All Chapters of Love Wasn’t Part Of The Plan: Chapter 51 - Chapter 59

The street was quiet, washed in the soft orange light of evening when I finally spotted him — hands shoved in his pockets, his strides long and quick like he was walking away from more than just me.“Asher!” I called, my voice cutting through the air.He didn’t stop right away. It took a second shout — louder, breathier — before he turned, his expression half shadowed, half conflicted.I jogged up to him, my heartbeat thudding, both from the run and from the tension that hadn’t faded since Adrian showed up.“You walk fast,” I muttered, slightly breathless.He raised an eyebrow. “You were busy,” he said flatly. “Didn’t want to interrupt.”The edge in his voice stung more than I wanted to admit. I crossed my arms, trying to sound casual. “You’re mad.”“I’m not mad.”“You’re totally mad.”He looked away, jaw flexing. “Maybe a little.”I sighed. “You left without your car. Why didn’t you just drive off dramatically like you always do?”That earned me a small, reluctant smirk. “It’s at the

I paced around my room for what felt like hours, my heart hammering louder with every step. The floor creaked under my bare feet as I rehearsed the words in my head again and again — How do I tell my parents I’m going to a party tonight… and that I might not come home?It sounded impossible. No matter how I twisted it, I could already hear my dad’s voice: Absolutely not, Ivy.I ran a hand through my hair and groaned softly. I’d never felt so nervous — not even the night before a big exam. Tonight was different. Tonight… meant something.After everything Asher and I had been through, after all the almosts and the maybes, this was the night we’d finally stop running from what we both felt.But first, I had to make it out of the house.An idea sparked in my mind.Zoe.Grabbing my phone, I dialed her number. She answered on the second ring, her voice calm but curious.“Hey, Ivy. What’s up?”“Zoe, are you going to Adrian’s party tonight?” I asked quickly, chewing on my lip.“Uh, yeah,” she

The morning light was soft, golden — the kind that made the world look gentler than it really was. It streamed through the car window and painted everything it touched with quiet warmth — my hands, the dashboard, the edge of Asher’s jaw as he drove. The world outside blurred past us. Somewhere in the distance, a bird was singing. Everything felt too peaceful for what my heart was doing inside my chest.Asher’s car purred quietly down the street, the windows half-open to let in the early morning breeze. My hair fluttered against my face, carrying with it the faint scent of his cologne — that warm, musky scent that had clung to my skin since last night. Every time the wind shifted, it found me again, soft and dizzying, wrapping around me like a memory I couldn’t escape.Neither of us spoke at first. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was full. Heavy, but tender — like a song only we could hear. Every unspoken thought hung in the space between us, weaving itself into the rhythm of the road.

The silence after my mom left felt deafening.The ticking of the clock on my nightstand seemed louder than it had any right to be. Each second sounded like a countdown — to what, I didn’t know. Maybe to the moment I’d have to tell Asher that my mom wanted to meet his parents.My fingers trembled as I picked up my phone. His name glowed on the screen like it was waiting for me to make a move I wasn’t sure I was ready for.Asher Reyes.I hesitated for a moment, staring at the text box. What was I even supposed to say?Hey, my mom wants to meet your parents because she found out we… you know?Yeah. No. That sounded like a terrible idea.Before I could overthink it further, my phone buzzed — a message from him.Asher: “You’re settled?”I exhaled in relief, my thumbs moving before my brain could stop them.Me: “Yeah.”His reply came almost immediately.Asher: “Can we talk?”The three dots blinked and disappeared. Then blinked again. He was nervous too. I could feel it.Me: “Sure. Where?”A