Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Weing Committee
“Where is my dad?” I asked firmly as I approached them both, dragging my suitcases behind me. Their
dark eyes looking down on me took me by surprise, and I couldn’t help but notice how well they looked
from the photos I remembered.
They had definitely been working out.
“Ivy?” The taller one with tattoos on his left arm that appeared below his sleeve questioned. His ck
hair messy on his head as if he had just gotten out of the shower and couldn’t be asked to do anything
with himself.
“Yeah. That’s me.” I retorted, pulling myself from the gaze I was in. “My dad?”
The man rolled his eyes, ignoring me, and quickly grabbed my suitcase, dragging it behind him towards
the doors. “Sorry, Ivy…” The other said with an apologetic smile. Damian doesn’t say much to many
people. I’m James.”
“Ivy!” Kate squealed from behind me as she came walking over. “I told you I knew the bag was
somewhere. d I caught you before I got my cab. I just wanted to say thank you for keeping me
company on the ne.”
“Oh. It’s fine. I enjoyed it.” The idea she was taking a cab didn’t sit well with me. She was a nice girl,
and had treated me fairly while venturing here. “Don’t take a cab. We can drop you off at campus. Isn’t
that right, James?”
The look I gave him as I said his name had him speechless. It took him a moment to grasp what was
going on and then he smiled. “Oh yeah, of course. The campus is only, like, 10 minutes away. It’s no
problem at all.”
“A, well thank you so much, sugar!” Kate squealed as she threw her arms around me, causing me
to stiffen ufortably in the hug.
Pulling back, she looked at me slightly confused, “not a hugger?”
“Not really.” I replied with a chuckle, “but it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” My eyes shot to James and a
smirk yed upon his mouth as if he found my reaction amusing.
“Here I will take those from you, and we will get on our way.” James replied to Kate as he his eyes
gazed over my body onest time.
Following James outside thest thing I expected was for Damian to throw a fit about us dropping Kate
off. But after my firm cement on the manner, he gritted his teeth and agreed. “Get in the fucking car.”
His reply irritated me but Kate and I didn’t wait for him to ask us again. As soon as we were loaded up,
the car began to move towards the campus where we would both be taking sses for the next four
years.
The trees and brush passed by on the sides of the road, flying as if they had nothing in the world that
could stop them. One thing I had been excited abouting to Idaho was all of the nature that would
surround me. I had the urge to get lost within it, and explore things people never considered seeing.
Growing up, mom and I were considered free spirits, and tended to beat to the sound of our own drum.
And just because she wasn’t with me right now didn’t mean I was going to stop. My particr ancestry
would be heartbroken if I stopped doing what I was doing just because I moved across the country.
Eventually, turning off the main highway, we moved towards a more symmetrical designed street that
held loads of vegetation and historical buildings.
“This is amazing–” Kate whispered looking out the window.
“Wee to the University of Idaho.” James chuckled, causing Damian to scoff in annoyance.
As soon as we pulled up towards an area that looked like apartments, Damian came to a quick stop,
mming on his breaks, jolting me forward. “Ouch.” I replied in irritation as he turned and looked at me.
“Pay attention next time then.” Damian snapped before jumping out of the vehicle, and making his way
towards the back where James was helping Kate pull out her luggage. Groaning in irritation, I hopped
out and walked towards Kate, “Do you have it from here?”
“Oh definitely. Thank you again for the ride.” She called out as she waved, “I will see you Monday.”
“Sounds great, I will see you at orientation.” I called out before Damian yelled to James to hurry up and
get in the damn vehicle.
I had not even been here that long, and Damian was already proving to be the biggest asshole I had
ever met. That would be my luck though.
“Do you have to be so rude?” I asked as we pulled back out onto the highway, headed towards my
dad’s home. I wasn’t going to allow him to act like this towards me or anyone I associated with. It
wasn’t needed nor wee.
I watched as he looked at me from the rearview mirror, his eyes darkening as he red. Most girls
probably would have looked away and shrunk back from him but me… I would never.
Raising my eyebrow in question, I lifted my hand and gave him the middle finger, causing him to smirk.
“You have a lot of fire in you for someone who doesn’t know anything about this ce.”
A scoff escaped me as I rolled my eyes, “they are all the same in the end. One pathetic excuse of a
home after another.”
Jamesughed, shaking his head, “I like her attitude.”
“No one fucking asked you.” Damian growled, catching me by surprise. His eyes went to mine again as
if realizing what he did. “Don’t getfortable here.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m simply passing through.” I replied, rolling my eyes. James seemed
weing, but Damian definitely wasn’t. It made me curious to know what the other two were like.
Were they going to be just as warm and weing as the weemittee that met me at the
airport or perhaps would they try to devour me like, little red riding hood?
With tension in the air, and awkward silence, the vehicle finally pulled into a driveway guarded by tall
large ck iron gates. Through there, it wound through miles and miles of trees until a clearing
approached in the distance, and I realized that the property was more than I had expected.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
Multiple houses sat scattered over miles ofndscape while the one Damian was heading for was tall
and elegant against the bright blue sky. “This is the house?”
James looked over from the passenger seat and smiled at me, “yeah, haven’t you seen it?”
“No.” I sighed, “my father was never forting and he never cared for me anyways.”
James’ brows furrowed in confusion at my statement, “huh?”
As Damian parked the car, he didn’t bother to wait for me or help for that matter. He simply climbed out,
mming the door and ran inside to get as far from me as he could. At least James stayed outside with
me, maybe one of them would actually want to get a long with me.
Slowly opening the door, I closed it and moved towards the back where James was pulling out my
luggage. ” Thank you.”
“For what?” His confusion over why I was saying thank you confused me, before I watched him close
the back and walk off.
“You’re not going to help me?” I called out to him, watching as he turned to me with a smile.
“Your dad said to get you here alive and to the house. He never said once I got here I had to continue
helping you. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
So much for being nice. He was just as much of an asshole as Damian was.
Groaning, I pulled the handles on my tworge suitcases and threw the backpack across my back. It
wasn’t going to be easy getting them inside, considering how heavy they were, but I would find a way
to manage, I suppose.
As I stepped through the front door, I came face to face with my step mother. Her brown eyes narrowed
at me and a fake smile stered on her face. “Ivy. I was wondering what was taking you so long. We
don’t waste time in this house. We are all adults here now, and need to remember punctuality is
important.”
“Sure thing, Alice.” I said tly, watching as she red at me harder.
“It’s Allison.” Her gritted tone switched from pleasant to angry faster than a hellcat could shift gears.
“Right. Where am I staying?” I asked as I looked around the massive two story home, curious to think
how I would get my bags upstairs.
“Oh you’re not in the main house, Ivy. We made the cottage at the back of the property ready for you.
We figured you would like your own space.” Allison seemed more than pleased with the notion of
keeping me as far from her and my father as possible.
“Sounds perfect… care to point the way?” The fact that her words didn’t affect me seemed to irritate
her, but instead of arguing with me, she simply turned and I followed. As we reached the back door,
she opened it and pointed to a small brown and white cottage at the far end of the massive property.
It sat delicately next to the woodline, and something about it almost seemed magical. Ignoring Allison, I
let my feet guide me towards the home. My bags no longer felt heavy, and the irritation from my
weemittee quickly left me.
I wasn’t sure what about this ce seemed like home, but I was pleased to know that I was going to be
able to live my own life here.
Close to nature and far from drama– or so I hoped.