The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1944

“No worries.” The boy said, turning to leave.

Ivy quickly called out to him, “Hey, what’s your name? I need to repay you for these.”

“Nolan, but forget about the money; it wasn’t much,” Nolan said, leaving behind a bright, sunny smile before walking away.

Ivy looked down at the pack of sanitary pads in her hands, a warm feeling coursing through her heart as she silently repeated the boy’s name, “Nolan.”

The boy from her memories had grown into a handsome, suave man, now walking towards Ivy with a drink in his hand. “Here, have some juice.”

Just like years ago, Nolan placed a drink before Ivy. “I don’t know your preference, so I just grabbed one at random.”

“Thank you.” Eighteen-year-old Ivy and the present Ivy said the same words, but it felt as though everything had changed.

Sometimes she wondered, if she had been braver back then, maybe things with Nolan wouldn’t have ended up like this.

all too late

asked her again, “what’s your relationship with the host of this party?”

from her reverie, still unsure how to answer

to know about her current ‘married’ status, selfishly wanting to preserve the better image he

so quiet, just like

forehead, and Ivy looked up at Nolan,

always so silent,” Nolan said, swirling his glass elegantly. “You’d get picked on,

a wry smile. “It’s not that I disliked talking; I just knew talking wouldn’t change anything, so I spared my

a difference.” Nolan looked at her meaningfully, his eyes seemingly filled

you been up to

from college, stayed in graduate school for three years. Post-graduation, I joined the family business. But my mom’s on

mock despair. “You have no idea. Whenever I’m around her, she relentlessly brings up

of Nolan’s mother whom she had seen from a distance back in

at his mom’s side, nodding

looking out for you. You know how elders are, always eager to see the younger generation settled down.”