Vivi

Chapter 31

River

"You look like shit," Forest announces as soon as he steps through his office door. I sit in his chair and behind his desk while I look up at him, away from the papers in my hand.

"Nice tan, Roman," I reply, looking back down and reminding him that I've been here, doing his work, while he's been on an island with his wife.

"Mom, thinks it's the work too," he adds while slowly nodding. I look back up at him, slowly. "I was pretty confident that you could handle this though." 

He falls into the chair across from his desk. "So, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired," I answer almost on impulse. I've lost count of the amount of times my mother, father, and friends have asked me what's wrong. Pretty much everyone but Malia, she thinks she knows what's bothering me. She doesn't.

"I didn't ask you to do this," Roman announces while slapping a piece of paper down. "So, bull-fucking-shit you're overworked. What is wrong?" he asks again; I sigh.

"Nothings wrong." I grit my teeth in frustration.

"If you're depressing state is about me being away on vacation, just say that." He's goading me.

"I did miss you." I refuse to fall for it.

Getting up from his chair, I drop a stack of papers into his lap. "Have a nice day." I smile, but it's obvious I'm not happy.

"I'll get it out of you," Roman declares as I shut the door behind me.

. . .

Malia was on the phone with Ivy. I know because she hung up as soon as I entered the room. She knows that I know too.

"You should talk to her. You look like shit," Malia comments, shooting me a nasty look. What is up with my family and the brutal honesty? I frown. "Seriously, if you get any worse you're going to have a hard time picking up girls."

"I'm somehow not concerned," I mutter, not looking her in the eye.

"Yeah, I've noticed that you haven't been up to your usual trouble."

That's not what I meant and she's implying something. I meant that no matter what I do, I'm like a light to moths that are women.

"Why don't you just say whatever it is you want to?" I question, finally looking her in the eyes. She looks cocky and certain.

"Fine. You miss Ivy. You're all depressed and shit because you think she's mad at you."

I shake my head before rubbing just above my eyebrows.

She's wrong. Sure, I miss Ivy and I don't feel great about the fact that she's mad at me. What I hate though, is that I'm nothing. Not her friend, not her acquaintance, not even her roommate. And I'm "depressed and shit" because I care about these things when it comes to her. I don't want to care about her, look at what it's doing to me already.

I start to walk away from Malia, but stop when she says, "I think she misses you too."

Five minutes later, I'm obsessing, like literally pacing my bedroom.

Does Malia think this is funny? Is she fucking with me? Last I heard, I was nothing to Ivy. You don't miss nothing, right?

See? Obsessing.

I startle when I hear Malia exclaim, "Coffee?"

"Coffee," I hear a familiar voice float down the hall. 

I stop pacing.

Ivy (fifteen minutes ago)

I'm thisclose to heading over Malia's. It's been a little while, I've thought about things. So, if River happened to be there, I wouldn't have to avoid him.