His eyes darted around frantically before he dropped his shoulders and closed the door in my face.
I knocked again, three frustrating times, but there was no answer.
Was he upset with me? Had the prankster taken him away from me, too?
The weekend passed with no sign of Zeke, Ethan, or Ollie. My world shrunk to the population of one: me.
It was lonely here.
Monday morning, Ethan stood at the back wall, as usual, fidgeting in place with his hands behind his back. We haven’t spoken two words to one another since he confronted me in the hallway after the Maddie altercation, and he never bothered to show his face when day fell to night, and my terrors came to life. Over the last three nights, I’d woken alone and afraid.
I wanted Ethan, but not in the way I desperately needed Ollie.
Even in Ollie’s absence, he ran freely through my veins, his love circulated, pumping to a crimson song stuck on repeat. A continuous reminder. Every part of me belonged to Ollie, and there was nothing I could do about it. My eyes searched for him in every room I entered, and in every person I came across. No matter how hard I tried to shake him, how hard I tried to stay away, even in Ollie’s absence, he had a hold on me.
I hadn’t seen him since he pulled me off Maddie, and I grew worried as a thousand worst-case-scenarios crossed my mind. The fear of losing him again crawled over me like a million spiders, using my weakness to spin their webs.
Entering class, Tyler averted her gaze as I took my usual seat beside her. Though Tyler had been caught fucking Jude behind Bria’s back, it had been me they pushed away, only making them grow closer. They even moved ourWASAcounseling session into another room so I’d show up alone and confused and looking like an idiot. Talk about stooping to the lowest of lows. It had been me who’d put the entire group together, and the prankster took that away from me, too.
“Tyler, this is ludicrous,” I whispered over to her before class started. “You can’t seriously be pissed for somethingyoudid.” Tyler exhaled, crossing her legs under the table, and flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I didn’t fucking tell everyone!”
Nothing.
Giving up, I slumped back in my chair as Ms. Chandler spoke up from her desk and advised everyone to complete the lessons on the board in silence. She was the kind of teacher who avoided interaction, more of a babysitter watching over us as we taught ourselves.
Once class was over, I debated on following Tyler out and giving it one more shot, but as soon as we exited, she fell into the arms of Bria. Two pairs of eyes shot bullets in my direction before they turned and walked away.
Fucking females.
“Trouble in paradise?” Maddie’s voice sang, falling into step at my side.
“You got a nice bruise I see,” I smiled over at her, “need one on the other side to match?”
“Ah, shut up.”
I probably shouldn’t, but I had to know if she’d seen Ollie. I grabbed Maddie’s arm and pulled her to a stop at my side. “Have you seen Ollie? I haven’t seen him in a couple of days, and I’m getting worried.”
Maddie looked past me and nudged her head. “Ya, he’s right there.”
I turned my head, and my heart leapt when my eyes landed on his silhouette. In black jeans, a black hoodie, and the hood pulled high over his head, Ollie walked through the hall with his head down and eyes hidden from me.
Relief smothered my worries, and I moved in his direction without a second thought—only needing to look into his eyes and know he was okay.
“Ollie,” I whispered, stepping out in front of him. He paused and lifted his head. Jaded green eyes met mine. But the sight before me only threw accelerant over the previously smothered worries, reviving my fears. Cut, swollen, and bruised, Ollie stared down at me utterly gutted.
My fingers reached for his face, and his hand caught my wrist. My eyes watered, and the lump in his throat bobbed before he slowly grabbed the back of my hand and brought it to his face. Ollie’s eyes squeezed shut as if it pained for me to touch him. “I’m alright, love.”
“Who did this to you?” Seeing him this way destroyed me. When I had been too busy protecting myself, I’d left Ollie behind. I understood his resentment toward me and the pain in his eyes. We both made mistakes, and I wished now more than ever, I could’ve taken every nasty word I’d said back.
We were supposed to be in this together.
Ollie kissed the inside of my palm before darting his eyes around. “Get to second block before you get into trouble. It’s about to start.”
“Please, talk to me.”
Maddie passed by, and Ollie dropped my hand between us. “Get to class, Mia,” he muttered through an exhale, then walked away from me.
The mess hall stayed eerily quiet. The thick cold air swarmed through the unsaid tension, and I darted my eyes around, just like everyone else, knowing something was about to hit the fan at any moment.
