Ivey's Pov
The night air stung my skin, but I barely noticed. My mind was still spinning, it was like the image of Josh and that girl had burned itself into the inside of my eyelids. Every time I blinked, I saw it again. Her hands on him. His lips on hers.
And then Lucas's arms were around me.
I didn't know how we got here, how I ended up in his car, the party was nothing more than a distant thump behind us. All I knew was that I wasn't alone. Not right now.
Lucas hadn't said much since I told him. He didn't ask questions. Didn't try to fix it. He just stayed.
The kind of quiet that didn't feel awkward. The kind that felt safe.
I stared out the window. "Do you ever feel like... you're the only one holding yourself together?"
He looked over at me, eyes soft. "All the time."
I swallowed. "I keep thinking it's my fault. That maybe if I hadn't punched him, hadn't gotten mad, hadn't said anything... maybe he wouldn't have—"
"Cheated?" Lucas said gently. "No. That's on him. Not you."
I looked down at my hands. They were clenched in my lap, nails digging into my palms.
"I feel stupid," I whispered.
"You're not."
"I thought he loved me."
Lucas was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Love doesn't make you feel like you're always apologizing. Or afraid."
Those words hit something inside me. Something deep. Something I didn't want to admit was true until someone else said it out loud.
I turned to look at him.
He wasn't staring at me like Josh used to — not like I was a possession or something he was trying to figure out. Lucas looked at me like I was a person. Like I mattered.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. My voice cracked on the last word.
He shrugged a little, and smiled. "Because I care."
That stunned me more than anything.
I looked away before he could see the tears welling up again.
He reached into the back seat and handed me his hoodie, it was the one he always wore, the one that smelled like pine and laundry detergent.
I slipped it on without a word. It was warm. Too big. Perfect.
"Do you wanna go home?" he asked softly.
I nodded. "But not yet."
We sat in silence after that. Just breathing. Just being. He turned the radio on low, some song playing in the background, soft and slow, almost like it knew not to be too loud.
I leaned my head on his shoulder. And for the first time in what felt like weeks.
I didn't feel broken.
Not healed. Not yet.
But not alone.
And as my head leaded against his shoulder, my vision slowly darkend. And before i knew it I fell asleep.
Lucas's Pov
She leaned against me, her breath soft and shaky. I didn't move. I didn't even breathe too loudly. I just let her stay there, because I knew that's what she needed, stillness, safety, something solid.
And then I felt it, the way her body relaxed, her breathing evened out. Her head grew heavier on my shoulder.
She had fallen asleep.
For a moment, I just stared straight ahead, hands resting on my lap, unsure what to do. I wanted to drive her home, get her to a warm bed. But at the same time... I didn't want to wake her. Not when she finally looked like she wasn't hurting.
God, she looked exhausted. Not just from crying, but from everything. Like the world had been weighing on her shoulders for too long and she finally let herself collapse.
I slowly reached into the back seat and pulled out the extra blanket I always kept there. I wrapped it over her shoulders, careful not to disturb her, then adjusted my seat just slightly to make her more comfortable.
And I stayed.
I don't know how long I sat there, listening to the muffled music from the party down the block, watching headlights blur past. But it didn't matter. She was sleeping, and for the first time in a while, she didn't look like she was fighting to keep herself together.
I could've driven her home. But some part of me, the stupid part maybe, didn't want the night to end. Not like this. Not when she finally let me be close. Not when she trusted me enough to fall asleep on my shoulder.
So I let her rest.
And I stayed.
Ivey's breathing had softened, steady and slow, her head still resting against my shoulder. She was out. Completely.
I glanced down at her, my chest tightening. I didn't want to wake her, not when she finally looked like she wasn't hurting. But I also knew she couldn't just disappear for the night without someone worrying, or worse, her getting in trouble.
Carefully, I reached for my phone with one hand, trying not to jostle her. I unlocked it and scrolled through my contacts until I found the one I needed.
"Hey, Kayla? It's Lucas."
She sounded surprised. "Uh… hi? Why are you calling me?"
"Ivey's with me," I said, keeping my voice low. "She's okay, but… something happened. She needs some space tonight."
There was a pause. "Is she safe?"
"Yeah. She's sleeping right now. In my car. But I don't think she wants to go home. I was wondering… could you maybe text her parents? Say she's crashing at your place tonight?"
Kayla hesitated, but her voice softened. "Yeah. I can do that. Thanks for looking out for her."
"Thank you," I said.
After I hung up, I opened my messages and typed a quick one to my mom.
Hey, staying at Noah's tonight. Late party, not driving home. Don't worry, love you.
She replied almost immediately.
Be smart. Love you too.
I let out a breath. I checked the doors, turned the engine off but left the heater running just long enough to take the chill out of the car. Then I leaned my seat back slightly, shifting just enough that Ivey could rest more comfortably.
The sky was already starting to darken, stars blinking into view above the windshield.
I looked down at her one more time.
Her cheeks were stained with dried tears, but her lips weren't trembling anymore. Her fists weren't clenched.
She was resting.
And for tonight, that was enough.
I leaned my head back against the seat, closed my eyes, and let sleep come. Not because I was tired, but because being here, like this, with her?
It felt right.