On Your Toes| Ongoing

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 - 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐝

Ivy pivoted to look Manny in the face and told her, "If he asks what we did today, say we went to the park."

"Why do I have to lie?" the girl inquired, peering up at Ivy.

"Because I said so."

That was all Ivy had to offer as an explanation. It was better than explaining to her little sister that their dad would freak out more than usual, especially because he went to get beers with his army buddies. He'd drunkenly ask too many questions and probably do a lot more than yell when Ivy responded with one-word answers. Or she could be honest but Ivan Sr. would most likely still rage after knowing she went to go see a boy.

The train slowed to a stop in front of them. They took a seat near the doors and Ivy put her arm around Manny and pulled her closer. With her free hand, she sends a message to Ivan Sr.

IVY: I'm taking Manny to the park

RAT BASTARD: Don't stay out too late. Be home before dark

Ivy didn't bother with a reply, so when her phone buzzed a few minutes with her name in all capital letters. She retorted with a two-worded message.

IVY: Whatever fine

Ivy switched over to the google maps app on her phone. The GPS told her they were more than an hour away from Darren's house. It would be a while before they arrived, so Ivy plugged her wired headphones in and music sounded as she handed Manny the phone to play games on.

The eldest sister watched as the younger one continuously went back and forth between playing Flappy Bird and Subway Surfers, hugging her with one arm. A few stops later Ivy and Manny got off the train and exited the subway. They walked to the bus stop for the bus that would drop them off near Darren.

As the bus neared the stop, people crowded around them, trying to be the first to get on. The doors to the bus open and they are two of many who swipe their cards and head to the back of the bus. Manny sat in the inner seat with Ivy next to her. Blue-hued sky shined brightly as the early afternoon sun offered no heat to the city streets. Silver buildings and billboards blurred outside the large rectangular windows. Every once in a while, Ivy would check the GPS to check what stop they were supposed to get off at. She only did that a few times before the bus dropped them one block before Darren's.

Ivy unplugged her headphones and put them in her pocket then texted Darren that they were outside as they came up the red stairs that lead up the small porch. The smooth white door widened as Ivy went to knock, her knuckles not given the chance to make contact. Standing in the doorway was Darren in black Nike sweatpants and a white beater with his brownish-blonde appearing slightly brushed.

"Hi," he breathed, and a comforting aura surrounded him.

Ivy smiled in return. Warmth escaping his home sent a loving invasion while the cold seeping made Darren rub his left shoulder for heat. He ushered Ivy and Manny in, instructing them to put their coats on the hooks and shoes on the shoe rack behind the door. Brushing past him, Ivy couldn't help but get a whiff of the sweet and toasty scent sticking to his skin.

"You didn't tell me we were going to see a boy," Manny says as Ivy takes in the downstairs area.

Upon entering the house, a staircase could be seen leading to the upper floor. To the left of her, a milk chocolate brown, leather couch set faced a mounted flat screen tv. The tv was on the same cream-colored wall as the front door with a black tv stand underneath it. Further back in the house was the kitchen where delicious smells travel from.

"Manny, shut up," Ivy hushed as Darren came to stand in before them. "Manny, this is Darren. Darren, this is Manny."

"Nice to meet you," he says to the ten-year-old.