Olive's P.O.V.
Lucas had asked me on a date again. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at the moment. I know that I want it, but I'm also scared to get hurt again. I like Lucas too much, despite trying to keep it just about sex. I tried to tell my body to say no, but what came out was yes. I slapped myself stupid on the drive to school.
The car was a damn dream. It drove so well and with the weather being nice, I had put the top down, feeling the wind whip my hair around. It probably wasn't my brightest idea. I had to tie my bird's nest of hair into a high messy bun when I arrived. I ran to my class, cutting it close, but somehow still making it on time. Professor Johnson greeted me with a small smile. All my professors had expressed their condolences. They had been keeping an attentive eye on me.
Class was quick. I found it oddly easy here lately. I am not sure if it is because Professor Johnson is such a great teacher, or because I got so ahead in our textbook last week when I needed something to do. I had been losing my mind thinking of mom, and I thought that math would make for a great distraction. It had worked, as long as I was doing math, mom wouldn't pop up into my head. I guess it took too much of my brain power to solve the math problems that I couldn't think of anything else.
When I stepped out of class I saw Leo with his black stylish glasses and his hair half up. He gave me a wide smile before hugging me. I gave him a one armed hug back, since my other arm had my book.
"You look cute today." He told me, squeezing the bun on my head.
"Not at all." I shook my head.
"Don't be that way, accept the compliment." He nudged my shoulder playfully.
"If you say so, thanks." I shrugged, walking towards the elevator.
"Do you have a class next?"
"Not until 1."
"Wanna go hang out? It's really nice outside today, we could sit at the quad and enjoy the weather." He suggested.
"Thanks for the offer, but I really need to go see Hailey. Maybe some other time?"
"Yeah, okay." I could hear the clear disappointment in his voice.
"Let me call her, and see if she's even home. If not, I'll come hang out with you."
Leo smiled widely at my words, nodding his head. He looked like an adorable child. I called Hailey when we stepped out of the elevator, it turned out she was out with her dad right now. I'll have to wait until later to tell her about my results. I want her to come with me to my screening, but this isn't something I want to say over the phone. I'll see her tonight instead.
"I'm all yours, Leo." I smiled up at him as I put my phone away.
"If only." He gave me a smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes like usual. I wasn't sure what he meant by that.
"So what now?"
"Follow me." He grabbed my hand, pulling me towards a larger tree out in the quad. He took a seat, pulling me down beside him as we looked out at everyone walking by. "Ever since you told me your story, I've been watching people and wondering what their story is."
He stared out at the crowd as he spoke, as if to make his point. I watched too, seeing many people heading to class. One in particular was almost jogging as she struggled to keep her items from falling all over the ground.
"You really don't know what's going on in someone's life, yet alone what they've gone through. Not everyone wears their trauma on their sleeve." I squinted, watching the girl run towards the music building.
"Wanna play a game?" Leo asked randomly, going from deep to playful quickly.
"Uh, yeah, sure."
"I'll pick someone, and you tell me what you think their back story is." Leo explained.
"Alright, who's the lucky victim?"
"That one." He pointed to a guy in the distance with large headphones over his black beanie. He wore a faded shirt and baggy pants.
"Okay. Um, his name is David, and what you wouldn't expect about him is that he isn't listening to rap as one would expect. No, David is actually listening to heavy metal because listening to someone scream in his ears helps him not to scream at others. He goes out late at night and cruises around on his bike trying to find the best place to draw. He enjoys sitting at the beach off the rocky cliffs because of its beautiful scenery, but it also holds some danger. David still goes home to see his parents. His mom still does his laundry, but he forgot to take his clothes last weekend, and that's why he's wearing that faded shirt that he hasn't worn since high school."
"Okay, I can get down with that backstory. Why David though?" Leo grabbed his chin in thought.
"I don't know. He just looks like a David." I shrugged. "My turn to pick."
I scanned the crowd trying to find someone that may be hard for him. My eyes landed on a taller girl. She had her back turned to us, but she wore a short black skirt with a red tank top and red high heels. She looked like she was ready to go out and not to class. Her dark brown hair was straight, reaching just above her lower back.
"Her." I told him with a mischievous gleam.
"Easy. Her name is Francesca. She comes from a wealthy family. She's daddy's little girl that gets everything she wants. Only one time daddy couldn't get her the one thing she wanted, a guy she really liked. She got so mad that she retaliated by trying to get with his best friend. When he rejected her too, she started to spread vicious rumors about the pair. A lot of people started to believe them, causing everyone to avoid them. The best friends found solace in each other which only angered her further. She decided to try to get between them, drugging the guy she originally wanted at a party. She took him to a room and had sex with him in his drugged state. The best friend found them and had to fight her to get her off him. No one believes that a girl can rape a guy, so to everyone there they thought that the best friend had just gotten jealous and took that frustration out on her. They deemed him an abuser of women, causing him to have to drop out of his school and finish his senior year online. While his friend spiraled in college almost not being able to graduate. Francesca got away with everything, because no one would believe the best friend. He, however, was charged with assault, but his father was able to get it dismissed." Leo had an unreadable expression on his face as he looked at the girl.
"Jesus, Leo, that's dark." I shook my head. "What makes you think that's her story?"
"I know that girl." He shrugged.
I stared at him quickly, trying to replay everything he had just told me.
"Leo, were you the best friend in this story, or the original guy?"
He turned to look at me, a look of surprise on his face. He seemed almost shocked that I had pieced it together.
"The best friend." He sighed.
I wrapped my arms around his neck instantly. I pulled him against me, squeezing tightly like I could piece him back together from his trauma.
"I'm sorry you went through that. I know you would never hurt a woman. Fu.ck her. I'll go beat her ass right now." I told him with his cheek pressed beside mine.
"Thanks, Liv, but I'm okay now. She can't say anything here without bringing up secrets of her own."
"Leo, who was the original guy?" I pulled back, looking into his eyes. I think I know the answer, but I really hope I'm wrong.
"He wouldn't like me telling you." He told me with a sad face.
"It's Lucas, isn't it?" I felt my chest tighten and my heart break as I saw Leo's expression change.
"No way." He tried to lie, but he's a terrible liar.
"Okay, good. Still I am sorry for whoever your friend is." I let him believe that I believed him, but secretly I was fighting back tears for Lucas.
I looked back at Francesca waiting for her to turn her skanky as/s face our way. I wanted to memorize that face so that if I ever got the chance I could punch her right in the nose. I wanted to exact revenge like no other. I hate her worse than Julius and Clover right now.
"I knew a girl named Francesca back in my high school. She was a freshman when I was a senior. She made a big stink there, and even went as far as to join in on bullying me. She was a spoiled little shi.t too. The school wouldn't put up with her anymore, having her kicked out. Last I heard, she had to move out of state, because no other school in New Hampshire would take her. Francescas must be a real breed of bit.ch." I shook my head.
"I can stand behind that statement." Leo nodded.
We both watched her with murderous intent until she turned, revealing an all too familiar face. Her sharp nose and thin lips made me flash back to when she stole my clothes from the locker room, making me walk out with nothing but a towel to the office. She even tried to take the towel, but I had a tight grip on it.
"Holy shi.t!" My mouth dropped open. "That's the same fu.cking Francesca."
"Are you serious?" Leo sat up, looking at me more intently.
"Yeah, I would recognize that bad nose job anywhere."
Her eyes landed on us, causing the corner of her lips to turn up in a mischievous way as she began to approach. I felt Leo stiffen beside me as he noticed her. I hated that she had caused him so much trouble. I could tell he was traumatized by it, showing a slight fear of her.
"I got this, okay?" I told him, squeezing his hand before I stood up, approaching her too. Her eyes were fixed on Leo, as I stood in front of her. She spared me one small glance before trying to walk past me. I grabbed her bicep, pulling her back.
"Franny, you better leave him alone." I used the nickname she hated. The girls in highschool would bully her too, because she pissed off queen B one month.
She narrowed her eyes on me, trying to place me. It took her a second to remember, due to the vast changes to my appearance.
"Holly shi.t, Brilo Liv?" She smirked like she was happy to see me.
"Olive, actually." I squeezed her arm tighter till she flinched.
"Let me go, before I yell."
"Go ahead. No one's going to care. They'll just look at you like you're crazy. In fact, by all means please yell." I egged her on.
"Whatever, just let me go. I see my boyfriend. He's calling me over." She pointed to Leo.
"Funny, I am pretty sure Leo is dating me." I lied.
"As if he'd stoop to your level."
I pushed her back a few steps before running over to Leo and straddling his lap. He looked at me a bit confused for a moment before I crashed my lips against his. It probably wasn't the best idea, but I wanted her to see. I wanted her to leave him alone. I heard her scoff as her heels began to click away against the sidewalk. I pulled back, looking her way to make sure she was still walking.
"Fu.ck, Liv. You can't just do that to me." Leo groaned, I felt the bulge of his excitement between my legs, making me quickly hop off him.
"Sorry. I just didn't want her to think she could come bother you. She said you were her boyfriend, so I told her that we were dating." I slapped my forehead lightly, shaking my head. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."
Leo just laughed, a big smile gracing his face.
"Don't apologize. I really enjoyed that, and the lie." He winked at me, making me blush for a second.
I will admit it was kind of hot. I didn't think Leo had it in him, but it wasn't the same way that Lucas set me aflame. I know mom said this was fine as long as they knew of each other, and neither of them have asked me to be their girlfriend, but it still felt wrong. It still felt kind of slutty kissing Leo like that after I had kissed Lucas this morning. Hell we had done more than kiss.
How do people deal with these guilty feelings when they date more than one person?