جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

Ivy's POVI couldn’t believe how low my life had sunk. Disrespect wasn’t even the right word for what I was feeling. It was worse—humiliating, degrading, like every ounce of control had been stripped from me.Demi leaned back, arms spread across the booth, grinning as his friends howled with laughter. He was completely unbothered by the filth pouring from his mouth, completely unaffected by the way he was reducing me to a punchline.A trophy. Something to be discussed, picked apart, and passed around for amusement.I had to get out of there.Swallowing my disgust, I forced a tight smile and leaned in close to him. “Demi, can I talk to you for a minute?”He glanced at me lazily, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. “Oh? My shy little girlfriend has something to say?”His friends chuckled, and I felt my nails digging into my palms.“Just a minute,” I repeated, keeping my voice light.Demi exhaled heavily, like I was inconveniencing him, but stood anyway. “Fine. We’ll be back,

Ivy's POV.Planning Amari's party with her was the only thing keeping me sane.Everything else was suffocating. But when Amari and I sat together, talking about decorations, music, and themes, I could almost forget.Over the past few days, Amari and I had grown closer. She had an effortless way of making people feel comfortable, a kind of charm that made it impossible to dislike her. And even though we came from different worlds, for once, I didn’t feel like I had to keep my guard up.After school, she invited me over to her place to go over plans for the party. We sat on her bedroom floor, sketching out ideas in a notebook, throwing around different themes and decorations. She had a clear vision—something elegant yet fun, and I helped fine-tune the details, adding small touches that would bring everything together.For the first time in what felt like forever, things felt normal. No pressure, no tension, just easy conversation and lighthearted planning. It was a brief escape, a momen

16.Ivy's POVDinner felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.I sat stiffly at the dining table, my fingers curled into my lap, every muscle in my body coiled tight with tension. Across from me, Demi lounged in his chair like he belonged here, like this was his home, and not mine.He had spent the last thirty minutes charming my mother, slipping into the role of the perfect boyfriend with disgusting ease. And she had fallen for it completely.It was infuriating.But more than that, it was terrifying.I poked at my food, my appetite long gone. My hands felt ice-cold, but my face was burning, heat crawling up my neck as the weight of the room pressed down on me.And then there was Brandon.I could feel his gaze on me, quiet and heavy, like he was trying to read something from me. He had barely spoken all evening, but I could feel his anger. It lingered in the air, thick and suffocating.My mum turned to Brandon’s dad, practically glowing with excitement.“Baby,” she said, beaming,

18.Brandon’s POVSomething about Ivy’s relationship with Demi didn’t sit right with me.I noticed it when Demi started making them sit at our table during lunch, always keeping her tucked under his arm, right next to him, like she was some kind of accessory. And Ivy always sat there, stiff and silent, barely touching her food.The way her shoulders were always tense, like she was bracing herself for something. The way she flinched when Demi touched her, even when it was just a hand on her arm or a brush of his fingers against her neck.The way she never laughed anymore.Not that she was ever loud or outspoken before, but at least she used to exist in a space without looking like she wanted to disappear.And yet, week after week, she was still there. Sitting beside him. Quiet. Uncomfortable. Trapped.When I actually asked her about it, she tensed so fast, so obvious, like I’d just caught her off guard. Then came the hesitation, the brief flicker of something behind her eyes before she

20.Ivy's POV.I can’t do this.The thought circled in my head like a vulture as I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.My face was pale, my lips pressed into a thin line, my eyes dull and tired. I barely recognized myself anymore.I had done exactly what Demi wanted.The lingerie was already on, delicate and lacy against my skin, hidden beneath my clothes. But it felt like a second layer of shame, wrapping itself around me, suffocating me.I ran my hands down my thighs, pressing out imaginary creases in my jeans, but the movement did nothing to ease the tightness in my chest. My stomach churned, and the thought of what I was about to do made my skin crawl.Then, as if on cue, my phone vibrated on the dresser. I swallowed hard, already knowing who it was.I picked it up, my hands clammy as I read the message.Demi: It’s finally the day.Demi: Don’t even think about chickening out.Demi: Unless you want your mother and the whole school to know what you’ve been up to.