How He Saved Her

Chapter Seven

Aurora

There is something that is making Oliver smile the whole drive to school. It couldn't be me as I've been sulking in pain from what I've endured this morning. I hadn't made my father's breakfast earlier enough that he used me as a personal punching bag. He was smart enough to not hit me on my face except for the slap that didn't hurt as bad as the rest of the punches thrown on me. My ribs hurt and even though I'm trying to stay calm, my heart is violently racing in my chest.

I wish that Oliver's happiness would transfer to me but he doesn't say anything to me until after the drive is over. "I've got something for you", he says right after parking and killing the engine. I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn to him,"Yes?" I really wish my voice wasn't so small, that I was stronger than this. 

But I'm not. 

He reaches forward and I think he is going to touch me, but he heads to the backseat and I hear him rummage for something. He pulls back, makes eye contact for me for a second his eyes so much lighter with the sun shining, and then moves back to his seat. I try not to think of how close he was to me, and how I didn't hate it. His smile is even more bigger now, the dimples making an appreance and then he hands me a plastic bag. I take it from him with uncertaintly and when I look inside, tears form in my eye. 

I put my hand inside and pull out the book he asked me about yesterday. I hold it up to him and the events from earlier this morning and his kindness right now makes a tear flow out of my eye. He noticed it before I wipe it off and frowns. 

"Oliver, I", I start saying but when I look back in the bag, there are two more. I take those out as well, and my heart flutters from happiness. This is exactly what I needed, fluffy romance filled novels. I hold the books up to my chest and give him a big smile. "I love them", I say and I watch as his eyes soften. 

"Why were you crying then?", he asks and I peer through the books to learn more about them. 

"Had a rough morning and your kindness was overbearing", I admit in a whisper, my eyes still scanning through the books.

"You're welcome, Rory", he says so tenderly I look up to find him studying me. 

"No, this is just like the best thing you could've ever done for me", I say my voice a little louder. I watch as his face morphs into something modest before he glances away from me. Is he blushing? I take a little pride in that but I'm not allowed to enjoy it as he opens his door and starts walking out.

I grab my bag, my books, and head out of the car as well. He meets me by his car side, and I look up to see his cheeks still a little flushed. He glances down at me and says,"Bag." 

"No I've got it today", I say but he still puts his hand out and I reluctantly hand him it. Now, I'm able to read the back of the books for their synopsis. I'm reading them as we walk in and I hear him grunt beside me. Putting the books underneath my arm, I turn to him, "What is it?" 

His voice is loud when he says,"No, I just thought that buying you books would make you appreciate me more instead of ditching me to read in the hallway, babe." The use of the nickname tells me that he said it for the intended purpose for the girls swarming around us to listen.

"Oh", I say softly and walk close to him and place my hand in his. He intertwines them and then a smile appears on his face. I hear a couple of positive murmurs around me and they match my internal thoughts. The encounter made me forget that this was fake for a second. Still, I clutch my new gifted books and we head to my first class. 

♡•♡•♡♡••

"No, I'm telling you, the game is going to have to go perfect. I need the scouts to look at us", Oliver is enunciating to his team as they are complaining about the practices for the week. I'm reading my book with a hand on Oliver's as he has put it on the table for everyone to see. I'm playing with his fingers as I tune the rest of their conversation out and into the book I'm reading. 

I'm so invested in it that I don't comprehend anything until after I hear a click of a camera.

Automatically my heart beat picks up but when I find Oliver's phone propped up toward his chest, I relax. I look at him and he clicks another picture. I bury my face back in the book in an attempt to hide but he only clicks a few more pictures. I pick up his index finger and bend it so far he hisses in pain. 

"What was that for?", he says but I only feign innocence and I rub my hand on his. 

"What were all the pictures for?"I ask and he places his phone in front of me and when I press on the screen it's me looking up from my book, a small smile on my face, and my hand in his. A lock of hair is in my face but my eyes are showing for the most part. I stare at the picture for a moment before sliding his phone back to his. 

"And that's your wallpaper?", I whisper and he nods. "Why?" 

"Because I have to have my girlfriend looking back at me everytime I touch my phone", he says and his loud voice makes me know that he again intended for people to hear. Is our relationship not convincing that he needs to make it aware? A couple of his friends chuckle and when I turn to Austin he is smiling at me. 

"You know he has a point", Austin says,"They guy calls you his girl every chance he gets." 

His girl.

The phrase is something I can't comprehend. I glance at Oliver who is again blushing and he reaches past me and gives his friend a punch on the shoulder. "Shut up", he murmurs and then looks back at me. 

"My girl", I test out the words on my tongue silently and it makes me kind of smile. He takes back his phone and goes through the photos again before setting it on the table. I touch his screen to find the same photo displayed on the phone. I give him a small smile before pulling out my old beat up phone and snapping a picture of him. In the photo, he is looking at me with curiosity and yet intensity in his eye, his lips tilted up like it's natural and his hair falling right above his eye. 

I set the photo as my wallpaper and he presses the screen to look at it. I watch as a small smile spreads across his face and he murmurs something under his breath. 

"What?", I ask and he looks at me with a smirk. 

"You look like my girl", he says softly and yet a little loud and I hear a couple whoops from his friends. I look down and hope that my face isn't as red as it feels. I feel the warmth through my whole body. When I look up at him though, his smirk tells me that my face is red against my pale skin. 

♡•♡♡•♡•

Oliver informs me that our ride back home has to be quickened every day for this week as he has to get to practice earlier. That also means that he is quiet during the car ride probably thinking about the plays in his head. He pulls into my driveway and I get out of the car. 

"You know, Oliver", I start before closing the door behind me,"You don't have to worry that much. You play really well." 

"Playing well is different than playing best", he says not unkindly but a little faraway. 

"And you need to play the best?", I ask. He looks at me and makes a face like it should've never been a question. 

"The scouts aren't looking for rookies. They are looking for players who can earn them wins every single time. They need the best person if they are going to invest in them", he says and I nod, drawing my bottom lip in my mouth. 

"Well, you are good. So..", I play with the straps of my backpack. 

"Thank you, Rory", he says smiling at me and I smile back at him. I close the door behind me and head over to my house, not bothering to wave back because I find myself staring at my dad in the window. He looks pissed and I sigh knowing that I'm not going to get a free card today. 

"You're still with that guy?", he barks at me as he opens the door and I try not to shrink in front of him. I only manage to nod and he laughs in my face. I keep my face on the ground and hear him say,"He'll leave you soon enough." 

I don't say anything and he steps back laughing a little more. I start walking toward my room and think I succeeded in avoiding him but his hand slaps my butt makes me close my eyes in disgust. 

I thought I would be able to escape.