Always

5 : Back to New York

I take my luggage and was about to leave for my car when Celeste yells my name "I'm gonna miss you ." she gives me one of her bear hugs while I just awkwardly pat her back.
" sunshine," an unfamiliar voice speaks. We both turn around, and Celeste literally runs and hugs him. Noticing her excitement, it could only mean that he's Felix Morelli, her boyfriend, but he's not alone. Lucas Miller is with him too. He sees me and smiles, and I nod back.

"Ivy, he's my boyfriend, he's Felix Morelli, and Felix, she's Ivy" she says, and I'm glad he doesn't try to talk or something. We both just nod at each other. He's already quite busy staring at his girlfriend with heart eyes. "And you know him, he's 'so beautiful', " she says teasing him, and he whines, " Celeste, stop, it was a mistake," he says.

"So you don't think she's pretty?" she says with a serious face, and I have to bite my bottom lip to not smile. Hearing this, he panics, "Oh no no, I never said that. She's gorgeous, literally perfect and," and they both laugh seeing him flustered, and I bite my lip harder , looking away . "Anyways, I'll see you soon Ivy. Bye " she says waving her hand I wave her back, but she's a little too excited to run to her boyfriend.

"God, they are so in love," Lucas says "I know " I say, looking at him, and he smiles. He radiates golden retriever energy. "I know this is our second meeting, but pretty please forget the first one and consider this as our first official meeting," he says, smiling sheepishly. "Oh, but I don't think any medicine or treatment in the world can ever make me forget that," I say, feigning sadness, and he grimaces.he rubs the back of his neck . "I seriously embarrass myself." He visibly cringes and I smile subtly ."Ivy, the car's here," Grace says, looking at her phone. "Um, yes, let's go," .

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"He really likes you, Ivy," Grace gushes as soon as the car starts.

"What in the world makes you think that, Grace?" I ask.

"Didn't you notice he was furiously blushing when he was with you and called you beautiful in the first meeting?" I snap my head in her direction so fast.
"How in the world do you know that?"
"Celeste told me," she says, smiling sheepishly at me.
"Of course she did."

"But she thinks the same, you know. She told me that he has never been like this in front of anyone and, in fact, he's quite the player that got flustered in front of you. and then he got your grumpy smile in just the second meeting. Now that's gotta mean something. I got that smile from you at least a year later."

"And it would be such a perfect match" she sighs dreamily.
"Um, uh, Grace, you need to stop watching rom-coms. You're now imagining things, and he had a slip of the tongue when we first met, that's just it."

"But he's better than Kaiden. I mean, I know you're dating him and all, but still, you know,"

and now I visibly gulp. "Um, actually, I dumped him."
"You did what? And when did this even happen?" Now, if I don't tell her, she will somehow find out and feel betrayed, and it'll break her heart. But if I do, then she will literally break his bones. Either her heart or his bones, something's gotta break. Her heart is too precious to be broken, so breaking his bones is the better option.