Sixteen.            Angry

    Ivy was home. Reluctantly. Against her will.

      Madison Santiago had to call Marsha Jacobs to get Ivy Jacobs out of the Hellish Hospital. She was being a bit of inconvenience — Not on purpose. And in the stress Madison was in right now from her son, she didn't need Ivy's terrified antics. And so, Marsha brought Aaron to shove his sister into the car to be dragged home.

   Oh, Laurie wasn't dead. By the way. Thought I'd mention that . . . You guys seem to like him as much as Ivy does. But, regardless, he wasn't dead, though, he wasn't conscious either. He might possibly have brain damage.

     Now, before, we could question if Ivy was actually depressed. Well, fuck, she was for sure now.

   She laid on the couch. Face stapled into throw pillows. Staring at her phone, on the coffee table. And every time it lit up, she hoped it was Madison to tell her son was alive & functioning. But, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

   And Ivy had a headache.

  Because of her Mother's loud ass music. No one gave a shit Laurie overdose, or how much it affected Ivy. That was the Jacobs' Family for you. Never caring about anyone else, but themselves.

   And finally, the music faded.

    "Whatever you do, don't marry anyone you meet in High School. You'll either end up like me, or the lump of bones on the couch." Nate hummed as he sat at the counter, alcohol in hand. Marsha and her wine. Ivy screwed her eyes shut at her Mother's words, tears pushing past the cracks. Violent stabs.

   "I mean it. I used to be fun. And I know you don't believe me, but I was fuckin' hot! I could've had anything I wanted. Then I just .. fell in love with your Dad."

    "Well, I'm very happy he's gone."

   Ivy sighed, peeling herself back from the couch. She nearly fell over in the process. Her gaze locked on her sock covered feet. Pug Socks, a classic.

   "Do me a favor. Just .. Don't take your anger out on me. Or your sister."

    "Why would I be angry at you?" Nate's next words were hesitant. And Ivy was listening closely now. "Or .. Um, Ivy?"

   "'Cause you're an angry guy."

   "No. I was angry at Dad. That's very different than, y'know, being just angry."

   Ivy was angry. Her and Nate had that in common nowadays. Ivy was so angry, she could've jumped over this couch and bang Nate's head into the marble countertop until he dropped dead. Maybe, she'd pull a Fezco. Fuck, New Years had been something. That seemed so long ago now.

    "Whatever you say."

    That wasn't good enough for Nate. Too easily offended. That was his downfall.

   "And I feel like when I was angry, I had a pretty good reason to be angry."

   "Okay, look, I'm not saying angry people don't have a reason to be angry. Right? You hated your Father. That's as good a reason as any."

   "Yeah, but that's my point. My anger was directed towards him. It's not just towards anyone."

   Ivy's jaw clenched. "That's fuckin' bullshit."

   Nate & Marsha turned back towards the girl, she looked over her shoulder at them. Marsha giggled, "she speaks!" Ivy rolled her eyes, pointing a finger at her older brother— "If your anger wasn't directed towards just anyone, you wouldn't have left a fucking bruise on my face, prick!" Nate bit his tongue, he'd done a lot of shit recently to Ivy. He couldn't do more. Cause, y'know, he loved his baby sister— Blah, Blah, Blah. Bullshit.

    Marsha nodded slowly. "Yeah, your sister's got a point. Even if she's pretty angry right now." Ivy rolled her eyes once more, shuffling on the couch. "I had every fuckin' reason to be angry right now!" Marsha held her hands up in surrender, "didn't say you didn't, babe." Nate huffed. "Look, it's not! It's fuckin' specific."

    Marsha waved it off. "Okay, look .. can we just have a nice time? Yeah?"

    "Yeah." Nate's voice nowadays just made Ivy want to scream. Was it bad .. That she wanted him gone? In the end up in jail, kind of ways?

   "Okay, thank you." Marsha looked over at her silent daughter. Smoke practically coming out of Ivy's ears, and her eyes cried scarlet blood. She was her own horror movie. "V, baby, get out here. Have a drink. We all know you need it." The girl rolled her eyes, not moving. Marsha huffed, dancing over to the couch— taking up her daughters hands as she pulled her up and towards the kitchen. "Have something to eat too. You look a little skinny. And .. Maybe, a shower later."

   Ivy huffed— jaw clenched, snatching her hands from the woman as she yanked open the fridge. Marsha pulling out another bottle of wine, before sitting at the counter — Sliding the bottle towards Nate to open. "Nate. You, uh, still seein' that blonde girl?" Nate and Ivy both seemed to freeze. Ivy turned, gaze setting Nate on fire. He avoided her gaze. Weak. He just stayed focus on the glass bottle in his hands. He cleared his throat. "U-Uh, why?"

   Marsha shrugged, lighting another cigarette— In peace. Totally oblivious to her daughter's emotions. "Mm, 'cause I prefer her to Maddy."

   "Well, you're in luck."

   Ivy turned back towards the fridge, jaw aching as she yanked out cereal & milk ... Not being very calm and collected with it either. "So, you're dating?"

   "No, I just mean Maddy's never gonna fuckin' talk to me again." Ivy was about to rap out fire, but Marsha cut her words off. "Well, that's good. I was just terrified you were gonna get her pregnant."

   Jesus Christ.

    "Who? Maddy?" Marsha scoffed, "she's the type to keep it just to spite you!" Ivy paused her cereal making, listening to her Mother's words closely as her brows furrowed. "Can't really picture her being a mom." Ivy nearly scoffed, you'd be surprised. Marsha hummed at her sons words. "Oh, man, I could. Especially if it meant she had the chance to screw you over for the rest of her life."

   This woman sounded like she was talking from experience.

    "Yeah, well, she's not fuckin' pregnant, and she's never gonna talk to me again." Ivy hummed, "she has every right not too, dumbass." Nate's jaw clenched, Marsha huffed. "Ivy, please, can you just drop this thing you have goin' on right now. I'm trying to have a nice time with my kids."

   Ivy rolled her eyes. Again.

   "So, what about the blonde girl?"

My Fuck! Take a hint!

      "It's complicated." Ivy almost had to let go of the cereal box, considering she was nearly crushing the cardboard in her hand. "Why?"

    "She's Maddy's best friend—" Okay, this was enough. Ivy whipped around, cereal flinging around in the process. Like some fucked up confetti. Marsha winced at that. "She's my fucking best friend too! I also loved her! But, but no one seems to give a shit how I feel, huh!"

    Nate looked down in his lap. Marsha raised a brow, "I hope you're gonna pick that up. I swept this morning." Ivy scoffed, "I am not picking up shit— And, and this! Is exactly what I meant! You completely avoid the fact that Cassie was a no-go for Nate, but he went anyway! It's fucked!"

   Marsha huffed. "Well, Ivy. Guess it shows Cassie isn't a good friend for you. Stick with your guy." Ivy frowned, shoulders slouching— She felt the need to cry now. Nate looked up at her, his look sadden. She didn't want that from him, though. "My guy is in the hospital."

   Marsha hummed, turning back towards her son. "V, please, you know he'll be fine." Ivy's mouth slammed open again, but she stopped herself. She was in a losing fight. She couldn't trust anyone in this House. They were all against her.

     "Who's the cunt now!" Ivy rolled her eyes at her Mother's words, picking up her bowl of cereal— Finally. "Do you remember when she said that?"

    "Yes, I do remember. "

   "Oh my God. I know it's not the right thing to say .. But, when you grabbed her after that. And you, like, pulled her ass off, I was thinkin', 'that's my boy.' Huh? Stickin' up for his mama." The woman pressed a kiss to Nate's temple. Ivy stared at the two in disgust and disbelief.

   Nate's lips rolled into a straight line. "Yeah, it was a pretty insane thing to do..?"

    "I know, well, you know, you didn't have to go as far and choke her." Ivy paused eating her cereal (was a small bite), as she leaned against the fridge. She looked up and over at Nate. "I didn't choke her."

   Marsha just hummed. Ivy's grip on her bowl tightened. "Mom, they dropped the charges. I didn't fucking choke her."

   "Look, at that point, I wanted to choke her too."

   "Yeah, but my point is I didn't fucking choke her, Mom."

   "Okay! Don't get so upset that ya end up chokin' me too! 'Cause I won't drop the charges. I'll fucking clean house." No, cause same.

   "Are you delusional or some shit."

   Nate & Marsha's gazes switched to Ivy. Nate's jaw clenched. "Nate, you did fucking choke her. She only dropped the charges, 'cause you're a manipulative asshole." Nate stood. Marsha's eyes widened, "okay! Can we not do this right now!"

   "Ivy, shut the fuck up. Will you." The girl scoffed, standing before the taller boy. She looked up at him with no fear. "You choked her. Don't forget it. You bruised me. Don't forget it." Nate's mouth slammed opened, but before he could even peep a word. Ivy snapped. Her (glass) cereal bowl went slamming into the side of Nate's head. Cracking like her heart.

           Ivy Jacobs' was a walking time bomb. And if she screamed, everything in a foot radius would just die. Marsha yelled her out of the house. A large gash decorating Nate's hairline.

     Ivy was pretty proud of that.

And after a hopeless visit to a still silent Laurie. She was back home. Staring up at her ceiling in silence. The only thing holding her together was her apple cinnamon candle. And the sudden foot steps in the hall frightened her. The girl climbed off her bed, cracking open her door— Her breath hitched. Tears stabbing their way to the surface, like cuts and oozing blood. She noticed her Mom.

Cassie sending the aged woman a wave.

And as Cassie moved down the hall, she paused as her gaze landed on the small sliver of Ivy's face. Cassie's small smile faded, and before Cassie could do anything— Ivy closed her door. Falling back against the wood, a sleeve covered hand slammed against her mouth. Muffling her cries as she sunk to the floor.

Cassie Howard ruined her life for Ivy Jacobs', and it didn't even work.

What a fuckin' movie!