Chapter One.
Oliver
“Defo going to ask her out,” Devon gloated. “She smiled at me today.”
My head turned. Who was Devon talking about?
“Who?” I demanded.
Devon sneered and taunted, “Alicia Rosewood, the girl blossomed over the summer.”
“Touch Alicia, and I’ll kill you. Liss isn’t a normal cheerleader,” I replied as anger rose quickly.
“What’s it matter to you? You’re banging Carmelle,” Devon retorted. Several of our teammates hissed. Devon was pushing buttons on purpose.
“Dude, Liss is off-limits,” I stated calmly. However, I was anything but calm. Nobody would touch Alicia Rosewood. Liss was mine.
“Dude, you can’t stop Devon from asking Alicia out when you’re with Carmelle. And Alicia’s ripe to be plucked,” Sam joined in. “Those tits and that ass—a real handful. Sweet sixteen actually meant something for Alicia; she bloomed!”
I saw red. Temper flaring; I shoved past my teammates, who shouted in alarm, and slammed my fist into Sam’s smirking face. Shouts erupted as I pummelled Sam and then went after Devon.
“Nobody. Fucking. Touches. Alicia.” I spat with each punch.
Hands grabbed and hauled me off, but I kept trying to get free. Coach yanked me away as I bellowed threats at Sam and Devon. Fuck them.
I grinned when I saw the marks the punches had left. Today, everyone learned a lesson. Alicia Rosewood was off-limits.
Alicia
I heard about the fight at lunch and checked around for Oliver.
The jock’s table was a place I never attempted to go, even though I was a cheerleader.
The boys were so immature and so worried about getting laid that they held no interest. Oliver wasn’t there, although the team was and appeared subdued.
Sam was sitting there with Carmelle, both looking pissed.
I wondered why. Nobody had said what the fight was over, but Carmelle was sending me filthy looks.
The other cheerleaders were at their table, which was behind the jocks, and I didn’t feel welcome.
I picked a table to eat at alone and sat down.
The jocks kept glancing over, worried, and Sam sent me a dark, nasty look. Devon, who was in an even worse state, joined him. What on earth had Oliver done?
The cheerleaders offered similar looks, and my stomach soured. I wasn’t really one of them, but because of my athleticism, I was part of the squad. My mother had been overjoyed, as she’d been a cheerleader once. Dad wasn’t so impressed.
A tray banged down, and I looked up into Oliver’s handsome face. A grin crossed his lips as I checked him for injuries.
“What happened this time?” I inquired mildly as Oliver sat.
“Taught some assholes a few lessons,” Oliver replied, taking my apple and swapping it for a peach.
“Sam and Devon? Oliver, you busted their faces,” I reprimanded.
“They deserved worse,” Oliver stated without guilt. “Fuckers made comments about your body.”
A blush wound its way up my face from my neck. I’d been slender and almost waifish until the summer. Then my breasts grew, and I developed an ass. I now owned a figure most girls my age craved, and I hated it as it drew attention I didn’t want.
“Oliver, you need to stop fighting over me; people will think something’s going on,” I replied, and Oliver shrugged. “Carmelle’s not stopped sending dirty looks. Join them. You know I’m the token pity vote,” I pushed.
Oliver banged his drink down and glowered. He pointed a finger in my face, and I barely held back the urge to bite it. “Never put yourself down like that.” Everybody close glanced over and, spotting Oliver’s expression, looked away again.
I rolled my eyes and let him witness it. “Your temper doesn’t frighten me.”
“Everyone else runs or pacifies me, not you, Alicia. You should be scared,” Oliver said, pointing a fry at me before biting it.
“Nope. I remember the kid who punched Grayson Ames in the mouth when we were five years old. Oliver, I’ll never be frightened of you.” “Good. I don’t want you to be,” he replied with a confident smirk.
“Oliver, seriously, go join Carmelle.”
“No. I’m tired of Carmelle’s demands. Bitch thinks she owns me,” Oliver scowled.
“Oliver,” I said with a sigh. He smirked again and ate a fry. “Tell her.”
“And deal with the drama?” Oliver shook his head.
“You can’t leave Carmelle hanging!” I exclaimed.
“Fine.” Oliver shoved the last of the fries into his mouth and stood up. “This scene’s on you.”
“Oliver!” I whispered, but he was already walking over to the jock’s table. Carmelle saw him coming and perked up. I wish I had Carmelle’s confidence, although I knew what Oliver was about to do, and I cringed inside.
Oliver was the kindest person in the world to me, but to everyone else, he was a cocky, arrogant asshole. Still, Oliver looked out for me when others judged me, and that sealed him as mine.
“Oliver!” Carmelle’s excited squeal reached my ears, and she stood up. Her short skirt showed off her long legs, and usually, I hated Carmelle for them. But right now, pity was all I felt.
Oliver was going to be brutal.
Carmelle latched onto Oliver’s arm, and he glanced down at it and then sneered. Oh, here comes the shitshow!
Oliver
Christ, Carmelle could hold a grudge. I’d dumped her four weeks ago, and Carmelle’s eyes still welled with tears when she saw me.
Was I meant to feel guilty about the breakup?
Who wants to date someone they hate? But Carmelle had made a massive mistake.
She’d picked on Alicia. Now that bitch was about to learn a lesson.
Angrily, I stormed onto the football field and located Carmelle immediately.
She was practising the routine, and I saw Liss standing to one side.
The guys saw me and watched as I approached the cheerleaders.
Close by was Devon, and I sneered as he glanced over and looked away.
Asshole thought he was the big dude on campus, but Devon was going to get schooled.
“Oliver,” Devon offered a chin lift. Target located.
I ignored him.
“Is there a problem?” Carmelle snapped, turning. I noted that Carmelle’s confidence had grown, and she no longer appeared to be in mourning. Stupid bitch.
“Yeah, a huge one. You. Think you can attack Liss with impunity?” I demanded.
“Alicia, Alicia, Alicia. I’m sick of hearing about dumb Alicia. She’s nothing!” Carmelle said loudly.
“Leave Liss alone, Carmelle, she’s off-limits,” I warned.
Liss glanced over and ducked her head. She hated scenes.
“Precious Alicia. If Alicia’s so special, why don’t you date her?” Carmelle snapped.
I threw my head back and laughed. “I am, you freaking bimbo.”
Liss jolted in surprise but didn’t say anything. I knew Liss would tear me a new one later, but Carmelle needed to learn.
“What?” Carmelle demanded, looking shocked.
“As I stated several times, Alicia belongs to me. Mess with Liss and I take that personally,” I said.
“Why would I care? I’m with Devon,” Carmelle snapped, tossing her hair and thrusting a hip out.
A wicked grin spread across my lips. “If Devon wants my sloppy seconds, he’s welcome to them.”
Carmelle released a wordless shriek as those listening gasped. Devon straightened and eyed me. His fists clenched as Carmelle stared. Devon didn’t like that but didn’t have the guts to challenge me.
“You’re going to let Oliver insult me?” she demanded.
Devon met my gaze and then slithered away.
“Prick hasn’t got the guts to go up against me,” I sneered. “All you are is easy pussy, Carmelle, and not very good pussy at that.”
Those around me hissed as my teammates smirked.
“Oliver, that’s out of line!” Devon snapped, and I laughed.
“Grown some balls, dude? Wanna take me on?” I taunted.
Devon held my gaze, and disgust showed on his face. That made me angry. How dare he judge? He was no better than me.
“Devon! Say something,” Carmelle shrieked.
Devon looked between those surrounding us and me. He had a choice, and I knew what he’d pick. If Devon opposed me, he was against the team. Devon decided, and I grinned. Carmelle was about to get schooled.
“Ain’t wrong,” Devon agreed and moved to stand with us. Shame crossed Devon’s face, but that pussy had no backbone. Even so, Devon’s stare made me uneasy.
Carmelle looked horrified and then burst into tears before running off.
“You’re an asshole,” Liss said and slapped my stomach hard. Yeah, I was cool with that, as long as it meant Liss was happy.
Alicia
It didn’t take long for the word to spread. Oliver turning on Carmelle made the rounds, and she had trouble holding her head up. I wanted to feel sorry for Carmelle, but she really was a total bitch. In the end, I quit cheerleading because I didn’t want to deal with the constant drama.
It was funny because Oliver clearly had meant what he’d said.
Somehow, we were dating without him asking, and I was cool with that.
Oliver and I had always shared a special bond, and now it was stronger than ever.
He walked me to class, sat with me at lunch, or made me join the jock table, which was, to say the least, uncomfortable.
At the end of school, Oliver waited to drive me home, even if I had clubs.
Oliver literally pissed on my leg, marking me as his.
I don’t know how our friendship shifted into a romantic one, but it felt natural. Some of the popular girls didn’t quite believe we were together and flirted, but Oliver refused them coldly. And sometimes, Oliver was downright cruel when doing so.
Strangely enough, the geek was dating the popular jock, and nobody, not even me, could understand it. But Oliver marched to the beat of his own drum, and that meant I did too. And honestly? It was nice being loved and getting to do the usual high school romance things.
We often drove to an isolated make-out spot and did precisely that. Sometimes we went to the movies or a diner, and I attended his games—always wearing Oliver’s jersey and jacket, of course.
Oliver took me to the lake when everyone was there, to bonfires and cookouts.
He didn’t care if I sat there and read a book or stayed in the background.
No matter where we were, I was safe because Oliver watched me like a hawk.
Oliver and I were the idyllic pair, in our minds anyway.
To everyone else, we were probably the odd couple.
Paradise lasted a year.
“Did you hear Oliver was caught making out with Bryony?” The words reached me as I stood in the queue for lunch.
“What? No?” Samantha gasped.
“Yup. Seems Mr Faithful is full of shit. Bryony says it’s not the first time they’ve got together, and said Oliver’s a whizz in bed,” Carmelle stated spitefully.
My stomach dropped. Was Carmelle telling the truth?
Oliver and I hadn’t gone all the way, and I now realised that should have raised alarms. After all, he’d been sexually active with Carmelle.
“I knew it wouldn’t last between Alicia and him. Alicia’s too weird and virginal. I bet Alicia’s frigid,” Samantha said, laughing.
Tears clogged my throat as those in front avidly listened in and then started adding their own spiteful comments. I didn’t care what people thought, but if Oliver was cheating, we were done. I deserved better than that.
“Alicia, come here, please?”
I glanced up and spotted Mr Edwards beckoning. Carmelle and Samantha grinned when they noticed me, and I held my head up. Their words had been soul-destroying, but nobody would see me break. I smirked at Carmelle and saw doubt in her eyes, and those around me offered confused looks.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t believe the lies of a desperate slut,” I said and headed towards Mr Edwards.
“Alicia, I need you to come with me,” he said kindly.
I followed Mr Edwards, wracking my brain about why I was being called to the principal’s office. Crap, had I done something wrong?
Mr Edwards walked in silence beside me, and as we got to the office, I saw Devon outside. He was scowling, but frowned when he spotted me. No doubt Devon thought I was in trouble. When I entered, two police officers turned to face me.
“What’s going on?” I demanded.
“Alicia, please sit,” Mr Edwards said, sitting behind his desk.
“Someone tell me what’s happening,” I whispered, my stomach sinking.
One officer spoke sadly, “Alicia, we’re so sorry; your parents were in a car accident.”
I sprang to my feet. “Okay, take me to the hospital.”
“Alicia,” Mr Edwards said gently, which was at odds with his huge personality.
“What?” I yelled, backing away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Devon sit up and stare through the door’s glass. Screw him.
“Your parents didn’t make it; they were killed in the accident.”
The scream that left me was heartrending, or so I was told. I’ve never remembered it, probably because I was screaming.