Beneath The Ivy Walls

US'S

dust, and too many memories. I rolled the cuff of my line

chilled inside. The second I slid int

st, voice crisp and eff

eaded to the

," he

ce joined in fr

our trip

mooth, thank y

ck?" I asked, already a

"We've arranged dinner with the Lennox f

mily," I s

e we reminded the public - and the boar

't seen Luna since summer - the charity gala at the Marin

asked. "She

other replied, as if th

gh

rse sh

. Not to them. Not to anyt

sper of engagement, the idea that we were st

aybe part of m

nly person who'd ever matched

ned at the thought. Not he

rtai

and adjusted the

I said aloud. "

" my fathe

ke that, th

R TH

A'S

awn was unusually

pture fountain, whispering. I knew why the se

a navy-blue button-down, laughing with Adrian like he

mach f

kept w

, I had a dif

l outside Strategic Communication - sleeves rol

ing

oached. "You're five m

replied, brus

ust've been terrible. Your driver looked prett

"You were

e corrected. "

lways narrate everything y

ere. "You talk like you'r

someone who v

ou are. Tal

ture hall. Sunlight spilled through the

over with. We're presenting next wee

o say the same. But fine -

etched thin. I pulled out my iPad; he spread out a spiral n

ow prepar

way," he said eventually,

d up. "

wanted." His eyes stayed on mine, calm and unsparing.

. "Excu

. "Marcus. The din

se stu

respond.

loating - just watching. "Yo

l asking for y

d, "but you're s

ed through me. Not

t that someone could se

reply, the do

th tu

rc

iling like he owne

warm. "Didn't know yo

ed to Ezra, th

. Just slowly cl

r went

e pe

hist

ossible

hatever happened next w

A'S

e the world ow

not vanity -

she controlle

ecting our project outline with military precisi

furrowed like she was solving an e

h," I said after a while. "Y

. Not cold. Just... measur

. "That's wha

her expression. Annoyance

h that - e

that comes from performing. Constantly. Like she was t

ve stoppe

I di

want to do

froze m

t di

cus. Your families." I me

lowered her stylus. "That

t say

hy brin

to know if I wa

her shoulders tightene

wasn't the only one in this

Just turned away,

her weapon -

ght on cue,

r slamm

to look to k

rc

the air. The slight tilt of the

notebook slo

ike I was background noise

just enough. "Didn't know

ooth, but his ey

looked between us like we were two

unbothered. "We're just work

id, tone dipped in

tched again - ti

, Luna looked like she wasn't sure whi

't env

I fe

nt, I knew somet