The Bad Boy & The New Girl

2 Months Later

Chapter 2

2 Months Later

(Ivy’s POV)

60 Days Later:

How could everything change so much?

I felt adrift in a sea of uncertainty, lost in the waves of grief that crashed over me. Each day blended into the next, and the ache in my chest grew heavier, a constant reminder of the void left behind. I longed for escape, but I had no idea how to achieve it. The pain was all-consuming—the loss felt too immense, too deep to fathom. I had become numb, a mere shadow of my former self.

I had lost some of the most important people in my life, and now I was expected to continue living as if nothing had happened. How could I? I found myself in a new place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, where we had no one to rely on except each other. I had hoped that a change of scenery might offer me a breath of fresh air, a chance to start anew, but instead, I felt more trapped than ever.

“Ivy! Ivy!”

The sound of my sister’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Bella standing before me, her face etched with fatigue. The toll of our circumstances weighed heavily on her. She had given up so much—she was only one year away from completing her Bachelor’s in Architecture, with a promising job lined up at one of the most prestigious firms in Europe. Now, all those dreams had been uprooted, and she was tasked with caring for a 16-year-old sister while trying to juggle her studies and work to make ends meet.

At just 21, Bella had achieved so much, only to watch it all slip through her fingers. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was somehow my fault. I was too young to take care of myself or help her. I desperately wanted to support her, but I felt like a burden instead. Bella and I were all that remained of our family. Our once adventurous and vibrant lives had been replaced by a relentless struggle to make it through each day. We had gone from carefree moments to an existence fraught with challenges and uncertainty.

“Ivy, honey, come on. Come eat something. I have a few things to discuss with you while we eat,” Bella said, her voice a mixture of encouragement and concern.

I nodded, pushing myself off the couch and following her to the kitchen.

We had moved into the Victorian-style house our grandmother had left for our father. It was beautiful, yet it needed a lot of work, and we soon realized we might not even be able to afford to keep it. The walls felt like they were closing in on us, echoing our fears.

I sat down at the dining table, which we had cleared and moved from the dining room to make the kitchen feel more like home. The aroma of the soup Bella had made filled the air, but my appetite was absent, overshadowed by the weight of our conversation.

“What did you want to talk about, Bella?” I asked, glancing down at the bowl in front of me.

“Well, first off, I’ve done the calculations. I have about four weeks to find a job before we run out of funds,” Bella said, her tone serious. “Starting tomorrow, I’m going to drop off resumes at malls and a few local places. I’ll also look into any temp positions that are open.”

“I’ll come with you! I’m 16; I can look for jobs too! Maybe something part-time to help pay the bills and support us,” I said, my back straightening with determination.

“No, Ivy. You’re going to focus on school,” Bella replied, lifting her spoon to take a sip of the soup, her eyes darting away from mine.

“Come on, Bella, let me help. I want to do something,” I pleaded, feeling a swell of frustration.

“No, Ivy. You’re going to focus on school. You have a year and a half before you graduate, and you’ve already missed quite a bit of school,” she insisted, her voice firm.

“Bella, please. I’m going to a public school. I can handle that in my sleep! I’m pretty sure I’ve covered almost everything they’re going to teach at Ridgewood,” I argued, the memories of my time at Bergmont flooding back. I missed the beauty of Switzerland and the friendships I had forged there.

“But you’re not going to a public school. That’s why I’m telling you—you can’t work,” Bella shot back.

“I don’t understand,” I said, confusion creeping into my voice. I was enrolled in Ridgewood High School, a public high school.

“For a genius, it takes you quite a while to catch on to things,” Bella teased lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

“Bella?” I prompted, sensing there was more she wanted to say.

“Okay, I’ll tell you… I got you an interview at Langston Park Academy. Dean Ivan at Bergmont put in a good word and even mailed a reference letter for you. They’re a sister school to Bergmont,” she said, excitement dancing in her eyes.

“But, Bells, we can’t afford that. Private school is out of our budget,” I replied, feeling the weight of reality settle over me.

“But that’s the thing—they have a scholarship to give out,” she insisted.

“It’s the middle of the year; how do they have a position open and a scholarship available?” I asked, skepticism creeping into my voice.

“Ivy, I asked them the same question. They had a scholarship student leave. They want to interview you first and then make a final decision, but based on your grades and work, they think you’re a very promising candidate. So, will you go to the interview?”

I looked at Bella’s face, her enthusiasm a stark contrast to the heaviness in my heart. After everything we had been through, it was hard to muster the energy to hope. I didn’t want to crush her spirit, but my motivation felt extinguished. Still, I could see how much this meant to her. “Okay, I’ll take the interview. Thank you, Bella,” I said, forcing a smile.

I rose from my chair, the soup still untouched, and enveloped my sister in a hug. Then I trudged upstairs to my new bedroom, the weight of the world on my shoulders.

All of this was too much—a new country, a new city, a new home, and now a new school. I couldn’t shake the feeling that things would get worse before they could ever get better.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few days later, I found myself sitting outside the dean’s office with Bella, waiting to be called in for the interview. The school was closed today, leaving the halls eerily quiet. My heart raced in my chest, and I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbling within me.

I had dressed carefully in a navy-blue skirt, a crisp white blouse, and a matching navy blazer. The last time I wore something like this was back at Bergmont, a lifetime ago. Since then, my wardrobe had devolved into an array of black sweatpants and oversized hoodies. I fidgeted with my skirt for the tenth time in five minutes, my nerves betraying me.

Bella leaned over and placed her hand on mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s going to be okay, Ivy. You’re meant to be in a place like this,” she said, her faith in me a comforting balm.

I forced a smile in return, though doubt lingered in my mind. If she had told me this a few months ago, I would have believed her without hesitation. But everything had changed. Life had played a cruel trick on me, leaving me struggling to make sense of it all. Everyone had always called me a genius, ever since I was five years old and had been invited to join one of the most prestigious schools in Europe. But if I truly was a genius, why couldn’t I handle this pain? Why was I unable to process the loss? Shouldn’t I be able to think more logically? I used to pride myself on being logical and calculated, but now I felt lost in a sea of emotion. Was I really smart, or just lucky? Did I even deserve to attend a place like this? I had no answers.

“Ivy Matthews.”

The sound of my name startled me, and I looked up to see an elderly woman standing by the door, looking down at me with kind eyes.

I cleared my throat, trying to mask my nerves. “Yes, that’s me,” I replied.

“I’m Mrs. Finely, Dean Peter’s secretary,” she said warmly.

I nodded, a shy smile creeping onto my face. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Come on in, honey. The board is ready for you,” she smiled, gesturing for me to enter.

I stood and glanced back at Bella, who offered me an encouraging smile.

“Good luck, Ivy,” she said, her voice filled with warmth as I walked into the meeting room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The interview had been ongoing for about forty-five minutes, and I was utterly exhausted. The board seemed to be taking it easy on me, and I couldn’t understand why. Had I been so out of practice? I recalled my last interview, where the questions had felt more intense. Was it because I was finally in my element? But was this still my element? An internal battle raged within me as I struggled to reconcile who I was now with the expectations of those around me.

The only person who truly challenged me was a man named Michael McKinney. His questions required deep thought, pushing me to demonstrate my problem-solving skills in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

In the end, I managed to impress them all. They held a vote right there with me in the room, and I couldn’t believe it—I was in. I was going to Langston Park Academy from Monday with a full scholarship.

As I stood to leave, Mr. McKinney called out to me. “Ivy, it was a pleasure to meet you. You exceeded all my expectations. Having you at this school will be an asset. I hope to see you excel here.”

“Thank you, Mr. McKinney,” I said, my heart swelling with gratitude as I shook his hand.

I exited the room and rushed to find Bella, unable to contain my excitement.

“I knew it! I knew you could do it!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy.

Before I could respond, Mrs. Finely pulled her aside to handle the paperwork.

“Ivy, here—take the car keys. You can wait outside. Once I finish the paperwork, we’ll head home,” Bella said, handing me the keys.

I nodded, fatigue settling in as I made my way outside. The day had been overwhelming, and all I wanted was to return home and sleep off the stress.

As I walked out of the old brick building, I fumbled with the keys, dropping them on the ground. I bent down to retrieve them, and just as I did, someone else reached down at the same time.

“Oh, here, let me,” the voice said, and we bumped heads together.

“Ouch!” I exclaimed, rubbing my forehead.

“Wow,” the voice responded, a mix of surprise and amusement.

When I looked up, I was met with the most stunning green eyes I had ever seen. As I stood up, I rubbed my head, taking a step back to gain my bearings. He was undeniably the most attractive guy I had ever encountered—dark brown hair, a muscular build that hinted at countless hours spent on the field, and tall—at least 5’11, making me feel even smaller at my own 5’2.

I took another step back, suddenly embarrassed for staring.

He smiled at me, his charm disarming. “Here are your keys, beautiful,” he said, handing them over.

Just then, the door to the building swung open. “Oh, Jayce, you’re here! I wanted to introduce you to our newest student,” Mr. McKinney said, stepping outside with a proud grin.

“This is Ivy Matthews. She went to Bergmont in Switzerland and is transferring over. And Ivy, this is my son, Jayce,” he introduced.

Jayce McKinney extended his hand toward me. “It’s nice to meet you, Ivy, and welcome to Langston Park Academy. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me.”

I smiled, my heart racing as I reached out to shake his hand. “It’s nice to meet you as well, and thank you.”

“Now, Jayce, I want you to help and show Ivy around on Monday,” Mr. McKinney instructed.

“No problem,” Jayce replied, giving me a playful wink that made my stomach flutter.