Love Abstract (The Art of Falling Book 2) by B.L. Berry Page B

best friend speechless.
    “Ivy. I …” she trails off, words failing her.
    “It’s okay, Rachel. I’ve come to terms with it.”
    I know it’s not okay, but I have to pretend that it is to keep my world from crumbling down on me. It’s like my brain knows that I’m only capable of processing little bits of life-altering news at one time and so I’m slowly getting a grip on the truth that is my life rather than falling completely off the deep end.
    “It’s like the whole fucking universe is trying to screw me over right now. Karma is finally coming back to bite me in the ass for all those years of defiance and being a total bitch.”
    “ Karma Sutra!” Rachel snorts into the phone. “The universe has resulted in coming up with the most creative ways to fuck you over!”
    I pull the phone away from my ear when she howls wildly on the other end of the line.
    “It’s not funny, Rachel!”
    She continues to cackle. “Admit it. It kind of is.”
    Okay. It kind of is . But I’m not about to tell her that.
    “I’m so glad I amuse you,” I deadpan. This girl is utterly ridiculous. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
    “Oh, don’t get your panties tied up and twisted, Ivy. I’m only joking.”
    “Allow me to take a page from your book, Rachel. Wasn’t it you who once said that it’s impossible to get your panties in a bunch when you’re not wearing any?”
    She snorts into the other end and I’m thankful for the momentary reprieve from the heavy. Rachel takes a cleansing breath and brings me back to the matter at hand.
    “What are you going to do? About Genevieve?”
    Nothing. There’s not really anything I can do. Or want to do. I kind of just want to move on with my life and pretend nothing ever happened to me.
    “I don’t know yet.” And that’s the honest truth. I don ’ t know.
    “Well, I know you don’t want to hear it, but I do think you should at the very least consider making a statement.” She sighs heavily into the other end of the phone.
    “You’re right,” I agree. “I don’t want to hear it.”
    “Ivy …”
    “Hey look, I need to get going.”
    I’m desperate to get off of the phone. I need to stay out of my own head and if I listen to Rachel prattle on about what I should or shouldn’t do with reporting Sully, I’m going to be sick.
    “Fine. If I don’t talk to you again before the end of the week, have a wonderful birthday. Be sure to make that man of yours treat you right on my behalf.”
    “Thanks, whore,” I tease. If she hadn’t reminded me, I probably would have forgotten all about my birthday.
    “Love you, girly.”
    “Love you, too.”
    I hang up the phone and toss it on the couch next to me.
    He hit her.
    He actually hit my sister.
    I chew on my cuticle and stare off into space, forcing myself to go numb.
    Don ’ t think. Don ’ t feel. Just turn it all off.
    I don’t want to feel anything right now. Especially not sympathy. And especially not for Genevieve.
     
     
    THE WEEK THAT FOLLOWS PASS in a blur. I tried not to think about everything Rachel told me, but that was a recipe for disaster. The more effort you put into trying not to think about something, the more it consumes your every waking moment. Eventually, it eats away at me until I confess the conversation to Phoenix after pushing my dinner around on my plate for the better part of an hour.
    “He hit her?” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. “I mean, I always knew he had an anger problem and control issues … but I never took him as that kind of guy.”
    I scoff but don’t bother correcting him. What would he really expect of his former best friend who drugged and raped unsuspecting girls? The real shocker for everyone should be that he hasn’t been caught fucking things up before now. But that’s Phoenix for you, I suppose. Always wanting to see and believe the good in everyone.
    “Listen, I don’t want to talk about right or wrong or good or bad with Sully. We both know