Chapter 6

Ivy sluggishly leaned her head onto Justin's shoulder, only to pull away with a sleepy laugh. "We should sneak home," she murmured, the words barely out before she started laughing, finding her own suggestion hilarious. Justin nodded, chuckling along, even though he couldn’t quite understand why everything felt so off.

As Ivy tried to stand, her legs wobbled, and she slumped back into the chair, sending them both into fits of laughter. Watching her, Justin attempted to rise but stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the table before collapsing beside her, their laughter echoing through the cafeteria.

"Alright, one more try," she said, giggling as she reached for his hand. He grinned, clasping her hand as they both made another attempt, supporting each other like a couple of clumsy kids.

Giggling like kids with a shared secret, Ivy and Justin managed to sneak out of the school gates, holding onto each other as they swayed with each step. The fresh air hit them, and they burst into another fit of laughter, trying to keep quiet but failing miserably. 

With a slight struggle, Ivy pulled out her phone and, after fumbling with it, managed to call an Uber. They waited on the curb, leaning against each other to stay upright, their heads occasionally tipping forward as if in sync.

"You know, when I get home, I'm taking a hot bath. I feel so overheated," Justin said with a smirk as they waited for their Uber.

"Yeah... me too," Ivy murmured, giggling.

He paused, leaning in closer. "Do you have any idea just how hot I feel right now?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.

"How hot?" she asked, meeting his grey eyes.

"Hot enough that I really just want to have sex," he said, his voice trailing off, a hint of a grin playing on his lips. Her cheeks flushed almost instantly.

"Are you feeling that kind of heat, too?" he teased.

"Um... I don’t know," she stammered, fanning herself with her hands. But now, she could feel her own warmth rising—maybe even a heat like his.

When the car pulled up, they exchanged a triumphant grin, stumbling into the backseat. Ivy gave the driver her address, and the two of them fell into the seat, muffling their giggles. The driver glanced back at them with a raised brow but didn't ask questions, and they leaned into each other, feeling like they were on the best adventure of their lives as the car pulled away.

Ivy could feel her cheeks still flushed, her heart racing a bit faster with every shared look. Justin's words lingered in her mind, making her feel an unfamiliar mix of excitement and nerves.

  They sat close, her head occasionally resting on his shoulder as he held her hand, his thumb tracing gentle circles against her skin. Both of them were too wrapped up in the warmth and the moment to care where they were headed.

  Every now and then, one of them would laugh softly, pulling back slightly to look at each other with a grin before leaning in close again, unable to shake the magnetic pull between them. As the car continued down the road, they felt as if they were in their own little world, the outside blurring away.

As they reached Ivy’s house, they stumbled through the front door, barely able to keep from laughing. Justin grabbed her hand, and they made their way upstairs, shushing each other despite no one else being home.

Once inside her room, they both flopped onto the bed, lying side-by-side, catching their breath from their fits of giggles. The soft mattress felt like it was melting beneath them, and Ivy let out a contented sigh, rolling over to face him.

Justin mirrored her movement, his gray eyes meeting hers, and for a moment, the room went quiet. They both lay there, still feeling that strange warmth and light-headedness, neither quite wanting to move.

"Damn... I didn't talk to Kulture before leaving school," Justin muttered, glancing up at the ceiling. Ivy rolled her eyes and turned to look at him.

"Oh, leave her out of this," she said with a grin, nudging his shoulder. He chuckled.

"Are you jealous?" he teased, his eyes glinting with amusement. They both burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the room. Neither of them really knew what was so funny, but in the moment, it didn’t matter.

"Maybe..." she murmured, still giggling as she tried to hold back her smile.

"Hmm... honestly, I think she kinda looks like a monkey," Justin joked, and they dissolved into laughter again, each laughing harder than before.

The laughter slowly faded, and Ivy found herself just staring at him, feeling lighter and more carefree than she had in a long time.

"So, you were dating a monkey?" She teased, raising an eyebrow at Justin. He frowned at first but then burst into laughter.

"Come closer," he said, motioning her toward him. She leaned in, bringing her ears close to his red lips.

"I want to tell you a secret," he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

"I don't actually like any of my girlfriends. I just date them for free p***y," he confessed with a mischievous grin. 

  She couldn't help but burst into lauughter. "You're such a pervert," She said, still giggling.

Justin turned to face her, his smile widening as he asked, "So, tell me... who are you crushing on?"

Ivy looked at him, chuckling. "No, no... I’m not telling you. It’s a secret," she said, bursting into laughter.

"Why?" he asked, grinning even wider.

"Because... it’s a secret," she repeated, her eyes slowly starting to close.

“Secret,” he echoed, watching her intently. She nodded, biting her lip in that familiar, shy way, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed him staring at her lips.

"What?" she asked, smiling slowly.

He chuckled, a bit nervous. "Have you ever kissed anyone before?"

She shook her head. "No… unless you count when our lips brushed that one time," she said, and they both laughed at the memory.

The laughter faded, leaving a gentle silence between them. Their gazes lingered, shifting naturally to each other’s lips, as if caught in an unspoken question neither of them dared to ask.

Justin’s smile softened as he continued to gaze at her, his eyes drifting down to her lips again, a mixture of curiosity and something else unspoken in his expression. Ivy’s laughter had faded, leaving them in a quiet, almost charged moment that neither of them had expected.

“So... does that even count as a kiss?” he whispered, still holding her gaze. 

“I don’t know,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “Maybe it’s only half of one.”

He let out a low chuckle, his breath brushing against her cheek. “Do you... want to know what a real one feels like?” he asked, a bit hesitantly, but his eyes were serious.

Her heart raced as she looked at him, feeling a warmth rise up to her cheeks. After a brief pause, she gave a tiny nod, her eyes flicking to his lips. Justin moved slowly, closing the space between them inch by inch until his lips brushed against hers—soft, warm, and everything she hadn’t expected yet somehow wanted. 

The kiss started soft, just a gentle brush of his lips against hers, but it was enough to send a spark through her. Ivy’s heart pounded, each beat echoing in her chest as she leaned in, instinctively deepening the kiss. Justin’s hand found its way to her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin, anchoring her to this moment as the world around them seemed to fade away.

There was a hesitation in their kiss, as if both were testing the waters, savoring each second. But as the seconds passed, the nervousness melted into something warmer, more certain. Ivy’s hands slid up to rest on his shoulders, feeling the solid warmth of him under her fingertips, grounding her. Justin tilted his head slightly, letting their lips fit perfectly together as they fell into a gentle rhythm, each moment drawing them closer. 

When they finally pulled away, they lingered just inches apart, their foreheads touching, breath mingling as they tried to steady their racing hearts. Ivy opened her eyes, meeting Justin’s gaze, and they shared a soft, almost shy.

Neither said anything, both caught in the quietness of the moment, their hearts still pounding from that tiny spark between them.

"Now... that's how a real kiss feels," he whispered with a playful grin, his voice barely above a murmur. Ivy chuckled softly, her heart still fluttering, and they shared one last smile before closing their eyes, the warmth of the moment wrapping around them like a blanket. 

In the quiet, with only the sound of their breathing, sleep swept over them almost instantly, leaving them curled up beside each other, dreams filling the space that words had left behind.

~~

Ivy’s eyes fluttered open, her head throbbing with a sharp, pulsing pain that made her wince. *What happened?* she wondered, disoriented. She turned, and her gaze landed on Justin, still asleep beside her. A groan escaped her as she struggled to piece together the scattered fragments of the day before.

'Weren’t we just at school?'

Her eyes went wide as memories began to flood back, bit by bit, until it all clicked into place. 'Oh no.' Her hand flew to her lips, remembering the kiss. 'We… kissed.' She glanced at Justin, still peacefully asleep, unaware of the whirlwind inside her.

“Why did this happen?” she whispered to herself. She could barely believe it. 'Justin had kissed her.'

A surge of panic hit her. 'What if he remembers?' Things would be so awkward between them. 

  Heart pounding, Ivy slipped quietly out of her room and headed to the kitchen. She grabbed a glass, filled it with water from the sink, and drank it down in one go, barely stopping to breathe. The coolness did little to calm her nerves as she leaned against the counter, hoping she could keep this secret hidden—or that maybe he wouldn’t remember at all. 

Ivy leaned against the kitchen counter, her mind spinning as she replayed the events in her head. How had things escalated to that kiss with Justin? The memory left her cheeks flushed and her heart pounding, and she wasn't sure if it was from excitement or dread. What if he remembered everything as clearly as she did? Their friendship might never be the same.

She poured another glass of water, drinking it down quickly, hoping it would somehow steady her nerves. Her fingers traced her lips absentmindedly, still tingling from the kiss, and she couldn't shake the feeling of both thrill and panic that bubbled inside her.

"Please don’t remember," she murmured, staring at the empty glass in her hand. "Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen."

Just as she was lost in thought, a hand slipped around her waist, pulling her back to reality. She jolted, but instantly recognized the familiar cologne, a scent that made her tense up.

  "Justin isn’t here, so no need to act like a moron," she muttered, trying to brush off the hand, her patience thinning.

  But the grip didn’t loosen, and his breath brushed her skin as he leaned closer. 

  “I saw you both,” he murmured, his lips grazing her neck.She shivered, feeling a mix of discomfort and irritation.

  "Can you stop?" she snapped, twisting away, her voice firmer this time as she met his gaze, determined not to let this ruin her day any further.

“You know, you should be thanking me,” Trevor said with a smirk as he finally let go of her.

“Thanking you?” Ivy scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why would I ever do that?”

“It’s simple. I’ll give you a hint…” He leaned in, voice low. “I made what happened between you and Justin… happen.”

She stared at him, confused, until realization struck her. Her eyes widened in horror. 

“What the fuck, Trevor. You drugged our drinks?”

TBC