Vivi

Chapter 26

Ivy

"He said she sounded serious." I shrug while poking at a grape that keeps slipping out from underneath my fork.

"Serious," Malia repeats while furrowing her eyebrows in thought.

I nod, giving up on my fork and grabbing the grape with my fingers.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Malia shakes her head, coming to that conclusion.

"I'm not worried. My mom always makes small things seem like the end of the world." I hop off my stool with my bowl before popping it into the dish washer.

"Still, I've got to go to calm her down. Rain check on tonight?"

"No problem; I've got work to do anyway." Malia smiles before grabbing her zip-up hoodie.

"You're sure you don't want to come?" She asks while slipping the black fabric on. I pop open a small bag of chips before answering.

"Not today. I'll join you tomorrow though," I say to appease her. She gives me a knowing smile before grabbing her bag and leaving for the gym. I hop to sit on the counter whil chomping on my chips.

"You two health freaks," I mutter when River comes into the kitchen to fill his thermos up, all dressed in workout gear. He smirks at my comment just as my snack size bag of chips vanishes.

"If we were real health freaks, we wouldn't have this crap in the house." River says before popping a chip into his mouth.

"I had fruit for breakfast, mister," I say before snatching my chips back.

"Fruit for breakfast, chips for lunch..." River leans against the counter, ticking off my meal plans for the day. "What are you doing for dinner?"

I furrow my eyebrows for one second. One small second because, if I didn't know any better, that sounded an awful lot like an opening; an opening to ask someone out on a date.

Which is absolutely ridiculous since River doesn't date. Besides, we made rules, two of them. No strings and no gossip. I believe a date would break rule one in half and might even end up putting a dent into rule two. Or will it be the other way around? Putting a dent into rule one and snapping rule two?

"My mom invited me to dinner." River raises his eyebrows and wears an expression I can't quite read before responding.

"I'm sure Alice will make something much better than fruit or chips." River looks everywhere but at me; it's a relief. Malia has told me she's heard women swoon over River's green eyes about a million times; those babies are potent, and I can't stand to look at them any longer.

"On a first name basis with my mom, are you?" I ask with confusion clear in my voice.

"'Please call us Rick and Lily. We've known you since you were a baby.'" River does an awful job impersonating his mother and what she said to me at Reina's wedding.

"Alright, point taken." I roll my eyes, River chuckles.

"Speaking of Reina and Roman's wedding, I've been meaning to ask you. What's with the nickname Forest?"

"Nickname?" River questions.

"Well, your brother's name is actually Roman, isn't it?" I ask with a friendly smile. I've always wondered why River, his parents, Mila, and Malia all called Roman Forest.

"It's his middle name, Poison; not a nickname." River smiles with amusement at the way I didn't already know that.

"Sorry I don't stalk your family like every other man loving person on this planet." I smile with my arms crossed.