High and Dry | miguel diaz

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MIGUEL HAD CALLED and texted more in the last four days than he had in the six months he'd been friends with Ivy. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was, but the stubborn girl had not responded once. All hope was leaving but once she walked into the school, she couldn't just ignore him or at least not hear what he had to say. Though he couldn't remember much, that was the most clear thing he could see.

Meanwhile, Ivy hid the bruise on her face with a hoodie and her hair, pretending like she had not almost had a heat stroke from the car to the front steps. Her mom nearly died when she saw the hit on her face, demanding answers to which Ivy lied and said was her falling coming down a hill. It was believable since she always fell, over thin air and her own feet. However, it wasn't the typical bruise and she knew she'd have to tell her mom eventually.

Ivy turned the knob on her locker and switched some notebooks out, not in the mood to carry them all around. But her peace was interrupted by the last person she wanted to talk to.

"Hey, Ivy. Can I talk to you?" When she didn't respond, he opened him mouth again, "I know you're a little upset but —"

"A little upset — god, you're dumb," she looked at him with no real emotion in her eyes. At that moment he wished to see hatred or annoyance but she was blank, "I was trying to help you out so that the girl you care about doesn't get hurt, but you found it so much easier to burst out and ignore all the help we gave you for weeks!"

"It was an accident, I was drunk!"

"So what," she scoffed, "you want me to forgive you 'cause you gave some half assed apologies over text or because you feel bad? Shove it down your throat and leave me the hell alone."

"Leave you alone — done," he walked a few feet then turned around with the same dark look in his eyes, "I'm done being there for you." Miguel snapped, glaring her down.

"You were never there to begin with asshole." Ivory slammed her locker and walked off, not caring for his saddened face full of regret. He'd done it all but make it right — saying he was sorry but blaming it on everyone else is not an apology, he was too stupid to understand.

"You can't just quit," Johnny exclaimed as he paced around the empty dojo, "I tell you you suck but it's only to push you harder."

"I want to, but my mom .. she isn't doing well. I cant leave her alone or she'll do something. I'm sorry, Sensei." Ivy gulped a lump down and looked down at her sweater sleeves, avoiding eye contact. Ivy had called him a little less than an hour ago but he drove as fast as he could when she told him. Her mom was knocked out in her room, leaving the girl with cleaning up the mess of a house they had. Without a word, he dragged her to the car and back to the dojo where he practically told her to reconsider.

"No, I'm sorry," Johnny sighed, "I shouldn't be selfish and trick you into coming if things are this bad at home."

"You weren't tricking me." She said confused.

"I was thinking about it." Johnny said, making her let out a chuckle, "is this about .. Miguel too? I know you two are always going back and forth with this I like you but I'm not telling you because I'm a pussy crap."

Ivory tensed up and shook her head, "I wouldn't quit because of an asshole like him."

"So something did happen?"