Ivy
The faintest memory about me getting my ass beaten by Honey, the best fighter from my martial arts classes, back when I was younger, hit me this morning, and a strong need to let off some steam, sent adrenaline rushing through my veins.
I'd left my Base to the RTR building, where I'd once came across a training room, which was fortunately empty... I still had an hour before school started. For once, I was looking forward to it, since Roman had found out something... Whatever it was, I was sure it was pretty important, since he'd asked me to call him as soon as possible.
I did call him and asked him to wait since I also had somethings to take care of... Which really, I did. Cause all through last night, I couldn't stop myself from thinking. Thinking about who Michelle was, and why Ethan had to take the call outside of the car.
Obviously, something was going on with him, something he knew I wouldn't approve of, but what?
I placed the H2H combat dummy upright, getting into a fighting stance.
What is he hiding from me? I thought we promised never to keep anything from each other?
I aimed at the dummy's side jaw, my right leg lifting to hit its waist at the same. The dummy wobbled, but came back into its standing position.
We have an history of keeping secrets from each other... It has never ever ended well... From both sides.
I gave tripple punches to the dummy's face, my knuckles flexing.
He should know better.
My fist connected with the side of the dummy's stomach, my elbow clashing with its jaw.
Was he with her all through yesterday? No... He was helping get my car right? But- he didn't leave the Inc Dimension... So... He had to have been somewhere.
I lifted my left leg, hitting the dummy on the chest, it bent lowly backwards, but came sprouting back up. My fist connected with its jaw, my other fist hitting its stomach.
Where really was he? With Michelle?
I groaned, forcefully palming the dummy against its throat.
Who the hell is she?
Its head fell backwards, about to come back up when I turned swiftly, my leg lifting from the ground, to connect with the side of its face, detaching the head from its body, and sending it flying across the room in a continuous bouncing thud, which stopped abruptly.
I froze.
My breathing harsh and my senses alert.
I flexed my knuckles, turning slowly to the entrance of the room.
The dummys' head was underneath a black All Stars Converse boot. My eyes travelled upwards, meeting what looked to be a really expensive black ripped jeans. It wasn't too skinny or too loose, it just fit perfectly, still travelling upwards, my eyes admired the fitted armless black shirt he wore, with the name Rebel-lions, attached at the side, was a new logo, the half image of a skull, merged with the half image of a lion.
My eyes finally reached his face. His head was casted down, tilting to study the dummy's head under his feet, his hair was messy in a neat kind of way, falling over his eyes.
I swallowed when he looked up at me slowly, or maybe I'm just imagining it all in slow motion, I don't know, but- it just got suddenly hot in here, and my brain isn't functioning properly.
His emerald green eyes sent my heart into an immediate mission through the route of an heart attack.
I swallowed for like the hundreth time in seconds.
My brain beginning to rewrite my thoughts.
He's mine... He loves me... He's here right now, not with- that Michelle girl... Why was I worried? This is Ethan... He'd never do anything to hurt me purposely. Whatever it is, I'm sure he has a reasonable explanation.
"Do you plan on decapitating every hand to hand combat dummy in here?" His voice vibrated around the spaced room, almost bringing me to my knees, why? For some reason, I felt like both my legs were failing me.
He wasn't even close to me, yet it felt like we were only inches apart.
His lips kicked up in a side smile that almost resembled a smirk, but wasn't. The side of his cheek deepened beautifully as he made a swift movement with his feet, sending the dummy's head bouncing upward till it got caught between his hands. A true basketball player. "Cool." He said, nodding approvingly.
Suddenly, I felt cautious... Not because his whole demeanor screamed danger, but because I wasn't sure if how I looked right now, could match up to how he looked.
My hair was probably a mess, and I'd decided not to apply any make up today. I was wearing a black long-sleeved V-necked body hug shirt with black leather pants and a black sneaker high top. The typical Rebel uniform... All black.
I brushed my hair with my fingers, clearing my throat awkwardly. "How long have you been standing there?"
He began to take steps closer to me. "About thirty minutes, an hour, if we count the time you stood there ogling me."
My cheeks burned, my eyes desperately looking for something to comment about.
I found the perfect distraction.
"You also the dig the whole Rebel-lions movement?"
He shrugged, drawing my attention to his his arm muscles. "It's the latest trend in Inc high, and I kinda wear the latest trend of everything so..."
He dropped the dummy's head on a flat tabletop surface, before coming to wipe me out of my senses with his warmth and unflinching hot gaze.
I surprised myself by still being able to make out sentences. "I didn't know you were into fashion."
"I'm into a lot of things, Ponytail." He said, his voice sending the butterflies in my stomach into an early lunch break.
His fingers raised to brush my hair away from the side of my face, giving his knuckles enough space to trail down my cheek to my jaw, where his thumb traced the line of my lower lip.
"You have no idea how hot you look beating things up... But I won't lie, you won't hold on in a fight, you still have so much to learn."
I gulped. "Good thing I have the best teacher."
His brows etched down in a frown. "Who?"
"Daltimore."
His fingers stopped their movement on my face. "Ralph?"
"Yeah, Although... I tend to make a fool out of him with my fist sometimes, I think I don't have much to learn."
He smiled down at me. "Really? Because you beat him once or twice?"
I shrugged.
"Trust me Ponytail, if Ralph wanted to beat you, he would have. Besides, he knows better."
"Why do you say that?"
"'Cause I trained him." He said. "And also because he knows what I'd do to him if I spot one single bruise on you." His tone had suddenly gone dark.
"I don't trust him with you that way." He said.
"Why?"
"Simple, his temper doesn't match up to mine, but he has one close to mine. I don't want him hurting you. And I don't want to have to hurt him because he hurt you in a way that I don't like... So that's why, I'll be training you from now onwards."
"I don't think that's a good idea. You're going to go easy on me. That's not what I need."
He raised a brow. "Who said anything about going easy on you?" He gave a low chuckle. "Okay, let me be honest with you, by rephrasing my last statement."
He cupped the side of my face tenderly. "I can be very unthoughtful, and dangerous when I get jealous, and I don't want to have to hurt him if he tries anything stupid with you."
"I would never do that to you Eth-"
"I saw the video, Ivy. I saw the comments about you and Ralph, and at first I didn't bother because I know Ralph, and then I remembered we're not actually friends like we used to be- and that now that he knows how much you mean to me, he'd want to do something to rile me up like the idiot that he is, forgetting that when I get angry, I forget my own mother's name. I would hurt him, and I don't want to."
I blinked, letting his words register. "You don't trust me?"
"I trust you, I just don't trust him with you."
Why? Does Ralph know of a secret capable of tearing us apart? If that's the case, why doesn't he just tell me himself? Is it about Michelle?
"Ralph is only a friend to me Ethan, nothing more. You're the one I love, the one I want to be with. Nothing will ever change that, okay?"
He just kept on staring at me, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to figure out if there was a real truth behind my words, if I really and truly meant them.
"Fine... If it'd make you feel better, you can train me."
He smiled.
"But you won't go easy on me... Or I'll just kick your butt. Either ways, I'd kick your butt, easy or not."
"Oh, really? What makes you so sure?" He challenged.
"I'm stronger than you think."
He nodded. "Alright... Why don't we test that theory now?" He asked, taking three steps back.
"What?" I asked.
A sly smile played to the corner of his lips, his tongue coming down to brush his lower lip. "Come at me."
I tilted my head to the side. "You sure you want that Murray?"
"Show me what you got baby."
My heart almost exploded. "You asked for it." I said, immediately charging towards him. The smile on his face turned into a sexy grin, distracting me for a second.
I tried to aim a punch towards his shoulder, but he dodged it like my fist was some bug he missed by a second. He gripped my arm, pushing me against the table top where the dummy's head lay.
I stumbled against it, the dummy's head rolling off the table to the ground.
"No stamina... We really have to work on that." He said, making his way towards me. I gripped both side of the table hard, lifting myself, so I could try throw a kick his way. He easily caught my leg, swatting it to the side, a little too forcefully, I lost my balance. He caught me by snaking his arm around my waist, swirling me around expertly. My chest met his, his arm still around my waist. My harsh breathing was nothing compared to his calm one.
He stared down hungrily at my lips.
An idea hit me.
A slow smile grew on my lips as I pressed my body against his even more, raising, so my lips was a few inches from his. I really wanted to kiss him, his lips were seriously distracting me from my main mission.
My fingers found their place underneath his beautiful hair, as my lower lip brushed against his upper lip.
His arm tightened around me, his eyes dropping between my eyes and my lips.
Gotcha.
Quickly I coiled my leg around his, attempting to knock him off his feet, but then he smirked, his arm dropping from my waist. I was falling backwards, my leg uncoiling from his.
He caught me by my waist again, this time, he pushed me back to the table, his body covered mine as his hand moved to grip the back of my neck, his lips capturing mine for a hungry kiss. My fingers travelled back to his hair, as I kissed him back just as fierce.
My body pressed against his, was the perfect connection, cause I could feel his raging heart right against my equally raging one.
I parted my lips, welcoming his warm tongue. A low moan escaped his throat, his tongue dancing a really sweet dance against mine.
This kiss was really different from the other ones we've had. This kiss awokened something deep within me, it tugged at my heart harshly, but the beauty of it made it hurt less, rather it was wonderful, like a drug, something I couldn't get enough of.
We broke apart to get some air, our harsh breathing filling up the room.
His emerald green eyes bored deeply into mine. "You're mine. Do you get that? I'm not gonna let anyone take you away from me. Not Glory, not even Ralph."
I was getting drunk by his warmth and his eyes. "I'm yours, you have nothing to worry about. You know I love you."
He placed a light kiss on either of my cheeks, coming to place a soft one on my lips, before whispering, 'I know, ponytail.'
___
"Roman." I called, approaching him by his locker.
"What the hell took you so long? Classes will start in like five minutes." He informed.
I looked around the hallway, seeing students taking their time in whatever they were doing. "This is Inc high, nobody really cares."
"Yeah... But it's still school... Anyway, that's not what's important now."
"Okay, back to business, what did you find?" I asked.
His gaze swept through the hallway. "Not here."
"Why?"
"Have forgotten there are some people here whose hearing capabilities are kinda extraordinary?"
"You're right." I agreed.
"Come on." Roman murmured, leading us down the hallway.
He swiftly cornered into a small path I never noticed. Then straight into a door.
I followed him in. The smell of bleach filled my nostrils.
He closed the door behind us, taking his backpack off his shoulder and fishing for something.
I looked around, the room was small but it was lined with shelves, occupied by what looked like washing items.
My eyes fell back on Roman. "What are you looking for?"
"The 'B' barrier stones." He answered. Bringing out a small box.
"'B' barrier stones?" I asked, confused.
"We can't be too careful... What I found, I'm not sure it was supposed to be found."
I gulped. "What do you mean?" I asked, curiosity chewing at my insides.
He didn't answer, all he did was open the box to reveal Five brown stones with just one flat edge.
Quickly, he moved to the door, attaching each stones by their flat edges on the four corners of the door. When he placed the last one in the middle, a glowy brown light erupted from each stone, connecting to each other until all of them connected to the one in the middle, causing a silent ripple.
I jumped, my eyes widening. "Where the hell did you get that? And what's it supposed to do?"
"I've learnt quite a lot in the company of Malcolm, there are several stones for different purposes. The 'B' barrier stones, is to prevent those with hyper active hearing abilities."
"Like Fiona and Caramel." I stated.
"And so many more."
"What other stones are there?"
"There are stones for preventing movements. Like locking something or someone up... They use it to separate each sectors. It's also used in the inc prison."
"How'd you get this particular one."
"I got it with the Silver coins from an anonymous seller."
I blinked. "An anonymous seller?"
"Yeah. I kinda made a few connections online. Well... That's besides the point." He fished for something in his bag again. This time, he brought out a folded paper, handing it over to me."
I took it from him, quickly opening it, my eyes scanned through, widening as the seconds passed. I looked up at Roman. "Is this for real?"
"Yeah. I don't think I was supposed to find it. Every subject goes through the Inc hospital at the institute before they approve them for the chip installation. I got into that server- more like hacked into, I went as far back as ten to eleven years ago, and I found Ethan's approval papers, but it came with something else... Something that was supposed to have been deleted."
"Adoption papers."
He nodded.
"So, Ethan's really her son... Her adopted son?"
"Yeah," Roman nodded. "This explains why she keeps calling him her son." He added.
"Ethan doesn't know about this." I stated.
"I don't think he does," Roman said. "The way Glory worked it, I don't think she wanted him to know."
I raked my hands through my hair. "But why adopt a child you barely even know? I mean he's not the first child to be brought in. Either she took a liken to him or- or there's something else."
"Like a back story?"
"Yeah. From the looks of what's in this paper, she adopted him on the Outside."
Roman Nodded. "Two weeks before the fire... How the hell did she pull that off?" He asked.
"You adopt a kid with parents, a given signature from both parents... And then two weeks later, there's a fire?" I mused.
"Almost as if she set it up." Roman said.
Realization hit me.
"Oh my God." I let out, my knees suddenly feeling weak, my back fell on the shelf behind me. "She killed his parents." I let out. "Why would she do that?"
"That's the back story we don't know... What makes Ethan so special to her?" Roman spoke out.
"Oh my God." I muttered again, feeling sick to my stomach.
"Are you gonna tell him?" Roman asked.
"Tell him? I-" I let out a shaky breath, feeling so sad for him. "I can't tell him that, Ethan- he- he's been through a lot. If he knows this, then that's it. I don't want to lose him forever."
"He has every right to know Ivy. This is big... This is- this is the definition of huge, how the hell are you going to hide it from him? Glory is his adoptive mother, Ivy. She has every right to him."
"I- I don't know Roman... We can't just go to him and tell him Glory's his mother and she adopted him two weeks before the fire at his house, which brought him here. We need prove- we need her- her motive, the back story."
"Sounds to me like you're looking for excuses to not tell him. If he finds out from someone else, and comes to know that you knew, that's gonna hurt him more."
I shook my head. "He's not gonna find out... I mean, who's gonna tell him? Definitely not Glory cause she hasn't even broken it to him for years. Besides, we need to be certain... I can't go on telling him what I assume and hurting him like that when we might have interpreted it all wrong."
Roman sighed. "You're right? But how are we gonna get prove that she really did set up the fire? Even if we wanted to start looking for clues, we can't find any here."
"All the clues are on the outside." I voiced out.
Roman nodded. "If we had figured this out on the outside, we would have gotten the clues by talking to Ethan's living family."
"Tiffany and Nathan Murray. Why did Glory let them live?"
Roman shrugged. "Beats me. But honestly Ivy, I think you should tell him."
"I'll tell him... But- not now."
Not now when he's beginning to get his life back on track, not now when he looks happy.
I can't do this to him now. I'd have to find the pefect time, there would be a perfect time to tell him... Just not now.
I really hope I'm not making a mistake.
___
Vote and Comment :-)
Glory really knows more than she's letting on, or does she?
Ivan's beginning to grow on me... Is it just me? Or do you feel it too?
Do you think Ivy's decision on not telling Ethan was the right one?
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Nora.