Chapter Four
Ivy
December 31st, 2022
I’d always dreamt of going to college, I wanted to help people and thought being a lawyer was the best way to do that. So, I studied hard.
Graduated at the top of my class with a 4.0 GPA.
Before I even graduated, I had applied to several different colleges to which I’d been accepted into two of the best pre-law programs.
But instead of staying on that path, I ended up choosing a much different one.
I was in my fourth semester when it hit me.
Becoming a lawyer didn’t bring me the joy I seeked. Sketching, drawing, and painting slowly became my new obsession. What started out as a fun pastime unlocked a new hidden talent within myself that I never knew existed.
So, I switched majors.
Thankfully all I had to do was shift some classes around, which gave me the choice to take them on-campus or online.
I enjoyed the on-campus experience where I was invited to mixers and frat parties, getting to my dorm at 2 am completely smashed and crashing on the couch. But I had other plans and things to occupy my time now.
I was at the top of my game, and on the right track to be successful in my new career.
Just when you think you have it all figured out… Life throws you lemons. Not just any kind of lemons, those sour, little bastards that take a fuckton of sugar to make them taste as sweet as you know they can be.
I’ve run out of sugar because those lemons are still sour as fuck.
I’ve been holed up in my room, well the room I’ve been slumming it in the last few days, which smells like swamp ass.
You know the smell I’m talking about.
Picture it… You’ve been camping in the woods for the past five days. Exercising, hiking, fishing, you know… Living your best life, outdoors.
The only catch.
No shower or stream for you to wash off in, so you have to straight thug it. I’m talking, wearing the same clothes after you hang them up to air out, and you have no way of brushing your teeth.
Hence the term swamp ass.
What has me in such a way like this, you ask?
That’s easy, a number of things such as my boss.
That pig fired me after I denied him the rights to my goodies.
Can you believe that? He thought that I was a starving artist that would do anything to rise to the top.
I mean, sure, if he were a silver fox and had the daddy vibe going for him, I would have maybe thought about it.
Thankfully he wasn’t, so I was able to respectfully decline his advances, but clearly, he isn’t a man that’s used to being told no.
I should have punched him in the balls or even taken him firing me to the higher ups, but since he owned the gallery… There was nothing I could have done.
There were many qualities I found as to why I loved my job, like showing off my work when he would allow it.
That was the first sign… When he would allow me to show my work. I should have seen right through that, saw that he would want something in return, but I didn’t.
Until it was too late.
But he isn’t the only reason things have gone from bad to worse.
My ex-boyfriend is the big one.
I still can’t believe he dumped me, on Christmas Day, and after the amazing sex we had.
I should have seen it for what it was… Break-up sex.
It was damn near perfect in every way I could have imagined it to be.
Jake had me doing all kinds of different things with my legs which made me deem myself the human pretzel because I’m sure that's exactly what I looked like.
Rearranging my guts never felt better.
I’m only kidding, it was good, but it wasn’t that good.
I’ve yet to meet someone that can do that to me, but he did make my toes curl.
Jake’s never given me multiple orgasms the way he did that night.
Fucking Jake! “Ugh, shut the fuck up about that dirtbag already! He dumped you!” I shout, willing myself to stop thinking about him.
Rolling over in my queen size bed, taking my pillow with me to toss back over my face, I groan, remembering what I thought was going to be the best day of my life because clearly I have issues and won’t let it go.
“Darling, are you paying attention to me?” He asked. I lied and said yes even though I wasn’t. I was so focused on the little, black, velvety box he pulled from his coat pocket that I couldn’t hear anything else.
My nerves bunched together in the pit of my stomach as I watched the box burn a hole in the pristine, white tablecloth next to our half-eaten meals.
I was giddy, excited, and nervous all in one, and with good reason. He began speaking as a beautiful, blond waitress, or so I thought, came to stand near him, hand resting a little too possessively on his shoulder for my liking.
Red flags began to blur my vision, but I pushed them to the furthest corner to where I could no longer see them, ready to give this man my entire life and whatever else he asked for.
“So, you agree with me then?” He asks when I hadn’t even realized I was shaking my head.
“I’m sorry, agree with what? Who’s the blond?” I nod in her direction as a shit-eating grin beams back at me. It made my palm twitch with the need to smack the shit out of her scrunched-up, mousy face.
She picks up the box, taking out a beautiful, Princess-cut, pink-ice diamond ring and slips it on her boney, little finger. “I’m his fiancée and it’s time he stops parading around with the likes of you so we can get started on our forever together.”
Stars.
That’s all I could see beyond the words this little bitch was speaking to me. The blood drained from every part of my body, traveling up to my face, cheeks, and neck because I felt and saw it.
Blood.
My pressure was skyrocketing and I was on the verge of blacking out, only I willed that shit back down because one thing they got me was… Fucked up.
“Jake, what the fuck is she talking about? And, bitch, you better take two steps away from my man if you don’t want to be flayed out like my piece of steak here because I’m two seconds away from grabbing that knife and giving you what you’re asking for. The fuck do you think you are?” I asked, voice rising at the same time I got out of my seat, grabbed the knife, and came around the table. “How dare you say those vile things to me. You don’t know me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, honey. You’re out of your league here. Tell her, Jake.” She stepped behind Jake, as if I wouldn’t stab that mother fucker just to get to her.
“Yes, Jake, tell me what this bitch is talking about.” I barked ready to bite, shifting the knife from one hand to the other. I bet I look crazy, it’s because I am. Nobody, and I mean nobody would make a fool out of Ivy Huntington.
“Evie,” he laughed and it showed his weakness. How did I not see it before? “This is Jane, she’s been my on-again, off-again girlfriend for the past ten years.” At the mention of that, I came fucking unglued.
“You’ve been playing us both? Stringing me along all this time? Mother fucker, do you have a death wish?” I asked, lunging with the knife in hand, ready to stick it in his belly, but someone grabbed me before I was able to jab him.
Ugh, I can’t believe how stupidly I reacted. I’m not sure what I would have done if I actually pierced Jake’s skin rather than being stopped. I have never acted that way in my life, but the way they played me was uncalled for. I was so humiliated and ashamed.
The smile etched on her porcelain, white skin after saying he would never marry a woman of color hurt, but I wasn’t gonna let them see. I was absolutely disgusted, and to make matters even worse… He didn’t stop her from saying it. The same man that stopped me from stabbing him is the same man that escorted me out of that place and back home.
Only when I got there, I found out it was no longer my home. She had the locks changed and some of my things were waiting for me on the front lawn. She had to have been cleaning house while he wined and dined me.
That fucking bitch!
But I showed them.
I knew for a fact he liked to keep the bedroom window unlocked and I could easily slip in. What I had planned, I didn’t need to sneak in because I could get it done with the flick of my wrist.
Literally.
I smile at the memory of me tossing that match inside, running off into the night as the little, one-bedroom house caught on fire.
“Ha! Fuck with Ivy Huntington, and your life will never be the same.” I laugh, praying he felt my wrath. Not really giving a single fuck. He’ll never understand the amount of pain I felt by his actions.
No matter how much I laugh from the events of that night, the tears always come to haunt me because I wasted all my time on that piece of shit.
“God, I am such an idiot.” I scream, slamming the pillow over my face, howling into the fluffy goodness. “What am I gonna do now?”
My door swings open and in walks my best friend and his boyfriend. “Honey, we’ll tell you what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna get those sweet cheeks up, clean this room, take a shower, and then you and I are going out to celebrate the upcoming new year.” Ugh, I don’t want to do anything but continue throwing myself a pity party.
“No.” I growl like the wild animal I am, sitting up just to grab the covers, pull them back over my head, and hide. Snuggling deeper, feeling the cool mattress dim the fire burning my body, I try to ignore Cam.
Key word… Try.
Smacking my ass before plopping on the bed beside me he says, “No? I don’t think so. We’re tired of you sulking around here like you lost your damn puppy.” In a way I did, but I don’t say that. “You’ve cut class and ignored all other adult responsibilities like showering.”
“Technically I didn’t cut classes since we’re on winter break. As far as everything else goes, I have responsibilities, but I’m following in the footsteps of my parents and saying fuck adulting.” I grunt to which he ignores me.
“Just because they both ran off doesn’t mean you get to give up so easily.” What? That’s exactly what it means.
My father’s just a sperm-donating prick that denied me from the beginning. After my mother left, he dropped me off at my grandma’s and basically pretended I never existed.
My mother is no different.
The covers being ripped off my body makes me turn around, sit up to face the culprit. Staring into Cam’s handsome face with those big, blue, doe eyes of his, begging me to agree to whatever he says. “Cam don’t you and Travis have plans this evening?” Please say yes. I just want to be alone to enjoy my pain.
“Actually, I’m on call this evening.” Travis answers. He’s older than us and a doctor at Jersey City Medical Center. “So, no plans for us, but, honey, you should really get up and out of here. It smells like swamp ass.” He winces, looking around for the culprit behind the smell before his eyes settle back on me. “Oh, sorry… It’s you.” I smile… He gets me.
“Don’t be rude.” Cam says.
“It’s okay, because I said the same thing.” Sighing, I continue. “Guys, what the fuck am I gonna do? He kicked me out, so I burned his place down… Hello arson. I’m homeless, jobless, boyfriendless. Basically you could say I’m fucked.” Groaning, laying my head in my hands, I think about how this is my life now.
Thank God for this break away from school. While Cam and I are going for two totally different things, he’s studying Education and is working towards becoming a teacher, we still lean on each other to get us through it all.
Most people think that being an art major doesn’t entail work. As if it’s all just fun and games. Well I’m here to tell them, I work my ass off trying to earn my Bachelor’s degree in studio art.
Luckily my general ed credits will transfer. There are a number of art credits plus studio time I’d need in order to achieve it, but I’m determined and know I’ll succeed.
It’s my dream to one day own my own gallery featuring my art as well as the works of art from others. Paintings and drawings won’t be the only thing I’ll showcase in my gallery. It’s not often you see paintings mixed with fashion, sculpting, digital, and so much more.
I’m thinking outside the box and want to put all the creative minds of others to work. How often do you see fashion in a gallery for the world to see?
I can’t recall.
That’s why I’m going to bring something for everyone to the table.
Cam’s voice invades my thoughts. “You can stay here as long as you like, our little firestarter. The guest room is yours.” Cam says, throwing his arms around me.
“Yeah, you know we love you like our little sister.” Travis says, hugging me close.
“Thank you. It’ll only be temporary though, because I have a plan.” Turning me loose, they share a look. “What?”
“Nothing.” Cam says, rolling his eyes, clearly lying through his pearly white teeth. “Get up and get dressed, we’re going out no matter what you say.”
“I don’t want to go out.” I say, tossing my legs over the side of the bed, playing with some imaginary lint on my shirt before I stand. “I’m perfectly fine right where I am, thank you very much.” I sashay over to the bathroom that connects to the guest room and do my business, hoping they left. Once I open the door and see them in the same spot, I groan. “I don’t have anything to wear.”
I swear Travis’s eyes light up like it’s Christmas all over again. “That’s where I come in.”
Over the course of an hour, they play dress up where I’m their doll and they do what they want.
“Okay, turn around and open your eyes.” They say in unison and it makes me a little nervous to do so.
It’s time to toss Jake and all things Jake out of the window. I’m not sad we broke up because it was time. There were things about him that I swept under the rug and it was only a matter of time before I broke it off. Thankfully it was before we took our relationship any further.
Fuck him.
I feel Cam and Travis’s hands helping me slowly turn around. Giving me a nudge, I open my eyes.