IN HER SHADOW (Oli Sykes Fan Fiction) COMPLETE

9. Brother In Law.

I was so nervous about going down for breakfast the next day, but Hannah and Oli turned up at my door and told me we were going down together. I really appreciated that, it felt much less daunting to potentially walk into a room with them than on my own. Most of the guys were there but nobody said anything or acted differently to normal, even when Matt arrived, he just kind of said good morning and sat down. I hated that my dreams of him treating me like gold had been shattered, that he didn't come up and beg me for forgiveness, but I guess I would prefer for him to just pretend like everything was normal rather than make it awkward. In the bus, I sat on the back seat with Oli and Hannah, who was completely invading Oli's personal space as we played a card game... she was laying all over him, not that he minded. He seemed happy. I was glad to sit with them and again, pretend like everything was fine. To be honest, I guess Hannah was kind of right when she told me that I would get over what happened. I didn't look at Matt and feel like I loved him anymore, I just saw him and felt nothing much at all. We didn't really talk that day, but he did try to have sex with me again backstage at the venue. I told him 'no' though; that I wasn't looking for a casual relationship, and that was the end of that. He moved on as though nothing had happened while I still fought with the monsters in my head.

We went out again that night and Matt was all over another girl again like I wasn't even there. I hated that it upset me, but it did. It just made me feel invisible and forgotten about and that was something that could always get under my skin and niggle at me. I snuck outside so I didn't have to watch it, feeling stupid, just wanting to be away from everyone to be honest. Oli must have noticed me leave though because he came out five minutes after me and sat on the bricks around a garden that I'd retreated to. I didn't know why he gave a shit about me when Hannah barely even did but he asked me what was wrong. I didn't even know how to answer though. I just felt horrible.
"Nobody cares about me." I said after he asked again.
"Don't be silly. Lots of people care about you." he replied.
"They don't, Oli. My own father left because he didn't want me and my mum still hates me for it. Hannah couldn't care less if I didn't exist, I don't have real friends... I've always been alone and that was OK. But then Matt came along and I got a taste of what it feels like to not be invisible... now that he doesn't want me, I feel more lonely than ever." I explained. 
"Hailie..." Oli said sadly as he put his arms around me. "You're not alone. I care about you." he stated. Tears welled in my eyes as soon as he said it. I believed him I guess. He was the only person who seemed to even remember that I existed sometimes. He had Hannah though, if she wasn't his girlfriend, I would be nobody to him either. Thinking about that made tears spill over my eyelids and down my cheeks before absorbing into his shirt. "We're friends, Hailie. You know that. If you're ever feeling lonely or sad, you just text me OK? You can come over and we'll play video games or take Luna for a walk or something." he said.
"Hannah would hate that." I stated, knowing she wouldn't want me hanging around, certainly not playing video games with her boyfriend.
"Well it's my house, so she can deal with it." he replied. He was such a good person and such a good friend to me.

 "How's Luna anyway?" I asked, checking in on Oli's super cute dog that he adopted only a few months ago. I'd only met her a few times but she was adorable and only a year old, so super playful and excitable.
"She's good. You'll have to come over and play with her sometime soon, I think she needs some friends other than me sometimes." he said.
"What about Hannah? Doesn't she play with her?" I asked.
"Yeah, but she likes you better." Oli chuckled. "Hannah's always trying to take photos of her." he added. That sounded like my sister alright.
"Poor Luna!" I replied before telling him that I'd love to come and hang out with her sometime. Oli went to the bar to get us drinks and I sat there realising that he was probably one of the people I trusted the most in the world. That was crazy seeing as I really didn't know him that well, but, I guess I didn't exactly have that many other options.