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Chapter 37

Cleo's POV

I was five days deep in my suspension and missing school like crazy, which surprised me. I hated that building, and those teachers, and about 95% of the student body, but I missed Via. We hadn't seen much of each other since the video came out. Will wasn't too happy with my suspension. He wasn't grounding me or anything, but I felt guilty. I was picking up shifts left and right, working doubles and sleeping on my lunches. It felt good to be distracted. It felt better than how Via must've been.

When we called, it was brief, and her voice sounded far away. She was always mumbling about an assignment that needed completing or a task she hadn't finished. She was worse than I'd ever seen her. She was stressed, and tired, and lonely. I could tell just from her voice.

When I got off at four that afternoon, I went to her house. I should've told her beforehand, but I was worried she'd make an excuse. I hadn't seen her in a few days. I felt almost nervous.

Allison opened the front door, looked me over once, and said, "She's upstairs."

Her room was dark. The lamp on her desk was the only thing giving way to light. I had never seen it like that, thrown into shadow. Via barely looked up when I came in.

"Want me to turn on a light?" I asked.

"Cleo," she said, turning to glance at me. "What're you doing here?"

I grinned and closed the door behind me. "Don't know. I missed my girlfriend. How's your day been?"

Olivia let out a long sigh. "It was good," she said, then looked back to the notebook in front of her.

"Oh?"

"Yep."

"Really?" I asked. I moved behind her chair to look over at what she was writing. Notes for a history course. Government, maybe. I put my hands on her shoulders. "Are you sure?"

"I don't know, Cleo. What do you want me to say?" she mumbled. "It wasn't great. But, it was fine."

I hummed in response, massaging her shoulders a touch as she shut her eyes. "You're tense, baby," I said, quietly. "Let's take a break, yeah?"

Olivia shook her head and rolled her shoulders back, shaking my hands away. "I'm fine," she said. "In fact, why don't you study with me?"

I sat on the bed, still facing her. "What's the point? I've got another five days off."

She let out a breath before returning to her notebook.

"What?" I smiled.

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to," I said, grabbing her chair with one hand and turning it to face me. "Out with it."

She shrugged, avoiding my eyes. "I just think you should focus a little more on your assignments. I don't want you expelled."

I smiled a little at her, tilting my head until she looked back at me. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me," I said. Via nodded, but her brows stayed furrowed in worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Cleo," she replied, turning in her chair again.

"Hey."

"Really, I'm alright. Just drop it."

"No," I said. "You aren't acting like yourself. What's wrong?"