She will be mine. That was the first thought I had when I saw her. I didn't know that my heart could beat so fast and that thoughts could revolve around the same person for so long. But it happened. And it still happens now when I see her.

Ivy. A name as toxic as she is. But in those twelve years of longing, I found out a lot more about this girl. Her star sign, her favorite color, her PIN, what car she drives and who she's dated. All that and much more, but the most important thing I've learned about her is that she's pursuing me. There's a pinboard about me in her house, just like there's one about her in mine. She's just as obsessed with me as I am with her.

But I'm not going to tell her that. The hunt would be boring if I told her everything already, wouldn't it? After all, I want to see how far she can go. How much she wants me.

Today I'm meeting a girl in a café. Ivy will be there too. I know she'll be there because she'll be watching me. She always does. Still, she doesn't know I'll notice. She thinks I'm an average guy who just goes on dates and lives an ordinary life. I'm looking forward to the moment when she finds out that this is far from the case.

...

"And what's your name?" my date asks me in the café after she reveals that her name is Vivienne.

"Private," I reply without even flinching. She looks at me just like they all do. Her eyebrows are narrowed, the corners of her mouth are a little off and her gaze is full of question marks. Maybe that's why I don't like them all. But if you want to know my name, you have to offer me something more.

"Let's order," I continue simply and wave a waitress over to us.

The rest of the date goes quietly and I notice how Vivienne likes me less and less. She's so boring and superficial. So why should I fake friendliness?

And there's only one girl I really want. The girl who covers me with a reprehensible look, as I grab Vivienne's hand and look her straight in the eye with a lewd look. I smile. But that smile is for Ivy, even if she thinks it's for Vivienne.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" I ask Vivienne as we say goodbye. I know what her answer will be. She'll refuse after I've been so cold to her.

"No," Vivienne replies, surprising me for the first time. Maybe she's not as transparent as I thought.

I grin. "Do you want to come home with me?" I'm sure she'll refuse. But I'm curious to see where this could lead.

"That depends," she says simply, looking down. "What do I get for it?"

"What do you want?" I ask a counter-question. I would never take her anyway. Ivy's the only one I'd take there. It doesn't hurt to make her jealous, though, because she's still watching me from a bench a few meters away.

"Money, what else? Do you really think anyone would willingly have sex with you?" She laughs contemptuously. She doesn't know who she's talking to, but I can't stop myself.

I grab her arm in one movement, pull her with me, open the door to my car and push her inside. I follow her in, she lies beneath me on the seats and I tower over her. Vivienne's breath comes in gasps as I look at her with disdain. Her black hair is now all tousled and her brown eyes seem almost black in the dim light inside the car.

"Oh yeah?" I ask, tracing her collarbone with one finger. That's the moment she pushes me away and gets out of the car. I knew it would happen. She's just like they all are.

As she walks away angrily, I give her another grin that she unfortunately doesn't get to see.

"It was an honor," I say after her, laughing. I lean my head back and close my eyes for a moment.

When I open them again, a woman is standing in front of me. Ivy. It's the first time she's come straight up to me since I met her in the school playground twelve years ago. This could get interesting.

She's holding a water bottle in her hand, which she hands to me. "You looked thirsty, so I thought you might want a drink."

I get out of the car to take the bottle and say a quick thank you. I'm actually sweating. But I wonder why Ivy would offer her help.

As I unscrew the lid, I smell cinnamon. Poison. I thought it would be.

I turn my back to her before lifting the bottle to my lips, but I hold my fingers in front of the opening. I'm not stupid enough to drink this.

I stand like that for a while before dropping the still-open bottle, supposedly writhing in pain. I try to hold on to the car but still fall.

As I pass out, Ivy heaves me into the car. I dare to open my eyes briefly and see her getting behind the wheel. I smile slightly before closing my eyes again and letting her take me away.

~~~

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