The Best Years: Year One, Part Two

Chapter Fourty-Six

I woke up with my brain pounding against my skull. I opened one eye and felt the abrasive sunlight pouring through his room. I squeezed my eye closed matching my other eye. I shoved my face into the pillow next to me hoping if focused hard enough my headache would loosen its grip on me. I settled for Oliver's scent instead.

I slowly sat up realizing he wasn't next to me. Come to think of it he was never next to me when I woke up. I tried to over think but the pulsing at my temples demanded I stopped.

Sitting up I expected to see an empty room like I typically would.

He was sitting in a leather chair in the corner with his feet propped up on an ottoman with headphones over his ears. His arms were crossed like he was even angry in his sleep. It made me smile seeing his consistency waving true.

I pushed the blankets down before I realized I was naked and opted to keep the sheet around my body before I leaned down touching his leg lightly. I didn't want to scared him but I didn't have many other options with someone wearing headphones.

He opened one eye the same way I did slowly sitting up taller. He pushed the headphones off, draping around his neck like a fallen crown.

"They're not on. I just use them to block out the noise."

I sat on the edge of the ottoman in front of him. "Why don't you ever sleep in your bed?"

He rubbed his face awake before his hands pushed through his hair. His biceps pushed the hem of the sleeves back displaying them perfectly. I bit my lip noticing the smallest perfections about him.

"So you noticed? It's not you, Layla. I stay until you fall asleep than I grade homework or write or do my own homework."

I touched his knee feeling guilty I could comfortably get into bed and drift off knowing he couldn't. Sleeping was the one universal cure for almost everything. Heartache, illness, stress, exhaustion. Oliver didn't get the same relief. He was stuck with whatever he felt every minuet of every day.

No wonder he was so controlled, all the practice.

His arms were still folded, "I'm not gonna apologize. You should of known better, but I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

I could feel my eyebrows push down helping my eyes squint at him in disbelief. He wasn't going to apologize? Was he serious? I waited for him to continue.

"Elizabeth's intentions weren't so innocent."

I felt my eyes blur and I looked up at the ceiling away from Oliver like it would stop the water from drowning my vision. I wanted it all to be some big misunderstanding.

She was my friend. It was messy but I never purposely hurt her like she apparently wanted for me. I felt betrayed for the second time in my life. First, by my own body and now by someone I called my friend. Oliver was controlling all he felt and I was control not having to feel anything I didn't allow. I avoid everything hoping to never feel moments like these.

I felt his arms around me from behind and pulling me back into him as he straddled the ottoman oddly just to comfort me. I tried to relax but I was use to self soothing.

His breath pushed through my hair, "She won't try it again. She doesn't wanna deal with me."

His words threatened my drowning eyes and a single tear fell against my cheek rolling down to my chin. I felt embarrassed crying in front of him. Embarrassed that I looked weak. I wiped the tears away with rough fingers, "It's stupid. I shouldn't even be crying."

I felt his lips kiss my shoulder, "Why is it stupid you're hurt? Least your strong enough to show it. When I'm hurt I just hurt everyone else. I'm a wrecking ball in a room full of hearts."