Chapter 38 Apologies.
"Hey, Ivy wake up," Aspen says as she tries to wake the sleeping beauty.
"Uh... Is it morning yet?" Ivy asks with her eyes closed, stretching her arms.
"Yeah. We need to get ready. School starts in an hour." Aspen responds.
Ivy lets out a loud groan before sitting up and opening her eyes slowly. She covers her mouth as she yawns. "I had the weirdest dream," she informs Aspen groggily.
"What about?"
"I dreamt that Luke broke up with me."
Aspen doesn't say anything to that which makes Ivy study her face. The look on Aspen's face tells her it wasn't a dream.
"It's real? It's real..... It's all real," Ivy whispers in disbelief and covers her face with her palms.
Aspen sighs.
Ivy has been like this since yesterday. The moment Luke broke up with her, it felt like things fell apart. Aspen would never have thought a day like this would come -- the day Ivy cries over a guy.
"But I love him," Ivy mumbles with her face still in her palms.
"I know, Ivy. I know."
Aspen has heard her say that a lot since she arrived here yesterday. When she got a call from Ivy's mum yesterday, she was flabbergasted. Luke broke up with Ivy. More like Luke dumped Ivy. This would probably be the greatest gossip of senior year. Ivy always does the dumping but this time she couldn't and now, she seems heartbroken.
Hearing Ivy's mum tell her through the phone that Ivy hadn't stopped crying was another shocking revelation on its own.
Ivy?
Cry because of a boy?
Aspen thought it was preposterous and impossible. But she got convinced when came over and she saw it happen with her own eyes and now, it's happening again.
Truth be told, Aspen never thought that Ivy genuinely liked Luke. She thought she was just dating him for status and all that.
Now, Ivy says she loves him. Love? That's on a whole new level. Ivy loves Luke. Ivy hadn't refrained from saying it during her crying spree. Somehow, Luke managed to make Ivy fall for him and now he has broken the queen bee's heart. Or should she say Ivy broke her heart herself?
Ivy had stuffed her face with ice cream at some point during her crying fest yesterday. Aspen had told her to cry it all out as she kept calling Luke names to make her feel better, but obviously she didn't since she's still crying.
"Ivy, you need to get yourself together. We need to get ready for school," Aspen chides.
Ivy wails and plops down on her back. "I don't want to go. I'll just tell Mum to call me in sick."
"And everyone would know you're affected by the break-up. I can't believe you're saying this. You're the one always against showing weakness." Aspen says.
"I don't care what everyone thinks. Let them think whatever they want. I don't give a damn right now. I just want Luke back," Ivy bawls in exasperation before covering her face with her pink duvet.
"Um... Okay..." Aspen trails off. It's weird seeing Ivy like this. "Do you want me to stay with you?"
"No. I need some alone time to gather my thoughts," Ivy declines.
"Sure."
"And besides who would feed me all the juicy gossip about me if not you," Ivy adds dryly.
Aspen doesn't comment on that as silence engulfs them for a few seconds.
"Do you think everyone would know?" Ivy breaks the silence.
Aspen shrugs. "That depends on who Luke has told."
"So this is what heartbreak feels like? When I cheated on Chris, what he felt was similar to this?"
"Pretty much."
Ivy begins to cry yet again. Someone knocks on the door.
"Honey?" Her mum says before opening the door.
"How are you feeling?" Her mum asks, walking into the room.
"Horrible. I don't want to go school mum."
"Don't worry," her mum says as she sits on her bed. "I'll call the school."
"Thanks, Mum."
"You're welcome, honey. Just take care of yourself, okay? It breaks my heart seeing you like this." Ivy sits up and hugs her mum.
"Okay, mum."
"I love you," her mum tells her and kisses her forehead.
"Love you too."
Her mum then stands and acknowledges Aspen.
"Thanks for coming over."
"She's my best friend. It's in my job description," Aspen answers.
"Hey," Stephanie hears someone say behind her as she's getting her notes for class. She turns around to see Luke and smiles.
"Hi, Luke."
"Where's Brooke? You guys are always together most of the time, especially in the morning."
"She just went to ask one of her friends something about a class they have together," Steph answers.
"She has other friends?" Luke asks quizzically. "I barely see her with anyone else other than you and Cole."
"She spends most of her time with us," Steph shrugs with a smile.
No one says anything for a few seconds before Steph decides to ask.
"How are you?"
She can still vividly remember the look on his face when she told him the truth yesterday.
He sighs. "I'm managing," he pauses as if thinking before speaking again. "I broke up with her yesterday and it feels weird and yet still feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
"I'm sorry, Luke," Steph says in sympathy.
"It's not your fault my ex-girlfriend is a bully and I didn't know about it," Luke smiles sadly.
"And I want to apologize for what Ivy did. I'm sorry if she threatened, intimidated, or attacked you in any way."
"It wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize," Steph tells him in a soothing tone.
"You're sweet." Luke smiles.
Steph almost blushes as she looks away. Did Luke just say that?
Luke clears his throat. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah," Steph nods.
Just as he's walking away, he says, "Hey Brooke," to Brooke who's approaching.
She smiles. "Hey."
Brooke joins Steph with a questioning look on her face. "What was that about?"
"He apologized for Ivy's behavior," Steph replies as she faces her locker back.
Brooke scoffs. "Like that will change anything."
"He broke up with her," Steph discloses.
Brooke grins and fist bumps the air.
"It's about time. I don't know how a nice guy like him ended up with a bitch like her."
Steph sighs. "She was definitely a different person around him."
Brooke frowns as she stares at Steph. "You don't look happy and you of all people should be."
Steph shuts her locker and faces her friend.
"Why should I be? I'm worried about Luke. He's heartbroken," Steph says sadly.
"Well, you, my dear might be the one to mend his broken heart." Brooke holds Steph by her shoulders and leads them away from the lockers.
Steph shrugs Brooke's hands away but doesn't say anything.
"Or don't you like him anymore?" Brooke asks in amusement.
Maybe Steph is beginning to like someone else. Maybe it's Chris and Brooke has been shipping them since he started trying to talk to her. You can call her a bad friend for shipping a best friend and a player but she believes that Chris likes Steph. She believes he's a good guy also and she can tell Steph is beginning to see that. Steph told her a little about her time at Chris' house yesterday.
"That's not the point," Steph snaps.
"There's no need for the attitude," Brooke smiles. "I've got the answer I need."
Steph rolls her eyes.
"We could all hang out tomorrow. Luke, Cole, you, and I." Brooke suggests, giving Steph a side glance as they slowly walk.
"No. I don't think that's a good idea so I'll pass."
Brooke pouts. "Aww."
Steph sights Aspen at her locker and nudges Brooke, gesturing in her direction. "Where's Ivy?"
Brooke shrugs. "They're usually together but I haven't seen her this morning."
"Wait... You don't think..... She couldn't...."
Steph purses her lips. "Maybe."
"OMG! She's not in school today. Can this day get any better?" Brooke enthuses with a grin.
"Let's not make conclusions. School's just starting B."
"Whatever you say, Steph." Brooke coos as she enters her class.
On Monday morning, just as Stephanie finishes her breakfast with a bowl of cereal, she receives a text.
'Come outside.'
It reads.
Steph's eyebrows furrow as she reads the text from an unknown number.
She wonders who it is. She doesn't remember giving anyone her phone number recently. She types a reply with her left hand as she takes her bowl to the sink.
'Who's this?'
As she's picking up her backpack, she gets a reply.
'Why don't you come outside and see for yourself.'
Steph debates if stepping out to see who this mysterious texter is, is a good idea.
What's the worst that can happen on a Monday morning when an unknown number texts you? She asks herself as she pockets her phone.
She decides to check who it is. She packs her hair in a ponytail with a scrunchie before leaving the living room.
She decides to leave her backpack in the hallway just in case something bad happens. At least her busy parents would eventually notice it and know something is wrong. She opens the front door slightly and peeps outside. She doesn't see anyone on their driveway so she tentatively steps outside. After shutting the door and taking a few steps forward, she notices the familiar car parked close to her house.
What is he doing here? On a Monday morning? She wonders before walking towards the car. Just as she arrives at the passenger's side, the window opens to reveal the face of the driver who is also her unknown number texter.
She crosses her hands over her chest with a questioning look. "What are you doing here?"
Christopher smirks. "Good morning, Hazel."
"What are you doing here?" She asks again, ignoring his greeting.
"That's not how to treat someone who's giving you a ride to school," Chris answers.
"I didn't ask you to," Steph retorts.
Chris shrugs. "I'm just following orders."
"Orders? From who?"
"Brooke asked me to pick you up," Chris asserts.
That explains how he got her number. But why would Brooke ask him to pick me up when she's the one who does it? Is she trying to play matchmaker? If she couldn't pick me up, she could have told me and I'll walk to school,
Steph muses.
Steph unfolds her hands and places them above the window. She cocks an eyebrow, "So you now take orders from Brooke?"
"No," Chris deadpans. "I only agreed because it's you, sweetheart."
Steph scrunches her face. "Ew. Don't call me that."
Chris smiles. He thinks the look on her face is adorable.
"So are you coming or what?"
"I'll walk to school. Thanks." Steph pushes herself off the car.
"Hazel Hazel," Chris says in a singsong voice.
"Always playing hard to get." Then he clicks his tongue with a head shake.
Steph glares at him. "You're annoying." She begins to head back into the house.
"I'm waiting," Chris hollers after her.
Steph finds herself smiling as she enters the house. She gets her backpack and locks the door behind her before walking to Chris' car.
She gets in and Chris beams.
"You see? As easy as eating pizza."
"Just drive," she drawls, ignoring what he said.
She pulls out her phone just as Chris turns on the ignition.
"Brooke gave you my phone number," Steph says matter-of-factly.
"Yeah."
She saved the contact as Christopher and puts her phone away.
"Let your hair down," Chris instructs as he begins to drive.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I want it that way," Steph avers in monotone.
Chris turns on the radio to drown the silence that comes after that.
A few minutes later, they're in school. Chris parks his car in the parking lot and Steph gets out.
"Thanks for the ride."
"You're welcome," Chris replies and she shuts the door.
Chris exits the car with his backpack and catches up with her. "As the gentleman I am, I'll walk you to your locker."
"There's no need for that," Steph tells him.
He ignores her sentence and walks her to her locker.
"So do you want me to give you a ride home after school?"
"Thanks for the offer but I'll have to pass."
"Hazel Hazel Hazel," Chris coos just as Luke joins them.
"Hey, Luke," Steph grins, and the smile on Chris' face disappears on hearing the name. He doesn't look at Luke.
"Hi," Luke replies, glancing at Chris who hasn't removed his gaze from Steph's form.
"Lovely morning, isn't it?" Steph says, trying to ease off the tension that seems to be radiating off both boys.
"Yeah."
No one says anything for a few seconds and Steph thinks of how awkward it is before Chris sighs and finally looks at Luke.
"Look, I'm sorry for punching you the other day. It wasn't right. I let my anger get the best of me," Chris says to the shock of both Steph and Luke.
Steph's eyes widen as she stares at Chris in disbelief.
"Um ... No problem. It was my fault. I shouldn't have provoked you and I'm sorry for not believing you." Luke answers.
Chris shrugs. "It's alright."
Does that mean he has found out? Chris asks himself.
"I've broken up with her," Luke informs Chris as if reading his mind.
"Good for you," Chris nods with his face giving away nothing.
Luke addresses Steph. "We have first period together. Wanna walk together?"
"Sure, just give me a sec. I'll catch up with you," she tells him and he nods.
"I'll see you around," Luke says to Chris.
"Yeah."
Luke walks away while Steph quickly gets her stuff from her locker.
"I can't believe you did that," Steph gapes at him as she slams her locker shut.
"Did what?"
"You just apologized for punching him." Steph still can't believe he did that.
Chris shrugs. "It was no big deal. Suspension gives you a lot of time to think so I've been feeling bad about it."
"Christopher," Steph calls in a serious tone before smiling. "I'm proud of you."
Chris shrugs nonchalantly as if the statement she just uttered doesn't mean anything to him.
"You're not so full of yourself after all."
Chris smiles.
"I'll see you later," she says and walks off before he can reply. She catches up with Luke when he's close to their class.
Before she can apologize for the delay, he asks, "Why does he call you Hazel? Is it your third name?"
"No. He says it's because of my eyes," Steph explains.
"Oh, that makes sense," Luke mutters as they enter class.
"I guess."
"I like it. Can I call you that too?" Luke surprises Steph by asking.
Even though she likes Luke, she doesn't exactly like the idea of him calling her that. It seems like a Christopher thing since he's the only one that calls her that but she finds herself agreeing.
"Sure."
"Hazel," Luke says as if practicing how to say it.
Steph thinks it feels weird when someone who isn't Chris says it.
They settle on seats next to each other and get ready for class.