Ivy

It was pretty apparent that my plans to start afresh this year were now void. With the arrival of the Superiors, Ethan, and well—Ralph and Lacy, it was safe to say that I didn't chase the danger that came with this organization; it chased me; it was my own personal demon.

I might have given up my goal to free everyone because I knew it was a lost cause. These people weren't aware of themselves. This new realistic hologram of the new earth was doing its job perfectly. Now you couldn't tell the Rebel-lions from the Willing, and no one feared the Futures anymore—if fact, a Future and Purest could get hitched, and no one would bat an eye.

This was the norm.

No shady business.

No missing people.

Just a perfect world.

Until the death of a Superior practically broke the internet. Followed by dozens of rumors.

One boldly stated that the Rebel-lions were going wild, killing Superiors because they had bad blood with Glory Curt.

Another speculated the return of the Lithians because of how the Superior died.

Another made a video about The Inc-Lords (who were tagged as terrorists) and their history with the previous dimension and a conspiracy with this dimension.

Checking comments, posts, and videos, I thought the awareness was returning until I returned to school the next day, and everything seemed normal. Yes, the videos and pictures were still out there, and almost everyone was focused on their phones, whispering gossip and side-eyeing me as I walked past, but it was normal.

It was all normal. We were the enemies of this dimension, and we wanted to destroy everyone's perfect because we were a delusional gang who believed there was a much better world than this one out there. This whole situation looked oddly convenient for Glory. When the public turned on the Rebel-lions, we would have no choice but to shut down our operation.

Was Glory that terrible a person? Would she really kill one of her own to get rid of the Rebel-lions?

The Superiors were her creations; she'd gone through tooth and nail to get them. She'd stayed away from this Dimension for a year, perfecting each of them to the betterment of Ethan's tether. Would she bring back the Lithians just to get rid of me and whatever threat I posed to her?

Rounding the corner to the Broadcast room, I faltered in my steps when I found Markel leaning beside the door, waiting for me. He looked at the wall opposite him and turned his head when he heard my footsteps approaching.

I offered a small smile, which he returned before standing upright. "Hey, V."

"Hey, you," I said, moving to unlock the door to the broadcast room. "Haven't seen much of you lately."

He frowned. "It's the other way around. Ever since the Superiors arrived, you've been absent."

"Have I?" I said, pushing the door open and gesturing him in with a cheeky smile.

He walked in while rolling his eyes. I chuckled, entering behind and closing the door before walking past him to the table and dropping my bag.

"You've been ignoring my calls and texts." He pointed out.

I leveled him with a look. "I just haven't been on my phone—"

"I came to see you, but you weren't home."

"Ethan was—"

"Yeah, the house party where that kid died, the one you are being blamed for online—have you seen the news and the social stuff lately?"

"I have...funny what people can come up with for jokes and laughs."

His brows drew down in concern as he took two steps closer to me. "It's not funny, Ivy." He said. "I've been here worried sick about you. It was almost like you were avoiding me."

I bit my bottom lip, feeling guilty because I wasn't avoiding him. I just hadn't thought about him with all this chaos. He hadn't brushed the forefront of my mind, and I felt terrible because he was worried, and here I was, temporally forgetting his existence.

"Avoiding you was definitely not what I was doing. I just—a lot's been going on...which you've now heard about, and I've been trying my best to get things back in order without anyone getting in danger."

"You know you can talk to me, right? I might have been absent when everything went down with the old dimension, but I'm present now, and I'm in your life—at least I want to be, in whatever way you'll have me."

I looked down, the guilt cutting deep into my stomach.

"I'm not just some rich kid who's handsome and mysterious. I can help you...I've got connections."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I know you're here; I just—with Ethan back—"

"So this is about him? Are we awkward because of him?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Markel, we're not awkward."

"Then I must be the only one feeling it," he argued, his eyes searching mine before he let out a breath, looking away from me as if in deep thought, thinking of the right thing he could say to me at this moment...but was there a right thing? I knew what he wanted, but I couldn't give him that. I couldn't be with him the way he really wanted me to be.

He looked back at me. "I know how close you both were and what he meant to you. You told me. I don't wanna be the asshole who makes you think going back to him isn't what you should be doing, but at least let me be the friend that tells you that getting involved in the Institute business would never bring anything good."

"I know."

"No, you don't, 'cause Ethan is the institute business, the Superiors are the Institute business, and now your name and the Rebel-lions are posted all over the internet, and you might get hurt for it."

I frowned. "I can't just sit back and do nothing, Markel."

"That's exactly what you should be doing; V. Ethan left for a reason because if he had been in your life, you would have never had the peace you've managed to get with him being away from this dimension."

I scoffed. "You think I had peace? Do you think, just because I smile and follow the day's routine, that I am happy? Listen, Markel, the moment Ethan walked back into this new dimension; I could finally breathe; it felt like I was living again; this is the most alive I have felt for over a year."

"That's not true, Ivy."

"It is. I'm grateful for all the new relationships I've made, for my friends, for you—but I wouldn't lie and say I'm not happy that Ethan isn't gone. That he isn't dead. I didn't get the chance to save him before, I can do it now, and you can either choose to help me or not; I won't hate you for it."

He shook his head. "That's not fair, V. You know I would support you no matter what, but—support you with getting him back? The guy I consider a threat; you can't expect me to do that."

"That's fine. The last thing I want is to hurt you more than I already have, Markel. You don't deserve that. You're a great guy, and you deserve a person who would love you as you deserve to be loved, but I don't think that person is me. My heart belongs to someone else. I don't think that's going to change."

"He doesn't even remember you."

"Yes, but it's not permanent. It's only a matter of time before he—"

The door pushed open with a little force, and Ethan came rushing in but stopped when he saw Markel and me together.

I immediately took a step back from Markel, making it seem like we had been doing something we shouldn't have been doing.

The familiar light that had been in Ethan's eyes the moment he rushed in died down in seconds as he looked between Markel and me.

I should say something, a freaking Hi or a What's up! But I just stood there, dumbfounded, until Markel exhaled loudly.

"I'll drop by your place later and continue this conversation. And please keep your phone close to you."

I looked back at Markel, offering a slight nod—he held my face, leaning in to place a light kiss on my forehead, and then he was out of the broadcast room without sparing Ethan a glance.

The silence that followed after he left was a heavy one...it shouldn't be a heavy one because we didn't exactly do anything wrong, and Ethan didn't remember our relationship, but somehow it was severe.

Another thing got my attention...he wasn't wearing white. He was in blue jeans and a black shirt. In more ways than one, he looked like the old Ethan again.

"Hey," I said, my voice small and quiet.

I could see it in his eyes, he was trying to decide in his head, and the battle must have been fierce because he dropped his gaze from me for a few seconds before looking back at me, plastering the fakest smile I had seen on his face to date. "Hey, I just wanted to update you on the institute's decision with Emmitt."

He was lying—that was not what he wanted to come here to say, but I ignored it.

"Let me guess; they wanted to sweep it under the rug?"

He shoved both hands into his pockets, his warmth completely missing from me. "Yeah, they wanted to do that, but it's harder when almost everyone in the New Earth knows about it. They say they're working with the authorities to find who did that to him. Thanks to your abilities, they know it's not the Rebel-lions, but now a hunt is on."

I leaned on the table, crossing my hand against my chest. "At least they're doing something about it. But we have to be vigilant. They're going to strike soon; that's how they work."

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, I learned a lot about them recently." He swallowed.

Silence enveloped us again, and Ethan looked like he wanted to say something but didn't know if he should.

It was apparent that he had decided because he cleared his throat, looking away from me as he asked. "So, um, Markel? It seems like you moved on from—what happened between us."

I frowned. "What?"

"I mean—I could tell—you both were close just now."

"He's my friend."

He nodded. "Must be a close one."

"What are you—"

"I have to meet with Silas; I'll be coming back at noon to catch up with Broadcast stuff; see you around." With that, he was gone, closing the door behind him.

I stared at the door for what felt like minutes before releasing a breath, knowing this would only worsen by the second. This being the Lithians attacks and Markel's insistence that I forget an unforgettable chapter in my life.

I honestly didn't want to hurt him.

But with how things progressed with Ethan, or whatever the fuck was happening with him, Markel was bound to get hurt, and I needed to accept that.

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VOTE AND COMMENT!

Thanks for reading!

Please tell me what you think about this chapter.

Did you think Ethan was simply just jealous of seeing them together? Or is there something more?

And Markel, what would you like to say to him?

See you Sunday!

xoxo