The Sin

Chapter Eleven

Ben's heart pounded against his ribcage as he paced the small confines of his room. The walls, papered with posters of racing bikes and faded trophies, felt like they were closing in on him. The clock on the wall ticked ominously, each second stretching into eternity as he awaited Ivy's response. It felt like a mockery of his turmoil.

He stopped, staring at his reflection in the dusty mirror. "You're going to tell her," he whispered to himself, but doubt coiled around his resolve. What if she hated him? What if she never spoke to him again? Would she reply? Would Ivy understand?

H

e stopped, gripping the edge of his desk. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," he muttered to himself. "If only I had just slowed down..." Outside, he could hear the distant laughter of kids playing, echoing against the stillness of his room.

Meanwhile, Ivy walked beside Dash, her mind racing. "Why do you think Ben wants to see me?" she asked, glancing sideways at him.

"Who knows?" Dash replied, his tone flat.

Ivy frowned. "I just feel... I don't know, I'm uneasy about it."

"Uneasy? Ivy, he's not some monster. Just a guy who messed up," Dash shot back, laughing and kicking a pebble on the ground. Ivy looked at him, making him feel bad.

"Fine, but I'm coming with you," Dash said, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Ivy forced a smile, but a knot of dread twisted in her stomach. They resumed walking, but the tension hung thick in the air like a storm cloud, and Dash couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was coming next would change everything.

Back in his room, Ben's phone buzzed, and he snatched it up. Ivy's message blinked on the screen: "I can meet you. Where?"

He texted back quickly: "At the park nearby the restaurant, 8pm." The clock ticked down, each second a hammer strike against his nerves.