The Six Degrees Of Separation

Chapter 13 : Starvation

It started around a week before my birthday, April 16th. Oliver started not eating anything for break or lunch.

"Ugh... I'm so hungry," he complained to no one in particular. 

"Um. Why don't you eat?" I laughed. 

"Can't," he replied, rubbing his stomach.

"Why the hell not?" I asked. 

"I'm saving up my lunch money to get you a present, cause my parents don't give me allowance," he responded, avoiding eye contact. I'm pretty sure he was blushing.

My first thought was, Oliver Au, will you marry me? 

That was so sweet of him. 

God, you have got to be the cutest guy I know. 

"WHAT? No. NOOO. No way are you starving yourself just for a present for someone like me. No. I'm not allowing that," I told him. 

"Someone like you?" he laughed. "I'm doing it BECAUSE it's you!"

"I'd rather you alive and not starved to death than get a present," I said. 

"Mm... Sorry, babe. I've already made my decision," he said with a quick peck on my cheek, and left. 

I grumbled, hoping he wouldn't regret this decision after a while. 

*************************************************************************************************************

April 16th arrived faster than I imagined. My bus buddies screamed birthday wishes from early in the morning, Paige and Madison squealing and hugging me tightly. 

"You're 13 now, love!" Paige said with a giggle. 

"You're so old... Maybe I'll enroll you into a nursing home? Your birthday present from me!" Madison joked. 

My locker was beautifully decorated by some of my best buds, and I took the time laughing at some of the pictures of me they'd pasted. 

'I look hideous,' I thought to myself as I saw a picture from 5th grade. I glanced at the next one and gasped. It was a photo of Oliver and me, sitting on the park swings together, his arm around me. Who'd taken this? Paige must've been sneaking around again. It was one of the few photos of us together, and for that I was thankful for Paige's stalking skills. I wondered what the teacher's would think when they saw this, passing by my locker.

'Eh, whatevs,' I thought.

Break time came right around the corner.

"Hey," I heard a soothing familiar voice.

I turned around, my hair flipping with me, and faced my amazing boyfriend.

"Hi," I said with a grin.

He rummaged around his pocket for a bit, until he pulled a pink packet out. Oliver's cheeks flushed the same color as the packet, as he looked into my eyes. 

"I, I got this for you..." he stammered, holding out the pink pack.

I gratefully took it, and neatly opened it without the tape letting it pull the paper. Carefully, I poured the contents out onto my hand. A cute bracelet appeared. There were three silver charms on the silver chain. A heart, a lock, and a key. 

And I absolutely adored it. 

"Oh my gosh, I love it Oliver! It's amazing!" I said as I clipped it around my wrist. 

"Oh, er. Wow. Heh, thanks?" he said, obviously thrilled, but embarrassed. 

"How? I mean, really, no offence meant, but I didn't think you'd be able to get a gift for a girl," I said, stifling a giggle at the thought of Oliver going into a jewelry store. 

"Um, no. I got Jessie to get something..." he murmured. 

Oh. 

Jessie, as in Jessie Clarke. She was one of my best friends who was Chinese and Australian, living in Tokyo. But she'd been visiting for Easter holiday, and had left today. 

So it wasn't so much original, but he'd thought I wanted something nice that girls thought were pretty. That was still sweet of him. 

Gosh, I loved him so much. 

"Thank you so much Oliver," I said, giving him a quick squeeze, not wanting to risk getting in trouble for PDA if I kissed him. "I love you!" I added, as I sauntered away to talk to my friends. 

It was such a gorgeous bracelet. I loved it so much, not just because it was pretty. Because it was from him, he'd saved up for me. 

So I wore it everyday after that day. 

But what Aaron had told me still bothered me. 

Why couldn't I just believe that Oliver liked me and only me? Why did I have to even listen to Aaron? Why did he start talking to me again in the first place? 

Why couldn't I trust Oliver? He gave me this amazing present, but no. I couldn't believe it. 

What was wrong with me? 

I just had a sick feeling that Aaron was right. That my love was fake. That he did still like her and have feelings for her somewhere in his heart...