Page 76 of Ivy's Venom

"Knock it off, no one here knew Charlotte." I hiss. "Tell me what he's asking."

"It's not so much what he's asking as it's what I'm telling him."

"What do you mean?" I step closer to her.

"Charlotte was a bitch to me, Ivy." She whispers, tears coating her eyes, "she was constantly at me about being a lesbian when we both know she was one herself, even if she didn't want to admit it."

Oh, she admitted it.

"She was taking something those last few months, apparently Dad found out." She relaxes against her locker again. "He confronted her about it the night that... you know."

Of course I fucking know, I was there.

"Then she stormed out of the house, your Grandma died, and shit just went chaotic."

"That's one way of putting it." I murmur. "He's asking me about her drug use."

"Tell him what you know because he deserves the truth, he's holding on to this fairy tale version of his sister and it wasn't reality." She sneers.

"Does he really need to know?" I raise a brow, "what difference would it make? It looks like you need to forgive your sister for her demons because she's no longer here to ask for it. She wasn't herself Amelia and eventually she would've been better, I just took that chance away from her. Forgive her and stop trying to tarnish her further in death."

She drops her eyes and blows out a breath, "it was hell with her, Ivy." Her voice shakes, "it's all I can remember and right now, forgiveness feels impossible."

"Find a way to make it possible because you will never get closure from her now and stop fucking up your brother by ripping away the good memories he has of her, you're becoming the monster now."

It's harsh, I know but she needs to hear it, defaming her sister in death is doing nothing but poisoning her insides with hatred, and there will be no apologies from the dead for their actions when they were alive.

She huffs out her breath and tears begin to roll down her cheeks, "fuck."

"Let her faults rest with her, none of us know the full story, and you're doing more damage than good, okay?" I pull her in for a hug and pat her back.

She's young and still carrying feelings that feel like the end of the world, I don't want her getting older with regret in her heart.

"Thanks, Ivy." She whispers and pulls away, "I'll try."

That's all I can ask for.

It's been nearly three years since I've driven to this house and it strikes me how close it is to Molly's house. Adam Van Dyke the rapist lives a street over from Rodney and Shay Jones. Being here is creeping me out way more now.

Amelia let me know that Neil called in sick today and was still in bed when she left the house this morning. I know Shay isn't home because she owns the only gym in Whitsborough. I'm sitting in the Jones' driveway, trying to muster the nerve to get out of this vehicle, and knock on his front door. I know he's home, his car is here.

I take a deep breath and hop out quickly before I can change my mind, jogging up to his porch. I ring the doorbell and wait. It takes the guy five minutes to get to the door and when he opens it, he looks like utter shit.

"You really are sick." My eyes rove all over his face.

He cracks a ghost of a smile and leans into the door, "you worried about me, Ivy Greene?"

"Yes." I go with honesty, "and hungry so I ordered a meat lover's pizza and a Hawaiian because anyone capable of eating that much meat on a pizza is a psychopath."

His thick arm reaches up and grips the top of his head as he laughs, his shirt riding up, revealing his abs.

"Come in then." He opens the door wider, "I'm glad you're here."

"I skipped classes today for you." I slip off my shoes, "you better be glad."

He chuckles again and then stops abruptly to haul me into his arms. He tightens his arms around my shoulders and his nose hits my hair, inhaling deep. I stand completely still for a second, waiting to see if my anxiety will rush me at his touch, and then relax when it doesn't, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"I'm not sick." He whispers.

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