Greenridge Academy

Chapter seventeen

  "Thank you guys for coming out with me tonight, I needed to get out of the house." I huff out. This festival is more packed than it was last year, and colder. I decided to wear black leggings with a semi cropped mocha sweater. My icy hair is flowing down my back, letting the wind caress through the strands. I let Haley do my makeup, she said it was trending online... something called cold girl makeup. I don't know, to me it looks exactly the same... with five times more blush. "Of course girly pop. You've been at the library almost everyday this week, Jessie said he really had to pick up your slack." She giggles out. My eyebrows fuse together with confusion, "You've been talking to Jessie? I thought you guys hated each other." I mean the last time I saw them together, they were fine. I didn't think that meant they were going to be on weekly talking terms. "Oh, I showed up the other day for mani's and pedi's. Jessie answered the door — said you were working." She shrugs looking down at her phone. Whatever, I have enough on my mind... I've messaged and called James over a hundred times this week and he hasn't gotten back to me. I asked Sheila and Denis about him, and they always gave some half assed answer before changing the subject. "Oooh, candied apples!" Haley shrieks out jumping in line. I step to the side so as not to confuse the line, and Libbi follows.
  "Hey... can I talk to you about something?" the words leave my mouth just above a whisper. I'm surprised she even hears me. She motions toward a bench a few feet away, and I follow sitting down on the cold bitter wood. "What's up girl?" Her eyes look back at mine, but all I can see is Lachlan. I've never thought they had any features that look alike, but they do. They have the same icy blue eyes that pierce right into you. I don't even think they do it on purpose, just their resting state. "I — uh." I stutter. I don't want to force her into telling someone before she's ready, but at this point I don't have any other option. "Have you thought about — uh... telling Lachlan?" Her entire body stiffens as soon as the words leave my lips. Her head begins swiveling making sure no one is close enough to hear us. "I — I don't know if I can, Liv." I look up at the white lights wrapped around every tree, hanging down from the pitched up tents. If you squint your eyes and turn your head a little to the side, it almost looks like it's snowing. Snowing in California is laughable. The first and only time I saw snow was when we took a day trip to Colorado when I was ten. My great aunt Charlotte lived there, she passed away the same year... we've never been back.
   "I should have told you this sooner... Miles has been threatening me. Since that very first night." I blow out a shaky breath, willing my nerves to leave with it. "What! Olivia — why didn't you tell me?" She sounds hurt, I don't have the guts to look at her. Knowing that if I did I wouldn't tell her any of this. "At first — it was just verbal threats. Trying to scare me into staying quiet. But —" "At first... oh my god, Olivia. What did he do?" I feel a warm tear trickle down my cheek before I can stop it. I take another deep breath, willing myself to answer her question. "A couple weeks ago... he— he cornered me in a staircase after school." I hear her sharp breath but continue. "At first he was just telling me to stay away from Lachlan. But I guess he thought I wasn't taking him seriously enough." I clear my raw throat, begging myself to continue. "He wrapped my hair around his fist and leaned me out over the stairs — the only thing keeping me from falling was his grip." Now they're several tears streaming down, faster than I can wipe them away.  "I'll tell him. I promise, I'm so sorry Olivia." "I'm the one who's sorry. I am sorry that this happened in the first place. I'm sorry that I even asked you to come forward and tell him. Maybe —" I look around making sure no one is lingering near us. When I'm certain there's not, I continue. "Maybe he won't actually do anything and he really was just trying to scare me into silence." I drop my head into my hands, blowing out every ounce of air in my lungs before my aching lungs demand fresh oxygen. "Don't you dare do that." I snap my head toward her, her voice now hard. "Don't give into him. Don't give that little weasel anything he wants. Not anymore." I nod my head once slowly then over and over unable to stop it. The only way he has power — is if we give it to him. He's powerless without fear.
  "Okay guys, I want a big stuffed elephant. Let's find some boy to win one for me." Haley's happy voice comes in, slicing a hole through the tension. I stand abruptly, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "Let's do it." There's a smile on my lips, but I'm unsure if it's because we're finally going to take him down — or if I'm genuinely happy in this moment. Here with my friends, and a somewhat chilly winter night; at a winter wonderland carnival. "Okay, there's a few booths that have giant elephant stuffed animals." I point toward the squirt guns, then toward the basketball shooting booth, before finally landing on the jungle gym one. "I'm sure you could do any of these yourself, but I'm also sure any guy here would try to win one for you." I boop the tip of her rosy nose. Her hair is in two french braids, with blue ribbons tying them. She's in a baby pink sweater dress, that makes her warm brown hair stand out. "I have picked a few candidates for us." Libbi points toward a group of three guys who're standing by a group of four or five girls. "All I would have to do is go over there and ask — they'll be tripping over themselves to win it." Her giggle turns into a full fledged belly laugh causing Haley and I to join in. I needed this — needed them. Libbi takes a few steps toward them before stopping. She pulls her bright red mini skirt up an inch higher than it already was. She pulls her oversized long sleeve shirt down, I'm sure making her cleavage stand out. She tugs the extra fabric of her shirt into the side of her waistband and motions for us to follow her. As she's tapping the tallest boy on the shoulder, Haley and I make our way behind her. Flanking both sides of her. When the boy turns around I recognize him. It's Logan — quarterback Logan. A fit of laughter catches in my throat, I try to cough to cover it up but Logan catches it.
  "And what's so funny Miss Olivia?" He's got his panty dropper smile on, making my insides do weird things. I shake my head, raising my shoulders slightly. "Well, obviously it was something." A higher pitched voice echos from behind him. He sighs and looks toward the ground angling his body to the side so whoever spoke can make themselves known. "What nothing to say now? Or do you only use your voice to attract the male species?" Her group of friends snicker from behind her. She obviously has a problem with me — I don't know why. "Uh —" I begin but I'm truly baffled. Normally the meal girls at school never say anything directly to me. They whisper while I walk past, never having enough courage to say it to my face. "Leave her alone, Scar." Libbi's voice rings out. So Libbi knows her. Wait — Scar? As in the girl that was all over Lachlan at that party at the abandoned pool? I think that's what Haley said her name was. It was dark in the building so I didn't get a good look at her face. She's breathtaking. Her hair is dyed a bright red, probably meant to intimidate people. Her eyes are such a dark brown they're almost black, and she has the smallest amount of freckles across her nose. Her lips are big and pouty, covered in clear gloss. Her skin resembles glass, not a single pore in sight. She must be with Logan now... that's why she's coming for me. "Sorry. I didn't mean to overstep or anything." I nod my head toward him. He burst out with laughter, holding his stomach tightly. I look over to Libbi, wondering what the hell is going on. But her face is wrinkled with distaste. "Ew. That's my brother." She rolls her eyes with ease, her eyes settling with disgust. She's disgusted with me — because of me. But if she isn't with Logan... her brother. Then why is she being so hostile with me? "There was nothing funny. Well... besides your outfit choice." The words leave my lips before I can stop them. My hand flings up toward my mouth. She takes a step toward me, her eyebrows now furrowed deep. Logan steps in her path stopping her. "Walk it off. Walk it off." Her onyx eyes find mine once more before she huffs and walks away. Her entire group of friends follows her, until there's only one remaining. "Well... that didn't go according to plan." I shrug my shoulders and Libbi and Haley burst out laughing. "Wow. I didn't know you were a firecracker." Logan's eyes are gleaming, but I don't know why. But I need it to stop. "Well, Mr. Quarterback... my bestie is going to die if she doesn't receive one of those giant elephants." I point toward the animal in question. Haley giggles quietly beside me. "Actually I think my time is already running out, we have to hurry." Her voice sounds breathless. Hell of an actress that one. "Well, we better go win it then, huh?" His voice changed, now it's deep and muscular sounding. Shit maybe I fixed them up without even having to try, I mean come on they just make sense. She's drop dead gorgeous and he could send the entire cheerleading team down with one look. Perfect match. I turn to follow them when he catches my eye. Out of all the people passing by — I don't know how he caught my eye. Somehow I always know when he's near. Lachlan is ten feet in front of me. Standing on the other side of the Jungle gym booth that Logan and Haley are standing at. Good choice, he seems like he would be a childish — in a good way date. The second my eyes make it to his face, his eyes snap up to mine. There's a blur of dark hair next to him — Miles. I stopped walking entirely. "Hey, I think I'm going to go. I promised my mom I would be back early." "Are you sure?" Libbi asks. I nod my head again not wanting to lie even more than I have to. She mumbles out a response, and I turn to leave. I zigzag through the crowd as fast as I can. I feel a prickle in my spine, and every hair on the back of my neck stands at attention. I turn to look behind me but there's no one there. Well, there's multiple people around... but not a single one looking at me. I continue weaving myself through the crowd, the feeling of someone watching me never leaving me.
Lachlan's POV:

  I waited in this girl's driveway for two hours before I just knocked on her door. Her mom answered — stating that she left with her friends a few hours ago to go to the winter wonderland carnival. I've never in my entire life waited on someone. I wasn't even going to come this year, but after waiting two hours I had to see her. She can't ignore me every time she's mad. Like a childish little brat. I finally get my eyes on her... and she runs. Literally runs in the opposite direction. She's the only person in my life who doesn't kneel on the floor I walk on and it doesn't make sense in my head. She's almost always on my mind, whether it be because of how much she annoys me... how much she presses every single button I didn't know I had; or because I can't get her watercolor eyes out of my memory. Or the way her lips curve up into a smile when she can tell she's annoying me. I've never in my life met a more real person. Technically every person I'm around is real, in a sense. But they put on a persona. They try to be who they think I want them to be... and maybe before — that is what I wanted. Olivia is the realest person I know. Her emotions are raw, no matter which one she's wearing. When she's happy... It's genuine. You can tell by every line on her face, the pure joy she's feeling. When she's sad... it's like every crack inside her is flooded and overwhelming her until she can't hold on anymore. She holds it inside until it bubbles over the surface, and explodes. She might think she's good at hiding her emotions — and to some people she might be. But I see through her every time. Against better judgment— I follow after her. She's getting through the crowd quickly — through small gaps between groups of people. Luckily for me, when I say jump — everyone else says how high. So they move out of my way pretty quickly. Everytime I catch a glimpse of her... she disappears again. This goes on for over twenty minutes before I lose her entirely. Everyone around me is moving non stop, as if they aren't witnessing me lose the one girl I need to see.
  I take a step to the right, hoping that she chose this way — when yelling catches my attention. A group of people are already starting to form, so I can't see what's happening. I raise myself to the tops of my toes, stretching my neck to see what's going on when my heart stops. It's not only Olivia... but Scar is standing in front of her, and it doesn't look good. I can almost make out the smoke coming from Olivia's ears before I try to make my way through the dense group. Whatever pull I thought I had — I no longer have with this group of people. No one is moving, and there's no holes to get through. I've made it about a foot away from where I originally started. I can only make out every few words that are being said and it's always Scar's voice. I push a few guys smaller than me out of my way, looking back at Olivia when the world around me seems to slow. "Well, I guess we'll see about that." Scar's voice rings out clearly. Olivia takes a step away from her, but it's too late. Scar pours a cup of brown liquid over Olivia's head. She's wearing dark clothing, so it doesn't ruin her clothes... but her hair is completely drenched. If I had to guess, I would say it was hot chocolate. Luckily Scar decided to argue for over ten minutes — so it didn't scald Olivia. I have no doubt that Scar didn't realize how long she'd been talking and expected it to burn her. If one thing is for certain... it's that I'm glad I wasn't born a woman. Girls are cruel to the max, and steep lower than you would ever think about going. Finally once Scar takes a step back I make it to the open circle where they're standing. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" I grimace at Scar. She sucks in a deep breath, I'm sure I look as scary on the outside as I feel on the inside. She pouts out her bottom lip for a few seconds. "Well, you wouldn't play with me. I had to find something to play with." She answers with a devious smirk. I will never understand how I was ever attracted to her. I rip my corduroy jacket off and drape it over Olivia's shoulders turning back to Scar. I look around at everyone watching us and an idea pops into my head. "When are you going to take the hint?" I look around at everyone again with a smile best described as my dick smile in place. "You're used. You're dirty... and I'm done with you." I drop my arms to my sides, showing everyone how tired of her I am. "You don't mean that." She says taking a few steps toward me when her hand reaches out to touch me. I grab her wrists and squeeze tightly. Whispering a few words only she can hear. "You know the rules." As harshly as I can, before dropping her hands, shoving her away from me. I hear a sharp intake of breath behind me and turn on my heels toward the sound. Olivia. I take a step toward her, and she takes a timid one back. She's afraid of me. I just stood up for her in front of over a hundred people — which I never do... and she's afraid of me? Unbelievable.
  I take two big steps until I'm standing right in front of her, the dirt from under our feet kicking up and altering my vision. I reach my hand out to make sure she's still here when her voice echoes through my ears. "Don't touch me." Before I can reply my jacket is draped through my arms and she's gone... again. Fuck! She's impossible.
  She's going to have to see me at some point... not only do we have this stupid fucking project to complete, but we have this volunteer art class to teach next week. She can't avoid me forever, especially if she wants to get into college. I'll just wait for her to come to me... and she will. They always do