What I Wish Happened

Chapter Eight

I smile and strip down to my underwear, I take a few steps back before jumping to the pool below, as I feel the air rush past my skin I feel a powerful smile encroach on to my face, I pull my legs to my chest and seconds later my body comes into contact with the water, the surprisingly warm water covers every inch of my skin as my entire body become immersed in the water. I quickly swim to the top of the water and look around, "That was amazing!" He smiles and swims over to me and smiles, "Reckless enough?" I smile and pull his body towards mine, every atom in my body begs for his touch, "For today." I smile and swim to edge behind him. He pulls himself up to the edge onto the rocks, "Where even is this place." He looks at me confused, "You've never been here?" I shake my head, and he looks at me playfully disappointed, "It's the Malibu creek rock pools." I nod realising where I am, "Oh! I have heard of this place, the cops are always busting college parties here." He smiles and takes my hands to help me stand up I raise to my feet and brush any dirt or dust off my butt as I follow him back up to where we left our clothes. He turns to me and takes my hand, I nod knowingly, about what he is suggesting. We run towards the age of the cliff our hand still intertwined with one another. We jump propelling ourselves off the cliff, as we are mid-air I look over to him, he has the biggest smile I have ever seen wiped onto his face, as soon as our bodies re-emerge from the water, I look around and spot Leo swimming towards me, I wrap my arms and legs around him and lean my lips into his. He kisses me hesitantly at first, as though he's waiting for me to pull away, when I don't he becomes more dominate kissing me more passionately, in the back of my head, all I can think about it Lukas, but I don't care, right now all I want is Leo to be all mine. As the kiss becomes more passionate than before it is Leo who pulls away, "We should stop. Before I can't stop myself." I smile as I notice his cheeks have become inflamed, and I feel my cheeks become the same, "We should go home, we've been going for a couple of hours now." Leo nods and swims towards the edge of the pools climbing out and helping me out too.

Leo drives back and as soon as we get off the bike I see Lukas' car parked outside my house, I feel a complete feeling of terror run through my body, I look back at Leo who has noticed the car too. "I'll see you tomorrow?" He nods and sighs, "I don't get you two, I've told you I love you and he's done the same but I feel like you don't love him so why are you with him?" I look down at my feet trying my hardest to avoid the question, "Don't do this Leo." He sighs and begins shaking his head. "Fine, but one day when you realise that you don't want him, I'll still be here." I don't look up because I know that I don't want Lukas, I want Leo. "Happy Birthday Leo." I walk away from him and towards the house, towards the man I don't want, and away from the man I do.

It's finally Friday and this day cannot end soon enough I can happily say I am going to New York with my Mom and River to meet our Dad on his tour, I slip my jeans, tucking in my button up shirt, I slip my blazer with the school logo onto my shoulders, I swing my bag onto my shoulder and run down the stairs, to spot Mom and River sat at the island, I sign and walk to the refrigerator, taking a chilled bottle of water out of the door, spinning to sit next to River. "Want a lift?" I nod and grab an apple from the bowl in the centre.

"Have you two packed for New York?" I nod and smile, River however raises from his seat carrying his bowl of cereal and running barefoot across the floor, repeating the word 'shit' as she walks in the direction of the stairs, my Mum just laughs to herself, I place my water bottle into my bag and wonder up to River's room to see he's just stuffing loads of stuff in his bag, I clear my throat as I stand on the threshold between his room and the hallway. "You ready?" He nods as he flips the lid of his suitcase closed.

We quickly walk down the stars and climb in River's bright yellow Lambo, as he quite dangerously speeds down the freeway. As we pull up to school and climb out, Alexis comes skipping over to me. She smiles "Hey Vee, Riv." He smiles at her and walks over to the football jocks, we both walk towards our locker and as I stand by Alexis' locker and the doors at the end of corridor opens up revealing Leo and Lukas walking up the corridor, as they walk up and smile, I couldn't help it, the smile comes naturally, they eventually reach me and Lukas pulls me in for a hug and a kiss, I turn to Leo and fake a forced smile, he does the same. I look at Lexi, "Didn't you want to go to the library before first class." She takes the hint and nods to me, I smile and loop my arm with Lexi's, "It's cute." I turn to her at look confused, she giggles to herself slightly, "Lukas walked in the room and your face lights up, it's cute." Smile, it was Leo that made me smile not Lukas.

As we walk towards homeroom when I remember I never actually got a chance to go to my locker, "Ah shoot, I'll be back in a bit, gotta go to my locker." Alexis nods and continues to walk towards homeroom and I walk back towards the library to get to my locker, I throw in my bag to the back and pick up my folder and my English textbook. I start walking back, the halls are empty now because the bell went a few minutes ago, I am walking with my earphones in and looking down to my feet.

I feel a hand on my upper-arm and then being pulled to my left, I land into Leo chest, I look up at him our bodies still touching and his eyes sparkling as he looks at me, "Leo... I need to get to class." I go to walk away but as I break out of is grip he grabs my wrist and spins me into his body again, "I told Mrs Hillberry you would miss class because you were tutoring me, she was very supportive." He chuckles to himself slight and I feel myself automatically eye roll. "Leo, I told you this is over, you can't pull me into corners anymore, I'm with Lukas now." Leo steps back and leans his head against a locker. "You were with Lukas yesterday too, that didn't change anything, I love you. I know you love me and I don't know what Lukas has over you but I want to be with you. I think you want the same." I sigh walk and sitting on the floor next to where Leo is stood, I rest my things on my lap and my head in my hands, "Leo I can't have this conversation, I care about you, but I am with Lukas and that isn't going to change." He sighs and slides his back down the metal of the locker pulling his knees to his chest, "Nova... I don't believe what you just said, it felt forced and if I believed your words were true, fine, okay, you are happy so I'll except that you are together and that I need to move on, but I don't not one bit." He kneels to my side facing me intently, "So tell me! What is wrong?" I let a single tear roll down my cheek before putting my brave face on and wiping that tear away. I stand up and walk into the janitors closet beside us Leo following me in and taking my hand in his as I walk in, I squeeze it just before I let go.

He stand millimetres away from me, I can feel the heat radiating off him, and the scent of his aftershave, filling my senses. I look up as my eyes adjust to the lighting, "I care about you Leo, but you and I just aren't meant to be..." I swipe any trace away from my face as I step out the closet and pick up my things from the hallway floor.

"Nova?" The voice sends chills running down my back, I turn to Lukas stood confused, "Hey babe." I say it a chirpy as possible and walk over kissing his cheek, "I thought you had homeroom?" I nod and smile taking his hand in mine as we walk towards my classroom, "Lex and me never actually got to go to my locker so I got there and had none of my stuff." I force a slight laugh. "Ah fair enough, I have gym right now, so I'm gunna go back else coach will wonder why it took twenty minutes for a piss." I nod and kiss his cheek as he walk away. "Oh babe, meet me at my car after school and I'll drive you home." He doesn't pose it as a question more of a statement so I simply nod and walk toward my lesson.

It the end of the school day, meaning I have a 20 minute drive with Lukas and then I am free of boy drama for three days. I'm stood by Lukas' car with Alexis waiting for him to arrive, I look around the parking lot whilst I am waiting and quickly spot the absence of Leo's bike from it's usual spot, I then hear the large metallic doors swing open, Lukas is with River and a bunch of other jocks, I take in a deep breath and fake a smile at him, "See you later Vee." Alexis waves and smiles at me as she walks toward Drew and climbs into his car. Lukas walks over and roughly presses his lips to mine, "Hey babe." His words come off in a rough manner that I do not like the sound of, he walks to the driving seat and climbs in. He quite quickly switches on the car, to show he doesn't want to wait. I follow his silent orders and climb in the car, as I close the door, he's pulling off, he doesn't wait a second before leaving he turns corners roughly and drives in a high speed that makes me fear for my safety slightly. Before long we pull up at Sam's house. I don't want to tell him to take me home due to the fact of his already quite clear bad mood. He climbs out violently slamming the door behind him. I follow him to his bedroom as soon as the door is closed behind me, he's shirtless and throwing me against the door kissing me extremely hard, it's almost painful. I pull away and look at him, "For fuck sake Nova! I've apologised multiple times. Anyway you'll have sex with Leo in a janitor closet but you won't have sex with me in my bedroom?" I gasp at him and take a step toward him, "I didn't sleep with Leo." I speak clearly to avoid doubt and mainly because it the truth. He rolls his eyes and shows that he seething with anger. "You fucking, cheating, lying, bitch! You're just a whore you know that!" I gasp slightly and let a tear roll down my cheek, my sadness is too early expressed as Lukas' hand came crashing down toward my cheek, then my arms, then my chest, then my stomach, and then my legs.

I think to myself why I don't just leave him and go to my safe space, but then I realise it won't be safe, Leo won't be safe, then I realise I am scared to go.