Crush

Confused

Oliver

I turned the music up on my phone and pulled a couple of pans out of the cupboard.

Because Dad was working out of the office today, he wasn't home to start making dinner. Seeing as I had wimped out of going to school, I was the only one at home. So I may as well make us something to eat.

Grabbing some random ingredients from the fridge, I picked up a bottle of water and dropped it on the kitchen counter, along with some eggs, rocket, tomatoes, milk and butter. Omelette, maybe? Eggs with a salad of some sort?

Let's see what I could rustle up.

The music was pulsing through the kitchen. Loud. Upbeat.

Nodding my head to the rhythm, I concentrated on washing the rocket in the sink.

So much had happened over the last four days.

It felt as if my life had taken a complete turn and I was being hurtled in a different direction, pushed and pulled, not knowing which way to go without another drama hitting me in the face.

And to make things worse, I was doing it all alone.

Where the fuck was Asher?

My phone sounded, letting me know I had a text message. I'd had so many messages over the weekend. The guys from the team, Mason, Jenson, Dylan, some of the footballers. I'd left them unread.

When I'd looked at my phone this morning, I found a couple of unread texts from Chloe. But I didn't open them. I didn't want to know what she had to say just yet.

I was too ... scared.

Frightened to know what she thought.

What if she hated me now? Embarrassed?

I couldn't blame her if she did, but still. I didn't need to know that just yet.

Wiping my hands on my jeans, I grabbed my phone and turned the music down. Flicking through my messages, I saw that Jenson had texted me to let me know he'd gotten home in one piece. He'd signed off his message with a rainbow.

I grinned. I was lucky to have a best friend like him. I didn't know just how lucky I was until this weekend.

I loved that guy like a brother.

"Ollie?" Dad shouted from the hallway as I heard the front door click closed.

"In the kitchen." I dropped my phone back on the kitchen counter and turned back to the sink.

"Hey," Dad said as he walked into the kitchen. I spun around and smiled at him, taking in his smart suit and stiff walk.

He dropped his laptop case on the kitchen island and began loosening his tie as he walked over to me. Ruffling my hair, he grinned. "How was school today?" he asked knowingly.

I sighed and scrunched up my nose. "I didn't go." I ran a hand through my hair. "I just ... I couldn't do it. I was ..." Too scared. And too much of a coward to say it out loud.

Dad squeezed my shoulder. I lifted my eyes to meet his kind ones. He offered me a small smile.

"Try and go in tomorrow, Ollie. Finals are coming up. Your last game will be soon. You've got to go to school or you'll miss out on all of that." He sighed. "I'll drive you and Jenson tomorrow if you like. Saves you two having to walk in the cold."

I nodded, knowing that I would have to go to school tomorrow, whether I wanted to or not. It was tempting to have another day watching shitty soap operas, but Dad was right - I would miss out on so much staying at home.