The Only One That Cared

Chapter 19- Kiss and Tell

Chapter 19

Ivy's POV

I can't take this much longer. Every gym class I have the same nauseating feeling: hope. Hope that Owen will stop looking my way, stop smiling at me, stop being nice to me. I also hope that he would just kiss me already! I wish he would fall in Love with me regardless of the uneasy, yet flattering feeling it gave me.

Wishes are for children. They don't come true...

I held on to that belief especially after I saw Owen and Emilie walking hand-in-hand to his car. I was infuriated with myself and Owen- for his lack of thinking his relationship through. Just months ago, the girl he held hands with made my life a living hell. He doesn't remember that because he has sex again and else matters. I don't matter. I'm more mad at myself for letting him get away. I had the chance to be with him and live on the wild side, but I chickened out and played it safe.

Coach ordered us to run four laps around the track. I ran without waiting for Owen like I sometimes did (well, he told me to). Every breath I inhaled and exhaled made me remember: my fault. I forced my feet to go faster, to breathe harder. My fault, my fault, my fault. I began to hear my heart join in on the chanting. My fault, my fault, my fault.

I finished my laps before I realized that I did one. The chanting pounded in my ears and I wanted to run again, once it started fading. I wanted to run again when I saw that Owen had finished his laps and was walking towards me. He stood next to me with his hands on his knees, but he was breathing hard. Maybe he runs a lot, I thought. With his presence, the chanted started again at an all-time high. He asked me if I was okay.

"I'm fine," I said blandly so he would get the idea to go away, but he didn't so I did.

At dismissal at the end of the day, I didn't wait for Mallory or Bella. I headed straight for my car (turns out, Josh really had put thought into my birthday present- in part by mom, too). I floored it out of the school property and in doing so, I almost ran Emilie and her boyfriend over. She told me, no screamed, for me to watch where I was going. I honked the horn, never taking my eyes off Owen.

"You're such a freak! Can't you wait for us to walk across for, like, five seconds? Ha, and who got you that cheap Toyota Civic? Your broke daddy? Oh wait, he's dead." She smirked as she lead Owen behind her. I didn't say anything, mostly because I was still in shock and because she wouldn't have heard me, anyway. She went too far. Too far.

Owen gave me a sympathetic look, but I made sure I was already driving off before he saw my reaction.

~~~

Mom is home. It's not surprising, but she just sat there, waiting for me in the kitchen island when I came in for some water. "Hello sweetie! How was school today?" I grunted in response that could be 'fine' or 'ugh, I don't wanna talk about it,' depending on how you read it. She nodded as if not sure what to say. "Well, I have some news." I had the sudden memory of her saying those exact words when she told us daddy died years ago. I shuddered involuntarily. "Don't worry, sweetie. It's good news! Guess what it is."

I guessed half-heartily and mostly for her sake. "Money?"

She smiled. "Well, yes, technically. I got a promotion as Chief Surgeon!" when she saw my confused face she explained. "It means I get to pick my own hours and I'll get my own office with my own name plaque and everything. And, yes, more money, but I'll still get called in for emergencies-"

"That's great, mom. I'm so happy for you." I gave her a hug for good measures.

"Thanks, hun. Oh, but there is some not-so good news..." I immediately thought of any other family members that could've died, but I realized that I didn't know any. Unless... Josh? Oh my God. "With all the bills piling up and Josh tuition, oh and your new car, I just can't keep up. I might gave to sell your car unless you're willing to get a job? That's how the situation is, take it or leave it." After the initial sigh of relief, I let the words sink in.A job could distract me form Owen...