Shadow of the Day (Wolf Moon Sequel)

Chapter 54: Tragic

Ivy POV

Lila showed up to school the next day, but besides her staring at me from a distance she didn't come anywhere near me at all. She didn't try to talk to me but instead of feeling relieved, I was filled with dread that she was just gearing up to catch me the second I let my guard down. Morning classes passed in a blur but I had no motivation to head to the cafeteria for lunch and be surrounded by her friends or just be around that sheer volume of people when I didn't want to talk to any of them. It felt way too easy for them to approach me when I was so out in the open like that. I just wanted to keep my head down and get home as soon as possible. Well, Joe's home. I guess it was my home too now? 

I pulled some textbooks from my locker as the halls emptied out, everyone heading away to eat in an excited rush to hang out with friends and get a break from classes, but I honestly wished I could still be in class where it was safe. I'd have an excuse to avoid Lila more and think about other things, even if my concentration was spotty today. 

"Great. Life gets a little hard and you start moping just your like sister," a voice said with utter disgust.

Roxanne. One of Wyatt's friends. I didn't know much about her, except that she was kind of rude and that Lila didn't like her much and the feeling was mutual.

Right now, I could definitely see why.

"Roxanne," Blake chided her from where he stood at her side by my locker. It was just the two of them, no Wyatt around that I could tell, but I didn't trust them anyway. "I'm sorry, Ivy."

"Don't coddle her," Roxanne said, even more annoyed somehow. It wasn't like I started this interaction, I hadn't even noticed them passing by while I was heading off to the library to do some homework as an excuse to hide.

"I'm not coddling her, I'm being polite. Something that you might want to learn at some point," Blake said, with motherly disapproval.

"Oh whatever. So her sister killed someone. Who hasn't? Get over it," she said as she stalked off to the cafeteria, leaving Blake and I to gawk after her in confused silence.

"She didn't really mean that, did she?" I asked. I couldn't stomach another murderer. How could she even say that so openly and without a care in the world?

"Honestly, when it comes to Roxanne anything is possible," Blake admitted. "Have you spoken to Lila?"

Why was it now that I wanted to avoid them all everyone was suddenly in my face? Lila was too cowardly to face me herself so she got everyone else to go after me to do her bidding? First Matt yesterday and now Wyatt's friends today? That was low, even for her.

"That's none of your business," I said, heading away from the cafeteria and all of Lila's spies.

Blake followed, trotting along to keep pace. "Fair enough. I hope you're doing alright though, all things considered."

"So what? You know too?" I snapped. "Everyone else knew everything before me?"

"I know some, not all. Wyatt is more open about certain things, but even he's been rather tight lipped about that particular subject. Not that I blame him, he and Lila have both struggled in different ways and even now they're putting on brave faces for the good of everyone else."

"I don't care what they've struggled with."

"I think you do. I'll admit that I don't know you very well, but I know how much Lila loves you from the way she talks about you and how important you are. She's done nothing but try to protect you for months, even at the cost of herself and I'm sure that you would do the same for her if given the same choices."