"i don't even understand why i'm going." ivy muttered under her breath, wrapping the strap of her heel around her ankle.

"because you've been invited," esme furrowed her eyebrows, staring down at the girl, "and besides, you're friends with josh and we're celebrating both of their birthday's."

"hmm." ivy mumbled, catching her balance as she stood up from the chair, "just not in the mood for it."

"shut up, ivy." sage strolled out of her bedroom, "you're coming whether you like it or not."

ivy rolled her eyes, "i know i'm coming, just can't be arsed."

a couple of weeks had passed since simon went to ivy's. neither of them had really spoke much, just a few messages exchanged back and forth. she could not believe that in her drunk state she would tell simon that she loves him, whenever she thought about it she felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment. ivy had to come to terms with the fact that maybe she did still love him, she knew that sober her would never initially admit such a thing, but being told that she said it had her thinking. but what worried her was the unknown, what did he feel back?

"you say this, but then you'll be loving it once you're there." esme smirked.

"maybe i will be." ivy shrugged her shoulders, taking a sip of the beverage in front of her.

ivy could not quite pin point what it was that was bothering her about going to celebrate simon's birthday. why would she be phased by it? she had celebrated every birthday with him since they were teenagers and thought that she would never celebrate another one of his birthday's again. but now she was and it was something that she never expected.

the three girls walked through the club into the privately hired room, the place already filled with many people who had arrived. ivy awkwardly stood behind sage and esme who excitedly greeted everyone with hugs and grins, whereas ivy only waved and offered a small smile. sighing, she swiftly made her way over to the bar, no longer paying attention to anyone else.

"erm, double vodka and lemonade please and two sambuca shots?" she smiled politely at the bar tender and lent her body against the bar, watching everyone else. she was so focused on what everyone else was doing, she did not even notice simon stood beside her getting himself a drink.

"well, hello to you too." he chuckled, catching her attention which startled her.

"oh, fuck." she placed a hand on her chest, "i didn't even notice you were there, sorry." she giggled softly, shaking her head.

"it's alright." he smirked, "how are you anyways?"

"i'm good," she had to raise her voice over the blaring music, "you?"

"yeah, not bad." he nodded his head slowly. ivy turned back around to grab her drink and instantly backed the two shots, "jheez." simon laughed.

"you better get fucked too, birthday boy." she nudged him with her elbow and grinned up at him, "i want you to be on the same level i was on at sage's birthday."

"fuck that." he swiftly shook his head, "you were a mess, all three of you were."

"yeah, whatever." she shook her head at him and leant over the bar to catch the attention of the bartender, "can i get four sambuca shots, please?"

simon instantly shook his head at her and took a deep breath in, "i hate you."

"what have i done?" she waved her hands in the air, "who said they aren't all for me?"

"because i know they're not." simon raised an eyebrow. ivy smirked at him and pushed two shots in his direction, "see, i knew it."

"hmm." she raised her brows and they clinked their shot glasses together, instantly pouring them down their throats. a shiver ran through ivy's body, but she was desperate to simply feel less tense. the two made their way back over to everyone else and ivy instantly started to dance with freya as she attempted to relax into the atmosphere.

ivy began to feel the effect of the alcohol quite quickly into the night, so decided to take it a bit slower. luckily, her nerves had faded and she was able to enjoy herself. she stood with cal, harry and sage, not necessarily dancing, but more just swaying on the spot.

"see, we knew you'd be enjoying yourself." sage caught ivy's attention, raising her voice over the music.

"i never said i wouldn't." ivy raised an eyebrow and took a swig of her drink.

"did you not want to come?" cal questioned, looking down at her.

ivy shrugged her shoulders in response, "not really, but it's fine now."

"what's going on with you and simon anyways?" harry asked, loud enough for the entire room to hear even with the blasting tunes.

"could you be any louder!" sage exclaimed, hitting his arm playfully.

"sorry, sorry," harry threw his hands up in defence, "he came to yours a couple of weeks ago, didn't he?"

ivy slowly nodded her head, "mhm, don't really know what's going on though. if i'm honest, feels like we're young again and both fancy each other, but don't know what to do about it." she chuckled.

"it is exactly like that!" cal exclaimed, wrapping an arm around ivy's shoulder, "might need jj to get you guys together again."

"he didn't even get us together!" ivy frowned.

"he basically did," sage cocked her head, "bet you guys would still be besties now if he didn't tell you both that you liked each other."

"leave it out." ivy's cheeked burned red from embarrassment, resting her head on cal, "i don't know what's going on now." she let out an elongated sigh and looked down at her drink, swirling it around in the cup, listening to the three have their own conversation. in the corner of her eye, she caught simon walking outside on his own to the smoking area.

"hello, ivy?" harry waved a hand in front of her face.

"hmm?" she shook her head, snapping back into reality, "sorry, what?" she blinked blankly a couple of times.

"are you okay?" sage chuckled.

"yeah, yeah." ivy nodded her head and stood up straight, "i'll be back in a minute." a small smile formed on her lips, before she gulped down the rest of her drink and placed her cup on the side.

ivy gazed at simon leant against the wall, his face impassive as he stared into space. she tried to catch his attention with a simple wave of her hand, but he refused to notice. "simon." she hummed, stepping towards him, the entire outside space was empty.

"hmm?" he swiftly turned his head and his entire demeanour changed when he realised it was ivy, "just wanted some air, i'll be back soon."

"are you okay?" she questioned.

"mhm." he turned away and nodded his head.

"i don't think you are." she sighed and stood in front of him. he stared down at her with a look of despair, "it's your party, si," she cleared her throat, "should be enjoying yourself."

"i'm fine." he muttered, shrugging his shoulders.

ivy steadily placed her hand on his forearm and stroked it softly, "just tell me what's wrong."

"there's nothing wrong."

"please."

simon rolled his eyes and took a deep breath in, "but i'm fine." he removed his arm from her touch, "all i said is that i wanted some air."

"you're so stubborn." she muttered under her breath and folded her arms over her chest, "but whatever, i'll just go back inside." she slowly began to walk away from the situation, it was clear he did not want to talk to her.

"fucking hell, ivy," simon groaned and threw a hand over his face, "i love you, okay?"

ivy quickly stopped in her tracks "i -"

"and i don't care if you don't, but i do. god, i don't think i ever stopped." taking a deep breath in, simon stared up at the clear night sky, "when you said it to me, it fucked with my head and it hasn't stopped fucking with my head, ivy."

ivy looked to the floor and slid her rings up and down her fingers, "but i did mean it." she sighed.

simon instantly threw his head back down to look at her, "you did?"

"mhm." she nodded, biting her bottom lip, "i might've been drunk, but i meant it." ivy brought her head up to look at him and their eyes instantly locked. simon cupped her face with his hands and suddenly smashed his lips against hers. it was intense, yet passionate and they both quickly melted into it as simon had missed the familiar feeling of her lips.

"stay at mine tonight." he whispered into the kiss.

"okay." she nodded her head slowly, planting one last delicate kiss on his lips before pulling away, "are you in a better mood now?" she giggled, wiping away the lipgloss on his lips with her thumb.

"yeah," he smirked, his cheeks turning a shade of pink, "come on."

"okay." she smiled, shivering from a slight breeze passing by. simon quickly wrapped his arm around ivy's shoulder, rubbing his hand up and down it to create some friction and warmth as they made their way back inside. the two found themselves beside a group chatting to one another and ivy rested her head on simon, still trying to get over from the shiver she felt outside.

"he's cheered up a lot," josh caught her attention, his eye's watching simon have a conversation with vik, "what did you do?"

"nothing." ivy shook her head, giggling.

"hmm." josh narrowed his eyes.

"i just know how to cheer him up." she stood up straight and folded her arms over her chest. josh's expression said it all, he could tell that something had gone on, "stop pulling that face." ivy furrowed her eyebrows.

"i'm not doing anything." he muttered, taking a sip of his drink.

"hmm." ivy glared at him before turning to look at simon, "i'm gonna go get a drink." she rushed towards the bar, spotting sage and esme stood there patiently.

"where did you go?" sage questioned and ivy only responded with a smirk, "have you been with simon?"

"can i get a double vodka lemonade, please?" ivy asked, completely ignoring whatever sage and esme were waffling in her ear.

"she's been with simon, it's obvious." esme pointed at ivy, "her face is red."

"fuck off." ivy hissed, pressing a hand on her skin which was definitely burning.

"so." sage raised an eyebrow, "what's going on?"

"i'm not coming home tonight." ivy mumbled, barely audible.

"what?" esme yelled, "didn't hear you."

"oh my days," ivy rolled her eyes and turned to the two girls, "i said, i'm not coming home tonight!" her eyes widened at the thought of the entire club hearing what she had just said.

"so, you're going to simon's?" sage wiggled her eyebrows.

ivy instantly smirked, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink, "maybe."

sage and esme both squealed like excited children and embraced ivy into a tight cuddle. they began bouncing up and down joyfully, giggling and cheering as they did so.

"stop it, stop it!" ivy shouted as she pushed the two girls away, unable to stop smiling.

"how's this come about then?" esme nudged ivy whilst she took a sip of her drink.

"erm," ivy raised her eyebrows, "just did." she shrugged.

"no, you've got to tell us!" sage exclaimed.

"i will, i will." ivy sighed, "just another day." she softly smiled and reached for her drink, taking a large gulp of it, "come on." inhaling deeply, she ushered the two girls back over to everyone else.

ivy and simon's mood's were visibly enlightened, everyone noticed and they could obviously guess why. they knew they needed one another in their lives. after a few more drinks, the party slowly came to an end with people leaving one after the other and ivy found herself a little bit more drunk than she was anticipating, but luckily simon was on a similar level.

"so," jj slurred, narrowing his eyes at ivy as they waited outside for their taxi, "you're coming back to ours?"

"yeah." she laughed, furrowing her eyebrows.

"interesting." he slowly nodded his head, "i'll make sure to put my headphones on."

"with the state you're in, you'll be passed out in seconds." simon smirked and wrapped his arm around ivy who was shivering from the slight breeze.

"nah man." jj looked up at simon with furrowed eyebrows.

"bro," simon laughed, "as soon as your head hits your pillow you'll be finished."

the three arrived to jj and simon's flat, jj instantly making his way to bed after muttering a simple 'good night' and dragged his feet straight to bed. he was clearly drunk and very tired, but luckily he did not need to be carried to bed which was a relief.

"have you had a good party?" ivy asked with a grin, unclasping her shoes on the comfort of simon's bed.

"yeah, it's been alright." he nodded his head, "did you have a good time?"

"mhm," ivy smiled, "i mean, initially i wasn't looking forward to it, but i had fun." she slurred her words slightly.

simon raised his eyebrows, "oh, well that's good at least."

ivy stood up from the bed and reached for simon's arm due to her lack of balance, "oops," she chuckled, "can you unzip my dress?"

simon smirked, shaking his head at her, "why don't you just buy a dress you can take off yourself?"

"shut up." she frowned at him.

"i'm just saying." he shrugged his shoulders, a smug expression sweeping across his face. she span around in front of him and he threw her hair over one shoulder before wrapping his arms around her waist. simon could not bring himself to let go, for the first time in two years everything felt perfect.

"thought i asked you to unzip my dress." she laughed softly, her entire body burning from his touch and butterflies raced around her stomach.

pressing a delicate kiss on her shoulder, simon hummed against her skin, "i will, i will."

ivy swiftly spun around, a sheepish grin forming upon her lips as he gazed down at her, unable to avert his eyes. she wrapped both arms around his neck and gently grazed her finger tips along the back of his head and slowly pulled his head forwards. a slight scent of alcohol enveloped the two as their faces inched closer and their lips finally met.