Hearts on a Page ~ Enemies to Lovers

Chapter 6: Shaggy and Velma

Today was the day: Halloween!

Even though Christmas is my favorite holiday (I know, real original), I still love Halloween. Dressing up as whoever you want is always fun. My friends and I take it real seriously. We started tossing out ideas in the summer, and when I got my bangs in July, Callie made a joke that I looked like Velma. Then, it all came together. We went thrifting for all the components of our costumes and we had a countdown until Halloween going. This was gonna be our best costumes yet, even if we technically were missing a member of the Scooby Gang.

Only we weren't anymore, as of earlier this week. 

Even once I was home last night from Callie's, I couldn't not think about Brayden's friend. Or should I say, friend.

Who could it be? And why was Callie in on it?

The thought kept crossing my mind as I worked, stacking the shelves. I was working upstairs, pushing the cart around as I fixed the shelves and added new books. Oliver remained downstairs for all of our sharing shift; it was for the best that we kept our distance.

I turned to look at the clock. 6:08. Less than an hour until Lydia would be picking me up and we would be having an amazing, Oliver-free evening with my best friends. It would be perfect.

I headed over to the children's section, my last work station of the day, and began organizing.

"Look, Dory. It's Velma!" said a 30-something year old woman to what appeared to be her daughter in a princess costume. The little girl started jumping up and down.

"Well you're the princess, dear. If anyone should be getting excited, it should be me," I said with a smile, crouching down to be at the same level as the little girl.

"If it's not too much to ask, could she get a picture with you? She's going through a Scooby phase," the mom asked.

"Of course!" I cheerfully replied and smiled as the mom took our photo. After, I stood up and continued back to my job.

"I think it's so cute that the staff here picked a theme for their costumes," the mom said as she picked up her daughter.

"Huh?" I was confused.

"The Scooby Gang. You guys all look great," she said with a smile.

NO FUCKING WAY. 

"Yeah, it was my bosses' idea," I replied as composed as I could be. "Would you excuse me?"

I didn't wait for a response. I turned around and sprinted for the stairs, praying that I was overthinking it. I nearly tripped on the turn, so I slowed down a bit. But the second I hit the ground, I started speeding through the aisles, nearly knocking people over. My fast walking and mumbled apologies were put to a halt when I reached the front of the store.

There he was, dressed in an olive green shirt and brown corduroy pants, behind the counter.

I was scared to say something, scared he'd get angry at me and I'd cry again. I didn't want him to be the one to acknowledge it so I walked a bit closer and just blurt out exactly what I'm feeling.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I say.

He looks up and makes eye contact with me, laughing.

Oliver Bennett was cackling uncontrollably at the fact that we were matching. The same Oliver Bennett who would've killed me on Thursday if he had the chance. This was unbelievable.

"Oh, this is just perfect," he says, trying to stop the laughter.

"You think this is funny? Was this a scheme? How'd you get my friends involved?" I was behind the desk now, inches from him. He looked down at the ground, and erupted in more laughter, harder than before. I looked down to see what was so comical. WE WERE WEARING THE SAME SHOES!

"You literally made fun of my oxfords, and yet, you have your own pair!" I grabbed him by his shirt, ensuring that his eyes were on me. There we stood, him grinning from ear to ear, with our eyes locked.

"UGH!" I shrieked, letting go of his olive-colored shirt and angrily walking towards my corner of the store.

His long legs were faster than mine, however, and he whipped around me, grabbing my arms. He didn't look angry, so I didn't try to move. Plus, I was too weak for his grip.

"Look, Brayden was the first person to talk to me at school and he was chill, so when he said he was having people over for Halloween, of course I wasn't gonna say no. I don't know if you've met me, but I don't like being here so I'll do what I can to get out of the house." You and me both, Oliver.

"He said his friends were doing Scooby Doo and that they needed a Shaggy. He never mentioned that you were friends with him," He let go of me. "If you don't want me to go, I won't. But, if it's cool with you, I'm leaving at 7 and I can give you a ride. The choice is all yours."

He walked away, and I instantly turned around, watching as he moved with poise.

Oliver Bennett is officially the most confusing male I've ever met. When I want to hate him, he becomes tolerable. But how could he just completely ignore what happened two days ago?

I walked over to my navy armchair and watched as Oliver passed out candy to little kids, genuinely smiling. I felt like I knew everything about him, but also nothing at all, if that's even possible. I felt like there was something there, that we could tap into, if we were both willing. I think I could be willing. But was he?

I had almost forgot that I had two other people to be mad at. I called Lydia, and she picked up after two rings.

"Hey Joy, I'm on my way now."

"That's what I was calling to tell you. You don't need to pick me up, I got a ride from someone else."

"Really? Who?" 

"Just ask your boyfriend. Or Callie. They can tell you. Cya soon, love."

"I don't like this Joy. Can you please tel-"

I hung up. She'd learn the truth soon enough; we both would.

I stood up and walked past Oliver to the back, grabbing his denim jacket and telling his father that we were leaving. I threw Oliver his jacket as a sign that I was taking him up on the ride offer and he followed after me. He unlocked his car, which was parked directly outside, and I got in the passenger seat. I was surprised to find his car quite clean, mostly just CDs in the back seat.

He buckled himself in and turned the radio on, a rock station was playing. We both hummed along to "Sweet Child O'Mine" as if the other person wasn't there. 

It didn't take long for us to get to Brayden's. Thankfully, Oliver put the address into his GPS, so I didn't have to help him. When we arrived, he parked right out front, but didn't immediately get out.

"Are you sure you're okay with me coming tonight?"

"Look, I don't get you, Oliver. Right when I thought we were getting somewhere, you freaked out on me. Maybe you can just brush things off, but I can't, especially when in the moment, it seemed like you were never gonna talk to me again."

"That's fair. I am sorry. There's just some... topics that don't sit very well with me, as you learned," we both laughed at that. "But you're right; I don't have any friends here and I'd like to enjoy myself tonight, and you deserve it too. Truce?"

"You're on thin ice, Bennett."

"That goes both ways, Morrison."