29 Chapter 29

Ivy, back then...

The autumn leaves crunched under my sneakers as I made my way across the school courtyard, the crisp air nipping at my cheeks. I could feel Aidan's presence before I saw him. But this time, it didn't come with the usual knot of dread in my stomach.

"Hey, Ivy," he called out, a half-smile playing on his lips as he fell into step beside me. That smile was still a rare sight, but it had started to make guest appearances lately, and each time it did, it chipped away at the wall I'd built up around myself.

"Hi, Aidan," I replied, trying to sound casual even though my heart was doing that annoying fluttery thing it had no business doing. We walked in silence for a few moments, the fading sunlight casting long shadows on the ground.

"Did you finish the Chem homework?" I asked, needing to fill the quiet with something, anything.