Untouchable

0.34

Ivy’s POV

The second the professor dismisses class, I start gathering my books, hoping to slip out before—

“Ivy.”

I freeze.

Alistair leans back in his seat, watching me like he knew I’d try to run. His expression is unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes that makes my stomach tighten.

“Can we talk?” he asks, his voice calm but firm.

I hesitate. We haven’t really talked since we ended things. Sure, we’ve had polite exchanges, the occasional glance in passing, but nothing real.

And part of me liked it that way.

But now, as the rest of the class files out, I realize I don’t have a choice.

“Yeah,” I say finally, adjusting the strap of my bag. “Where?”

He gestures toward the hallway. “Walk with me?”

I nod, and we fall into step, the silence stretching between us like an unspoken challenge.

It’s awkward.

Which is weird, because it’s Alistair.

For months, he was the one person I could talk to about anything. The one person who could make me laugh even when I wanted to scream. And now?

Now, I don’t even know where to start.

We don’t stop walking until we reach one of the quieter halls, near the old library. He leans against the wall, arms crossed. I stay standing, shifting uncomfortably.

“So…” I start. “What did you want to talk about?”

He exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. “Us.”

I blink. “Us?”

“Not like that,” he adds quickly, shaking his head. “I just mean… where we stand. What we are now.”

I pause. “I thought we figured that out.”

“Did we?” He tilts his head. “Because, if I’m being honest, it doesn’t feel like we did.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. He’s not wrong.

“Look,” he continues, his voice softer now. “I know things got messy. And I know we both had our reasons for ending it. But that doesn’t mean we have to avoid each other like we’re strangers.”

I sigh, leaning against the wall beside him. “I’m not avoiding you.”

He gives me a look.

“Okay, maybe I was,” I admit. “But it wasn’t personal.”

Alistair lets out a dry chuckle. “Didn’t feel that way.”

I exhale, staring at the floor. “I just needed time.”

“To figure out your feelings?” he guesses.

I stiffen. “Something like that.”

He nods slowly, like he understands more than I want him to. Then, after a beat, he says, “Are you happy?”

The question catches me off guard.

I look up at him. “What?”

“Are you happy, Ivy?” he repeats, watching me carefully.

I open my mouth—then close it. Because I don’t know the answer.

Alistair nods again, like that silence is my answer. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “I thought so.”

A lump forms in my throat. “Are you?”

He lets out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “That’s a complicated question.”

We both fall silent.

And then, before I can think twice about it, I say, “I miss you.”

His gaze snaps to mine.

I swallow. “Not like—” I pause, rewording. “I just miss this. Us. Talking. Laughing. Not… whatever this weird thing is.”

Alistair studies me for a long moment before his expression softens. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “Me too.”

I let out a small breath of relief.

Then he straightens, his usual teasing smirk slipping back into place. “So… we’re cool?”

I nod. “We’re cool.”

“Good,” he says, stepping past me. But just as he walks by, he adds in a low voice, “Just don’t let Nathaniel break your heart, okay?”

I whip around. “What—”

But he’s already gone, disappearing down the hall before I can ask what the hell that was supposed to mean.