5. Ivy Thompson
IVY THOMPSON
T he drive home wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I left at a good time with minimal traffic, and the sun beamed the entire way.
This is it.
This is the fresh start I need in Willows Bay.
A lot of people hate the beach because sand gets absolutely everywhere, but I chose to embrace it from a young age. Even when you find grains of sand in your shoes for days. But that’s the beauty of the beach, it follows you everywhere.
And for a summer of hopeful fun, I will take it any day.
I can’t believe I haven’t been back in over two years.
This time will be different, I’m sure of it.
As I pull up outside my parents’ house—and my childhood home—I sit in my car for a few moments and stare. Nothing has changed, it’s the exact same house I remember.
The arches are still painted white, and the house is still the most perfect shade of sky blue with my favourite wooden bench on the porch.
My heart softens as I take it all in. I could never forget what my first home looked like, but today feels like I’m seeing it again for the first time. It is, and will always be, the most beautiful house I’ve ever laid eyes on.
I suck in a breath and pop open the car door. Once my feet touch the ground, I smile. All my memories with my parents come flooding back, even my brother—despite how much we’d argue as kids.
My hands pat my pockets as I dig out my keys. Once I press it into the lock and step inside the house with a thumping heart, a waft of linen washing and fresh plants instantly makes me feel at home.
“Ivy?”
My brother’s voice booms through the house at the same time footsteps run across the landing upstairs. Then he’s directly in front of me as he rushes down the stairs.
He doesn’t look different, but he looks grown. Now with stubble growing out across his jaw and his blond hair wet and dripping across his forehead.
“Hey, Finn,” I grin back at him.
He takes me in and then moves across the kitchen like a flash of lightning. His arms wrap around my body as he draws me into the world’s biggest hug. I chuckle into his chest as he pulls me off the floor.
“God,” he mumbles and squeezes me tighter. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too. I missed you.”
Finn pulls back slowly and analyses me. “Missed you more. How have you been?”
I nod and brush back my hair with my fingers. “Yeah, good. Really good. What about you?”
“Happy it’s summer. University is a bummer,” he comments. “But we don’t have to talk about that. I’m just pleased you’re finally here.”
“Pleased to be home,” I confess.
Finn tilts his head and grips my shoulder. “You sure?”
Concern is slashed across his face.
“Yeah.” I flash him a smile, even though I’m not one hundred percent sure myself. I’ve been here five minutes. Things might be different tomorrow.
“Okay.” He takes a step back. “You know Mum and Dad are away, right?”
“Yeah, Mum told me last week.”
Finn hums. “Got plans for today?”
“Probably unpack and go and surprise Daisy. She doesn’t know I’m home; I’ve been texting her all morning,” I say as I shove my keys into my pocket.
“Sounds fun, sis.” He ruffles my hair, and I bat his hand away. “Glad to have you back for the summer.”
“Maybe forever,” I blurt.
Finn’s eyes widen. “Forever?”
“Well, not forever. But I mean, I probably won’t go back to Chesterville, I’ll probably find somewhere closer to university because the commute was a little too long. I’m not sure of everything yet.”
His smile softens. “Good for you, Iv.”
I hike my thumb over my shoulder. “I’m gonna grab my stuff from my car.”
“I’ll help,” he says as he follows me out and carries my stuff upstairs. “Jesus, how much stuff do you own?”
I chuckle to myself as we enter my old bedroom to find it exactly the way I left it. “A lot, apparently.”
“Girls are far too much,” he mutters under his breath.
“That’s probably why you don’t have a girlfriend.”
Finn’s eyes waver for a moment before he clears his throat and recovers. He flashes me a quick smile that seems forced. “Whatever,” he grumbles. “I’m too busy for a girlfriend. It would never work.”
After unpacking most of my belongings, I head straight to Daisy’s house.
Daisy has been my best friend since the first year of secondary school. We were paired up in music class for a project to create a Christmas song—it’s safe to say neither of us has any musical talent.
Ever since then, we’ve been inseparable. Other friends have filtered in and out of my life, but Daisy stuck. We’ve been friends for almost ten years, that’s something.
She came to visit me a couple of times over the past few years because I refused to come home, but she never complained. I think she was pleased to get out of this small town and experience a busy city.
As I approach her door, I quickly knock and stand back on the porch. It takes a few moments before I hear the door unlock. My best friend’s eyes fall on mine, and she screams.
“What the hell?”
Before I get the chance to open my mouth to say hello, she’s already pounced on me with both her arms and a leg. We almost topple backwards, but I grip onto the pillar of her house and laugh. I wrap my arms around her to hug her back.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” she repeats. “I can’t believe you’re here. Why are you here?”
My lips curve as she squeezes me to death, then eventually she pulls back to study my face with a watchful eye. “Here for the summer, possibly longer.”
Daisy’s face melts to a look of awe. Her long, thick brown hair flows over her shoulders, naturally curling at the ends, with the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.
She can catch anyone’s attention instantly because she’s half Spanish, and her skin turns the most beautiful bronze shade in the summer.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” she huffs with a grin. “You’re so sneaky.”
I laugh. “Surprise?”
“Come in.” She waves her hand into the house. “My parents are at work.”
When I step inside, a very fluffy, very cute golden retriever bounds towards me. My heart bursts in my chest as he nuzzles his face against my legs. “Rufus,” I beam as I drop to my knees, and he flops onto his back for belly rubs. “Oh, I missed you. Yes I have.”
Daisy stands beside me with a hand on her hip. “It’s been a while since he’s seen you.”
“Too long,” I comment. “God. He’s so cute.”
“The cutest.” She laughs softly. “And here all summer.”
Rufus stands back on his feet and barks at something in the garden before racing off.
“Let’s go upstairs,” she says, and I follow her to her bedroom.
The second I step into her room, I’m floored with memories. Thick nostalgia rushes through my veins. We’ve had lots of fun in this house, getting ready for parties, sneaking her parents’ alcohol from the cupboard, crying in her bathroom over stupid arguments, and endless sleepovers.
This place tells a tale.
“Come sit.” She pats her bed. “You need to tell me everything because I can’t believe you’re here.”
I shrug and perch beside her. “Not much to tell. I thought it’s time to come back.”
“You haven’t been here since…”
“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “Since what happened. But it’s done; I need to move on and prove to myself that I can.”
“Of course,” she agrees before slinging an arm over my shoulder. “It’s so good to have you back. We’re going to have the best summer ever. Without a doubt. Okay?”
I smile and settle into her arms as I latch onto her wrist. “Yeah. Of course we are.”
And for once, I kind of believe it.
When I get home later that evening, Finn is sitting at the kitchen island with his phone in hand. “Hey,” I call out.
“Hey, did you see Daisy?”
“Sure did.” I shove my hands into my hoodie pocket as he taps away at his phone screen. “You good?”
He hums. “Yeah, my best friend from uni is almost here.”
“Oh, come to visit?”
“For the summer, yeah.” He hops off the stool and walks to the front door.
My brows dip quickly. “Oh. You didn’t tell me anyone was staying?”
“It was kind of a last-minute thing,” he shrugs and latches onto the door handle. “But he’s here now.”
I step back and watch as he walks onto the porch and throws his hand in the air. “Hey man,” he yells, and I dip between the space to see who he’s waving at.
My gaze snags on a black Polo, and I see movement of arms and legs, but no face. I follow Finn onto the porch as a guy walks towards the house, head slightly down to watch the pavement.
His head tilts upwards beneath his hood, and all the air in my lungs evaporates. I think I might be choking—no, scratch that, I think I might be having a stroke.
My knees buckle, and I’m seconds from hitting the deck.
Panic crawls through my sternum, but I tell myself to keep it together because my brother cannot see my reaction. He can’t see me freaking out because the guy coming to stay with us for the summer is my brother’s best friend—the guy I had a one-night stand with five fucking days ago.
He flashes a devastating smile at my brother and then turns his attention to me.
Our eyes collide, and this is when I realise it might be the end of the world. No exaggeration.
His smile falters when he recognises me, but he instantly covers it.
“Did Mum and Dad say they were fine with this?” I mutter under my breath as I tell myself not to go into cardiac arrest.
Finn nods with a chilled expression. “Yeah, they’re totally fine with it.”
“Oh… great,” I say through a wobbly smile.
When in fact this isn’t great. It’s far from great.
It’s a disaster.