Zeke flinched, and I snapped my head in her direction beside me. “Watch it, Ty. You’re going to freak him out.”
“I call dibs,” she said again, pointing in the direction toward Ethan.
Looking back over, Ollie stood before Ethan, shaking Ethan’s hand. My helpless smile stretched across my face. Ollie fixed his black tee down over his joggers and turned to head in our direction. When our eyes met, the recognizable bright green beamed, and his hair was back in its usual tidal wave.
“Oh … my … god,” she sighed in awe. “Who is that guy?”
“Ollie!” Bria squealed as she jumped out of her chair.
It didn’t take long before Ollie’s arms were around Bria, then Jake, and even Gwen as she rushed over. Ollie’s eyes never left mine as he swiftly got through everyone, and I couldn’t help but beam as he greeted his friends.
“Zeke,” Ollie nodded his head over to him as he came up behind me. Familiar arms wrapped around my waist, and his head dropped into my neck. “My love.”
“Hold up,” Bria said, pointing at me. “You knew he was back?”
Ollie took the empty chair between me and the window. “Only got in yesterday.”
“So, you’re not available…” Tyler mumbled to no one.
“Good question, I’m not sure,” Ollie squeezed my thigh, “Mia, am I available?” Turning to face him, he flashed me a smug smile. “Is it you and I, or are we shagging other people?”
I narrowed my eyes, trying to process what he’d said. The three words that stuck were,“I’m not sure.”Even the suggestion of fucking other people should have stuck, but it didn’t. Since the day I’d met Ollie, he had always been certain. He’d never questioned what we had, and those three words were a reminder there was a morsel of the guy who left me crying on my knees in the hallway seven months ago still inside him.
“I’m not sure,” I said, matching his uncertainty with a shrug but pain cut through each word. The truth was, I was sure. I just wasn’t sure which guy was sitting in front of me. Was it the guy I fell in love with, or the guy who left me stranded? That day haunted me ever since, and it didn’t help the fact I had to walk down the same hall every damn day and relive the moment over and over again.
Ollie’s face twisted into a look I’d never seen before and raised his brows. “You’re going to embarrass me like that, yeah? In front of your friends?”
His facial expression and tone weren’t him, and I was sure my Ollie hadn’t returned. My Ollie never cared about what other people thought. His eyes, touch, and tone conflicted with one another, all contradicting. He didn’t hold the same low and carefully controlled tone.No. His voice had a hint of hostility, dripping with the reminder of him slowly slipping away before my very eyes once again. “And you didn’t?”
His mouth set in a hard line, and I shook my head, backing my chair from the table and gathered my belongings all at once. His hand caught my wrist, but I snatched it away. “The Ollie I know is certain,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way,” his leg bounced under the table, and he pressed down on his knee before standing. “Mia, let’s go talk.”
“I have class.” With my books clutched to my chest, it was my turn to walk away from him. The green eyes staring at the back of my head burned a hole, but I kept my feet in front of me. It hurt to be around him, only bringing back the day he slipped away. All I wanted was for my Ollie to be back, and I wondered how long I would have to wait.
“You alright, Jett?” Ethan asked as I passed him while leaving the mess hall. Without stopping, I nodded and picked up my pace. “Wait up!” Ethan followed after me, and I didn’t stop until his hand rested on my shoulder and spun me around. “Listen, it’s none of my business—
“You’re right. It’s not,” I snapped.
“Just listen to me for a second.” His electric blue eyes burned as he peered down at me, and he scratched the back of his head. “You’ve been doing so good. I don’t want to see you fall back into that same place.”
“Why?” I asked, my voice on the verge of breaking. “Why do you care?”
“Don’t play coy. It’s no secret we’re close, or at least I thought we were close,” Ethan rolled his head back before returning his eyes to me, “We’re friends, and I’m not going to sit back and watch him bring you down again.” His blue eyes went cold, and there was something he wanted to say, but he bit his tongue, refusing to cross a line.
“What’s this?” Ollie’s voice came from behind. His arm draped around my shoulder, marking his territory. The tingles shooting up my spine blended between what my heart wanted and what my brain couldn’t understand. It was Ollie, but it wasn’t. Twisted confusion. Total mind-fuck. My head snapped up to see Ollie’s eyes darting back between Ethan and me. “Ah, it makes sense now. You’re screwing another security guard, Mia?” Ollie turned his chilling tone to Ethan. “You banging my girlfriend?”
Ethan shook his head and took a step back. “You have the wrong idea.”
“No, I don’t think I do,” Ollie pulled his arm away and shoved me forward with enough force, my books fell to the floor and my face crashed into Ethan’s chest. “Have her, mate. I have no use any longer.”
I went into shock, and I pressed my face further into Ethan’s chest, gripping his shirt into my fist. Ethan took a step forward, taking me with him and a calculated chuckle came from Ollie while his footsteps faded behind me, adding more distance between us.
Ethan’s hand pressed against the back of my head. “He’s gone,” he mumbled and tried pulling me away, but I refused. “What a fucking prick.”
“It’s not him. That’s not Ollie,” I cried, “He’s never done that before … I don’t…”
Ethan’s grip tightened around me before his chest rose against my cheek then fell as he released a long, exaggerated breath. “Don’t make excuses for him.”
