The Best Years: Year One, Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Seven

** ALL THE STEAM AHEAD **

I sat on the stairs listening to the arguing downstairs. It sounded more like pleading, she was pleading him to lie to her one last time to protect her heart.

I felt like a home wrecker in some more casual sense. Elizabeth didn't see this coming. Oliver wasn't giving her any signals of distress.

Even Caden tried to throw himself down for the sacrifice but it only made her more honest when she said, "Shit happens Caden? Really? Shit happens is a mistake. Ollie has never made mistakes. He makes poor decisions at the cost of everyone around him."

It was more than odd to see Elizabeth angry - someone who was so upbeat all the time, so polished, someone who didn't seem to make mistakes. Least from here.

I heard Caden say, "No one is innocent here. It's Ollie-"

I immediately wondered what that meant to him, Elizabeth and Hayley. Their demons were still in hiding. I still felt my cheeks flushed with embarrassment of mine being so display.

Caden wasn't a fan of me but he still tried to stay neutral between his friends by making it out like our deep seed pasts were some kind of common ground. Somehow defending Oliver but rooting for Elizabeth secretly. If it came down to choosing I wondered who he'd pick.

I watched Oliver silence Caden from explaining. The familiar look of tension cascaded over his posture. His face no longer seemed calm as he leaned down trying to become her height, "You want honesty Elizabeth? It's wasn't a mistake having sex with Layla. We broke up so long ago. I don't have to ask permission to have sex - with anyone."

I was more comfortable with the version of Oliver that hurt people behind buildings than this version that craved something more than cruelty. His voice got deeper, richer, as he didn't hurt her but watched her crack, "You aren't the only girl I've fucked post rehab Elizabeth. You're just the only one who thinks there's hope for whatever this is between us."

I watched him say his jab with so much ease I felt like hugging Elizabeth but I was the cause of her pain. I was the last person she wanted right now.

He didn't look at me when he barked we were leaving but I felt his hand basically drag me along.

I was going to offer to drive, "Do you want me to drive? You can cool down." It seemed like the last thing he should do, drive this angry with his led foot.

He ignored me getting in and slamming the door so hard I thought he had done damage. I slide against the leather carefully. I was entering a lion's den and had no protective gear.

I tried to change the subject, "Where are we going?"

He turned towards me with a narrowed, rigid, cold, hard stare with no words. I sat back trying to relax. I watched the trees blur by and the stars act like street lights. These roads were dark and curved so much more than a flat Florida. It made me nervous let alone to speed.

I realized I recognized the road after what seemed like forever in the silence. He pulled onto a dirt road instead of waiting for the gate to open. He didn't say one words the whole ride to me. I sat up, alert, I didn't like not being in control. The lights shinned on his place as I connected the dots, a separate entrance. I took a long breath relaxing some but this the cruel Oliver next to me was terrifying.

I didn't wanna hear his honesty about me.

I followed him inside closely incase he forgot I was here too. He threw his keys on a small table next to the door and jogged up the stairs. It had felt like the longest night ever and this would be my sixth flight of stairs after the exhaustion of tonight. I pushed out so much air with a sign before I climbed the stairs still following him.