In the Absence of Light

16

Surprise!!! An early update for you all because it's Christmas Eve tomorrow and I don't think I'll have time 😂 Also, it's a double one because I love you all so much! I think we're going to get to 3k reads before the end of the year  👀👀 And I made it to 1k followers!!! I feel so lucky this year 🥰

I hope you're all enjoying the holidays and get to see your families. 

❤️❤️❤️

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Ivys POV

A few rays of sunshine beam into the room, filling the space with a warmth I haven't felt in weeks. I can hear birds chirping outside my window. They're happy, singing the songs of spring in the midst of fall.

I can't remember the last time I felt like this. My mind is clear, and my body relaxed. I feel at peace, like a whole new person.

I'm smiling. I'm smiling so wide, it feels strange. I'm not used to it. It's unfamiliar. My eyes don't even feel heavy. They're open wide.

I sit up in my bed, stretching out my legs over the edge. I've only just woken up and I'm ready to face the day. How am I already so awake?

I pick my phone up off my nightstand, glancing at the time. It's just after 10:30. I didn't even sleep that long. I left the party just before the ambulance showed up. I saw them driving down the road, but I didn't hang around to watch. I wanted desperately to get out of there, and that fight gave me the perfect opportunity. No, actually, it wasn't even a fight. It was a full-on brawl. Those boys were attacking each other.

They were going crazy. I could've sworn Trey stopped breathing for a second there, but I know he survived. He's fine. Mel told me when she got home. But I have to admit, in that second, I felt an immense amount of relief. I've never considered myself a cruel person but seeing him suffer like that... it felt good.

Isaac looked at me afterwards. I'm not sure why. I wonder if he listened to what I said—if he actually went back and asked his friends what they did. But would he really react that way? He looked so angry... like it was sister they did it to, instead of a random girl he doesn't even know. Guys don't care about these things until it affects them directly. Besides, he's friends with those boys. I'd expect him to back them up instead of attacking them.

I can't get his face out of my head. He was actually nice to me last night. He gave me a full bottle of Valium and didn't even make me pay for it. He beat the shit out of Trey, and even though I don't know why he did it, I really like the idea of it being because of me. Not even me necessarily, but because of what he did to me. He deserves to suffer for it. He deserves a whole lot worse than few punches, as brutal as they were.

I didn't go to bed right away when I got home. Erin and I stayed up talking for a while, and Mel joined us to eventually, too. I didn't take any Valium until about 5 a.m., so I slept a little more than 5 hours.

Wait. That's it? That's nothing.

Unless...

I glance back down at my phone, but instead of looking at the time, I look at the date. Just as I expected, it's no longer weekend. It's Monday morning. I slept all through Sunday—for almost 30 hours straight.

No wonder I feel so awake. I didn't just sleep, I caught up on the sleep I've missed. I feel great.

I jump out of bed, briefly sticking my head out of the door to call out to Mel. I don't think she's home, and the silence confirms it.