𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟

Chapter 4 : Luca

Ivy is here, looking gorgeous, and it’s so frustrating because she isn’t even trying.

Her usual waves are straight, falling over her shoulders, and she’s dressed in black skinny jeans with a white blouse and cream-colored heels.

Ivy looks more attractive than all the girls in here, yet she’s not showing any skin.

She scans the room with squinted, smoky eyes until they land on our group at the bar. Suddenly, she smiles.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her smile, and I’m pretty much a goner after that.

“Ah! There she is! We welcome you, Queenie,” Kin greets Ivy when he spots her.

Ivy grins and playfully bows, her arms spread wide, one foot behind the other. She straightens up, walks toward the group, and then casually sits on Luca’s lap.

What?

No one else seems surprised, and I’m trying really hard to associate this girl with the Ivy I’ve known for only two weeks. But it’s impossible.

Then Ivy turns to me and waves a casual “hello.” God, happiness looks good on her.

“I missed you,” Luca tells her. Ivy watches him for a moment, then gently lifts her hand to his face, running her pinky finger under his eye.

“I missed you too. I didn’t mean to disappear. Just needed to adjust.”

I’m not sure if she’s talking about me moving in, but their proximity is unsettling. For the first time, I wonder if she’s truly lonely.

Maybe Luca is her boyfriend? The jealous type? That would explain why she’s been so cold toward me. But then, why was she so playful with Dex earlier? Maybe Luca is fine with it because he knows Dex better?

The questions keep coming, and I can’t focus on one long enough to come up with a plausible explanation.

Luca doesn’t say anything. Instead, he tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and kisses her forehead gently. They seem so comfortable around each other. I’m curious, intrigued, but mostly irritated with Luca at the moment.

It must show on my face because Mason appears in front of me, tilting his head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just had a long day,” I say, glancing over at Ivy, who tenses slightly. It’s barely noticeable, but I see it. She’s probably worried I’m going to tell everyone about this afternoon, though I’m not sure why it would be a problem.

I absentmindedly pick at my nails while Dex and Kin continue discussing a show they watched last Thursday. Mason is back on the dance floor, Tyler is serving drinks, and Luca and Ivy are trapped in their bubble, making me feel increasingly uneasy.

What makes it worse is that I can hear every word they’re saying, and the more they talk, the more nauseous I feel.

The issue is, Tyler is my family.

If Ivy can’t stand me, I’m not sure how much it could affect my relationship with him.

Another thing is that I was so excited to meet her, and now that I have, things aren’t going the way I hoped. I don’t even know what I’ve done wrong. She clearly doesn’t have an issue being social with the rest of his friends.

Her voice pulls me back, and the more I listen, the more unsettling it becomes.

“What are you drinking?”

“I have no idea. Tyler says it’s a new mix, but I think he just threw some shit together with vodka. Why? You want some?”

“Tyler made it, right?”