Shades of Desire

Ivy

I opened my eyes to a bright light, feeling a strong presence next to me. His hands held mine as if he thought I'd run away just like that night. But no, I won't run, not now.

I turned to look at him properly, taking in the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, the way his lips curled slightly in sleep. He looked peaceful, almost innocent, and I couldn't help myself; I gently patted him. This feeling I have when I'm with him is something I've never found with Ethan. Guilt washed over me. Ethan and I were casual, so it wasn't exactly cheating, right?

Jace shifted and opened his eyes, smiling at me.

"You stayed," he said, his voice still thick with sleep.

I smiled back.

"How are you feeling, Ivy?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.

I hesitated before answering. Talking about Ethan with Jace felt wrong.

"Did Ethan hurt you?"

"No, Jace. I just got scared. He... he asked me to be serious with him."

I could see the tension in his jaw tighten.

"I couldn't say yes, Jace... I couldn't when you're the one constantly on my mind."

Jace got up from the bed, and I felt my heart sink. Had I messed up? Did he think I was crazy?

"Ivy, I won't lie; I couldn't stop thinking about you either," he confessed, his voice low.

"Relationships scare me, Jace. I like reading about them, but in reality, they terrify me. My mom left me and my dad for another man. My dad has always been there for me."

Concern deepened in Jace's eyes.

"Ivy, it's the same for me. My mom and dad constantly fought, and one day, my mom overdosed and died. Now my dad is married to Ethan's mom and is the husband my mom deserved."

"I'm sorry... I didn't know," I murmured, feeling a weight of empathy for him.

Jace took a deep breath, his expression growing more serious. "After that, I didn't want anything from him. I didn't want his money or his pity. I wanted to prove I could do it on my own, but it was hard. I've been a mess ever since. I barely have enough for college, and sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning in all of it."

"I can't believe you went through that alone," I said softly, my heart aching for him.

He looked at me, his vulnerability raw. "I didn't want to be like him. I didn't want to rely on the same man who caused my mom so much pain. But not having that safety net has been... exhausting."

I hugged him tightly, feeling the warmth of our shared pain. We both had our issues, but maybe—just maybe—we could find solace in each other.