I FELL FOR THE WRONG GIRL

Ivy’s POV I had been denying this for weeks. Every time Ava looked at me for too long and every time her shoulder brushed mine in the hallway.I told myself it meant nothing and that I was straight. But standing this close to her now, with her breath already mixing with mine, all those lies collapsed. Ava’s blue eyes were dark, almost desperate . One of her hands was braced on the desk beside my hip, the other hovered near my waist like she was fighting herself. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and soft. “Ivy… if you don’t stop me right now, there is no going back “ She looked at me with her seductive blue eyes and I didn’t stop her. I closed the last inch between us and kissed her like I had been starving for it. The first kiss was soft…careful and then everything broke. Ava made a quiet, broken sound against my mouth and kissed me back harder. Her hand slid up my side, her fingers pressing into the fabric of my shirt, then higher until her palm rested against the side of my neck. Her thumb stroked just under my jaw, slow and possessive. Heat flooded my stomach so fast my knees weakened. I grabbed the front of her shirt without thinking, pulling her closer as our bodies pressed together. I could feel the warmth of her through her clothes and the steady press of her thighs against mine. She tasted like mint and something darker. When her tongue brushed mine, a soft, helpless sound left my throat. Ava’s hand moved from my neck to the back of my head, fingers sliding into my hair, holding me in place like she was afraid I would disappear. The kiss turned slower, deeper, almost painful with how much we both wanted it. I felt her other hand slip under the back of my shirt, just enough for her fingers to touch bare skin. The contact burned. We only broke apart when we heard the door handle turn. Both of us froze. Ava’s forehead was still against mine. Her hand was still under my shirt, fingers warm against my lower back. My own hands were still fisted in her clothes. The door opened. “Ivy?” Adrian’s voice. My heart dropped so hard I felt dizzy. He stood in the doorway, staring at us. His eyes moved from my face to Ava’s, then to the way we were still touching. The color drained from his face so fast. No one spoke. Ava slowly pulled her hand out from under my shirt. The loss of her skin against mine felt like a punishment. I tried to step back, but my legs didn’t want to move. Adrian’s voice came out quiet and broken. “What the hell is this?” I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. There was no version of the truth that wouldn’t destroy everything. How did it come to this? Six months earlier… The car ride to campus was quiet. Mom tried to make conversation, but I mostly stared out the window with my phone in my lap. Adrian had been texting me the entire morning, checking how close I was, telling me where to find him. I answered with short replies. My stomach was tightened with excitement. When we finally pulled up to Westbridge College, the campus was already full of students. Suitcases, laughter, music, people hugging like they hadn’t seen each other in years. Dad helped me with my bags and my mum hugged me too tightly and told me to call every night. I promised I would. Then they left, and I was alone. Adrian was waiting exactly where he said he would be, blue hoodie, hands in his pockets, that familiar smile on his face. The moment he saw me, he walked over and pulled me into a hug that lasted longer than it should have.It felt safe. “You’re finally here,” he said against my hair. “Yeah.” He pulled back just enough to look at me. “You okay?” “I think so.” “You would be” He replied smiling. He took one of my bags without asking and started walking me toward Student Affairs. People kept calling his name. He smiled at everyone, waved, and introduced me quickly as “my girlfriend.” Every time he said the word, something small and uncomfortable twisted in my chest. I ignored it. Checking in took only a few minutes. I got my keycard, my student ID, and the number of my new room. Residence Hall B, Room 312. Adrian insisted on walking me all the way there. The closer we got to the residence hall, the quieter the campus became. Students moved in and out with boxes and it already felt like a different world from the main courtyard. Just before we stepped inside, two girls passed us. One of them lowered her voice, but not enough. “Did you hear Ava’s back already?” The other girl actually flinched. “Don’t. I’m not ready for her this semester.” The name hit me harder than it should have. I didn’t know why. “Ava?” I asked once they were gone. Adrian’s expression changed for half a second. Something careful. Something closed. “You’ll meet her eventually,” he said. “Everyone does.” He pressed the elevator button for me. When the doors opened, he didn’t get in. “Text me when you’re settled,” he said. “I’ll come find you later.” I stepped inside and the doors began to close before Adrian left. As the elevator started rising, the name the girls had said kept repeating in my head, louder than normal. Ava. I didn’t know who she was. I only knew that the way they said her name already felt like a warning. And for some reason I couldn’t explain, it also felt like the beginning of something I wasn’t ready for.