Candy Crush

Lollipops

"Umm, is there a problem?" Oliver asked, swallowing nervously.

Kieran leaned in close to him."You can quit the innocent act you know."

"What are you talking about?"

He sneered."The hell you mean? Cooper suddenly invites someone like yourself to our trip, and he's suddenly determined to make sure everything's going great. He's not gay you know, which is even more fucking weird that you're here. You're up to something. I know it."

Oliver took a step back, his back touching the sink."I swear I'm not, he and I just became friends and-"

"Bullshit!"Kieran snarled, his green eyes glaring,"You're using him, and even if you weren't, there's no way he'd have a friend like you. I've known Cooper for years, and there's no way someone from his background just suddenly hangs around poor pedigree like yours."

"I-I,"Oliver swallowed, feeling his heart start beating faster, and his breath quicken.

Suddenly the sound of the dripping from the sink was getting loud, the chattering outside the bathrooms echoed in the bathroom, and Oliver was now unnaturally aware of how cold it was in the room.

Oh no, no no. Not now, please.

"What's wrong with you?"Kieran demanded,"Why aren't you saying anything? It's rude to stare."

But Oliver wasn't staring, his eyes were staring at everything except Kieran. Rapidly looking at everything, until he couldn't take it anymore and shoved past Kieran, and out of the bathroom.

The group saw his haste, someone called out to him, but Oliver went straight to the door leading out of the restaurant and into the cold outdoors.

He sat on a bench, his head in his hands, feeling absolutely breathless, his whole body shaking for a whole different reason other than cold.

Just breathe, just breathe. Breathe in 1...2...3...4...breathe out...just breathe.

"Oliver?"a voice asked.

Breathe.

"Oliver are you okay?"there was a pause, then warm hands were on his arms."Jeezuz you're freezing. Oliver just breathe okay? It's alright."

Just...breathe Oliver, you're okay.

Oliver felt something warm cover him as his breathing slowed down gradually, and everything was slowly going back to normal. It took him a few minutes before he could, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then slowly drew it out and opened his eyes to see Cooper staring at him, worry etched across his face.

"You alright? You kind of just ran out of there,"he said softly.

"I'm okay. I was just..."his mind went to Kieran and his sneering face,"...overwhelmed. I was worried again, because Lavender didn't respond to my um, texts."

Cooper studied him for a while, then nodded."Well alright, I'm sure she's just too busy showing off the sweets you had her bring." He stood up,"Come on, our foods already on the table, you wouldn't want it to get cold."

Oliver gave him a weak smile and nodded, following him inside, still wearing Cooper's jacket.

~~~~

For the most part after lunch, the group was careful around Oliver, as if he were a fragile glass and any sudden movement would break him. He hated this kind of behavior, but he couldn't blame them. Kieran of course acted as if nothing happened between them, but would give him 'looks' every now and then when he was too close to Cooper.