Poison Ivy | Jordan Poole

one.

How could it be?
20 something, all alone still
Not a thing in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something

Ivy should've been elated. Her older sister had just gotten married and now they were all at a decadent and star-studded reception. Her sister Yara had married P. Diddy's step son, Kim Porter's first born and Al B.Sure's twin, Quincy Brown. This reception left nothing to be desired. Nonetheless, she couldn't help the hollow feeling in her gut. A year ago, her whole life had been beautifully stable. She'd been in a perfect relationship with her high school sweetheart Darius whom she shared a luxury condo with, and she was excelling at her job. Then, he'd cheated on her, she'd been forced to leave and these days she felt less and less passion for her workplace.

While everyone else thrived around her, Ivy found herself slightly miserable. She'd tried to rebound with Bryn Forbes, but his two sons and baby mother made for a hectic package, so she'd bailed. Now, here she was, at a wedding where everyone was in love, and she was just simply alone.

She glanced over at her twin sister Isla, the sun to her moon and ruefully smiled. Isla had done the unthinkable months prior, she'd went to Canada to reconnect with an old friend, AJ Saudin and come back a week later married. There wasn't a more Isla-like thing to do in the world.

Still, Ivy envied her. Isla was always the free spirit, the one who lived impulsively with no regrets while she had to be careful, calculated, and sure. These days Ivy was realizing more and more that there was risk associated with every decision.

When she let her older sister Yara back into her life after years of separation, which was neither of their faults, there was a risk that there'd be no connection.

Luckily, they meshed well together and Yara proved to be a source of strength for her too.

When she decided to stay with Darius because they made sense on paper, there was a risk that her picture-perfect life would crumble.

It did.

When she decided to rebound with Bryn to move on, there was a risk it would not work.

It didn't.

Life was uncertain no matter how much planning you put forth. Nevertheless, as happy as Ivy was for Isla, her sister's sudden marriage uprooted her life rapidly. When Isla put her apartment up for sale and moved to LA to be with her husband while he filmed, she effectively got rid of the last sanctuary Ivy had in Nevada and now she was grasping at straws. Luckily, Yara didn't mind her occupying a guest room, but Ivy had pride and Nevada was becoming her prison.

At 22, this was the last thing she'd expected for her life. However, she had enough sense to know that it was technically just beginning. She'd always overachieved, finishing high school early at 16 and then completing college in 3 years. She'd been in the work force at 19 and completed her CPA by 21. Everything with her was always so calculated and organized, that's how she'd preferred it. Now, there was no plan or next accolade to achieve.

Her twin had left and now Yara was leaving in a sense as well through concretizing her family. Even their mother Elizabeth was embarking on new beginnings and dating. Ivy needed to find her own path and maybe that's why she'd decided to stay in California.

No one knew and she wouldn't tell them yet- today was her sister's day but, after this reception she'd be headed to San Francisco, to her new beginning. With a brand-new job, home, and old friends to help her through it.

"Are you always this quiet?" She looked up to see a handsome face and deep set dimples. His eyes were focused on her, if she didn't know better, she'd swear he could see right through her. A part of her was intrigued but the other part relieved that he wasn't Quincy's brother Devin.