Ivy

I should tell him.

Maybe Roman was right, maybe keeping it from him wasn't the brightest decision. But then again, telling him meant reopening old wounds for him, and not in a good way because somehow, deep down I knew he'd doubt it. I mean this is Glory we're talking about. She might not have a hold on him, but she was like a mother to him... She is his mother... Legally.

There must be another way to break this to him. A calmer way.

I just have to think of it. Find the prove and then lay it all out to him. For now, I'll protect him... Protect him from the truth because I love him and I don't want to see him broken again, because this time, this time I feel like he'd be broken beyond repair.

Everything was set up... The fire, his separation from his real family, it was all set up... Why? Because for some sick, unknown reason, Glory wanted him.

There's no way he won't go ahead thinking it was all his fault.

I bit my lower lip, looking up at the white light in the bathroom.

I don't know for how long I've been sitting here, but I just wanted to be alone, my brain wasn't ready to take on the history of the very place I was trying to bring to the ground.

Hiding in the bathroom seemed like a great idea, well, not until I heard the door push open, followed by the bustle of voices... Girls, they were giggling above eachothers voices.

I closed my eyes trying to ignore it, seeing as I would prefer no one knew I was here. The last thing I wanted was another rumor about the human girl who has a toilet fetish.

"Did you see? He looked at me!" One of the girls gushed, her voice was a little bit tiny and annoying if you had to listen to it on repeat.

So they also do this at Inc high? Talk about boys in bathrooms?

"Oh please Korah, I'm pretty sure he looked right through you... Ethan Murray doesn't stare." Another cool voice cut in.

At the mention of his name, my heart almost left my chest. Why are they talking about my boyfriend? My interest in their conversation, doubled.

"Whatever, I'm still going to put extra efforts in what I wear... He must notice me." Korah spoke.

"You girls are dreamers. Can't you see? Ethan doesn't go for girls like us... Girls like Michelle are more of his type." This time I froze, plainly because of two things. One, the voice was utterly familiar, and Two, Michelle?

"You're right... But- he's dating that ugly Outsider girl right?" Korah asked.

"He is, but I don't think he likes her, he's probably still with her because he pities her. I mean after what happened to her- damn. Anyways, she's so not his type, so I'm giving them two weeks top." The other voice I couldn't recognize, spoke out.

I blinked. Are they seriously dictating my relationship with Ethan?

"Me too. She's so ugly and fat! Have you seen her cheeks? Her cheek bones are buried right into her fat cheek. Her skin is so pale and ugly and God, don't even get me started on that awful looking hair, and her short fat leg-"

"Korah! Now you're exaggerating. She's so not fat. I think she's pretty, but- not the kind Ethan would go for." The familiar voice spoke again.

I swallowed.

"Korah's kinda right though. She's not good looking... Anytime I see her, I just wish I could throw up!"

"You wish you could throw up? Which means you think she's really pretty and you don't want her to be."

"You're such a downer Abby."

Abby?

"You shouldn't take her side. She's filthy, ugly and clingy! She's always around Ethan, thinking he actually likes her... Someone seriously needs to tell her the truth." The voice belonged to that Korah girl.

"You both are just being hateful... Besides, we all know Ethan would never look our way, he's into Michelle and Michelle would never let him go... Ivy doesn't stand a chance against her, and that goes for us too... So stop dreaming... By the way, how does this lipstick look?" Abby added.

"It looks good on you... But- come to think of it, why do you think Michelle has been quiet?"

"Because obviously, Mira. Ivy isn't a threat." Korah said. "Ivy looks like a squirrel compared to Michelle. I don't think Michelle sees her as competition, or maybe Ethan has made it clear to her that Ivy means nothing to him."

My heart squeezed so hard.

"You might be right. I just pity Ivy though. Someone should really tell her about Michelle." Mira said.

A groan escaped Abby. "Honestly, what's with everyone and this Ivy obsession. So what if she's dating Ethan, and for some strange reason, Ethan looks at her like she means the world to him... It's their fucking business, not ours. If Ethan decides to dump her ass or if Michelle decides to show up, so be it. I'll be here to watch the drama unfold. Besides, Ivy is becoming an Icon. We should probably befriend her. The Rebel-lions are so cool."

"Yeah!" Mira squealed. "They have super hot gang jackets now! Imagine wearing that to my sector, everyone's gonna think I'm cool."

"Are you girls serious? Befriending the Outsider? Just because she's what? Getting popular? Or knows all the popular kids? Please, I'd rather be friends with a pig. She so ugly!"

Okay, that's it.

I stood up from the closed toilet seat, pressing the flush button.

They all fell silent.

I got out, satisfaction filling me as my eyes caught their wide and embarrased ones.

I gave them a sweet smile before moving to the mirror beside theirs.

"Shit." Abby muttered underneath her breath.

I washed my hands quickly, looking over at them. "Can I borrow a lipgloss?" I asked politely, too polite.

Mira gulped down as Korah wordlessly passed it over to me. "Thank you Korah." I said.

She was pretty, brown hair, hazel eyes and chubby cheeks. Even chubbier than mine... My eyes quickly swept to the mirror, looking at my face. My cheeks aren't fat? Are they?

I applied the lip gloss, pushing my self-conscious thoughts back into my head. Now's not the time to feel insecure Ivy... Now's the time to show them that their opinion doesn't really matter to you... Even if it does.

Be confident.

I pressed my lips together, closing the lip gloss and handing it back to her. "Thanks." I said sweetly.

Looking back at my mirror, I rearranged my hair. "You know, back at the Outside, I knew girls like you... My best friend was one of them. They loved gossiping in bathrooms. I never really knew it was the same at Inc high." When I was satisfied, I looked back at them, smiling. "The Outside is not so different from here. And you girls are not so different from them."

Mira blinked, guilt washing all over her features. She was also pretty, thick brown hair weaved beautifully with designs here and there, shiny black skin, wide brown eyes with long lashes.

"I'm pretty much used to people talking shit about me. It happened at my home, and it's happening here. So, by all means, you don't have to go all silent. Carry on... I'll excuse you guys." I smiled, walking pass them and straight out of the bathroom.

Immediately I got out, the smile faded from my face, welcomed by what I knew quite well as a depressed look.

I suddenly felt self conscious, my eyes trying really hard to avoid eye contacts as I rushed towards my locker.

I furrowed my brows when I saw a figure standing there, waiting for me. When I got closer, I recognized him.

Code.

I groaned. "Listen Code, I don't want any trouble-" I was saying as I reached him.

"I'm not here to cause trouble." He said, raising both hands up. "I- I'm here to apologize for what happened last time."

I raised a brow at him, folding my arms against my chest. "Right."

"No no... I'm really serious. It was a dick move, what I pulled... I wasn't myself."

"You weren't yourself?"

He nodded. "I was under the influence of a drug."

"Oh." I let out. "Yeah whatever, it's cool."

"It is? Cause I'm not an asshole, I'm just struggling with addiction. And it gets a little hard to stay away from Lit."

"Lit?"

"A sick pill. Made from LTwipe, messes you up, and fixes you and then messes you up again... It's out in the market, but scarce. You can only get access to one if you're in connection with the Lithains."

I frowned. "Lithains?"

His brows copied mine. "Wait... You don't know? He didn't tell you?"

"Who? And tell me what?"

His eyes widened. "Um... Nothing... I just came over to apologize. And to well-" he raised his long sleeved white shirt.

There was a Rebel-lion wrist band around his wrist. "I dig the movement, and I'm gonna help in anyway I can. So, don't hesitate to come to me, if you need anything done." He smiled. "See you around, love." He said, turning and walking away.

I watched his retreating figure. My mind an utter chaos of my thoughts.

A drug called Lit, made by some guys named Lithains? And I'm supposed to know what it means, but I don't...

My brain took me right back to the time when Ethan told me the LT wipe reacted differently with their kind, like cocaine... Was he talking about Lit? Does he have a connection with the Lithains?

Roman

Her red hair was weaved down in two beautiful braids, a few strands falling by the sides of her face.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat as I walked up to her. I really did not know what I was hoping to achieve by this, but I needed to clear things up.

Fiona was way out of my league, she was definitely someone who wouldn't look in my direction. But there was no denying the fact that I really did like her, and maybe, just maybe she might feel the same way.

She did say she liked me once.

I cleared my throat awkwardly when I approached her. She looked up from what she had been doing on her Tcom.

Looking around, there really wasn't much student in the area. It was like a large field but without grass. Just a normal graveled ground.

People were out here, some eating lunch, some chatting and some on their Tcom.

"Roman." She acknowledged, looking a little bit surprised.

"Hi... I was looking everywhere for you."

She furrowed her brows. "Yeah?" She asked. Picking her Tcom and getting to her feet. "I was just about to head to my next class... Um... Everything okay?" She asked.

I nodded, like a total fool.

"Okay? Well... You've found me. What's up?"

I swallowed, the hand on my bag strap tightening. "W-well, I wanted to tell you- I mean ask you-" I was a stuttering mess and she just stood there, no expression on her face.

I sighed. "I'm just gonna go straight to it."

The grip she had on her Tcom tightened. "Okay?"

"Before things went crazy for all of us- you- you told me that you liked me, I guess that was the evening something went wrong with Ethan. We uh- we never talked about it after that day, and I was wondering if you were- if you meant what you said that night."

She swallowed, suddenly looking nervous. "Oh." She let out softly, her gaze shifting to the ground. "No... I didn't." She clarified, forcing her eyes back to mine.

I nodded, trying to act like what she said didn't pinch me around my chest area.  "Okay? So... Why did you say it?"

She blinked. "Spur-of-the-moment thing."

Wow.

"Oh." I managed to let out after a few seconds.

"Listen Roman... I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression about the both of us... I don't date, I've never dated, and I don't like the whole relationship thing. I'm more of a- in the moment kinda girl."

I nodded, unable to speak.

"I like you, but- not like that- you're a friend of a friend and- I-"

"Yeah, it's um- it's totally cool." I cut her off because her words were hurting me. "I just wanted to clarify and not just- leave it hanging in the air and stuff." I said, nodding all through.

She bit her lower lip hard. Almost as if she was desperately looking for a way to escape. "Right... Is there anything else?"

I shook my head. "No, sorry for taking your time."

"Yeah, I'll see you around." She rushed out, quickly making her way back into school.

I sighed.

You're an idiot Roman! Why would you think someone like her would ever like you? You're the stupid nerd. I groaned at my inner thoughts.

The first time I ever like someone, the person doesn't return the feeling.

Awesome.

I guess some things never change.

__

Vote and Comment:-)

So what do you think of this chapter?

Who do you think Michelle is to Ethan?

Fiona doesn't like Roman? Any thoughts on that? Do you think she really does like him, and if so... Why do you think she denied?

Lithains? Do you think Ethan's involved in this some how?

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Nora