Never Really Over

Chapter 19

Otis paced the length of the classroom. He was supposed to have a project meeting with Ruby and Ola. Ruby had already texted him saying she was going to be late and Otis was dreading being alone with Ola. Things between them had been awkward since his party. Sure they'd say everything was fine and that they were 'friends' but there was always a lack of closure between them and they knew it. Otis thought of delaying the meeting or bailing but decided against it at the last minute.

"Hey, you alright?" Ola asked, walking into the classroom and putting her bag on the nearest chair.

"Hey, yeah, how you doing?" Otis asked, awkwardly.

"I'm okay, where's Ruby?" Ola asked, looking around the room.

"She just texted saying she's running late." Otis said.

"What else is new?" Ola asked with a small laugh.

Otis smiled back, relieved at how this wasn't the most awkward conversation he had ever had. Which to be fair, is a hard record to beat given the fact that he's Otis Milburn but he was still doing alright. However, his sense of relief didn't last long because the silence in the room was fast becoming deafening as the minutes began to pass. It was painful how they could sense the other's tiniest movements, hoping and praying that Ruby would show up soon.

Otis couldn't help run an internal monologue of all the things he wished he could say to Ola, all the things he knew he would've said if things had ended differently between them. The silence in the room and the noise in his mind were beginning to drive Otis crazy. He felt like he was going to explode.

"I'm really proud of you!" Otis almost screamed as he suddenly stopped his pacing.

"What?" Ola asked, clearly startled.

"I'm really proud of you for being yourself so beautiful and truly and for being with Lily. The two of you are so perfect together, it's crazy to think there was ever a time you weren't together." Otis said.

"That's really sweet, Otis. A little shocking but I appreciate it." Ola said.

"I've been meaning to say this for a very long time. I've also wanted to apologise for the party. I know you said we're okay and maybe we are but I wanted us to have a better ending than we did. You were my first girlfriend; Ola and you're always going to be very special to me. It sucks that I was a complete douche and I'm very sorry to have put you through that. I kind of wish I was there for you and I could've been there when you and Lily found each other. I know it sounds weird because we used to date and she's your girlfriend but I think once I got distance from what we had I realised we were never meant to be together romantically. You and I got along so well and we always had so much fun together. You and I, we're supposed to a beautiful friendship and I guess what I'm saying through this very incoherent and unsolicited rant is that I hope I haven't ruined our chance at that." Otis said.

"You haven't. I agree with you, you and I are supposed to be great friends and maybe that's why we didn't work out. But for what it's worth, I have no hard feelings for how things ended. I see you and Maeve and it just makes sense to me. The two of you fit together, in a way you and I never did." Ola said.

"Thanks. It means a lot to me to know that you and I are okay." Otis said, with a smile.

"We're more than okay. Come here." Ola said, opening her arms out for Otis to hug her.

Otis shrugged his shoulders in a way that was a mixture of cute and awkward and went onto to hug Ola as tight as he possibly could. It almost felt cathartic to let go of their past together and the baggage of having hurt Ola, something that had been weighing quite heavily on Otis' mind.