Landed Wings

chapter 31: PARK



OBSIDIAN

When I reach the park, Ivory is sitting on the bench, waiting. She’s so small. Her feisty personality makes her seem more…larger than life. Next to her is the yellow bag. I walk over and she looks up at me.

“I opened the bag. There’s a tux, two tickets, a pair of dress shoes, a foldable handkerchief, and…a blindfold, chloroform, and handcuffs.”

I stop short.

“Ive, are you serious? About the last few items.”

“Yes.”

“That’s illegal. This is serious. I’m not taking the chloroform.”

“I was about to suggest that. You’re not trying to hurt Ash, you just have to find a way to convince her to come back. The chloroform is taking it to another level.”

“Just what I was thinking.”

“Are you taking the other stuff?”

“The blindfold and handcuffs?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll take them.”

Ivory looks disapproving. Ash is her best friend. I want her so badly to understand.

“They’re a last resort Ivory. I care about Ash too.”

“So you don’t love her anymore.”

She sounds cynical and ironically amused at the same time. I look into her chocolate brown eyes, so large, like a doe’s.

“No, Ive. I can’t afford to.”

“Is love so fickle with you, Obsidian?”

“I didn’t love her.”

I look down at my shoes.

“She was a crush I could never let go of because she wasn’t interested.”

“All you guys are the same. You want what you can’t have.”

I look up, surprised. She sounds so bitter. She’s looks off to the side now but turns back quickly. Maybe I’m imagining things, she’s smiling now.

“Ive, how are you going to come with me?”

“I’m going to come as your “guest”, your “lady friend”.”

I laugh.

“Oh, ok.”

“I’ll wear a red scandalous dress for the occasion.”

“Seriously?”

“No! Don’t look so excited.”

“I wasn’t.”

She scoffs and looks to the side again.

“Thank you for coming with me to get Ash.”

“You don’t have to thank me – I’m not going with you because I think Ash should be home, I’m only going with you because I don’t want anything to happen to Raven.”

“How can you say that Ive? I thought Ash was your best friend.”

“She is. She’s my best friend who decided she would rather be LandBound than here with her friends.”

“Then why are you helping me?”

“Because Ash isn’t hurt. Raven is. And I’m not going to

abandon one friend who had no choice for one who did.”

I don’t know how to respond. I hear what Ivory’s not saying. She thinks I’m focusing my attention on Ashlynn when I should be focused on Raven. But she’s wrong, the only reason I want Ashlynn back is so I can get Raven back. I can tell she doesn’t like being a part of this. Tomorrow there are a lot of things she probably isn’t going to like. She’s just going to have to deal with it.