Page 66 of Ivy's Venom

“He’s persistent and I don’t know how much more time you have until he’s banging our front door down.”

Then Saxon leaves my doorway and I hear his door open and shut. Lucky fucker can close his door.

I grab the phone off the top of a pile of textbooks and open the box, my heart picking up speed for the first time this week. Aunt Adri has been dropping off my homework all week and I haven’t even cracked the cover on one textbook.

I pull the phone out and there’s a little folded up piece of paper under it. I unfold it and feel the corners of my mouth twitch.

Don’t waste it, Greene.

I swipe my thumb across the screen and see it has indeed been hooked up to my old number. I have a few messages from Carmelo, Cam, and there’s Neil’s number but the name says, ‘Hotter than Sin’. What a loser.

I open his messages first and the twitching in my lips turns into a small smile. There are three.

Hotter than Sin: This phone cost me a small fortune. Tell your father I need a raise.

Hotter than Sin: Today I went with your father to pick up a Ford Thunderbolt. I fell in love for the first time.

I snort at that one because I know the feeling of seeing these cars for the first time.

Hotter than Sin: You’ve broken the rules and now I need to figure out how to break into your house.

A small giggle escapes me and I begin to type him a message.

Me: Hey.

That’s all I got right now, I just feel so tired and mentally I’m drained.

Hotter than Sin: You owe me three messages. That one doesn’t count, Greene.

Me: I smell terrible.

Hotter than Sin: Ew. WTF?

I giggle again.

Me: I have a mountain of homework.

Hotter than Sin: Delinquent.

The smile on my face is beginning to hurt my cheeks, it’s been that long since the muscles were used.

Me: I hate when this happens.

I’m not sure what makes me tell him that but it’s there and I don’t want to take it back.

Hotter than Sin: Until tomorrow, Greene.

He doesn’t try to pry information out of me and it’s refreshing. Besides, I wouldn’t say shit anyways so he probably figured that. I do fucking smell and it’s seeping into my bed blankets. I crinkle my nose and sit up slowly. It’s just a shower, I can do it.

The pain I experienced between my legs from Adam’s assault is now just a dull ache and my body-especially my hair-is screaming to be cleaned. I slowly get out of bed and groan when the weight of my body causes my legs to shake. I shuffle slowly to the washroom and stop in front of the mirror. I look like hell.

I have dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, my eyes themselves have red lines throughout, and my skin looks sallow and green. Why did I let my mind consume me again?

“Ivy?” Mother’s voice calls from my room door.

“Bathroom.”

I hear her padding over my carpet and then she’s standing at the washroom door. She’s giving me a once over and I can only imagine what she’s thinking.

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