Freedom Ignited

4; firebug

IVY'S POV

I watched Iggy disappear inside his house, leaving me alone with the teenage girl. She looked younger than us, too young to be a girlfriend, and with the comment about him being single I was sure they were somehow related. The same black hair as the two brothers fell from a high ponytail at the top of her head and she had the same facial structure as Iggy.

"I'm Calista, by the way, Iggy's sister," She smiles and sticks out a hand for me to shake. It was covered in grease but I took it anyway and that made her nod in approval.

"Ivy, I go to school with Adrian," I figured that was the best way to describe why I was here. Isaiah said he was going to hang out with Iggy when Olivia asked him to come over and he just told us to take the subway and he would walk to the house with us.

I would be lying if I said I only wanted to come to make sure Liv was safe, even though that was definitely a priority. But, it was an added bonus that we would be at Iggy's house. I could've gone for a few more minutes of conversation but I swear he almost smiled at one of my jokes.

"Iggy hasn't said much since he's been back, don't take it personally," Calista shrugs and hands me a rag to wipe my hands on.

"Since he's been back?" I questioned.

She raises an eyebrow, "He got out of Juvie a little over a week ago." Oh. He didn't look vicious. Dangerous, sure. Dark and brooding, definitely, but not vicious like I pictured other criminals.

"How long was he there?" I doubt Iggy would tell me if I asked him, but that wasn't gonna stop me from going to the bookstore later and asking. I had kind of a big mouth.

"Twenty-eight months and three days," She said without hesitation. Over two years. Meaning, he's been locked up since before he was sixteen. I think she noticed the look in my eyes because she kept talking, "He's not a bad guy, he wouldn't hurt anyone unless they really deserved it."

"Yeah," I didn't know what else to say.

"Look, we all went through a rough patch a few years ago, Iggy just didn't know how to deal with it and he made some really stupid choices. You like him, right?" She had set her tool down and now looked at me with crossed arms. Her skin was getting dirty with black goop but she didn't seem to care.

"Something like that," I didn't have a crush on him or anything, but I wanted to know more about him. More so, I wanted him to be the one to open up to me. There was something about him that made me want to dig deeper.

"Then don't judge him before you know what really happened. Iggy's different, always has been." She goes back to work, not waiting for a response.

Iggy came back a few minutes later, cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he picked his book up off the porch and said something to Adrian. He wore the same outfit as yesterday, black ripped jeans and an equally dark button up with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. Inked designs twirled down both his arms but he left space between each one, like they were separate images instead of a sleeve.

"Don't wait up," He kissed Calista on the head when he got close enough. Smoke blew out of his mouth and I caught the scrunch of her eyebrows when she saw the stick hanging from his lips.

"See ya later, Ivy." He nods as he passes me. I watch as he leaves the gate, one hand stuffed in a pocket while the other moves the cigarette in and out of his mouth. I didn't care for smoking, drinking was always easier and even then I never got super fucked up. But, the sight of Iggy inhaling like it was plain oxygen was a little cool to look out.

"I'm pretty sure Isaiah and your friend are in Iggy's room," Calista tilts her head back. "You can stay out here but I'm not sure how much fun I'll be." I take a look under the hood, I knew nothing about cars but it looked like a challenge; I love a challenge.