The Best Years: Year One, Part Two

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I felt some twisted kind of relief when we sat in Oliver's car and I could visually see her feelings fade for him. I didn't even get to push the key in, we just sat there shivering. I was too scared to say anything. What could I say, "Sorry he hurt you but somehow I keep end up in bed with him? So sorry."

She finally stop crying long enough to sniffle between words, "Did he ever love me? How long was he with her?"

I didn't have answer answers for her. Each question twisted my stomach up more. I just let her talk. Let her question her year long relationship with Oliver tainted with a girl with jade hair.

I couldn't comprehend how I felt. I wanted to call it a crush but considering all the sex that seemed juvenile. We weren't afraid to tell each other anything, the chemistry, and the way he fought Hunter for me – wasn't that amounting to something bigger than a crush?

I was distracted by own thoughts to hear Elizabeth sniffling and questioning every moment for lines of truth.

A strong rasp of Oliver's knuckles against the cold window scared me. She was so jilted I didn't think anything startled her. I leaned forward rolling the window down manually  as Elizabeth looked away. I felt protective as I let my body lean forward and my elbow pushed against the leather blocking his view of her.

She was destroyed in an obvious way.

He leaned down to my eye level, "Let me talk to her."

I didn't know how to tell him no when we were in his car. I shook my head no instead, it seemed less harsh. The cold air rushed in making the car seem unbearable from the cold trapped inside prior. I shivered without my jacket, I left too quickly to grab it. The leather wasn't any warmer but kept sucking the heat from my body.

His hands on the window he stretched up just to lean down again, "Least turn on the damn car Layla. It's fucking freezing."

I don't know what he threw as he walked away all I saw was the quick motion, but I heard his shout the word, "Fuck." He was tortured by guilt. Guilt I felt responsible for because I shouldn't have made it a problem to keep a secret. I let my new attitude take over demanding my own validation from him - that I mattered more than some secret.

I was already punishing myself.

Elizabeth turn back towards me once he was gone, "What did she look like?"

It didn't feel like a question but I knew it was the only answers I could provide. "She had teal at the bottom of her hair. Wearing fish net stockings with boots. Reminded me of a snake. She was hitting on him and I hadn't even left the classroom."

Elizabeth scuffed to herself, "Once a player always a player. I knew he was like that but I convinced myself I would change him. He's never been alone Layla."

I felt a wave of insecurity wash over me. Maybe I was just filling his dance card, roster, and providing a wider variety of sexual partners in instances of his boredom. I shook my head, he can't be that cruel, he knew about Hunter and my nonexistent experience.

It slipped out, "But you said he doesn't date."

Elizabeth turned towards me letting the tears dry up and control her breathing again, "Don't be stupid Layla. He doesn't date. He also doesn't sleep alone often."

She must of saw the effect of her jab because she immediately followed it up with, "He has a thing about not sleeping alone."

I was intrigued, "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't ever sleep. He just stays up all night working out and reading. He use to say he couldn't fall asleep alone."

I tried to look disinterested to what she said as I pushed the keys into the ignition. I started it up putting the heat on instantly. We were both frozen and it was only nearing October's end. I couldn't imagine February when it's apparently at it's worse.