Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
The air leaves my lungs in a whoosh as my stomach bottoms out.
Alexis. Alexis didn’t just have a hand in the forum. She’s the one who started it.
Of course she did. The more I think about it, the less shocked I am. Sure, the entire female student body has had it out for me since I began hanging around Wes, but no one wants to ruin my life as much as my ex-friend.
I stay stock-still as the girls leave the bathroom, their voices drifting away. Paranoid they’ll return, I wait a full minute before pushing free of the stall, wobbly on my feet as I wash my hands.
The idea of going back out there, of facing Wes’s parents after eavesdropping on an exchange like that, makes me queasy, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice.
Taking a deep breath, I pinch some color back into my cheeks, fluff out my hair, and smooth down my dress.
I head back into the dining room, keeping my eyes trained straight ahead as I walk back to the table.
I do my best to keep my spirits up throughout the rest of the meal, but I know Wes can tell something’s off.
My strained smiles and anxious fidgeting don’t go unnoticed by him, though I do a pretty stellar job of fooling his parents.
The moment we step outside the restaurant, they pull me in for another round of hugs, and I force myself to appear relaxed.
“Thank you so much for coming to dinner with us, Ivy,” Alice says, looking between Wes and me with a huge smile on her face. “We’re so happy we got to meet you.”
I return the sentiment, thanking her adamantly for the meal.
“Any fun plans after this?" asks Jim. "It’s still early yet for you two, I’m sure.”
“We’re going to go see a friend’s band,” Wes tells them. “Do you guys want to come?”
Alice laughs, waving him off. “Oh, no, no. We’re too tired for any college bars. You two enjoy your night.”
We wave goodbye as they turn away, walking back the way they came. The moment they’re out of earshot, Wes turns to me with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing,” I’m quick to assure, the lie tripping up the word. I feel awful for making him worry about me when he should be focused on his parents’ visit. “Everything’s fine.”
Wes looks unconvinced. “Ivy.”
“Wes.” He shakes his head at me, his eyes studying my face, but I change the subject to something that actually matters. “Your parents are nice.”
He hesitates, clearly wanting to press me, but must decide against it. “I think they really liked you,” he says, taking my hand and squeezing it lightly. He gives me a soft smile. “Thank you for coming.”
I attempt an answering grin, but my cheeks tighten up, and it falters. “Thanks for inviting me.”
His smile falls. “Ivy,” he says again, and his eyes roam my face as though trying to decipher my thoughts. “What’s going on? You know I can tell when you’re upset, right? You’re not very good at hiding it.”
“I’m excellent at hiding it,” I retort, pulling my hand out of his grasp.
He shakes his head, looking slightly amused. “You’re not, but it’s cute that you think that.”
I roll my eyes at him and sigh, letting my shoulders droop.
Clearly, he’s going to keep asking me what’s wrong until he gets an answer.
“Fine. If you must know…” I hesitate, trying to figure out how best to phrase what I overheard.
Wes waits patiently for me to continue. “Some girls in the bathroom were talking about you.”
His eyebrows shoot up like that’s the last thing he expected me to say. “About me?”
“And me.”
His eyes harden at this information, and his jaw ticks. “What exactly were they saying?”
I shrug, not wanting to get into all the specifics. “Just…mean stuff. They were friends with Alexis.”
"The girl who attacked you?”
I nod. “They said she’s the one who made the forum.”
He stills, immobile except for the muscle twitching in his cheek. When he speaks, his voice holds an unfamiliar edge. “What’s her last name again?”
I shake my head. The last thing I need is for him to seek her out and give her a chance to spin her side of the story.
She’ll spew her lies all over him. She’ll ruin the little peace I’ve managed to find at college, and he’ll see me differently because of something that’s not even true.
“It doesn’t matter. You got it taken down. ”
“Ivy.”
“Wes.”
“What’s her last name?”
“I don’t see what good that information will do,” I tell him.
He purses his lips but doesn’t push further. “Did they say anything else?”
Best sex of her life.
Knows how to use his tongue.
Got her off four times.
“There was some stuff about how I’m a whore. No big deal. Typical Saturday for me, actually.”
Before I can react, he pulls me into his arms and folds me against his chest. It takes a moment for me to relax into his embrace, but once I do, I feel a little better.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs against the top of my head.
“I’m so sorry. This shit is so fucked up, Ivy.
It’s insane that you have to deal with this.
” I shrug my shoulders, but don’t respond.
Just press closer into the safety of his chest until I can make out his heartbeat.
“Do you want to skip the band? I’m sure Quinn will understand. ”
“No,” I say, my voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt. I’m not in the mood to be around people, sure, but I could use a distraction. “We should go. It will be…” I hesitate. “Fun.”
His chest rumbles with a snicker. “Real convincing, but okay. We’ll go.”
With that, we head to his car and drive to the venue, which is only ten minutes away from the restaurant.
Wes parks along the street, and then we stand in the small line outside the bar.
When we make it to the front, the bouncer checks our IDs and doles out wristbands—yellow for me since I’m under twenty-one, blue for Wes since he’s over.
Then, Wes takes my hand and leads me inside.
“Quinn must be backstage,” I say, after scanning the room for signs of a shaggy, blonde head.
Hovering at the edge of the crowd, I pull out my phone to message her, but before I can type a word, Wes nudges my arm. “Over there.”
I glance up to see my friend weaving through the mass of people in our direction and give a wave. She waves back, but I notice her lack of enthusiasm the closer she comes.
“What’s the matter?” I ask her.
Quinn rolls her eyes. “Nothing. Everything’s fine. Ray, the drummer, is drunk again, but what else is new?”
“They should make it illegal to drink and drum,” says Wes. “Can’t imagine it helps with coordination.”
Quinn snorts. “They’d be doling out DUIs left and right. But no. He still plays well, the bastard. He just gets arrogant and acts like a man-child.” She sighs, shaking her head. “Anyway, it’s fine. It’s all fine. I’m just glad you guys came.”
“Thanks for inviting us,” I tell her, just as the lights start to dim.
There’s movement in the shadows on stage, and then the lights flare, revealing the four members of Alternative Cash.
Quinn starts screaming uncontrollably, startling me with her fervor, but she’s not the only one.
A group of girls up front almost climb on stage in their excitement.
Who knew calm, quiet Remy had so many groupies?
Swaying in the ambient light as the music pulses around us, I concentrate on making my mind go blank.
I don’t want to think about the bathroom or the forum.
I don’t want to obsess over what Wes may or may not be thinking regarding our relationship.
I just want to stand here next to Wes and Quinn and listen to the band like a normal, boring college student. Surely, I can manage that, can’t I?
More and more people filter into the bar during the first couple of songs, and the crowd around us thickens.
Wes slips his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to his side, and I lean in, doing my best to keep the insecurities at bay and simply live in the moment.
I even succeed in doing so for the next few songs, and by the time the band takes a break, I feel a bit more settled.
Wes bends his head so that his mouth is at my ear. “I’m gonna get a beer. Do you want anything?”
I crane my neck to look up at him. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Quinn, do you want something?” he asks my friend.
She shakes her head. “I’m okay. Thanks, superstar.”
He presses a quick kiss to my temple and then his arm falls away as he moves toward the bar. The crowd parts for him easily, and I pull my jacket tighter around my body, warding off a chill.
The moment Wes is out of earshot, Quinn grabs my arm. “So, how was dinner with the parents? I need details.”
“It was nice,” I tell her. “His parents are amazing.”
She sighs. “Man, not even official and you’re meeting his parents. He must really like you. I haven’t even met Remy’s family yet, if that tells you anything.”
My response dies on my tongue as my eyes trail toward the bar. I spot Wes instantly, and then my focus moves to the girl standing beside him. My spine stiffens. “Um, is that his ex?”
Quinn’s head snaps to the bar. “Well, shit. She better not be a fan of Remy’s band.” Dani says something to Wes, offering him a (flirtatious?) smile that he doesn’t return. She lightly touches his arm, and my heart squeezes. “Maybe you should go over there…”
I force myself to look away, ignoring the pit in my stomach. “He’s not my boyfriend. He can talk to his ex if he wants to.”
I ignore Quinn’s look of disbelief. “Alright, Ivy. If you say so.”
Five endless minutes pass, and I do everything in my power to refrain from looking back at the bar. Quinn doesn’t feel so compelled, shooting conspicuous glances in their direction. “Okay, he’s coming now,” she tells me, and my shoulders visibly relax. “Ask him about Satan.”
I put my finger to my lips. “Shh.”
“Sorry about that,” Wes says, sidling up beside me with a beer in his hand. “The bartender took forever.”
I glance at Quinn, who mouths, ask him!