Not All Monsters Get Along

Purple. Ivy's matching pantie and bra set was a dark purple. I watched her collect her clothes from the ground, putting them on as if she had done something wrong.

“What's wrong?” I asked, despite the obvious. We had stepped over a boundary, and slept together.

“Nothing,” she lied and walked out of the room. I heard my shower start and I rolled onto my side. She left the door open, the steam filling my hallway.

My mind was racing, clearer than it had been in weeks.

I heard the shower turn off and I sat up.

“Ivy, come away with me,” I said, loud enough that she could hear me.

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about running away from the city. Come with me and we'll figure out a cure for what we are,” I said and I didn't hear anything from her for a few seconds.

She came into view, her hair dripping wet.

“Are you insane? There is no cure, we're not sick!” I flinched from her raised voice. Ivy never rose her voice.

“Fine, but-”

“I'm not going away with you, Gordon,” she snapped and went away again. I frowned. She never used my full name either.

“Ivy, I'm-”

“Don, it was a mistake coming here. I shouldn't have kissed you last night,” she said. I flinched as if she had hit me. I stood up, got on some pants, and walked out to find her gathering her keys and phone from my living room, her hair tied up even though she complained about the chance her dreads might become stinky after being wet and tied up too many times.

“What did I do? I'm sorry,” I said and she turned back to me.

“I'm going out tonight with Seth and Keith, they just texted me. We're going to go be the monsters that you think we are,” she spat and left, slamming the door behind her. I sank onto my couch and scrubbed at my face with my hands.

I didn't understand what I had done to make her act like that.