now if you’ll excuse us, I have places to be. Let’s go, Jacob. We’re done here.”
And then she just walks out with me and Jacob in tow, leaving everyone else in that office utterly speechless.
“Can you really do all that?” Jacob whispers to her as we walk to the car.
She shrugs. “Maybe. The important thing is that they think I can.” They share a triumphant grin, and my chest warms.