All Chapters of Dirty (short stories): Chapter 51 - Chapter 58

Noah spent the entire bus ride staring out the window, replaying every message, every voice note, every photo. The bouquet of wildflowers sat carefully in his lap, wrapped in tissue paper he’d begged from Aunt Mara. He’d told her it was for a “friend’s mom.” She’d smiled, patted his cheek, and said, “You’re a good boy, Noah. Don’t let the city change you.” The city was already changing him. He arrived at the station just after 10 p.m. The air smelled different, sharper, louder, full of dust, loud music and street food. He stepped off the bus, his backpack slung over one shoulder, heart hammering. She was there. Vesper....., Ivy....,stood near the exit, her hoodie up, mask pulled down just enough to show her smile. No makeup, no camera-ready glow, just in jeans, sneakers, and oversized hoodie. She looked smaller than in her videos, more real. She saw him first. Her eyes lit up. “Noah?” “Ivy.” She walked toward him in quick steps and stopped a foot away, she lo

Ava Harper was twenty four, single, and officially done with her family treating her love life like an overdue borrowed library book that should be returned. She was at her sister Sophie’s engagement party on a fancy rooftop in the city, there were string lights twinkling overhead, a champagne tower glistening like a crystal, waiters gliding around with trays of tiny hors d’oeuvres that cost more than her weekly grocery budget. Everyone was dressed like they were auditioning for an award winning movie: off the chart suits, silk dresses, fake laughs echoing off the surrounding. Ava wore a simple black dress and heels she already regretted cause they pinched her toes and made her feel like she was walking on knives or maybe she was.She’d been dodging questions all night.“When is it your turn, Ava?” “Why don’t you have a boyfriend yet?” “You’re not getting any younger, you know.”She smiled through gritted teeth, sipped her champagne, and escaped to the kitchen area when her mom

The wedding weekend officially began with a disaster that set the tone for everything to come. Ava and Finn arrived at the resort Friday evening in separate cars (Ava with her mom, Finn driving himself in his beat-up hatchback that looked like it had survived three apocalypses). The place was stunning: with an ocean view, white tents on the lawn, fairy lights everywhere, and a welcome sign that read “Sophie & Marcus – Forever Starts Here.” Ava’s family had rented out half the venue. Everyone was already there, there aunts, uncles, cousins, Sophie’s bridesmaids, Marcus’s groomsmen, and a small army of nosy relatives who immediately swarmed Finn like he was a celebrity. Ava saw this and she had already began sweating. Finn stepped out of his car in his new black shirt (extra button undone for “wedding charm”), carrying a small duffel bag and looking way too excited for someone who was supposed to be a fake boyfriend. Ava looked tensed.. “Relax,” he whispered as they w

It was one month after the wedding, Ava's apartment felt quiet, too quiet and just too... empty too.She didn't know why, the job was done, her family bought the whole "boyfriend" story, Mom still asked about Finn like he was family, asking when he would come visit again, she couldn't bring herself to tell her the broke up or it was fake, Evans's TikToks had died down to occasional reposts. Life should be back to normal, it should be just work, coffee, and sleep. Repeating the cycle daily...But every time she opened the fridge, she remembered him stealing her last yogurt and leaving a sticky note: "I'll buy more, it is a promise but." He never did. She will scroll Instagram at night and see blue shirts, resampling his favourite color and pause too long staring or she would hear a laugh in a café that sounded like his stupid, loud one. or catch Evans sending old clips: Finn twirling in the kilt, Finn smearing salmon, Finn winning the dance off. She'd watch, smirk, then close it fa