Vivi

Chapter 9

Ivy

"That was weird right?" I ask Malia while still looking at the dust that's not quite settled yet.

"Yeah..." She says staring at where the car just drove off to.

"Let's not think about it. Mila's coming in a few days." She says clearly excited.

"You're right, let's talk about that," I say as we start walking inside.

Why should I bother trying to figure out why they're suddenly best buddies? It's good that Dean's not threatening him... right?

River

"So update me," Dean says as he drives somewhere.

"They went to a frat party. Like she told you. She was going to ask you to come as her 'bodyguard' but didn't want you to mess up your hand worse--"

"Damn."  He says while shaking his head at himself.

"Yeah, anyways they crowned her. Being crowned is this disgusting frat tradition over there where all the guys try to take home the queen. Whoever goes to class with the queen's crown gets to brag about it." I can see Dean tensing up.

"But it's fine because I made sure nobody tried anything," I say not wanting to get into the details. The ridiculous purring, the disgusting staring, and the total disrespect. Dean didn't need to know about that. I didn't even want to know about it.

"Thanks. I know this whole thing might seem a little weird, but Ivy wants me to let her be independent. I can't be on her and watch her the way I used to, but I also need to protect her. She's my sister ya know?" He asks while pulling into what I assume is his driveway.

"I get it, I live with Malia so I get protective over her. Like I said before, I promise nothing will happen and if it did I would let you know." I say.

Dean talked to me before he left that night he messed up his hand. I accepted his offer to help him for no particular reason and ever since then I've been trying to figure out why I said I would do this.

Maybe it's because I understand his situation, but that can't be it since Malia lets me protect her. Maybe it's because if Malia was like Ivy I would want someone to do this for me? No, that can't be it. I definitely don't think like that and I don't just do charity like this. Maybe I thought that if he saw me helping him protect her from douche's then he wouldn't worry about me trying anything.

At the same time, now I have to talk to her. I saw the confused look on her face when I started that first conversation. She's wondering why I'm suddenly talking to her and she has every right to. I completely ignored her for years.

I've got to admit she's got a hell of a personality on her. I've only talked to her a couple of times and I can tell she's fun. She knows when to party and when to be serious. I can see why anybody would be protective over her, especially her brother. Maybe that's why I'm helping? You know what, I refuse to think about it anymore.

"And you guys living together has been--" He starts to interrogate me but I stop him.

"I know she has to have told you that I barely talk to her," I say raising an eyebrow.

"And why is that? Ivy's a nice person it's not like she was ever a bitch to you or anything. Are you not talking to her because you--"

"Stop overthinking everything Myles," I say before getting out of the car. He does exactly what I said and gets out after me. That was a close one.