Stay away from me
1249 Words
The drive to school was unbearable.
The air inside Axel's sleek black car was suffocating with everything unspoken…the silence stretching between them too long.
Ivy sat ,very stiff, arms crossed, gaze locked on the trees blurring past.
Axel hadn't spoken a word since they left.Like he had something heavy on his mind.
He hadn't even looked at her.Ivy had no idea what his problem was.
She should have been relieved that he was ignoring her, that he wasn't tormenting her with those smoldering stares that made her skin prickle with heat.
But for some reason, the silence felt heavier than his attention.
When they finally pulled up in front of Blackthorn Academy, Axel parked, but he didn't move to get out.
Ivy let out a quiet breath and reached for her seatbelt, ready to escape the suffocating tension… only for Axel to suddenly shift toward her.
Her heart slammed into her ribs as he leaned in. His scent penetrated her senses forcibly…dark, woodsy, and dangerous…wrapping around her like a slow, intoxicating high.
Ivy froze as his long fingers brushed her waist, reaching for the seat belt buckle.
Click.
The belt slid loose, but Axel did not move back immediately.His face was right there, mere inches from hers.
Close enough that she could see the subtle flecks of silver in his stormy eyes.
Close enough that she could feel the slow, controlled rise and fall of his breath on her face.
Her own breath hitched.
And then his voice came low, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Stay away from me.”
Ivy's lips parted, but no words came.
His gaze flickered down to her lips, just for a second before he pulled back, shoving his door open and stepping out as if nothing had happened.
Ivy sat there, heart pounding, her skin still tingling from the heat of his proximity.
What the hell was that?
Shaking her head and regaining her composure, she finally stepped out.
And the moment she stepped out of his car, she felt them… stares.
Everywhere.
Whispers flitted through the air, hushed and sharp, cutting through her skin like tiny knives.
"Who is that despo?"
"That's Ivy Bennett, the new stepdaughter."
"Damn, she looks dumber than I expected."
"Think her mom slept with Charles for money and is she just working her way up as well?”
Ivy's stomach turned. Her steps faltered, her fingers curling into fists at her sides.
The words only got worse.
" Yeah…yeah…that's why her mom married him. Heard she was sleeping around before."
"Poor Axel. Can you imagine getting a stepsister like that?”
Heat rose to Ivy's face, not from anger, but from utter humiliation.
She swallowed hard, lowering her gaze, putting more distance between herself and Axel. He was already ahead, storming into the school without looking back.
Of course, he didn't care.
Why would he?
She blinked rapidly, forcing back the burn in her eyes. She wouldn't let them see her cry. She wouldn't.
And then… a soft, cool arm slid around her shoulders.
Ivy stiffened, startled, and turned to see a girl with long, jet black hair and striking pale blue eyes smiling at her.
"Ignore them," the girl said, her voice light and almost amused.
Ivy blinked. "Who…?"
"Ashley," the girl chirped, giving her a casual squeeze before dropping her arm. "Axel's best friend."
Ivy's lips parted in shock.
Ashley grinned, flashing perfect white teeth with visibly pointed canines. "Yeah, I know, shocker. I do have the patience to deal with him.”
Ivy didn't know what to say.
Ashley's touch had been… cold too. Just like Axel and Charles’. Maybe it was just the weather.
And her eyes…there was something about them, something familiar.
But more than that…the moment Ashley had stepped beside her, the whispers had died.
The bullies who had been snickering seconds ago were suddenly looking away, some shifting uncomfortably.
Ivy swallowed! Who exactly was she?
Ashley winked. "Come on. Let's get you to the office before you end up lost and eaten alive."
Ivy wasn't sure if she meant that metaphorically.
***
“I am sorry, sweetheart," the woman at the office had told her with a sympathetic smile. "Your old school is in such a remote area, we are having trouble accessing your records online. We will need to wait for a manual transfer.”
That had been an hour ago but by the time Ivy finally walked out of the office, the world outside had transformed.
Minutes had bled into hours, and when she finally stepped out , she felt like she had aged a decade.
She blinked in surprise.
The weather had completely changed.
When she had entered the office, the sky had been a brilliant blue, the sun warm against her skin. But now… dark storm clouds churned above. There was hardly any daylight.
Torrential rain lashed against the pavement, the wind howling through the empty courtyards.
Ivy blinked again, startled. How did the weather change this fast?
Even stranger… The school was nearly deserted.
The crowded hallways now echoed with emptiness, the usual buzz of students replaced by an eerie stillness.
Lockers stood untouched, and the lights flickered slightly, casting long shadows down the empty corridors.
A chill crept up her spine.
She wrapped her arms around herself and started walking, her footsteps unnaturally loud against the empty floor.
She was halfway down the passage when a deep, smooth voice stopped her in her tracks."Lost, sweetheart?"
Ivy turned around, sharp.Almost jumped.
A guy stood a few feet away, leaning lazily against the locker with an easy, knowing smirk.
He was stunning.
He was tall and strikingly handsome, his golden blond hair slightly tousled, his sharp jawline giving him an almost ethereal beauty. His lips curved into an easy smile, and his piercing green eyes practically glowed under the dim storm light.
There was something almost otherworldly about him…something hypnotic that made it hard to look away.
She swallowed. "I…"
"You are looking for Axel, are you not?" His lips curled as he stepped forward, extending a hand. "Elias."
Ivy hesitated before shaking it. His grip was firm, his skin just as cool as Axel and Ashley's.
"You know Axel?" she asked, forcing herself to ignore the way her stomach twisted at the mention of his name.
Elias chuckled, the sound rich, smooth and velvety. "Everyone here knows Axel. But he is… a little busy right now."
Something about the way he said it made Ivy frown. "Busy with what?"
Elias’s gaze flickered towards the storm outside, his smirk deepening. "Let's just say… when the weather changes like this, he has certain urges to satisfy."
Ivy's stomach twisted again. "Urges?”
“I wouldn't take it personally,” he smirked.“Living under the same roof at the Kingston s’ you sure must have noticed…Axel has…certain habits. Certain urges.” His gaze flickered over her lips then her eyes, as if assessing. “I assume.”
She wasn't sure if it was the way he said it or the way the air suddenly felt heavier but unease prickled at the back of her neck.
Still, she nodded warily. "Do you know where he is?”
Elias hummed, tapping a finger against his chin as if considering something. Then, after a moment, he smiled. "Go around the back of the school. Through the garden."
She hesitated. "The back?"
"Trust me," he murmured, his voice a seductive whisper. "That's where you will find him.The hunting grounds. ”
- Writer
