53. Ivy Thompson
IVY THOMPSON
“ I can’t believe how fast this summer has gone.” Daisy pouts as she flings her arm over my shoulder.
I sigh and glance out at the sea as it laps the shore. “Same,” I say sadly. “I hate it. I don’t want to go back to university yet. I’m not ready for this to be over. Which is insane considering I was nervous about coming back.”
She squeezes my shoulder with her hand. “Because you fell in love,” she sings, and I roll my eyes, pushing her away. “Ivy fell in love.”
“Okay, we don’t need to declare it.”
Her blue eyes glisten. “What? Are you saying it’s not true?”
“No.” I fold my arms over my chest. “I’m just sad thinking about it, and I don’t want to overthink it.”
Daisy frowns. “You worried about what it means for your relationship?”
“Yeah, we’ve spoken about it and said that we’ll work out the long distance for the year, but it’s still scary. To go from seeing him every day for two and a half months to barely seeing him at all. It’s going to be tough, but I know we can get through it.”
“You guys are gonna work it out.” She squeezes my shoulder again.
I flash a quick smile. “I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.”
“Then let's not.” She shakes her head and begins to pour me a drink. “Let’s spend the last party having the best time of our lives.”
I take the cup from her hands and clink it with her own before taking a few sips.
“That’s my girl.” She gently slaps my arm, and I smile back at her.
“Hey guys,” a familiar voice echoes from behind me.
We both twist to find Isaac and Harriet approaching us. “Hey guys,” I say as I lean forward to give them a welcoming hug. “Been a long time since I’ve seen you both.”
“The fair was probably the last time,” Isaac comments. “But it’s good to see you, Ivy.”
“You too.”
Harriet falls into a conversation with Daisy, and I take another sip of my drink. “So, is it true…” he starts. “That you’re dating JJ?”
I nod once. “Yeah, it’s true.”
Isaac’s throat tightens, but then he smiles. “That’s great, Ivy. I’m pleased for you, you seem really happy.”
“I am happy.” I raise my shoulders. “The happiest I’ve been in years.”
“I’m pleased for you. We can still be friends, right?”
My forehead creases. “Of course, Isaac. We’re always going to be friends.”
“Good.” He blows out a breath.
“Hey.” Harriet grabs onto Isaac’s shoulder. “Did you hear?”
I blink at her. “Hear what?”
“They’re planning on a group skinny-dip at midnight.” Her eyes light up, and Daisy snorts.
“Yeah, right. Half of these people won’t have the guts to get naked.” She waves off the idea. “I mean, to each their own, I’m not judging, but unless they’re completely wasted, it’s not happening, and that’s a danger in itself.”
Harriet grins. “I guess we’ll see.”
I glance over Daisy’s shoulder to find JJ talking to Finn, Cal, and Joel. My eyes flick down to Finn’s hand and the relief that sweeps over me to find he’s not drinking. In fact, none of the boys are.
As if JJ can sense my stare, he finds my eyes like magnets. He stops talking and flashes me a panty-dropping smile. We said we’d stick by one another, but we knew it wouldn’t happen that way.
I push off the spot I’m standing in, excusing myself as I walk across the sand. JJ meets me halfway and doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arm around my waist. “Hey.” I beam up at him.
“Hey.” He leans down to press a peck to my lips. “How’s your night?”
“It’s been fun. Yours?”
“Better now that I’m with you.”
“Cheesy.”
JJ laughs and takes my hand. “Come over.”
He brings me towards the boys. Finn glances down at our fingers entwined, and he smiles, which catches me by surprise.
“Hey, guys,” I say, greeting them all.
“’Sup, Ivy.” Cal grins.
JJ tugs me to his side and kisses my forehead in front of them. My eyes flick to Finn, who is staring back at us with a conflicted expression.
“I’m gonna go grab a soft drink,” Joel says.
“I’ll come with you,” Cal dismisses himself, too.
Finn stands in front of us, and I swallow slowly. “You good, Finn?” I ask.
“Yeah.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Just getting used to being here and not drinking. It’s definitely harder than I thought it would be.”
“I’m proud of you,” I smile.
“We all vowed we wouldn’t drink tonight,” JJ says as I turn to look at him. “And we’d keep an eye on each other. We want Finn here, so we decided we’d do it together.”
My lips widen into a grin. “You guys are cute.”
“We did say we’d stay in together tonight,” JJ continues. “But Finn said he wanted to prove to himself that he can be out and enjoy his time.”
“Yeah.” Finn claps his hands together. “I guess it’s baby steps.”
“Well, you have the best support system around,” I say sincerely.
“Agreed,” JJ adds.
I beam up at JJ as he squeezes my sides.
“I’m happy you guys are happy. Cherish her, man. She deserves it.”
Then, before I know it, JJ is bundling us into a three-way hug. “I love you, man,” JJ exhales, and Finn chuckles.
“I love you both.”
“I love you, too, Finn.”
My eyes close, and I take a quick breath. Maybe this will be okay in the end. It seemed impossible at first, but I know it’ll work out.
I glance at JJ. “Could you give me a moment with Finn?”
“Sure,” he says without hesitation and leans down to kiss my temple.
Finn flicks his gaze to me. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I purse my lips. “I wanted to tell you that I read your letter.”
His green eyes glass over with sudden emotion. “You did?”
“Yeah.”
Neither of us says anything for a few moments.
“I didn’t expect it to be so long,” I laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Finn smiles softly. “Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I wanted to get everything down.”
“I appreciate everything you said and your honesty. I might not ever be able to understand why you did what you did, but I know how much you regret it. Especially the way you reacted after everything that happened.” I watch his crumbling face.
“And I know you want to do better, be better. And I forgive you, but please give me some time to learn to trust you again.”
Finn nods, eyes glistening. “Yeah, that’s more than okay. I’m just glad I still have you in my life.”
My eyes ache with the need to cry. Instead, I step forward and hug him.
We stay like this for a while until Finn pulls back. “Thank you for not giving up on me,” he whispers. “You, Mum, Dad, JJ, you all keep me going and I’d be lost without you.”
“I’m always gonna be here, Finn,” I say sincerely. “ Always. ”
When Finn steps away to go and mingle with Joel and Callan, JJ steps to my side once more. I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face into his chest. “I’m gonna miss you so much,” I whisper.
He caresses the back of my head soothingly. “Gonna miss you too, princess. But I’m not worried. I know what we have is special, and I’m not going to find it anywhere else.”
“Me too,” I admit as I peek my head up at him. “This has been the best summer ever—despite all the bad shit.”
JJ’s hand caresses my cheek, and he swipes his thumb across my skin. “And that just proves how strong you are. I know this summer hasn’t been easy for you, but I think you truly found yourself.”
“Thanks to you.”
“Nah, don’t give me credit for anything. You did it all on your own. Don’t dampen everything you’ve overcome. You did it. No one else.”
My lips curve at the thought, warmth swarming my chest. “I really, really love you.”
“I know, beautiful.”
I press up on my toes to capture his lips with mine, widening my mouth because I need him right now. In my veins, in my blood, in my soul, I need him everywhere.
“GUYS!” someone shouts. “It’s time to skinny-dip!”
JJ glances over at the sound and laughs. “Skinny-dip?”
Suddenly, people start shedding their clothes and bolt for the sea. I’ve never seen so many happy faces and the vibrations of laughter. “Yeah, sometimes people do it at the last party of the summer.”
“Should we?”
I narrow my eyes curiously. “You want to?”
“Hell yeah, let’s go out with a bang. Not literally. Or we could, but later.”
“Later,” I say with excitement.
JJ grins devilishly, and it sparks fire in my soul.
My teeth clamp down on my lip. “Alright, let’s do this, but underwear only.”
“That still counts.”
I raise my shaky hands and begin to undo my dress, and I let it fall to the sand beneath us. JJ throws off his T-shirt and slides down his shorts. He holds out his hand and I take it.
“Ivy.” His chest heaves. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
My lips tremble, and I nod. “Yeah. Yeah, of course. I already thought I was.”
“I know, I wanted to ask in the way you deserve to be asked.”
JJ gives my hand a squeeze and kisses me one last time, then we’re running towards the sea like crazed teenagers, and I can’t stop smiling.
Every second of being with JJ was worth it.
Because I’ve finally found myself again after being lost for so long.