Just For Glory | COMPLETED

So Much for the High Road

I think the most frustrating part about the newfound situation was that there was no reason, no legitimate reason, for which I could be mad at Piper.

She never once compromised plans with me to hang out with Oliver. In all actuality, I was fully aware that she spent at least twice as much time with me as with him. She didn't talk about him incessantly or, really, at all. The fact was that I hardly ever saw her with him; it was like it had been for two years to the casual eye—the two of us having random, comfortable conversations for the majority of the time we were together.

Of course, that didn't change the fact that I was mad. Not at Piper, though. Not really, anyway.

Oliver bugged me. He was too nice and it was obvious that he was starving for approval from anyone and everyone, especially Piper. It also bothered me that she knew me so well that she recognized my dislike. That was why she didn't talk about him, simply saying so if she had seen a movie with him or seen him at the store and leaving it there.

For I while, I had been sure that she had a crush on him, that Oliver Calloway was the guy who'd finally break her streak. After a while, though, I decided that wasn't the case. Even if I openly disliked him, I was mostly sure that Piper would at least tell me something like that. My confidence in that idea fluctuated daily, but on average, it was pretty high.

As far as I was concerned, however, Oliver wasn't as platonic towards Piper as she was to him. Really, what did he think was going to happen? This was Piper Nolan. She didn't date. Yes, she hung out with guys. Namely two guys. Mostly me. That isn't the same, though, and that was what made me dislike Oliver. He was an idiot. Period.

It was also annoying that he was so school-oriented. I had thought Piper was irritating when she talked about a grade on a test, but Oliver was much worse. Sure he was smart, but it wasn't natural intelligence. His grades were nearly flawless, and he definitely liked math. He studied for more than an hour every night, and that amount of time increased by quite a lot when there was a test, especially in English.

Maybe I was a little smug about my being better than him in that particular subject.

I was slightly awake and laying on my stomach when I heard Jamie come in. She tiptoed over to my bed and, as far as I could tell, looked at me for a few seconds before creeping back out. Frowning into my pillow, I thought for a couple minutes, shrugged, and went back to sleep.

When I woke up again, I couldn't say whether it was an hour or a minute later, but I could say what it was that woke me up. It's hard to sleep through somebody jumping on your bed. Opening one eye slightly and turning my head, I was met with Piper's grinning face and a bright, "Happy birthday!" She was sitting Indian style at the foot of my bed, leaning slightly against the footboard.

In the murkiness of being newly awake, I dimly acknowledged that it was the first time she'd ever sat on my bed in two years of being friends.

The realization that it actually was my eighteenth birthday came afterwards.

"What are you doing here?" I grumbled into the pillow.

She scoffed and clambered off my bed. "Nice. Good morning to you too, Donovan," she said, grinning. "Oh, wait, I mean good afternoon. It's 12:03 on your birthday, and we're going to the zoo." I sat up and stared at her.

"What? Piper, it's the end of November."

"Really? Funny, I thought it was August. Silly me," she said, raising an eyebrow at me. "What's your point?"

"The point is that I don't see the point in going to the zoo."

"You've never been to the zoo here, Donovan. A lot of it is inside, you know. Besides, that's not the only thing we're doing today. You're eighteen. You should experience new things," she replied, flashing me a bright smile that, as always, weakened my resolve.