Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
Ivy
I’m waiting near the overgrown entrance gates with my bike in my hand when a motorcycle stops right next to me, and for a second, I glare with furrowed brows until he takes off his helmet.
“Max?!”
“In the flesh,” he says with a big grin.
“A motorcycle?” I’m impressed. “I didn’t peg you as a guy who’d drive one.”
He pats the seat behind him. “Hop on.”
“What, me? On that thing?”
“Yeah, why not?”
I lift a hand. “No thanks.”
I’d rather not jump on a motorcycle with a stranger, and especially not one who’s part of the Skull and Serpent Society.
“Well, that’s too bad because it gets cold going this fast,” he says before putting on his helmet again.
Suddenly, he doesn’t look so dorky anymore with that leather outfit. Damn, it really fits him nicely.
“See you down at Sammy’s Sandwich Shop, then.” He lowers the visor and hits the gas. “Race you there!”
I laugh as he bolts off, and I hop on my bike. The drive down the mountain is easy; it’s the way up that always makes me question why I ever enrolled here. But I love the carefree days like these, letting the wind sweep through my hair as I race toward Crescent Vale City down below.
When I’m finally at the shop, of course Max’s motorcycle has already been parked out front, and he’s sitting smugly by a table, waving at me like I’m fashionably late.
I roll my eyes and wave back, then head inside.
“Nice of you to finally join me,” he jests.
I sit down on the seat next to him. “Ha-ha. I’m just glad I didn’t die going down the mountain.”
“Hey, I drive safely and responsibly,” he retorts. “You’re just scared, and you won’t admit it.”
“Sure, I’ll admit it.” I shrug. “I don’t get on motorcycles with strangers.”
“Whoa.” He puts his hand against his heart. “You think I’m a stranger?”
His obvious sarcasm makes me laugh, and I give him a playful shove.
“No worries, I get it,” he says.
“I didn’t think you’d be the kind of guy into motorcycles, though,” I say.
He leans back. “I just love the freedom my bike gives me. Swerving down the roads, enjoying the breeze.” He sighs. “Anyway, are you hungry?”
He calls the server over, and we both order our sandwiches. My stomach is still rumbling, and when it finally gets here, the smell alone makes my mouth water.
I only came along because I was hungry. I don’t want my friends to know I don’t have the money to buy my own. I struggle to keep up the image, but I don’t want them to find out the truth. Especially not now that my life has gotten even more difficult. All the money I had leftover I gave to my neighbor Mrs. Schwartz so she would agree to watch over Cora and keep her safe.
Safe from them .
But now I’m sitting here in a sandwich shop with one of them.
Can I even trust him?
The sandwich he bought for me looks amazing, but I’m hesitant to taste it.
“Go on,” Max eggs me on. He smiles, the dimples in his cheeks too cute to look away. “I know you’re hungry. Just eat. I promise, you’ll feel much better afterward.”
I take a deep breath and pick up the sandwich. My growling stomach begs me to give it something to digest, and it’s very, very hard to ignore with this delicious bread filled with teriyaki chicken right in front of me.
Fine. Eating one sandwich won’t hurt, right?
I take a bite and nearly cry happy tears from how good it tastes.
“And?” Max asks. “Good, right?”
I swallow it swiftly, only to chomp on the next bite like a starving animal, nodding between. “God, it’s so good.”
He smiles proudly. “See? Told you.”
“You come here often?” I ask.
“Once a week. Maybe more.”
“Wow. I’m impressed,” I say, taking a sip of the iced tea he also ordered for me.
“I’m a simple man. When I find food I like, it’s all I can think about for like a whole month before I move on to the next thing.”
“Interesting.”
“I have a very particular palate,” he says, laughing at himself. “That’s what happens when your dad is a chef. You get picky.”
“Your dad’s a chef?”
“Yeah, and famous too. Chef Fletcher. You never heard of him?” He takes another bite of his sandwich. “He’s on all those cooking shows.”
“Oh no, I don’t watch television.” I take another bite too, trying not to look embarrassed. If he only knew.
“What? Like … none?”
I shrug. “No time.” It’s partly true, at least.
“Here.” He pulls up his phone and shows me a YouTube video of his dad, and his smile honestly reminds me of Max so much.
“Aw … that’s cute,” I say. “He seems very nice.”
“Oh yeah, he wouldn’t hurt a fly on the wall,” Max says. “He’s the coolest ever, and most of my half siblings would agree.”
“You’ve got more than just one?” I frown.
He nods and counts them out loud on his fingers. “There’s Elliot, my brother, then there’s Levi Torres, my older half brother, and Sunny Reed, my older half sister. My mom has three partners. They’re poly.”
I take a sip of my drink. “Interesting.”
Didn’t even know that was possible, but to each their own.
“What about your parents? What’s your family like?”
“My parents?” I nearly choke on my food. “Oh, uh … I don’t …” I take a deep breath. “They’re not around.”
I don’t like talking about it because it forces me to face the fact that the one person who always had my back is no longer here. And that fucking hurts.
Five years ago
As I head home, I pass by the cemetary, glancing inside the fenced area before brushing off the wind that hits the bruise on my skin. Tears well up in my eyes, and I pull down my sleeve to stop the cold from entering. But another gust that blows through my hair and into my hearing aid makes me stop and stare.
I blow out a breath before I finally decide to head inside.
There is no stone, no marking. No pebbled path or expensive-looking ornament. Not where I’m going.
All that’s left for me to stare at is the grass where the soot was discarded and a life was forfeited.
And for what? What grand purpose did his death serve?
My fingers dig into my palm so deeply it begins to bleed.
It shouldn’t have to be this way. It was too soon. I’m too young to grieve. Too young to take care of a mother who would rather drown in the idea of romance with dangerous men than live without the love she craves so desperately.
How do we keep going?
My heart weeps, but my tears refuse to budge.
“Why …?” I say through gritted teeth, my knees slowly sinking to the grass. “Why do I have to do this without you?”
I lower my head and touch the grassy ground underneath me, wishing I could rip out this heart so it wouldn’t have to hurt anymore.
“I miss you, Dad…”
Fuck cancer.
Present
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Max puts down his food. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s fine. You couldn’t have known.” I smile to ease the tension, but my throat feels dry. “Besides, I don’t need them. I can take care of myself.”
“I can tell,” he muses. “I mean, you go to this prestigious university and manage to hold your own.”
“I wouldn’t say that too loudly,” I muse, taking another bite.
“But you’ve got your own place, right?”
“Yeah, but it’s not much.”
“But you worked hard for it,” he says, taking a sip of his iced tea.
“Right …”
“I think that’s amazing. You don’t need your parents to succeed,” he says, making me feel a little prouder of my accomplishments.
“Thanks,” I say, finishing my food. “I appreciate it. The food as well.”
“Don’t mention it,” he says. “Besides, can’t let a lady go hungry.” He adds a wink, making my heart flutter a little.
Maybe not all of the Skull and Serpent Society guys are evil. “You know, you’re not half bad.”
He laughs. “Thanks. You’re not half too bad yourself either.”
I snort and playfully shove him. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah.” He pulls out his phone. “Before I forget, lemme give you my number so you can always reach me.”
I frown, confused about how we got to this point so easily already, but I’m not going to say no either. I take out my phone and copy his number.
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” He keeps staring at me with those soulful eyes like he’s taking in every inch of my face, and something about that makes me look away so he doesn’t see me blush.
“Those things in your ears…”
I frown. “Oh. They’re hearing aids.”
I take them out and show them to him, and he seems intrigued. I can see his mouth move but can’t hear anything, so I sign to him.
Can’t hear you.
He sheepishly looks at me for a few seconds before he hands them back, and I swiftly tuck them into my ears. “Sorry,” he mutters. “I didn’t realize.”
“It’s okay.”
“So you can’t hear at all without them?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Barely. I may hear some loud noise, but that’s it.”
“Does it bother you at all?”
“No. I was born with it, so this is all I’ve ever known.”
He leans on his hand as he seems even more fascinated. “Wow, so you got those when you were a kid?”
“Not these specifically since they’re too big for kid’s ears. But I did have similar ones when I was a kid, yeah.”
“But I just saw you sign.”
“My parents wanted me to learn how to speak in both languages so I could always navigate the world, even without my hearing aids.”
“That’s wonderful. I love how you just did that with your hands so fluently. Now I wish I could use sign language too.”
A smug smile forms on my face. “It’s never too late to learn.”
“You know what? You’re right. Maybe I should start.”
I take another sip of my iced tea, feeling good about this whole thing. Maybe he could be a friend after all.
“Can I ask you something?” he says, pausing for a second. “Why did you steal from them?”
My eyes widen.
“If you’re able to attend Spine Ridge, you don’t need the cash, right?”
The sudden shift in his tone doesn’t go unnoticed.
“I have a scholarship.” I get up from my seat.
“Silas found your hearing aid.” Even his face has darkened significantly.
Panic boils up to the surface, so I do the first thing I can think of: Run. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
I bail before he can say another word and lock myself in a stall in the women’s bathroom. I sit down and bury my face in my hands. I shouldn’t have come here with him, but my hungry ass was too enamored with the possibility that someone could want to buy me food to realize it might all just be a trick.
My phone buzzes, and I check my messages.
Neighbor: I need more. The kid is whining for food, and I don’t have enough in my pantry, and yours is empty.
I bought enough groceries to last us at least three days, so I don’t know where she put it all. But I can’t let Cora go without food either.
I sigh out loud.
Me: I’ll send some money so you can go buy something. Don’t worry.
Neighbor: Good, because this kid is eating the table right now.
Cora’s always putting her teeth into everything. The kid just likes sensory play. It’s nothing weird to me, but I guess my neighbor isn’t used to it.
I check my wallet. Empty. Of course.
Then I check my online bank account. Pennies.
Goddammit, this scholarship is never going to cut it. Most of the money goes straight to Spine Ridge U, and what’s left for me is not enough. Losing my job at the RIVERA club because of those fuckers really fucked with my income.
I need to make sure Cora’s taken care of, and for that to happen, I need money. Now.
I get out of the bathroom and look around to see if Max is still there, but he appears to have left his drink unattended. I glare at the men’s bathroom, and the door just closed shut.
He must’ve gone to the bathroom too. This is my shot.
I walk to where we were sitting, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible while the shop owner and all the other customers aren’t looking as I slip my hand down the pockets of Max’s jacket. I pull out a soft leather pouch and fish a couple of bills out, then tuck it back into his jacket. All within mere seconds.
I scoot back my chair and walk out the door with a racing heart, knowing full well I just robbed the only guy who was nice to me. But he’s part of their society, part of their friend group, part of the rich upper class. I don’t feel sorry. I need this money more than he does.
So I slip away before he realizes I’ve disappeared.
Max
When I return from the bathroom, the chair she was sitting in is still empty.
“Oh, that’s odd,” I mutter to myself.
I keep my eyes fixated on the women’s bathroom, hoping to see her walk out too, but when I get back to the seats we had, I notice my wallet is hanging partially out of my jacket.
I fish it out and check the contents.
There are fewer bills than what I came here with.
“Oh no,” I murmur. “What have you done, Ivy?”
My phone buzzes, and I check the messages.
Heath: She took the bait. Good job, Max.
Silas: I fucking knew it was her.
My stomach begins to churn uncomfortably.
Silas: She’s ours now.
The car outside begins to skid across the pavement, and I peer outside, straight into Silas’s piercing eyes.
Fuck .