Dear Augustus | I Never Let Go ✓

03 | Don't Play With Fire

I haven't seen Adrian since our confrontation at the cafeteria the day before. It's good because it helps in subsiding the train of memories boiling in my head. I'm still processing the warnings he gave regarding Liam. Not that I haven't heard rumors, but I'm not putting any thought into his advances. That's the reason I've been ignoring his messages.

Unknown: Looking forward to meeting you at the party tonight.

That's the tenth message I've left unanswered, and I haven't even saved the guy's number. I'm in no way looking forward to meeting him at the party. The only thing that keeps coming into my mind whenever I think about the party is Adrian's scowly face.

I don't know why he keeps doing this to me. Every time I decide to find someone decent enough to make me forget about how single I am, he scoops that opportunity out of my plate by either scaring the shit out of the guy or by offering the guy a better alternative.

I blame my unavailable heart to you, Augustus, but my non-existent chances of casual hookups are all blamed upon Adrian. I set my calculus notes aside and add Liam's number to my contacts list. Maybe after tonight, I might find something in the guy to keep him around.

"Is that Liam Parker from the soccer team?" Olivia snatches my phone and looks at the unattended messages, throwing herself on the couch beside me. "Bitch, I've had a crush on this dude since our freshman year."

Oliva Hart, with black hair and round doe eyes, has a crush on everyone every year. But when it comes to her heart, none can own it except, of course, me. We've been together since the day of our orientation and never left each other ever since. We're like sisters from different mothers, each other's therapists when we need one. When we moved out of the dorm into an apartment, she was the one who insisted on not having another girl in between us. Then when you have her as your soul sister, you need no one. After all, who would bear my messiness, my zero cooking skills, and my unholy sleep cycles? It's only Olivia for me, quite literally.

I raise my eyebrow in question and a grin appears on my lips. "Last time I checked, you had a crush on Noah."

Olivia rolls her eyes, tossing my phone on my lap. "I have a crush on Noah now, but I have a crush on Liam since we watched him play soccer for the first time. But he never once took my flirting seriously, and he's giving you his full attention, yet you decide to ignore him."

"Can you blame me? The guy's a predator, and I'm his next prey. Makes up a good reason to ignore him." I rest both my legs on the edge of the couch and rest my head on her shoulder.

"Says who? Adrian?" She has a suggestive smile on her lips, and I close my eyes, nodding. "You know, he's just a jealous prick."

My mind goes back to the moment between us in the cafeteria. Adrian's fiery green eyes, burning me from inside as Liam typed in his number on my phone. His warm breath glided like molten lava on my skin as he warned me to be away from Liam. I once again clear my thoughts before they can make my skin tingly.

"Why would he be jealous?" I clear my throat and wiggle my head down to her lap. "He's an obnoxious prick."

Olivia laughs. "Seriously, Vio. You know that's bullshit. He is a jealous obnoxious prick, period."

"He's not jealous," I shake my head, looking up at her gray eyes. "There's no reason for him to be jealous over me getting asked by Liam."

"Because he doesn't want you to date anyone else. Isn't that obvious?"

"You're delusional. Nothing is obvious except the fact that I don't date. You know I don't." I groan, rubbing my face with my hands. "Are you coming to the party with me?"