Pretty Poison - Saltburn

004

If you had told Oliver a couple of weeks ago that he would be spending almost every living minute with Felix and Olympia, he would have laughed straight into your face.
Never would he have believed that his life could change for the better so quickly; that from one moment to the other most of his dreams had come true.

And although he suspected that Olympia still wasn't too fond of him, she had to endure his presence if she wanted to spend time with Felix because the two of them were by now practically attached at the hip. Felix took him with him everywhere he went and even though Oliver felt out of place most of the time, he was still utterly content.

He had made it; he had worked his way up from the deep pit at the bottom of the social hierarchy, almost all the way to the top. Or the upper middle half the very least.

The parties were glorious and intoxicating, the people beautiful and superficial. It was a world packed with fake-smiles and toxic friendships, filled with talking behind the other's back all while having the pinkies interlocked in promise: "Yes, we'll stay friends forever." It was alcohol and drugs, the smell of cigarette smoke and expensive perfume. It was parties, sex and not a care in the world and everything Oliver had always desired, everything he admired.

He had come to the conclusion that the only real people among them were Felix and Olympia, the only genuine friendship. Although, from his observations, he wouldn't call it friendship because the lines of their relationship seemed to be blurring. They were always touching, always close, seeking each other's body, both subconsciously and not. They talked and laughed so intimately, so in love almost, that it was completely obvious to Oliver that there had to be more between them than simply platonic love.

But nobody besides him appeared to notice it or perhaps they merely ignored it.

And now too, Olympia stood with her back leaned against Felix's front and his arms around her waist as they passed a cigarette back and forth. He swayed them both to the beat of the loud music and if Oliver didn't know better, he'd think they were a couple.

It was a costume party, and different to the last time that there had been a party in their dorm, tonight Oliver was actually invited. Or at least dragged along by Felix.
He assumed the costume-theme was merely due to the fact that they all had grown bored of their usual celebrations, wanting to spice it up a little.

Oliver himself hadn't dressed up, given that one; he didn't have a costume and refused to let Felix buy him one, no matter how hard he had insisted, and two; he didn't know what to dress up as. But as he sat at the crowded table, surrounded by fairies, firemen and maids, he began to regret his choice.

He took a big sip from his beer. He had long figured out that if he was hammered, all those parties were much more enjoyable and the further the night progressed and the more the others got drunk too, the nicer they were to him.

Felix and Olympia stood a little away from him and he smiled reluctantly at Felix who waved cheerily. Olympia followed Felix's gaze and nodded at Oliver in acknowledgment as she raised the cigarette to her lips.

She was dressed as what she had told Oliver was supposed to be Joan of Arc, in a tiny miniskirt made out of silver chains and a matching corset. Her blonde hair was pinned up into a makeshift bob which was covered by a chain-hood and her black platform boots made her almost as tall as Felix.

She looked otherworldly and Felix behind her couldn't keep up in his policeman costume. At least not in Oliver's eyes but as basic as Felix's costume was that didn't seem to stop everyone in the room from staring at him, to look at him as if he was the sun.

"Ollie come here!" Felix finally yelled over the music, and he felt utterly relieved to finally not sit around awkwardly. Perhaps a little too eager, he jumped up from his seat and made his way over to the two of them.
It was odd to now have to stare up at Olympia too as she towered over him, her silver clothing glinting in the flashing lights.