^the look ivy is serving.
A L E X
"Alex I knew this wasn't a good idea" Ivy groans looking at her thighs.
"We can just stop at the Cvs for concealer" I offer.
"I put concealer on and it rubbed off" I don't think anyone is gonna be staring at her thighs though.
"I'm also wearing white" No really? I don't see the white there at all.
"Yeah, I know Casper" She doesn't laugh though she just gets out of the car.
It's some brunch place, it's not bad I don't think, however, I don't think it's better than Bennys.
"Your ass looks good Iv" I yell as she walks in front of me.
"Thank you all the work I do during sex is to thank" She jokes. She does not do all the work.
"Lies" I squint.
"Truth, last night I literally d-" But she stops short when she sees everyone.
Her mom, dad, Ingrid, and Isaiah. Then there's Kimani, and Sasha but what's even worse is my father, Andrew, and my mother sitting with them.
"Did they tell you that they were invit-" I start but she cuts me off.
"No, how do they even know your parents?" I'm so confused.
However, nothing is as worse than the feeling I get when I see Sarah walk out of the restaurant and join them.
Ivy looks back at me with wide eyes and I just take a deep breath and continue to walk.
"Ivy hi" My mom immediately stands up and Ivy's mom glances at her but she thinks nobody witnesses it.
"Hi Mrs.Jones" Ivy smiles, she's acting like she isn't annoyed.
"I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries by coming here, Derrick received an email from a Malia that she was inviting us to a brunch and I didn't want to not go to be rude but I wasn't sure if-" Here my mom is rambling, she's always so cautious and hates to overstep her boundaries. I remember Ivy showing me the two-page email she sent Ivy after that horrible dinner basically just apologizing.
"It's fine trust me" It's not.
Why do adults still email?
"Are you su-" But Ivy's mom is cutting them off.
"Hi Ivy" She smiles at her and Ivy keeps the fake smile.
"Hi mom," She says before sitting down.
(the seating arrangements)
"How was post-win night?" Andrew asks Ivy.
"Fun, Alex's birthday was yesterday so we celebrated" We sure did.
"Happy belated birthday Alex" Her mom smiles at me and I smile at her back.
"What did you guys do?" Sarah asks making everyone look at her.
Ivy don't react. Don't do it.
"I took him to a restaurant then we went to a party for him" I know she's trying so hard not to say anything snarky.
"I remember the parties I went to in my 20's" She laughs. I remember me kissing her when she was in her twenties.
"Oh really? You seemed more like the kinda gal who preferred to hang with little kids" Why Ivy? Just why?
"What's that supposed to mean?" Her mom squints at her but Andrew is just looking at me along with my parents.
Funny enough Andrew doesn't even know about what happened.
"Oh, nothing just that since you're a nurse, mainly a pediatric nurse I would assume you're good with kids" She played it off well but she should have never said it.
"Oh, so you work with kids Sarah?" My dad speaks up.
"No I'm a nurse in an ER but lots of kids come in so being good with kids is part of the job" She smiles innocently.
"How'd you get so good with kids?" I need Ivy to stop pushing.
"I used to babysit" She finally told the truth.
"Oh really? What kinds of kids? Teenagers? Babies? Toddlers?"
"All kinds, just for extra cash to get me through school" I know Ivy has something else to say but I just pinch her thigh shutting her up.
"I'm sorry Sarah. Ivy come on, you know better" Her mom looks disappointed but Ivy just takes a deep breath.
"I was just curious, I didn't mean to make you sweat" She laughs it off and Sarah joins.
"Ingrid's 16th birthday is coming up this year" Ivy reminds everyone.
"I know, we're planning her this big party and she's still looking for a dress" I watch Ivy listen intently but her smile changes.
"Yeah, she said she wanted some DJ and we got him" Her dad adds.
She's trying her best to look happy for Ingrid but when she thinks nobody's watching she looks around and starts picking at old scabs on her thigh.
It's a habit she has.
I grab her hand and hold it so she snaps out her thoughts.
"It's really no big deal" Ingrid looks at Ivy and then at me.
"No it is, 16 means that you're two years away from being legal, that you can get your permit, and that you can do lots of things without parents because sixteen is like egging on to 18" I don't understand a single thing she said but sure.
"Didn't you have a sweet sixteen Ivy?" Ingrid asks her.
"Something like that, I don't remember much because I spent most of the time sitting down after being neglected so everyone else could talk about what Iris did at her last meet" She sounds unbothered by it but the way her eyes glisten says a lot.
"Oh please Ivy, we gave you a huge party, don't go and say that you were neglected, you were never neglected" Her father finally speaks but Ivy doesn't say anything.
"You know Ivy, what if you just had a sweet 21st, it's like a sweet 16 but adult style and it could make up for it" My mom offers.
"That sounds nice but I don't want a party and I don't have a whole bunch of money for the casual big party" She forgets my parents are filthy rich.
"Money isn't an issue Iv, just consider it and let me know" My mom smiles but Ivy's mom just watched the interaction, screwing her face up.
"Hi, I'll be your server today what can I start for you guys?" The woman asks and everyone orders one by one.
When it's Ivy's turn I know exactly what she's going to go ask her for.
"Can I have cinnamon waffles with strawberries and bananas on top with bacon and eggs on the side, and can I also have toast too with apple juice?" She asks the woman.
"Ivy you don't need all of that, it's too much fat, take the waffles and bacon off please" Her father speaks to the waitress.
"Do you have any underlying health conditions?" She asks Ivy and she shakes her head.
"Are you older than 18?" Ivy nods.
"Then I'm sorry sir but you don't have a say on what this young lady is or isn't eating" I don't know this waitress kinda served even without the food yet.
I love using Ivy's slang.
I'm still holding Ivy's hand but my grip loosens when I feel a foot. A barefoot gliding down my calf and I know it's not Ivy, her feet are smooth, these are rough, and it's coming from the woman sitting right in front of me.
I V Y
Why is he always trying to put me on a diet? If I want to eat then let me eat.
"Ivy, all those sugary fats aren't good for you, I was watching your video and the only thing eye-catching is the jiggling on your arms and thighs and that takes away from your performance" So no 'oh you mastered a hard flip' or 'I'm proud of you'. Instead, it's you have flappy skin and it makes you look ugly when you cheer.
Why am I not enough for him?
"Really? I was watching her with Andrew and all I could see was her flipping and looking great" Why is Alex's family so much better than mine? The way that they're defending me.
"I don't remember asking you Derrick" My dad looks at him.
"Well maybe you should try uplifting your daughter more and I wouldn't have to" Derrick is in no way uplifting, if anything he makes my brain hurt but it's the first time anyone my parents' age has ever really stuck up for me.
Through their back and forths, I realized that Alex has stopped holding my hand.
Instead, he's just flushed, pink cheeks and he's holding his thumb with his other fingers.
"Alex" I rest my hand on this leg but he moves it away from me. Is he mad at me?
Is it about his dad speaking up? I know they don't have the best relationship, I don't want Alex to feel uncomfortable with his father caring for me.
My dad and Alex's dad have been speaking back and forth and I've just been thinking about Alex. Why is he being weird?
"Do you really feel like we neglected you?" My mom randomly asks.
"No" Obviously this isn't the truth, they did but I don't want to have this conversation.
"I just feel like you guys were so focused on Iris y-" I try my best to be honest without saying too much but my dad is cutting me off with a chuckle.
"She's dead and you're still jealous of a dead girl? My daughter is gone and you're speaking about how we were always focused on her? She was the one with the potential and we were pursuing her dreams." Oh wow.
"I'm your daughter too, I have potential and I work my ass off day in and day out, I try my hardest constantly and-" But I cut myself off feeling my words getting cut in my throat. I'm angry, my throat is tightening, and my eyes are watering, I'm feeling sick.
"Mr. Davis I'm sorry if you find this rude or disrespectful but you're a terrible father. Ivy is so strong and hard-working and she deserves so much more than you shitting on her constantly. She lost someone too, she lost her rock, her best friend, and you're just inconsiderate and insensitive." I know Ki is regretting saying that because my family loves her but I also know she doesn't give a damn.
"Excuse me Kimani? Th-" Here comes Sasha joining in too.
She's right, I was in a support group with Ivy and she's my best friend. I watched her go from crying every session and literally coming in drunk off her ass to her being able to say the name Iris without even stuttering. She's strong, and that's shown in her cheering, and if you can't see that you may as well have lost another daughter" Sasha low key spilled.
The only thing on my mind is how everyone here has said something but Alex is still quiet looking like he's practically suffocating.
What's going on with him?
A/N: honestly yall i've been feeling like crapppppp, im not gonna vent about my depression because you guys aren't here to read about that but whew chile i'm flopping.
like flop after flop.
i'm literally in my flop era right now and I hate it.
anyways just felt like sharing, next chapter coming this weekend!