The next day, on her lunch break. Ivy was driving down the street of the police station. Heading back at the house to pick up a sweater, it was suddenly chilly today and she didn't much like the cold. Or the heat. Or anything for that matter. As she drove down that street, she saw Milo walking into the station. From the looks of it he went out to get his lunch.

"Milo!"

Milo looked up and saw her wave at him in her car. Milo didn't wave or smile for that matter, he just scoffed and walked inside. Ivy's eyebrows pinched together with confusion. Ivy pulled the car up on the side. Got out and followed him inside.

"Mile" Ivy said to him, he carried on walking to his desk. Ivy picked up her pace and slapped his elbow to make him look at her "Hey hey, Mile"

Milo turned around and looked at her with a cold look, he raised his eyebrows "What?"

Ivy shrugged "What's up with you?"

Milo looked down at his files and muttered "How was your birthday?"

"Didn't celebrate"

"No?" he said looking up and shrugged "Didn't get blazed from that weed you took from the apartment?" Ivy shut her eyes for a brief moment and rubbed her lips together, her eyes then opened slowly as he carried on "Y'know. It feels really shit knowing that the only reason your best friend ever comes and visits you anymore is to get something"

"That wasn't"

"No? So why would you come round to the apartment to apologize when you could just text or call like you did all the other times?" Milo's question brought complete and utter silence towards Ivy. Because deep down she knew that Milo was right. She would have just called or text one of them, but knowing that the bag could still be there in their apartment, she went out of her way to go and check. Clearly she wasn't as subtle as she thought. Milo sighed through his nose and shook his head at her "You aren't that girl we made friends with all those years ago. I miss her" he paused as he picked up his files.

He took a step forward, ready to walk past her altogether he muttered in a snap "Quite frankly Ivy. I'm losing all hope that you'll be that friend again"

As Milo walked away. Ivy heard the sound of a whistle to the side of her, she looked to the side and saw Caleb looking at her with his eyebrows raised. He pulled a face at her and sang in a grumble "That was awkward"

Ivy rolled her eyes and waved him away "Go and annoy someone else"

"Is this where our relationship is now?"

"Believe me we have no relationship" Ivy said with a sarcastic smile on her face. Caleb nodded with a smug look on his face he then shrugged.

"How was the big day? Turning twenty two what exciting stuff you must've gotten up to" he mocked as he crossed his arms. Ivy then did the same gesture and raised an eyebrow at him "She told you my birthday?"

"Well I asked her if she had anything fun planned last night like we always ask each other and she said that they were planning a surprise birthday meal for you"

Caleb watched as Ivy's face slowly dropped into a slightly guilty one. He assumed as much "Oh, you-"

"Let them down again...yeah I do that...in my defense I wasn't out drinking or anything, I was at this gym I just joined"

"Ah, doing some aqua aerobics or something" Caleb teased dryly. Ivy tilted her head and lightly snapped "Cute. But if you must know I started at a boxing gym"

Caleb scoffed a laugh. Not because she had taken up boxing but because there is only one main boxing gym in this community that was nearest. Caleb raised his eyebrows "Really? Which gym? I used to box"

Ivy ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to think "It's erm...Helsom and Sons are something like that" Caleb nodded "That's the one" he didn't tell her that it was that exact gym that was owned by his father. It'd be more with Ivy running into Caleb, thinking he was stalking her or something and then becoming rather embarrassed when she see's that it was his family business.

"Well Caleb this conversation has been delightful as usual but fortunately for me, I'm leaving"

"Fortunate for me too" Caleb said with a grin on his face.

Ivy rolled her eyes and began to walk out of the office "Have a nice day, sweet cheeks"

Caleb's reply from Ivy was a simple middle finger. Caleb chuckled and muttered to himself "She's warming up to me I can feel it"

Ivy got home from boxing. She went through the back, wiped her sweaty forehead as she put her gym bag on the floor and walked into the bathroom to have a shower. She got out and straight into her pajamas. She then went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. It was only 9pm. But no one was around apart from Callie who was in the snug area of the kitchen, Ivy glanced to her and then looked at the machine.

"Nice to see you"

"Huh?" Ivy raised her eyebrows as she took her eyes to Callie "What're you talking about?"

Callie slowly stood up and motioned her hand to the stove of which Stef slaved over in order to make this meal.
"We planned a birthday meal for you...homemade chili with strawberry cheesecake for dessert, your favorite" Ivy glanced to the stove, her eyes then graced along the table and then looked down at the floor, feeling so guilty already.

Ivy scratched her forehead and mumbled "Wow...Cal I-I didn't know"

"So which bar were you at this time"

"What? No no I wasn't out getting drunk"

"Or high?" Callie said as she crossed her arms. Ivy was foolish if she thought that she could keep the fact she smokes marijuana from the kids. Callie rolled her eyes and dropped her arms, going to walk away, Ivy quickly grabbed her arm. Not knowing what came over her, she just...she just didn't want or like seeing Callie walk away from her angry "Callie wait" she muttered weakly. Callie sighed and looked at her, her expression turned into a sympathetic one. She took hold of Ivy's hand.

"Ivy...just go to bed, moms aren't mad. They weren't even surprised and neither were we...so don't worry about it" Callie slid her hand out of Ivy's and carried on walking back upstairs.

Ivy shut her eyes, she ran her hands down the back of her head at the top all the way from to her neck and locked them there as she slid down the cabinet with her eyes still shut. She couldn't help but cry. Even though she knew that she had told them not to make a fuss, she should have guessed that they were going to try and do something in order to make her smile today. But she thought if she put that knowledge to the back of her mind then it would just go away. Stupid but effective on her behalf. But she had let them down again, and hearing Callie say that they were basically used to it by now made her feel sick.

But a part of her just couldn't help it, she couldn't help but push people away because admittedly she was scared of people getting hurt around her. She buried her face into her arms that rested on her knees and cried. She hadn't cried like this for a while and she didn't know why this had gotten her so upset, perhaps it was just everything building up that she finally let out. Everything came flashing through her brain like a montage, seeing Jason's face throughout it all.

She suddenly felt two hands rest on her shoulders, she freaked and shook her head as she pushed them away "No!"

"Ivy, Ivy" Brandon put his hand on her cheek and made her look at him "It's me, just me okay?" he whispered.

"Brandon" she cried out in a whisper as she gripped onto his shirt, sobbing so hard that she almost found it hard to breathe, she bowed her head down and rested it on his arm. He wasn't quite sure what was going on here but all her knew was that she was getting herself worked up.

"Ivy just breathe, take deep breaths, calm down" Brandon pulled her close and lifted her up. He had to admit it to himself, after everything they used to say about each other, he never thought he'd be comforting her and carrying her to bed as she held onto him, still letting out cries that fell onto his shirt. Brandon carried her to her bedroom, laid her down in the bed and pulled the duvet over her, he set beside her on the bed and looked at her "Ivy...is this because of today?"

Ivy just shrugged as her cries stopped.

"More than that?"

Again she shrugged.

Brandon sighed and tilted his head "Want me to just let you sleep now?"

Ivy softly nodded. Brandon let out a tight smile and nodded himself "Okay, as long as you're okay now"

"I am"

"Good. Goodnight Ivy"

Ivy squeezed her hand without looking at him and muttered "Goodnight"

Brandon told their moms briefly the next morning about how Ivy was upset the night before and they decided to not mention it to her or give her a hard time about it. It seemed she had already understood that she'd messed up. They shook it off. That's all they really could do after all.

Brandon was stood at his locker with Jesus and Callie as they waited for him since they all said they'd get lunch together since Mariana was off with Mat and Jude was off with Connor.

"Why aren't you having lunch with Emma today then?" Callie asked as she raised her eyebrows at Jesus.

"She's ill today"

"Ah...going off the subject have you spoken to Ivy?"

Brandon looked to her as she asked Jesus the question, he saw the disapproving look on Jesus's face as he shook his head "No and I don't plan to, she let us down again like she keeps on doing all the time"

"Cut her some slack, man" Brandon spoke up as he shut the locker door. Jesus raised his eyebrows and shrugged to him "What're you care?"

"Hey I care alright. Ivy is going through a bad time just back off"

"She's been going through this bad time of hers for a year now and now all she does is just yell and shout-"

"Jesus she lost the baby just a couple of months ago!" Brandon scoffed, not really believing that his brother was acting this was when he and Ivy were so close. They were best friends even.

"Did mom act this way when she lost Frankie?" Jesus asked as his voice began to rise.

Callie sighed and stood forward "Come on guys lets just leave it-"

"But Ivy isn't mom! They're different people, besides mama had mom! Ivy didn't have Nate"

"But she had us"

Brandon rolled his eyes and lightly pushed his brother "It's not the same and you know it"

Jesus scowled at him and then pushed Brandon harder as he said "You used to always be at her throat when she was doing no wrong and now that she is you're kissing her ass! You hated her this time last year"

"Screw you man, I never hated her"

"Bullshit!" Jesus really lost his temper and threw Brandon against the locker. Callie gasped and jumped back "Jesus! Stop it!"

Brandon then pushed him back and put Jesus in a head lock. Callie stress-fully ran her fingers through her hair "Guys please just..." as people began to surround them, Callie looked down the hall and ran down it to Lena's office at the end. She burst into it "Callie I'm just-"

"Mom look" Callie stepped out of the way and shown the two boys fighting. Really going for each other this time. Lena jumped up as the words "My god" escape her lips, she ran round the desk and out of the office.

"Boys! Jesus, Brandon that's enough!" as soon she caught up to them and went to break her apart, she was soon welcomed by Ivy appearing and helping her break them up. Lena grabbed Brandon and pulled him back as Ivy took hold of Jesus and held him back. Jesus threw himself out of Ivy's hold and looked at her with a hard look, Ivy just stared at him. Taking heavy breaths he motioned his hand to Brandon and snarled "Why don't you focus on helping out your new bitch"

"Jesus" Lena snapped as she let go of Brandon. Jesus looked at his mother and then back at Ivy, he rolled his eyes and walked away.

"Jesus get back here" Lena called, she sighed and looked to Brandon, pointing to her office down the hall "Go in my office and wait for me there whilst I go get your brother" Brandon took a deep breath through his nose and nodded, giving a quick, gentle glance to Ivy he walked down the hall. Lena quickly went after Jesus. Ivy crossed her arms and turned to Callie "What was that about?"

Callie's eyes traveled from the office to Ivy and said dryly as she raised her eyebrows ever so slightly "You"

So it seems Ivy's new attitude is causing a rift between the family! Do you think Jesus was too harsh?

Let me know what you think of this so far and what you hope to see in future chapters!