15. Romeo
Romeo
PRESENT
So that’s what this was all about. I unknowingly embarrassed the poor girl when she was younger. It made sense—you always seemed to remember all the worst and most embarrassing moments of your life, no matter how long it had been.
“This whole time you’ve been mad at me over that? How did I not realize it?” I said, sitting beside Ivy Jade. She looked up at me with big expressive eyes. They looked even bigger in the dark bar, like little black marbles. “I was never trying to embarrass you.”
“But you did. And I know it sounds juvenile to hold onto a grudge for this long, but… I don’t know.
I looked at you differently back then. You were older.
Cooler. Your opinion… it mattered differently to me,” she said, fixated on her hands, twisting a ring on her pinky.
I’d never seen Ivy Jade look so self-conscious.
I had only ever seen her either angry or confident, though both sometimes occurred concurrently.
“I’m starting to realize that I always had an older person in my life telling me what to do—telling me what’s best. I may have been a child at the time, but I didn’t want to feel like one.
Not with you. And when you scolded me like that, I think it hit me harder than I expected.
Another authority figure, making my decisions for me. ”
I remembered that night well. She thought I was just giving her shit this whole time, but it genuinely worried me, and no one else seemed to be looking out for her. Seeing a young teen like her drinking raised all the alarm bells in my head.
“My sister started drinking at that age,” I said, a little surprised by the croak in my voice. I didn’t expect the heat of emotion to hit me like this.
“Your sister?” she asked.
“Rachel. She’s my twin, but I still see her as my younger sister…
” I said, mindlessly picking up my beer, taking a sip.
It was warm and stale. I didn’t want it anymore.
“We kind of had a rough upbringing. Family issues. Things like that. My dad was an alcoholic, and Rachel started drinking, too. It was easy to brush it off at first, but it just sorta caught up with her… so much changed rapidly, and it scared the hell out of me. It’s hard to describe what it’s like, watching someone you love lose control of themselves.
I’m sorry I put that on you. It may not have been right to scold you like that, but a part of me always felt protective of you… ”
Ivy Jade shrank into her shoulders. She looked so small. “You were protecting me?”
“Still am…” I shrugged, not able to look into her eyes for some reason. Screw the warm beer—I pulled it back for a much-needed sip. My nerves were on fire.
“I’m sorry about Rachel,” she said, tilting her head.
She looked embarrassed, but shit, I was the one feeling embarrassed.
Maybe because we were just airing out all our drama, but I had gotten so used to our teasing that feeling vulnerable was still something new for us.
“And I’m sorry I was being a brat and holding onto a grudge for so long. ”
“You? Sorry for being a brat?” I acted shocked, bumping into her. “Do I need to check your temperature? Are you running a fever?”
“No, dork. I don’t have a fever…” She smiled sheepishly, trying not to laugh. “I just feel stupid for even making this a big deal. I wish I’d said something to you sooner.”
“At least you did now.” I rolled my eyes, acting exhausted. “And all it took was you waving an ax in my face to get us here.”
“Oh, relax. I wasn’t actually going to hit you with it. Your blood would’ve totally ruined my makeup,” she jabbed, making me laugh.
“I could imagine the headline: Talented, handsome man, accidentally axed in the face by beautiful Latina whose family paid her way out of prison time for murder,” I mocked.
“Beautiful?” she asked, acting like she wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“Am I wrong, brat?” I answered, staring down at her, watching the glee grow in her eyes.
She sighed, tossing her long brown locks over her shoulder. I couldn’t help but let my eyes travel from her shoulder to her leg, which was crossed and pointed towards mine. She wore fucking heels to throw axes, but somehow that didn’t surprise me, and she looked so good I could hardly stand it.
My eyes flicked back up to hers. It was dimly lit where we sat, off to the corner away from everyone else, but I swore her cheeks reddened slightly. It was then that my heart dropped a little, and those feelings from last night kept crawling their way into my chest.
She glanced down at her hands, and her voice lowered. “You know,” she began, and a smile curled up her lips. “I used to have a crush on you back then. I think that’s another reason why it upset me so much.”
Her soft eyes hesitantly glanced back up to meet mine, and my jaw lowered a little. She didn’t need to admit that, but she did.
“Really?” I was trying to remain cool, like it had no effect on me whatsoever, even though I wanted to smile from ear to ear.
She nodded, biting her bottom lip a little bit. “Yeah. Kind of silly, right?”
I looked back over at the group as cheers erupted, and where Gustav was ax-throwing next to Tallulah. They both had their throws hit right down the middle.
“It was a long time ago,” I said with a casual shrug, but I leaned back onto the couch, wanting to get comfortable and talk with her more.
We’d spent so much time bickering over the last couple of days that it was nice to finally have a normal conversation with her.
She let out a soft sigh, leaning back, mirroring me. Was she feigning casualness as well? “Yeah, a really long time ago.”
We watched the others throwing their axes for a moment before she turned back to me. “Well, what are you doing these days? Besides like, being a total pro at ax-throwing.” She let out a little laugh as she rolled her eyes.
I ran a hand through my hair. I hadn’t realized how much I touched my fucking hair when I was nervous.
“Besides that? Hmm…” I trailed off, pretending to think.
I had no idea what to say. What else was there besides the breakup and quitting my job?
“Just work. Lots of work,” I fumbled out. “And um, just trying to find a new place since my girlfriend and I broke up recently.”
She shifted a little, her head tilting and her brows pulling together with concern. “What happened with you and your girlfriend?”
My heart leaped a little bit out of my throat. I hated talking about this shit. It stung way too deep, but I had to give Ivy Jade something. But I couldn’t tell her everything, otherwise, it would be a dead giveaway.
“I tried to take a chance on something… something she didn’t agree with. Our lifestyles just didn’t mesh well together after that.”
She searched my expression, and I could tell that she wanted more than the vagueness I was giving her, but it seemed like she also didn’t want to pry.
“That’s a bummer,” she said softly. “You have no place to stay? I’m sure Gustav could help you find a place. You know he’s a big real estate guy now, right?”
I thought it was sweet that she was concerned about my living arrangement.
“I’m alright for now. I have a few places lined up; I’ll be fine,” I lied with a grin. I didn’t know why I was lying, but it seemed like they just kept piling on naturally, snowballing. I fucking hated it.
She exhaled, nodding like she was relieved.
“So like, what do you do then?” She kept the questions coming, and instead of feeling grateful that she was interested in catching up, I was dreading each lie I’d have to tell.
“Oh, I’m in financial advising,” I answered. It was only a half-lie.
"Financial advising? So like, you play with money all day? You're rich."
It dawned on me then that what I did and how much money I made were probably important to her. It was probably the most important thing to her.
I immediately deflected. “I do okay. What about you? What do you do now?” I grinned. “Let me guess… a model?”
She scoffed and did her little mouse patter on my arm.
“You’re such a freaking tease!” She couldn’t help but blush, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was flirting with me.
She uncrossed her legs, and my eyes shot right back to them.
“But as far as me? Well. Geez. I don’t know. I’m kinda just waiting, I guess…”
I wasn’t sure what she meant.
“Waiting? On what?”
Something changed. Ivy Jade looked a little more exhausted—the light in her eyes more dull. “I don’t know. It’s stupid. I guess you would call it my purpose—whatever Mami and Papi want.”
“They’re giving you a job?” I pried, still unsure.
She braided the tips of her hair. “I guess. It’s sorta a job, but not really… It’s more about me becoming the perfect future wife for Antonio.”
My beer was empty, but I put it up to my lips, nervously sipping on nothing. What the actual fuck was she even talking about right now? “Antonio?” I choked.
“Yeah. The doctor,” she added, as if it were common news. “I don’t know. It’s complicated. We’ll see what happens.”
“Ivy Jade… are you engaged?”
“No. Don’t be silly…” She waved the notion away, then looked up at the group as more cheers erupted from the other end of the bar. The thud of axes whacked against the boards, and I sat there a little more confused.
“Ivy Jade! Come here and show me how to throw the ax like you did!” Tallulah shouted, and Ivy Jade sprang up from the booth.
“Forget I said anything. Let’s go show Tallulah how to win.
You’re on our team now.” She took my hand, her skin soft and warm.
The way she looked at me—it was the same look in her eyes as the night before, as High Jynx, and hope sprang throughout my entire body.
Finally, there was something happening between us.
But who the hell was Antonio?
And what the fuck did her selfish parents do now?