Idolize Me

Chapter Twelve

"I'm going to kill you if you don't shut up."

She laughed, "Now I'm wondering if maybe you should be proving your gratitude to me instead."

"If you say one more word, I'm taking that camera of yours and shoving it up your-"

"You know, it doesn't even surprise me. You guys fight so much it'd make sense for some chemistry to alight." She paused, "You know, Cain Luther once said that you can fall in love with absolutely anyone if you create the right chemical recipe. Love is just a reaction."

"I don't care about chemistry, nor do I care about the creepy chemist you have a crush on."

She pointed at me, "But he is right."

"I don't love Ezra Scott."

"Maybe not yet but the spark is there. You poor, poor girl."

"I'm leaving." And I did. I walked out of my dorm and left the dorm building not caring about Vanessa and if she was behind me or not.

I heard the shuffling of her footsteps run up from behind, and I rolled my eyes.

It hadn't occurred to me nearly all night about how today will event. Kissing Ezra is a big deal, and though I was humiliated and would rather lock myself in my dorm for weeks than see Ezra again, I hadn't thought about the full consequences of what kissing him meant. At this point I wasn't scared about what he'd do to me, but what women who loved him would.

So, in a way, I should be thankful for Vanessa for her extreme behavior in apologizing because it was the one thing that kept my mind off the horrible things that could happen to me. I couldn't even fathom the possibilities.

We made it to the academics building and walked to my locker. It was nearly 6:30 now, and students were starting to fill the building, making it less empty and eerie.

"How many people do you think saw?" I quietly whispered to Vanessa as we walked through the halls to my locker.

She shrugged, "Hundreds of eyes were on Ezra last night."

"Hundreds of eyes are on Ezra every hour of every day." I muttered in response.

"Exactly." She suddenly paused, staring straight ahead, her mouth dropped open. "Oh no." She whispered, and I turned to see what she was looking at.

Oh no indeed.

Hanging on my locker was a large, and very bold picture of last night's event. My body on Ezra's. My lips on his. His one hand on the wall behind him, his other around my waist still awkwardly holding the camera as if it were his leverage.

I cringed seeing myself like that. In the hands of him.

But even more, did I cringe seeing how I looked like I was into it. I was not into it.

I quickly walked over to my locker and ripped off the photo, stuffing it into my bookbag all while glancing around, eyeing each student who snickered while walking past me.

If this wasn't the most highschool-drama shit I've ever experienced, I don't know what is.

I opened my locker, grabbed my books and slammed it shut, immediately making my way to my next class that wouldn't start for another hour.

"Olivia," Vanessa followed me, "I'm so sorry."

"I hate this stupid university." I said, holding back tears not because I was being laughed at but because this was all my fault to begin with. If I had just kept my mouth shut on the first day none of this would happen.

I wondered who took the photo. I wondered who was responsible. A part of me was convinced it was Ezra, how he was laughing at me from the shadows. But another part of me said it wasn't. He wouldn't be that reckless with his reputation.

I soon began to believe that.

I sat at my desk with my face in my hands, just waiting for the moment where I'd look up straight into the eyes of Ezra.

But he never came.

Class eventually started as all the students took their seats except for his. His desk stayed empty.

The next class was the same. I found myself staring at his empty seat wondering why he wasn't in class. Wondering if it was because of the kiss we shared. Wondering if maybe he'll never come to school again.

Vanessa did go through with buying me lunch, but I hardly was focused enough to talk to her. I was too busy watching each student who passed by, just waiting for one of them to come up and stab me with a pencil shank.

I was also keeping an eye out for the rich billionaire that I had placed my lips on.

The day passed by slower than expected. No, Ezra never showed, and no, I never got stabbed. I almost too quickly got used to the stares and whispering by students, but nobody approached me. Nobody even got near me.

I returned to my dorm, texted my dad a long and exaggerated text about how the school was the best decision of my life, and that I was so lucky to be here. And then I turned my cellphone off so Vanessa couldn't text me, and I laid in bed for the rest of the day, wishing I had never accepted the offer to go to Trinity in the first place.