Ivey's Pov
The morning air was cool against my cheeks as I walked toward school, but my mind was somewhere else entirely — still tangled up in last night's quiet, near-perfect moment. Lucas's shoulder under my cheek. The warmth of his laugh. The way the world had fallen away for a few stolen minutes.
I smiled to myself, hugging my books closer as I reached the front gates. I didn't know exactly what we were — still undefined, still a little fragile — but something was different now. Realer. Closer.
As I stepped onto the school grounds, I spotted Lucas just ahead, walking with his backpack slung over one shoulder. He turned like he felt me looking and smiled when our eyes met.
"Morning," he said, falling into step beside me.
"Hey, you sleep okay?"
He nodded. "Better than I thought I would. You?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but the bell cut through the morning buzz and the crowd began to thicken. Within seconds, we were swallowed up in the sea of students. I lost sight of him by the science classroom and felt a little deflated as I turned toward my locker.
Then I saw him.
Josh.
Leaning casually against the locker beside mine, holding a bouquet of roses in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. His smile was small, almost sheepish, but his eyes were locked onto mine with that same edge I used to mistake for charm.
"Ivey," he said softly, stepping forward.
I froze. My fingers tightened on my books.
"What are you doing here?"
He held out the flowers. "I just… I wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started a fight with Lucas, I just… I just got jealous. I didn't mean to hurt him like that. I messed up. But I still love you. And I know you still care. These are for you."
"I don't want them," I said, voice flat.
He blinked like he hadn't expected me to actually say it. "Come on, Ivey. I know things got… weird. But we were good together. We can be good again."
"No, Josh. We weren't good. You just didn't notice until someone else did." My voice shook a little, but I held my ground. "This isn't going to change anything."
He dropped the flowers slightly, his jaw tightening. "You really think he's better for you than I am?"
I said nothing.
"You're not thinking clearly. You're tired. Confused."
"I'm done, Josh."
He stared at me for a beat, then stepped back, his expression unreadable. "I'm not giving up on you, Ivey," he said quietly. "You can pretend all you want, but I know you still feel something." Silence fell and he suddenly grabbed my hand holding it a little too tightly for me not to pull it back "I know that you still need me. Even if it seems like he won, I know that you are still mine."
I didn't say anything — not because I thought what he was saying was true, but because I didn't know what to do to stop him anymore.
He loosened his hand allowing me to yank my hand away from him then he dropped the flowers on the ground and walked away without another word.
I let out a shaky breath, only realizing I'd been holding it when Kayla appeared at my side.
"Okay what was that?" she asked, eyes wide.
"Nothing. Just… Josh being Josh."
She gave me a knowing look and touched my arm gently. "You good?"
I nodded, but it didn't feel true. "Yeah. I will be."
We headed to class together, and I tried my best to focus on equations and lectures, but my brain kept circling back — to Josh's voice, to the way he'd looked at me, like I was some prize he refused to lose.
At lunch, I found Lucas waiting for me at our usual table. One look at my face and his expression shifted.
"You okay?" he asked softly, as I sat beside him.
I hesitated, then nodded. "Just… ran into Josh this morning."
His jaw tightened. "What did he do?"
"Flowers. Chocolate. A whole performance," I said, pushing my tray away. "I told him no. I was clear."
Lucas studied me for a moment. Then he reached under the table and squeezed my hand once. "I'm proud of you."
That simple sentence melted my heart.
"Thanks," I murmured, and for the first time all day, I felt like I could breathe again.
The rest of the school day passed in a blur of notes and half-listened lectures. When the final bell rang, I walked slowly toward the front gate, scanning the crowd until I saw Lucas waiting by the fence.
He looked up, his eyes lighting up when he saw me. But then something in his expression shifted.
"You should go home," he said gently. "You look exhausted."
"I'm fine," I started, but he gave me that soft, firm look I was beginning to recognize — the one that said I care, even when you don't know how to.
"Please," he added. "Just rest. I'll text you later, okay?"
I hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. But you better text me."
He smiled, and I turned to leave
"And get home safely." I said before he was too far away to not hear me.
The day's exhaustion was finally catching up to me.
But as I rounded the corner onto my street, my stomach dropped.
Josh was standing in front of my house.
With more flowers, they were different — bigger, redder.
I didn't say anything. I didn't even slow down. I walked right past him, up the front steps, and into the house. I shut the door. Locked it. Pressed my forehead against the wood.
I could hear his voice from outside.
"Ivey" He begged.
"Please give me another chance"
"I know I can make it up to you."
"It was all a mistake. It won't happen again."
Good thing my parents weren't home yet or I would be in so much trouble right now. They didn't know I had a boyfriend.
My hands were shaking, but I didn't cry.
After about 30 mins he stopped, and I heard him get into his car and drive off.
I made myself a cup of tea, went upstairs, and opened my history textbook. I read the same paragraph three times before I gave up and checked my phone.
1 new message — Lucas
From Lucas:
Let me know when you get home safe.
My thumb hovered over the screen for a second. I hadn't even thought to text him — everything with Josh had pushed everything else out of my head.
To Lucas:
Sorry, forgot to text. I'm home.
He answered in just a few seconds.
From Lucas:
It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.
To Lucas:
I'm okay now. Thanks for checking.
From Lucas:
You sure? You seemed… off earlier.
To Lucas:
Yeah. Just tired. It's been a long day.
There was a pause. I could see the three dots flicker and disappear a few times before the next message finally came.
From Lucas:
Well, try to rest. You've been dealing with a lot. More than you should have to.
To Lucas:
I will. You too.
From Lucas:
Good night, Ivey.
To Lucas:
Night, Lucas.
I set my phone on the pillow next to me and turned off my lamp, letting the soft glow of the screen be the last thing I saw before everything went dark.
Even with everything still spinning in my head, his words stayed with me — quiet, steady, and warm.