Let's Pretend It's Love

Ivy just sat on her bed, watching Scooby Doo reruns and trying to get her brain to shut off so she wouldn’t have to think of Louis. She wouldn’t have to remember how safe she felt in his arms, or how perfectly her body fit against his. She just wanted every single thought, every single memory of the feathery haired Doncaster boy to vanish so she could move on with her life. But even her favorite movie Scooby Doo on Zombie Island couldn’t get him out of her head. She just watched the story hollowly, her eyes drifting out the window where she had a perfect view of the Omega house.

She felt like she was drowning in all her thoughts of him. That she would never be able to let him go because he had wrapped himself in her mind so completely, filling up every spare inch he could find. Everything now reminded her off him, the American songs he would sing, coffee from the café, even when she saw a broom she would imagine him twirling it around, belting about how sexy he was. She missed him more than she cared to admit and it was eating away a massive hole in her chest.

As she looked over at the Omega house her eyes quickly found his room. She knew she should go over and talk to him, that they were both at fault for what had happened, but she couldn’t. She had left him there, abandoned him instead of talking things out like an adult. She had become the kind of person she hated, and now she couldn’t even bear to think of speaking to him.

As she watched his room she could have sworn she saw the curtain move and flushed, quickly, snapping her own shut so he wouldn’t know she was here. She then stood there for a moment, her fingers lingering on the soft peach curtains before she sighed and crawled back into bed. But she never took her eyes off the soft, billowing fabric.

“Ivy.” Her head snapped over to Elise in the doorway, looking concerned when she saw the state her friend was in. Ivy knew she hadn’t even tried to look like a human since everything with Louis, having curled up in a pair of sweatpants and never coming out except to eat. Elise walked over, sitting by Ivy’s side and hugging her tightly. “Lola said you needed to talk to me about something?” Ivy nodded, gripping the blonde as she tried to remember how to speak.

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Keep Harry away, how do you do it?” Elsie blanched at that and Ivy knew she had said something wrong. “I’m sorry, I just-” But Elise simply held up her hand.

“It’s fine.” Elise promised, but judging by the pain in her friend’s eyes, Ivy guessed she was lying. “I um, I have to admit, I didn’t do a very good job of keeping him away.”

“What do you mean?” Ivy asked. Elise pressed her lips together, her hands barely trembling.

“Turns out I fell for him just as easy as everyone else did.” She murmured. “And just like everyone else said, he wasn’t too gentle with my feelings.” Ivy felt her pity for herself turn to fury at Harry. Her jaw clenched as she gripped Elise in a tight hug.

“We don’t need them Elise.” She whispered. “They’re just a bunch of self-centered assholes.”

“Well… I might have said some things.” Elise admitted sheepishly.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ivy insisted. “If he’s going to treat you like garbage then he’s not worth a second of your time.” Elise simply nodded, hugging Ivy back before she turned to the older brunette.

“Ivy?”

“Yes?”

“What happened with you and Louis? You still haven’t told anyone.” Ivy stiffened, swallowing nervously as Elise looked at her, waiting for a response. Finally Ivy sighed.

“I broke my rule.” She said quietly. Elise started to ask what rule she was talking about, but finally it clicked as she looked sadly at Ivy. “When I woke up the next morning I just… I couldn’t face him. So I ran back here.” Elise looked at her for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh.

“Well, did you ever consider maybe he’s just as upset as you are?” She tried, but Ivy shook her head.

“I know I should have stayed, that we should have talked about it, but I can’t. I just…” She then stopped, pressing her face into her hands. “I just can’t okay? Please.” Elise nodded, gently rubbing her friends back when a small clack by the window caused them both to sit up. Ivy swallowed nervously as it was followed by another and slowly stood, pulling back the curtains.

Louis was standing in the yard, looking like a kicked puppy as he looked up at her. It was something straight from a movie as he just watched her for a moment, dropping his handful of pebbles. “Ivy.” He said, loud enough so she’d hear him through the window, but not loud enough to wake all of Greek row. “We need to talk, please.”

When he saw how pale she was, the bags under her eyes and how frumpy she looked, he knew she was going through the same Hell he was. He wanted to hold her in his arms, talk to her about what happened. He knew he might not have given her enough time yet, but he couldn’t bear another day without her. He watched as she snapped the curtains shut and her shadow moved away from the window. He stared chewing his lip nervously, rubbing his hands together.

He knew this conversation would be painfully awkward at best, and he also prepared himself for her to come out in tears, telling him she hated him. But when the front door opened he had to admit he wasn’t ready for it. Elise stepped onto the grass, looking just as miserable as Ivy as she walked up to Louis.

“Ivy doesn’t want to talk to you.” She said simply.

“Elise please.” Louis begged. “I have to see her.” Elise gave him a sympathetic look before she shook her head. “I’ll put in a good word with Harry for you, anything.” She froze at that and Louis winced, knowing he had probably just made things worse as Elise looked up at him. He could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes as she shook her head again.

“Ivy never wants to see you ever again.” She said simply, her sympathy gone. “So leave.”

“Elise-”

“Leave.” She repeated. “And don’t ever come back.” She paused, pressing her lips together. “You or Harry.” With that she turned, quickly making her way back inside and Louis heard the door lock behind her. He pressed his lips together, looking back up to Ivy’s window with sad eyes.

He saw her silhouette and knew she was right there, that she was watching him and probably waiting to call campus security if he didn’t leave. He felt tears sting his eyes and quickly wiped them away, turning and making his way back to his house, wishing he could have at least held her one more time.