Tension settled between them, cold glare was given to either party. Ivy broke the staring contest, and concentrated back on her phone. Disregarding them like air. Silence was back, the only sound coming was from the playing boy.
"Does that means you gave up on Liam?" Bella whispered in her ears. Not wanting Shirley to hear them.
She wanted to know, she had to know. She never thought a day for that possibility to be true to ever occurred but here they were.
Ivy frowned, and sent a dead stare her way. Realizing her secret crush wasn't a secret, only to the person of interest. Was she bad at hiding her feelings? No, that wasn't the case. Her obvious like of Liam was displayed by the full attention she gave him, different for any other. Without answering, she looked back at the boys, playing.
Has she gave up on Liam? She was trying, trying to stop getting nervous when close to him, to stop her heart from beating frenetically at every smile he gave her, to stop craving for his presence, and mostly, to stop hating Shirley and accept their relationship. To stop being a barrier between the two.
Was she still in love with Liam? It didn't change for a bit. No ounce of love was reduced. She was trying, that was all needed to know. It was all that counted.
With her focus back on her phone, Bella concluded she wasn't getting an answer. She focused on the game been played, but turned to Shirley when Ivy got up to answer a call.
"Why did you find the need to get her angry. She was playing kind all day!" Bella complained.
Though unsettled by Ivy odd behaviour, she wasn't complaining and was loving every second of it. It was like a dream becoming true. Ivy was finally seeing her but Shirley had to crush it down.
"And I hated it. Who was she trying to fool? Ignoring Liam, there were no way I would think she gave up on him. Not like this, not this easily, not this fast."
For years. Ivy has been loving Liam for years. She saw it all, even the hurt in her eyes seeing them getting affectionate in front of her. Yet never had her love flattered. In fact, she was sure it kept on growing. She never looked Liam anything else than with a gaze full of love and now she was trying to convince them she actually gave up on him? Within a day? Impossible.
"Don't you think your problem lay more with Liam reaction than Ivy doing?" Bella reasoned.
There were no doubt Liam was hurts by Ivy actions. It shows the importance Ivy have to him. Wasn't it what Shirley was so pissed off about? Was it her jealousy speaking?
She shook her head, " You don't understand. I already know that. He loves her, like Andy loves her. They have been together for years, the contrary would have been odd," Bella nodded, agreeing with her. She was sure, Andy would have been the same if he was the one getting Ivy ignorance.
"The problem is her selfish behavior. Behaving one way when it's good for her and the other way when she find gain in it, was she taking people feelings into consideration? Never! She is a selfish self-centered person! And I hate – ouch!" she coughed, stopping her from finishing her sentence.
"Oh no" she exclaimed, widen eyes. A look of horror on her face, making Bella concerned. She looked down at her laps in panic.
"What?" Bella asked. Her sudden change in behaviour taking her out of guard.
"I just got my period," Shirley answered in horror.
Bella eyes widen at realizations, her eyes roamed on the white dress Shirley was wearing. Giving the surprise look, she concluded she had no protection and it would surely leaking on her dress.
"It isn't suppose to come no. It should be in three days," Shirley counted and nodded knowing she was right. But right or wrong, she has to do something about the blood coming out of her.
"What am I going to do?" She asked herself. By know, she knew it leak and was already on her white dress. There were no way she could hide it now.
Bella wasn't best, she had no idea how to help her friends. She wasn't wearing anything that could help her hide her embarrassment.
Ivy came back, and restored her earlier position. She didn't miss the change in the atmosphere. She knew something was up, something happened but decided not to ask. Eyes on her phone, she tried to turn blind eyes but curiosity had the best of her and the way they keep on whispering irritated her.
"If you want to talk ill of me, better do it on my face mostly when the person of interest is present," she said and watched their face growing on confusion. She concluded they weren't talking about her.
"Of course, no one fear you here," Bella scoffed. What was there to hide. Ivy never hide her detest of them, why would they do otherwise?
Ivy rolled her eyes, "what's the matter?" She found herself asking in surprise. To everyone surprise.
The girls shared a look before Bella said, "Shirley just got her period,"
"And?" she asked not seeing the issue.
"She's wearing white and it's showing," she explained further. The poor girl having her face red of embarrassment. She couldn't meet her eyes. Which further had Ivy confused.
"Your point being?" Ivy wondered.
The girls looked at her like she has grown a head. What didn't she understands in what she said?
"What is the deal? Just tell Liam. He would bring the car and you go," Ivy simply said. Why was they making a big deal out of nothing?
"Tell them?" Bella asked.
"You don't feel embarrass by it?" Shirley asked.
"Why should I? And mostly, why should you! It's your fiancé, why would you be embarrassed to tell him such things. He would be a sweetie and help you,"
"Someone is talking from experience," Bella pointed out.
Ivy just smile, said nothing, confirming what she said.
"But, I can't. I'm too embarrassed. Look at me, so old yet still have this type of accident,"
"It has nothing to do with age. It can sometimes be an unannounced guest, it has nothing to do with age and you have no reason to be shy about it. It's biological, it's not like you have any control over it,"
Shirley bent her head, hearing her well, agreeing with her but still, she had no courage to call out Liam to explain her problem. More too with Andy present. She was too embarrassed to do so.
Ivy frowned. "You, you can do it right?" She questioned Bella.
She lightly scratched her cheek, looking down, "Well, I know Andy won't make fun of me but I would still be shy to tell him, not with Liam being present," she said.
"This is all no sense, do as you wish," Ivy said frustrated , done with their act. Since they didn't want to hear her out, they could deal with it as they want.
She tried to focus back on what she was doing but the fidgeting girls beside her wasn't permitting it. Looking up from her phone to the field she watched in amaze how good they were playing. Though graceful of the outfit she wore, reason she decided not to play, seeing them made her wanted to play.
She left out a sigh and called Liam out, with a gesture of the hands so he could see her if her voice was overtopped by the sound of the bouncing ball.
It wasn't needed though, as soon as his name left her lips, he was in front of her. His attitude had her smile. All remaining was a dancing tail. While Andy and Bella was laughing at his behaviour in their hearts, Shirley was different. Displeasure was all she felt. Seeing her man acting like a neglected puppy who was given attention by someone who wasn't her was infuriating. She kept her mouth shut, saying no word of her displeasure.
Deciding it wasn't worthy getting agitated because of it, she calmed down. It was a normal reaction for anyone who have been ignored by someone dear. Any one would react the same, she repeated to herself, not wanting to see anything deeper.
"Can you help me with your jacket?" Ivy asked taking Liam but surprise. It wasn't what he was expecting.
"Sure," he said getting out of his jacket, no question asked.
"Thanks." she smiled, " you get back to your game," she said.
Liam eyed her, weird by her behaviour. With a confused look sent to the other girls, he ran back to Andy, who was left alone on the field.
Having him out of ear reach, Ivy said to the girl, "We will go to the mall and have you change."
"But what about…" Shirley thrilled.
"Why do you think I took this?" She gestured to the jackets in her hand.
They already had their suspicion but it was now confirmed. The question was, why was she helping them out of the blue?
"You walk in front of us, Bella and I will shield you from their views. When we reach the corner, you tight it around your waist. I saw mall when we got here, we would find you things to change in," she told them. They nodded, finding nothing to argue about.
Ivy stood up first, " we are going shopping," she shouted to the boys, and gestured for the girls to stand.
"Really? We can come with you –" Liam was cut off.
"No need. You boys enjoy your game," she said and pressed the girls, knowing they would come to them if they stay any longer.
Liam and Andy shared a weird and confuse look. Ivy behaviour was becoming weirder at each passing second. Now, on her own account, she decided to go shopping with those she couldn't stand? What was wrong?