Ivy hesitated before stepping back into Aiden’s house. The conversation with Noah had left her reeling, but she knew she needed to find some semblance of normalcy and support. Aiden, Olivia, and Violet welcomed her back, their faces a mix of relief and curiosity.
As Ivy settled in, she began to explain everything that had transpired. “I know this is going to sound unbelievable, but I need you all to understand. Noah and I… we were in a terrible situation. My parents, they were involved in dark rituals, and Noah was dragged into it.”
Aiden, Olivia, and Violet listened intently, their disbelief fading as Ivy spoke. The fact that Noah, once presumed dead, was now alive lent credibility to her story. “I know it’s a lot to take in,” Ivy continued, her voice trembling, “but I’m telling you the truth. We’ve been through so much.”
To her surprise, her friends accepted her story. They seemed to believe her, perhaps because of the strange circumstances surrounding Noah’s apparent resurrection. The townspeople’s skepticism paled in comparison to the evidence before them.
“We’ll support you,” Aiden said, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to go through this alone.”
Ivy forced a smile, touched by their support. “Thank you. It means a lot.”
Despite their kindness, Ivy’s mind was preoccupied with Noah. She couldn’t shake the worry about how he was faring, especially knowing that the Retributionists were a harsh group. Her days were filled with a façade of contentment, but her nights were plagued with thoughts of him, the emptiness of his absence weighing heavily on her heart.
---
Meanwhile, Noah had returned to the Retributionists, his training becoming increasingly grueling. The harsh regimen was designed to push him beyond his limits, a method that seemed less about preparation and more about punishment. The Retributionists’ disdain for Ivy was evident in their treatment of him. They saw him as a means to an end, a tool to be wielded against her family, and their hostility was palpable.
Noah’s nights were filled with exhaustion and frustration. He began to understand the depth of their hatred for Ivy and felt the sting of betrayal. The realization that he had been complicit in their schemes, and that he had alienated Ivy in the process, was a crushing blow.
He lay in his bed, the sheets cold and empty without her. He could hear the echoes of her voice in his mind, the pain and disappointment etched in her words. “What have I done?” he wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.
His training intensified as he tried to escape his thoughts through sheer physical exertion. He pushed himself harder, driven by guilt and a sense of urgency. But no matter how hard he worked, the memories of his mistakes haunted him.
One evening, after a particularly brutal training session, Noah collapsed into a chair, his body aching and his spirit broken. The Retributionists’ cheers and jeers echoed around him, but he felt distant, detached. The realization struck him with full force: he had been fighting for the wrong cause, and his actions had driven a wedge between him and Ivy.
Determined to make things right, Noah resolved to give Ivy the space she needed. He knew he couldn’t undo the damage he had caused overnight, but he hoped that by stepping back and reflecting, he might eventually find a way to make amends.
As he looked out at the darkness of the night, Noah felt the weight of his decisions pressing down on him. He was determined to find a way to reconcile with Ivy and prove to her that he was willing to fight for their future, even if it meant facing the consequences of his past mistakes.
---
Ivy’s heart raced as she dialed Noah’s number. The familiar sound of the phone ringing on the other end brought a surge of hope and anxiety. When he answered, his voice was both relieved and cautious. “Ivy? Is everything okay?”
“I miss you, Noah. I need to see you. Can we meet?” Her voice trembled with a mix of longing and fear.
“Of course,” Noah said, his tone earnest. “Where do you want to meet?”
“The park. It’s where we first talked. I’ll be there soon.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Noah replied before hanging up.
As Ivy walked towards the park, she felt a flutter of anticipation. The thought of seeing Noah again filled her with both joy and dread. But her moment of hope was abruptly interrupted when she encountered her father.
“Ivy! There you are!” Her father’s face lit up with a smile that felt out of place. “I’m so glad to see you. You have no idea how worried I’ve been.”
Before Ivy could react, her father’s strong grip pulled her towards him. “Dad, I need to go. I’m meeting someone,” Ivy protested, but her father’s hold was firm.
“No, Ivy. You’re coming with me. There’s something important we need to discuss.”
Struggling against his grip, Ivy tried to resist, but her father was insistent. She was led away, her thoughts racing as she worried about Noah’s growing anxiety.
---
At the park, Noah paced restlessly. The minutes felt like hours as he checked his watch and glanced around. Ivy’s absence gnawed at him, and his concern grew with every passing moment.
Unable to wait any longer, Noah decided to go to Aiden’s house to find out if she had returned. His heart sank when he arrived to find the house empty. He spotted Ivy’s phone on the floor, screen cracked and displaying a video. With trembling hands, Noah played the video.
The footage showed Ivy struggling as she was dragged away by her father. Anger flared within Noah, and he clenched his fists. “I will kill him,” he said through gritted teeth.
Aiden, Olivia, and Violet gathered around, their expressions a mixture of concern and disapproval. Aiden spoke up, his voice firm. “You really haven’t learned anything from this, have you? Ivy doesn’t want her parents dead. No matter how bad they are, she still cares for them.”
Noah’s rage was palpable. “You don’t understand. I have to do something. If I don’t, I might lose her forever.”
Aiden’s gaze softened slightly, but he remained resolute. “Would you really want your parents dead, no matter how bad they are? Ivy’s feelings are complex. Killing her parents won’t fix anything.”
Noah’s face hardened. “You don’t know what it’s like. I never had parents. Just relatives who left me one by one. I don’t understand how she could still care for them.”
Aiden’s expression turned sympathetic. “Maybe you don’t, but Ivy does. She’s been through a lot, and she needs you to understand her, not to act out of anger.”
Frustrated and defeated, Noah realized the gravity of his situation. “So what am I supposed to do? I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
Aiden took a deep breath. “If you want to help Ivy, you need to work with her, not against her. You need to find another way to deal with this.”
Noah, feeling the weight of his decisions, nodded slowly. “Fine. I’ll go back to the Retributionists and use them to fight the Cassidys. But I need to be careful. I need to make sure I’m not just causing more harm.”
As Noah prepared to return to the Retributionists, he realized that his path to redemption was far from clear. He was determined to find a way to protect Ivy while confronting the dark forces that had ensnared them both. The journey ahead was fraught with danger, but Noah was resolved to make amends and find a way to be with Ivy again.
YOU ARE READING
Expelled Souls
FantasíaIvy Cassidy seems like a normal girl with a perfectly ordinary life-a caring boyfriend, a loving family, nothing out of the ordinary. Everything is clear for now, right? That's what she thought, too, until the day she discovered... something. A dark...
