21. He’s not my soulmate. He’s my problem #2
Blaine tenses at her comment. Oliver hasn’t taken his eyes off me, but at Molly's words, he turns to her, releasing me and taking a protective stance. It’s not necessary, but it still feels nice all the same.
“It’s bad to care about people now, is it, Molly?
” She tenses but meets Oliver’s stare and turns her scowl into a flirtatious smile.
“Of course not, just the history between them is messy.” I almost scoff, but hold it in. She’s speaking as if I’m not standing right here.
“Why is it any of your business?” I say. She opens her mouth, then closes it. I take the opportunity to sidestep Oliver, past Blaine and Molly.
“Thanks for checking on me, Blaine,” I say, then pause, placing a hand on his forearm and whispering low so only he can hear. “Molly isn’t innocent; be careful.” Then I walk past. He attempts to stop me, but Molly grabs his bicep.
It takes Oliver two minutes to catch up to me and one whole minute of me struggling and protesting while he drags me to the side of the building.
A grassy hill and a cluster of trees shield the area from the path.
Before I can argue again, he lifts me onto the wall.
My feet dangle as he steps between my slightly parted knees.
In this position, I’m a few inches taller than him, and I enjoy the new dynamic.
“You don’t get to vanish on me. You don’t get to walk away every time you feel something you don’t like. That’s not how this works. Not with me.”
“Then tell me what this is. Because every time I think I understand the game, you change the rules.”
“There is no game. I’ve made that clear.”
“But everything else isn’t.”
“Why do you always run?” He looks at me, waiting. Hands caressing my bare thighs up and down.
Just his slight touch has me giving in. Fucking stupid Oliver Caldwell.
“You want the truth? Fine. You scare me. The way you look at me like you own me. How I feel…When I saw that video, I was sick to my stomach at the thought of you with anyone else. It still hurts thinking about it, even when I know what really happened.”
He nods. “Good. We’re finally getting somewhere.”
“You speak in code, and sometimes I never can get a read on you. I need to be able to read you, Oliver. I mean, you still haven’t told me you were the one in the forest that first night, even though I’m ninety-nine percent positive it was you.”
“Now you can be one hundred percent.”
“I knew it!” I throw my hands up.
“Does it change the way you feel?” he asks.
“Why were you really in there?” I question.
“Because I had to handle something with Callan. That’s all I will tell you, not because I don't want to or trust you, but because you will not get involved, and I won't put you in any sort of situation where you have to lie because of me.”
“I…” I don’t even know what to say to that.
He parts my legs fully, stepping between them. “You think I’d let anyone mean more to me than you?”
I swallow hard. “I don’t know what to think,” I whisper. We’re too close. My walls are down.
“Dollface.”
“You owe nothing to me, I just thought.” I shake my head. “I’m confused. Amelia, Jade, Serena, and I just feel like I can't catch a break. The vigil just tipped me over the proverbial edge.”
His hand at my throat isn’t painful, but hard enough to ensure my eyes stay on his.
“Did you see me peel her off? Did you see me tell her to back the fuck up, or that a nice little video would be leaked of her fucking Leo at the same party Amelia left and then died hours later?” I gasp, but he plows on like he didn’t just drop a bomb.
He must see my complete state of shock because he squeezes my throat, bringing me back to the conversation. “I didn’t see you push her off,” I admit.
“Hmmm.”
“I don’t know how to handle how I felt.” I look down at him.
“That makes two of us.” He says it so deadpan that it breaks the heaviness coating us and weighing us both down. “Next time…if you’re going to punish me for something, make sure I deserve it.”
“Wonder how long that will take.” He licks his bottom lip, hiding a smirk.
“How did you find out about Leo and Jade?”
He releases my throat, wrapping his arm around my back, pulling me so close my ass hangs off the ledge. His other hand is still stroking my thigh, creeping higher with every pass. “Followed them upstairs.”
I smile at him. “Looks like you were just in the right place at the right time.”
“Exactly, Dollface.” He grabs my waist, picking me up and setting me on my feet. “You have to get to class.”
“Um, it’s not.” I grab my phone from my bag, noticing it’s already 11:15; my class starts in fifteen minutes across campus. “Shit. Okay, I have to go—” I start to fast walk, but a tug on my backpack stops my motion. My back collides with a hard chest.
“Are you forgetting something?” I turn back to where we were sitting. His hand closes around my jaw, pulling me as he catches my bottom lip between his teeth. He uses my shock and broken gasp as an invitation to slide his tongue into my mouth before kissing me properly.
When I pull away, I’m breathless, and my lip gloss shines on his mouth.
That little part of dishevelment on his handsome face makes me smile.
I wipe it away with my thumb while he stands there staring at me.
I then realize how intimate that is and pull my hand away abruptly.
Without another word, I book it to my next class.