“Can I ask you something?” I found two mugs and began to spoon out the cocoa. Benji’s behaviour earlier that evening had popped into my mind and it was suddenly bugging me.
“Shoot,” he pulled out one of the kitchen island stools and sat opposite me as I worked.
“The day I first saw you,” I let the spoon drop into one of the mugs, steeling myself for the question I really wanted to know the answer to. “When you came into the mechanics lecture. Did you notice me? I mean, at all?” I held his dark eyes with my own, but all I saw was confusion.
“What do you mean ‘notice’ you?”
“Well, notice me,” I felt embarrassed and turned to the fridge to get the milk, regretting I had asked the question. “Did I register as existing? That I was even sat next to Leonora at all? Or was I just a blob? Benji, who I’ve been in lectures with all year, and who dated one of my closest friends, had no idea who I was. Oh yeah, and he still doesn’t. I guess I just want to know if I passed you by too.” I turned back to him and fiddled with the milk bottle, keeping my eyes down.
“Ivy, do you really want to know what I was thinking that day?” He folded his arms and leaned on the island counter, accenting his tattoo. I had the urge to lift the sleeve up further.
“I think so,” at my words, he raised his eyebrows at the uncertainty. “Okay, yes. I do want to know.”
“Alright, I was late if you remember, and had already argued that morning with my dad. Overhearing Leonora gossip about me was just… fuel to the fire.”
“You were annoyed.”
“More like pissed off. I was just fuming, wanting to yell at the world, the gossiper, and her pretty friend for talking about me. That was until I saw you laughing at her trying to sweet talk me.”
“Was I that obvious?” I poured the milk and hot water into the mugs.
“Not obvious, but you struck me.”
“Struck you?” I paused with the milk bottle hovering in the air, unfamiliar with what this meant.
“I guess you surprised me. Especially when you brought Benji’s ego down to size. I liked that,” he smiled in memory. “He could do with it a little more. When I saw you at Mandy’s,” he shifted, as though uncertain how to put the feeling into words. “I realised how much you had lingered on my mind after all.” His cocoa eyes crinkled with the smile.
I think I stood a little straighter as I returned the milk to the fridge, his words had sent a little thrill through me.
“Thank you, that was nice to hear.” I handed him the mug.
“Your turn.”
“What?”
“What did you think of me that first day?” He asked with a knowing smirk.
“I made no such transactional deal,” I said very quickly as I walked round the island and headed for the bedroom, trying to hide my face as I blew on the cocoa.
“Ivy,” Tye was laughing as he followed me. “Why can’t you tell me? I just told you.”
“Because I can’t.” I put the cocoa down on the bedside cabinet. As I turned round, I was surprised to find Tye directly in front of me, leaning round to put his mug down in the same place. He straightened back up and stared me down, mere inches away and refusing to move.
“Why not?” He didn’t even bother trying to hide the smirk on his handsome face. Though I was tall, he was definitely taller, significantly obvious in this position where I suddenly felt quite small, but in a kind of nice way. Tall and strong, what was not to like?
“Because it’s embarrassing.” I tried to move around him, but he caught my arm and gently drew me back towards him.
“Ivy, it’s me. You don’t need to be embarrassed with me.”
“You’ll laugh at me. I know you will. I know you quite well by now,” I attempted to wriggle away, but he just kept gently recapturing my arms in a little game.
“We’re always laughing anyway, what’s the difference?”
“Believe me, it’s different,” I swiped away one of his hands. As I turned to escape, I only managed a half turn before her grabbed me, so my back was to his front with his arms crossed in front of me. Oh wow.
“Trapped now.”
“I can get out easily.”
“I know you can.” His mouth was right next to my ear, sending vibrations through my body as he whispered playfully. “Tell me anyway.”
I gave up trying to play fight and rested my head back on his chest.
“Ivy,” he continued in my ear. “The day in the mechanics lecture, did you notice me?”
I closed my eyes, scrunching them so tight I could feel my face wrinkling as I built up the courage to speak.
“I couldn’t help but notice you.” At my words, he dropped his head into the crook of my neck. I could feel his warm breath dancing across my skin lightly.
“And? What else?”
“And…” I turned round in his arms, this time his arms fell loose, and he let me. If I really was about to spill my thoughts, confess it all to him then I needed a way to run as fast as possible. I waited until his arms were wrapped loosely around my waist. “I thought I had never seen such a good-looking guy.”
He only had time to look surprised before I delivered a firm shove in his
