Closed Closer and More Painful

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy paced the length of the Trophy room for the third or fourth time, deep in thought as she chewed on her nails. She had sent Flynn a note, asking him to meet her here. After their last conversation, Ivy's conscience had been eating at her, nagging at her to tell him the truth. He deserved to know why he liked her, maybe it would make it easier for him to shake it off and find someone who was right for him. The mere thought was painful, but she had to be fair to him. Ivy sighed as she turned and walked back again, trying to figure out the perfect way to tell him. She knew he would likely hate her no matter what, but she still wanted to tell him the right way. Whatever way that was.

 

[Flynn North-McGowan]

It was needless to say that Flynn had been confused when he had received a note from Ivy telling him to meet her in the trophy room. Once again, their last interaction had been a painful one and, once again, Ivy had more or less just shot down his feelings (which still sucked). So he did have to wonder what she wanted now. Did she just want to try and tell him how to feel again and make everything worse? But he had decided to, all the same, hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets as he wandered into the trophy room. Then, he cleared his throat, heart doing awkward flips in his stomach as he did so. This was probably not going to go well. "So, what did you want to say?"

 

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy winced inwardly when she heard footsteps behind her. She knew that had to be Flynn. She tried to smile as she turned around, tucking her hair behind her ear nervously. He looked cute, which was a frustrating thing to notice right before saying something that would make him hate her forever. She was tempted to pretend she had called him here for something else, maybe even to tell him she liked him back. But no, she had to be honest with him. It was the right thing to do. Ivy had hoped for some small talk to delay the inevitable, but Flynn immediately asked her what she wanted to say. She sighed softly. "Hi." She said softly, wringing her hands. "Sorry to ask you here. I... I just..." She took a deep breath. "Look, I told you last time that you didn't really like me, I know that was a crappy thing to say..." She paused, taking another deep breath, exhaling shakily. "I just wanted to explain what I meant with that." She said, before pausing again. She couldn't just spit it out.

 

[Flynn North-McGowan]

He supposed there was still time for him to turn around and leave again, pretend that he had just never received her note in the first place. Not that he doubted that excuse would fly, but he wasn't really in the mood to have his heart broken once again, or to listen to her try and explain how he should be feeling. But it was too late to run for it when she turned around, Flynn trying to push down the feelings starting to rise in his chest again. Sometimes he wished he didn't feel like this every single time he happened to see her. "Yeah, it was crappy," he agreed rather bitterly, at least she had noticed, "But if you're just going to try and tell me what I should, or shouldn't, be feeling again, then you can save your breath. I don't want to listen to it."

 

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy could tell Flynn wasn't happy to be here, she knew she hadn't treated him well and briefly wondered if she should have just left him alone. But she needed to explain herself, she had to. "Sorry." She said, taking a moment to collect herself. "I won't tell you what you should feel, just... let me explain." She bit her lip and finally just decided to blurt it out. She could hardly back out now. "I'm part veela." She said finally, in a rush. "Quarter, actually. My mum is half." She swallowed, looking away. "So that's... why." She said, unable to get anything else out.

 

[Flynn North-McGowan]

Flynn just folded his arms, eyes studying her face as she clearly tried to think about what she wanted to say. Eventually, it appeared she just went for blurting it out, though Flynn still didn't really see how that was supposed to clear anything up. "Your point?" So what if she was part Veela? Was that supposed to make him feel differently or something? "Is that information supposed to change something? Were you expecting me to suddenly hate you now?" He didn't know what she had been expecting. Sure, the news was a little surprising, but he didn't really think it changed anything. Then, he sighed, uncurling his arms. "Jesus, Ivy. I'm not in love with you just because you're part Veela. It doesn't change anything."

 

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy waited for what she said to sink in, watching Flynn's face closely and waiting for realization to set in. She was expecting that so much that she missed his actual reaction at first. She blinked at him, then her mouth dropped open a bit. She started to search for words when Flynn hit her again with his next words. In love. He said he was in love with her. Ivy stared at him in utter shock for a long moment, then she spluttered. "No, wait. You clearly don't understand." She said, waving her hands. "You- what? Yes! You only li-" She stumbled over the word. "Like me because I enchanted you." She finally said, looking at him in confusion. "That's... why I said you didn't really like me. I didn't mean to, it just happens. Like with Sawyer." She said. "If you understood you would hate me." She added more quietly, looking away.

 

[Flynn North-McGowan]

He was starting to get frustrated with her now. Did she really honestly think the only reason he happened to be interested in her was because of the fact she was part Veela? That she had somehow managed to 'enchant' him. "I think I understand perfectly. Do you honestly think so little of yourself that you believe someone only likes you because of the fact your part Veela?" It was almost a little sad to think. "Do you think so little of me? Ivy, I'm not enchanted. I like you for more than just your looks. I like you for who you are. Being part Veela has got absolutely nothing to do with it."

 

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy felt her face flush when Flynn asked if she really thought that little of herself. She had no answer for that. She shook her head when he asked if she thought so little of him, though. "No, it wouldn't be your fault." She said weakly, but her protests died in her mouth as he continued to say that he liked her for more than her looks. She shook her head slightly, before simply sitting down on the floor of the trophy room, staring ahead for a moment before looking up at Flynn. "You're sure?" She asked him, then she put her face in her hands for a moment. "Sh*t." She breathed. "It's messed up, right? I'm wrong, aren't I?" She asked, a short, nervous laugh escaping her. "Sh*t." She repeated. "I'm sorry."

 

[Flynn North-McGowan]

It took some time, but it seemed as though he was finally getting through to her. Or, he was taking the fact that she had sat down to think about things as a sign she was actually listening to what he had to say. "If I wasn't sure, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now," though he thought that was pretty obvious. If he was going to accept the fact he was simply 'enchanted' because she was part-veela and his feelings were all fake, he probably would have left by now. But, instead, there he still was, patiently waiting for her to come to this realization by herself. When she did finally realize it, Flynn offered a small smile, "Took you long enough to realize it, but got there eventually."

 

[Ivy Ashworth]

Ivy took a few more moments, vaguely aware she was sitting on the dusty floor of the Trophy Room and was probably getting her robes filthy. Then, she finally got up, taking a second to dust herself off, not looking at Flynn. Her cheeks were flushed as she finally glanced at him again. "I... guess I have some stuff I need to work through." She finally said, her voice a little shaky. "I could explain why I- why it's so messed up, but it's a long story." She paused and smiled slightly. "Not sure if it matters, anyway." She said, trying not to think of her dad right now. Ivy hesitated, stepping a bit closer to Flynn, her hand reaching for him for a moment before she dropped it hesitantly. "I... I'm sorry, again." She finally said. "I'm trying to wrap my mind around this all."