I walk outside with Mr. Kristensen, him wanting to have some sort of conversation with me. "You have a nice home." I break the silence.

"Hm, Ms. Blake, what has Aaron told you about your father?" I narrow my brows at the sudden change in conversation.

"What would Aaron have to tell me about my dad?" He sighs.

"So he's said nothing?" I shake my head, suddenly more nervous than I was before.

"Well, Ivy." That's the first time he's addressed me by my name. "Your mom's a nurse, correct?" I nod. "And she makes, what? 60 thousand, 70 thousand at best?"

"My mom works hard-"

"And I'm not saying she doesn't, but if you want to be with my son, you have to know that that doesn't cut it."

"But-"

"We have looked into your dad, and he's a well-off man. Ever since your parents divorced-" I can feel my heart racing. "-he's made quite an empire for himself. He has kids of his own, a family, nice home too."

"What're you getting at, sir?" I interrupt, suddenly angry at hearing that my dad has a life outside of me, a good life even, after everything he did.

How's he allowed to have a new family after he left his first one? Did he ever stop to think about me? And why did Aaron not tell me about any of this? Thoughts run through my head, and I hate it. I hate everything. I shouldn't have come here.

"What I'm getting at," Mr. Kristensen continues, "Is that if you want to be with Aaron, you have to reconcile with your dad." And I think I might want to rip this man's perfectly-groomed hair out of his scalp piece by fucking piece.