Free Forbidden Love: Fate (Zac and Ivy Trilogy Book 1) by Wanitta Praks Page B

make myself look presentable, then check my breath. Two
puffs, just to make sure I don’t smell of garlic.
    That’s my breakfast in the morning. I love
garlic bread.
    Opening the door, I make sure I put on my
beaming smile.
    “Ivy, welcome—”
    Who is this girl?
    Standing before me isn’t Ivy, but some other
girl I don’t know.
    A scowl immediately appears on my face. She,
on the other hand, has the face of a fan girl. I know because I’m
always surrounded by female fans. Her eyes are large, sort of like
a goldfish with those thick glasses she’s wearing. She’s huffing
and puffing like she can’t breathe.
    Is she one of those sales people? I hate
these advertising companies. How low can they get now? Even use
school kids to sell their stuff?
    Sales girl with glasses is still huffing and
puffing as I’m thinking this through. She takes out her inhaler and
pulls in a few puffs.
    After regaining her breath, she squeals out,
“Zac… Zac… Elliot? The lead singer of Apollo?”
    “Yeah,” I confirm.
    “You… you… don’t know me, even though we go
to the same school, but I’m a huge fan of yours.”
    I only nod. So she’s not a sales girl.
Then what’s she doing at my apartment?
    “And you are…?” I probe, trying to get this
business out of the way. Maybe she’s a cookie seller.
    “My… my… name is Mandy. Ivy’s busy, so from
now on, I’m your new algebra tutor.”
    “What?” I growl angrily.
    This is stupid. I want Ivy. I don’t want
this goldfish with asthma.
     
    ****
     
    I’m currently storming around, or hobbling
around in my case, like an idiot, looking for Ivy. Mandy said she’s
here in the public library, so here I am. Thanks to Kai, I was
dropped off here. And now, with my temper flaring like a bull, I
swamp the whole place with my loud presence.
    “Ivy! Ivy!” I shout loudly the minute I step
foot inside the building.
    As soon as my loud voice echoes against the
stone wall, the patrons in the library drop what they’re doing and
stare, gaping at me for a full minute.
    I know I may look like some lunatic on the
loose, but I don’t care what people are thinking. My mission is to
find Ivy. I’m up to my eyeballs in rage. This has to be sorted out
or I will not go home.
    How can she treat me like this, sending in
another girl to teach me like I have no say in the matter? What’s
she doing that’s so important? Am I really that bad at algebra that
she’s dropping me?
    Deep down, I know I’m behaving this way
because I’m scared. I know I said before I want to pass algebra
because I want to keep Elsa, but now the idea of not seeing Ivy’s
face again scares me more.
    Finally, Ivy arrives out of nowhere to shut
me up.
    “Zac!” She half leads, half drags me away
from the center until we reach an isolated spot among the
nonfiction books. “What are you doing here?” she whispers
harshly.
    What’s wrong with her? Why is she using that
tone of voice with me?
    I think I lose a good three inches from my
height. I feel as small as a five-year-old.
    “Why didn’t you come as promised?” I mumble
in reply. “You said you’d come today. I waited for you. I even
brewed chamomile tea so we could relax and study together. I’ve
even done the homework you gave me. So why didn’t you come?”
    “I sent Mandy,” she says quietly.
    “I’m not talking about Mandy.”
    “Mandy’s excellent. She has the highest
grades in the class. She even surpassed me. You didn’t see her
there?”
    “I’m not asking about Mandy. I’m asking why
you didn’t go as promised.”
    She’s quiet for another second.
    What’s wrong? Speak to me?
    At this point, I’m not sure whether I should
be feeling mad, scared, or frustrated. All I want is an
explanation.
    “Ivy,” I prompt.
    She looks up at me then. “Mandy really
excels in algebra. She’s even better than me as a teacher. She has
more experience. She’ll be a good tutor for you.”
    I grit my teeth. What is she trying to do?
Why is