Both Sides | ✓

Chapter 4

Cleo's POV:

The door to the women's bathroom opened and closed as I sat in my stall, suddenly aware of how loud my chewing was. I pulled my knees up to my chest and prayed that whoever entered would leave soon. After a few minutes of sitting there in the world's most uncomfortable position, I put my feet on the floor again in hopes that the visitor was gone.

"...Cleo?" they whispered.

Just my luck.

I wanted to be invisible. With a breath, I opened the stall door and stepped out. Olivia sat against the wall, her knees slightly up and a book in her lap.

"Hey, " I chuckled.

"I, uh... Recognized your shoes," she said. "Did you spend all of lunch in the bathroom?" I shrugged, and she continued. "Why didn't you sit with Andrew? He looked mad today. Are-"

"Jesus, Hansen. You ask a lot of questions, " I muttered, making up for a response.

"Right, sorry, " she said. Her eyes were still locked on me and after a pause, I gave up on keeping things to myself.

"Andrew and I had a fight. I just thought it would be easier to distance myself, " I said.

"Oh," she said. "Why did he have a bruise on his jaw?"

"I... Punched him." Her eyes widened and her lips began to move before I interrupted her. "Trust me, Via. He deserved it." I looked at her again before tilting my head. "Why are you spending lunch in the bathroom? Don't you have friends?"

Her eyes darted to the ground. "You're going to think I'm pathetic."

I sat beside her, my back hitting the tiled wall. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I already think that."

Olivia chuckled and sat her book down. "I locked eyes with Andrew. And he seemed mad so I just... Fled to the bathroom."

I couldn't hold in my laughter. "Andrew isn't scary."

"Oh? So why are you hiding from him?"

"Okay, you're right. But all that happened between you two was eye contact, " I chuckled. "You're just being a baby."

"Maybe," she said before groaning and running a hand through her hair. "I'm just ready for this day to be over."

"Tell me about it, " I grumbled. "Hey, at least you have that David kid."

"Daniel, " Olivia corrected me.

"Yeah, him. You have friends. I just stick- stuck around with Andrew, " I said with a shrug.

"You can always hang with us, " Olivia offered. I could almost hear the reluctance in her voice. I laughed in response, picturing how I would look next to Olivia and her friends.

"Yeah right. I'd rather eat in the bathroom for the rest of the year."

I worried that I had come across more mean that I was trying to be, but Olivia just hummed understandingly.

"Well, the offer still stands if you change your mind. Cara might be weird about it she's the devil, so..." Olivia stood up and pulled her backpack over her shoulder. "Anyway, I gotta get to class."

"Class doesn't start for another 5 minutes though, " I said.

"Aw, you want me to stay?" Olivia teased, a grin etched on her face. "I always get there early."

I nodded a goodbye and she waved in response, leaving me alone on the cold tile of the bathroom floor.

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