Fated to Break | ✓

f o u r

Olivia

It was so clean. Rowan's room was spacious and inviting. His shelves were filled with romantic literature, history, art, and science fiction novels. It was beyond surprising. It was like I was standing in front of my books at home.

I watched him walk to his room because I was curious which one was his. That's when I saw the shelf, my legs moved without even thinking about it.

He's interesting. Different.

He's so big and bulky yet so gentle and awkward. I've seen him with Lucas and his friends, he doesn't talk much but I realize he's always been there. Whenever I said hi he was always polite.

He makes me laugh and despite his size I feel safe around him, talking to him calmed me. I was anxious to come today. But now I'm going to try one more time.

I reach the bottom of the stairs, Lucas calling out for me, "Olivia? Where were you, I thought I asked you to get me nachos." Laughter fallows, from him and no one else.

Fuck it's embarrassing. He always acts this way around his friends, like being a dick is cool or something. Yet only he seems to think that way. Even if the girls they're with are flings, the other guys still treat them like they're special. I want to be treated like a I'm special around "the boys". Like I'm fragile even though I'm not.

I sit beside him, lowering my voice for only him to hear, "Can you stop being an ass."

He rolls his eyes, leaning back, throwing his arm behind me on the couch, "I'm just messing around, Olivia. Don't be so high strung."

I lift my hand, "I burnt myself and you look like you couldn't care less, Lucas. You haven't acknowledged me since we got here."

"I know, they told me, I'm sorry but you look okay now....and I came to watch the game, not to chat with my girl. I brought you as a formality, if you're bored, go out on the porch with the other women," He laughs, turning to comment on something one of the guys said about the game.

All the anxiety that my time with Rowan washed away creeps back in as I feel a vein pop out in my forehead. I stand, everyone turning to look at me.

My face starts to heat with my impulsivity. "I forgot my phone upstairs." I walk to the stairs, rushing once I'm out of sight. I need my calmness back.

I'm panting, my pace up the stairs taking too much out of me. My eyes latched on Rowan's open door, I hesitate. No. I want to talk to him.

I approach his door, peeking in as I knock on the doorframe. His large figure is hunched over on the bench I sat with him before.

His head in his hands, he grunts, "Go away."

"You sure? You look lonely," I joke, hugging myself, feeling pretty out of my depth.

He looks toward me then, his light eyes wide with surprise. "Olivia? What's wrong, why'd you come back up here? Are your gauze messed up?" He fusses, standing to his impressive stature. He has at least five inches on Lucas.

I step closer, passing the boundary of his door. I look away, browsing his room, "N-no, I'm fine I just....wanted to talk to you more. Lucas made me mad and I needed to get away."