One More Year

Chapter 25

The knot in my throat builds bigger, "I have one more question." He nods and I take a deep breath before saying, "I thought the way you'd get mad and quickly go be next to Zoey's side that the feelings were one-sided. I'm still not following how you knew we'd be together?"

"I didn't. I'd get mad and hang out with her because she was the only one who wouldn't talk about you." He groans and squeezes me, "I'm sorry. I swear to you that won't happen again. Besides, I knew no one would ever make me feel what I felt for you the night of the homecoming dance." My heart skips a beat when I remember his kiss that night, he pulls away to meet my eyes and smile, "I've only ever had one other girlfriend, and even though we ended things on a good note. It hurt when she dumped me for the attention I get from girls because at the end of the day... I was loyal, I always will be." Shaking his head he searches my eyes, "I put walls up to prevent from being hurt like that again. With you... it was so easy to forget I had built walls. I easily fell for you."

My eyes well up and I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist, bringing us back down on the mattress. 

Kissing his chest, I smile up at him, "From now on. I'm not keeping anything in anymore. We could've avoided all of this if I had just told you I had feelings for you in the beginning."

Smiling, he kisses my forehead, "Ditto."

Snuggling closer to him, his hand grabs my thigh and lifts it over his.

"Natalie and Penelope are going to freak when I tell them this is finally real," I say excitedly.

I feel his chest vibrate while he laughs loudly, "You told them?" He sounds totally flabbergasted.

I shrug and smile, "Penelope knew since the first day. Natalie... it took some time to tell her, but she hates you the most."

Laughing again, he squeezes my hip making me jerk and yelp from the tickle it caused me, "You're in trouble."

Laughing with him now, I ask, "What does that mean?"

Kissing my forehead, he smiles, "You'll see."

*

Giovanna and Carla went back home to help pack and bring everything back with them. Meeting them in their new house to take them on their first day of school with me. I walk into Carla's room where Giovanna is fighting for a shirt that she's claiming it's hers.

Plopping myself down on Carla's bed, I smile at them, "You guys were missed this weekend."

They both raise their eyebrows unimpressed, "The party? There will be more." Giovanna flicks her wrist dismissively.

Shaking my head with the same smile still plastered on my face, I tell them, "I lost my virginity."

They both squeak and jump on the bed with me. 

Giovanna groans while smiling, "God. I knew you couldn't resist him much longer. I swear he was sent from the heavens!"

With minimal detail I let them know I was in total bliss. I've thought it before when we were fake dating and I still haven't changed my mind. 

Cam is everything I've ever wanted.

Giovanna and Carla quickly make peace with the shirt before we leave for school and we stop at the diner to get a coffee. On the way there, we sing along to pop music which I've now realized I haven't listened to much of it since I started hanging out with Cam.

Arriving at school, I first notice Thomas at the front of the school, looking down at his phone, but I can still notice his face. He has a split lip and there's a bruise under his eye. Gasping at the sudden feeling of guilt. He's like that because of me. I shouldn't have talked to him knowing it pisses Cam off.

Natalie squeals when she sees us and hugs both Giovanna and Carla in excitement. Quickly talking their ear off about the school crowds and naming off the boys she wants to introduce them to. 

I want to avoid conflict the way I always have, but this is the year of change. I can do this.

Taking a deep breath I tell the girls, I'll be right back and walk towards Thomas. As I get closer he looks up from his phone and looks around before putting his phone away and nodding at me in greeting.

"You okay?" He asks concerned lacing his voice.

He really does seem like a nice guy, but he just came off too persistent at first. Maybe if he didn't do that or came off as rude whenever Cam was involved, I would've given getting to know him a chance. 

Taking a deep breath and look around the parking lot for Cam, I'm grateful I don't see his car anywhere.

Meeting his brown eyes again, I nod, "Yeah. Sorry about..." I point to his face.

He touches his face and shrugs, "It's nothing, really."

How can I tell him, he's not cool for making Cam think I wanted to kiss him when he knew I didn't? He's not even close to being a friend.

Clearing my throat, I square my shoulders, "You know I didn't want to kiss you, Thomas."

He hangs his head back, seeming regretful, sighing deeply, "I know. I'm sorry. He just pissed me off. Are you guys still cool?"

He lifts an eyebrow suggestively and I almost cringe, but I nod, "Yeah. That's actually why I came to talk to you." I search his eyes and hope he takes my words seriously, "We can't be friends, Thomas. I love him."

He lifts an eyebrow, this time in surprise, "You do? And you think he loves you too?"

That's a little harsh, but I answer anyway, "Yes and I know he loves me too."

He searches my eyes before sighing, "Zoey's always going to be around, Olivia."

Shaking my head, I cross my arms, "No she's not. And I'm sorry if I'm going to sound mean, but you're not going to be around either. We're not friends, Thomas. Especially not after how things went down at the party."

He looks away and nods, "Why isn't he coming to pull you away like he usually does?" He points to the school parking lot with his chin.

I look away from Thomas to see Cam leaning against his Jeep with his arms crossed, watching us. My heart jumps at the sight of him. He's wearing a Led Zeppelin hoodie and black jeans with his checkered vans. His hair is messy most likely from sleep, but it just reminds me of what it looks like when I run my fingers through it.

Looking back at Thomas he meets my eyes again, "After the Halloween party, we did some talking. We're cool. We're better than cool..." I smile and meet Cam's blue eyes from afar again, "He's everything I've ever wanted."