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20.The Padlock Mystery.

Chapter 20

Ever since that evening at Ivy's house, I felt more at ease with the idea of her mom liking me.

Ivy confirmed it herself, telling me one night over the phone, "You know, Mom thinks you're a good guy." I should have felt more secure, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.
For the past couple of months, Ivy had been distant, her actions more reserved. Even though everything seemed fine on the surface, something was missing.

I decided not to press the issue, though my instincts told me to dig deeper. Perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps I was overthinking it.

Christmas rolled around, bringing with it the usual holiday excitement. There was a popular show happening in town that my friends and I were eager to attend. Naturally, I invited Ivy, thinking it would be a perfect opportunity for us to spend some time together. To my surprise, she gave me an excuse, saying she had family plans that night.

"Next time," she promised over the phone, her voice tinged with a casualness that felt too light for my liking.

That evening, I went to the show with my boys, deciding to have a good time regardless. The crowd was thick with excitement as local artists performed, the energy electric. We grabbed drinks, vibed to the music, and for a moment, I let myself forget about Ivy's sudden distance.

Then I saw her.

Amidst the throng of people, there she was, Ivy, standing with her group of friends. I couldn't believe it. She was supposed to be with family, yet there she was, laughing and carefree, her arm linked with a girlfriend's as they swayed to the music.

I hesitated for a moment. My heart raced, a mixture of confusion and disappointment flooding through me. I swallowed the bitter feeling down and walked up to her, deciding not to make a scene. I forced a smile, "Hey, Ivy."

She looked momentarily startled, her eyes widening before she recovered. "Oh! Hi!" She greeted me with a half-hearted hug. Her friends smiled politely, but I could sense the awkwardness in the air.

We vibed for a bit, exchanging a few words here and there, but I kept my cool. I didn't ask why she had lied to me. I just pretended it didn't bother me.

As the music picked up and an artist we both loved came on stage, I stood behind her, watching her move to the rhythm. The lights from the stage illuminated her face, and for a second, it was like nothing had changed between us.

She danced, swaying her hips to the beat, her laughter floating in the air like it used to. I let myself get lost in the moment, remembering how much I cared for her.

I leaned closer, just enough to catch the scent of her perfume, my breath mingling with the cool night air.

For a brief moment, it felt like everything was right again.

But then, her phone buzzed.

She ignored it at first, her eyes still on the stage, but the calls kept coming. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen, her expression changing slightly. She hesitated for a second, then tried to slip the phone back into her pocket.

Something inside me tensed. I didn't mean to, but my eyes caught the name flashing on her screen before she could put it away.

"LOML❤️🌎🌈."

My stomach dropped.

I knew how my contact was saved on her phone. It was "LOML❤️🌎🌈🔐." The only difference was the padlock. My mind raced as I tried to make sense of it. Could it be a mistake? A coincidence? But deep down, I knew better.

She had someone else.

The realization hit me hard, a punch to the gut I wasn't prepared for. I stepped back, my mind spinning as I tried to keep my composure. I didn't want to react, didn't want to cause a scene, but I could feel my chest tightening with every passing second. Who was this "LOML" without the padlock? Why hadn't I noticed before?

Ivy must have sensed the shift in my energy because she turned to look at me, her smile faltering. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern, though I could tell she already knew the answer.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice strained. "I just need some air."

I pretended I didn't see anything. My mind was screaming with questions, but I buried them deep, putting on a mask of indifference.

I forced a smile and leaned back, making a joke about the music being too loud. Ivy chuckled, clearly relieved that I hadn't pressed her about the call, and I played along like nothing had happened.

The rest of the night passed in a blur. I stood close to her, still vibing to the music, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. I couldn't stop thinking about that name on her phone. The way the little icons mirrored mine, but without the padlock the one thing I thought signified our bond.

I glanced at her a few times, watching as she laughed with her friends, seemingly carefree. There were moments when she looked back at me, her eyes meeting mine with what felt like a question lingering there. Maybe she was wondering if I would ask. Maybe she was waiting for me to confront her. But I didn't.

I stayed silent.

When the night drew to a close, we exchanged a casual goodbye. We didn't leave together. She went off with her friends, while I went home with mine. The whole ride back, I kept up the same act, laughing at my boys' jokes, pretending nothing was wrong. But inside, I was tearing apart every moment of the evening, trying to piece together what Ivy hadn't told me.

Who was this other "LOML"? How long had this been going on? And why didn't she tell me?

When I got home, I collapsed on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The thought of Ivy, her phone, and the name on her screen kept replaying in my head. Every fiber of me wanted to call her, to ask her for the truth.

But something held me back. Maybe it was the fear of hearing what I didn't want to hear. Maybe it was the hope that if I ignored it, everything would return to normal.

But deep down, I knew things had already changed.

Ivy didn't text me that night, and I didn't reach out to her either. We both went to sleep in separate worlds, pretending nothing had happened.

But for how long could we keep pretending?
And who could that be.

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...Story continues