Vivi

Chapter 36

Ivy

"Umm, Ivy," Riley muttered on the other end of the phone as I laughed hysterically. "You heard me, right?" she questioned.

I couldn't answer her I was laughing so hard. I struggled to catch my breathe as I heard her mutter to Carmen, "She's gone off the deep end."

"What a dumb fucking statement," I finally managed before laughing again.

Apparently, a rumor has been circling through our university so much that it reached Riley and Carmen's university.

"That's what I said!" Riley exclaims. "What kind of idiot thinks that crime families actually do arranged marriages?"

"Some do," I argue. "But I'm not even apart of a crime family."

"I mentioned that when I was told the rumor, but they said you had other assets. Whatever the hell that means," Carmen comments.

I get quiet while thinking that over. They could just be acting vulgar, but they also could know that I'm like my dad.

Carmen takes my silence the wrong way. "Don't worry, Ivy. Nobody believes it."

"I'm not worried. I'm sick of being worried about what other people think," I protest while plopping onto a chair.

"Good. They don't deserve your energy," Riley says.

"Either way, thank you for warning me."

"Please, somebody should've warned the sad guy who told Riley the rumor. She yelled at him until he cried!" Carmen says before bursting into laughter. I join her while clasping a hand over my mouth.

"You didn't," I reply.

"I did and he fucking deserved it," Riley says with total confidence.

I laugh again at her stern tone. "Oh, Riley," I mutter while shaking my head with a smile.

River

While scrolling on my phone before the beginning of my Literature by Women class someone plops their textbook onto my desk. I grimace at it before looking up.

"Hey, River," a girl with light pink hair greets me while peeking over a man's shoulder.

The man that stands in front of me seems vaguely familiar, but I don't waste my time wondering who he is.

"Do you want something?" I question the big man in front of me.

"Yeah, I want to know how," he responds.

Deciding that I'm not going to entertain him, I answer, "Easily," while swiping his textbook onto the floor.

It falls with a loud thunk and now we've attracted some eyes.

"So, it's true?" the pink haired girl asks with a pout.

Another rumor. "Oh, for sure," I say with a nod, not even knowing what the fuck these two idiots are talking about.

"I told you!" the man exclaims while smiling at the girl.

"You're getting married, River?" she asks, ignoring the man.

I blink a few times in surprise.

"What?" I question with a blank expression and neutral tone.

"Ha! See! I knew River wouldn't get married!" the woman gloats.

I'm a few inches taller than the man and he gulps when I stand.

"What the fuck are you two talking about?" I question.