Oliver is not doing okay. Ow.
The bruises were darker, larger, more of them than ever before. His skin was more purple and green than his normal pale. It hurt me to see him like that, all I wished was to be able to take away his pain. Make his discolored body go back to normal, to his perfect self. Because Oliver Grey is truly imperfectly perfect.
I shake my head lightly and look back at Oliver's bare chest. He'd taken his shirt off at my will, showing me the damage done. It was worse than I'd imagined.
"Do you have a first aid kit in your bathroom?" I ask, already making my way to one of the many doors in his bedroom.
"Uh," Oliver watches me open the right door, "Yeah."
I nod, walking into the bathroom just to walk back out with the kit in hand.
"How'd you know the bathroom was there?"
I look behind me to the door and shrug, "I knew, now sit down."
"Yes ma'am," He smiles and does as he's told.
I walk up to him and stand between his legs opening the box. I ruffle through until I finally find some antibacterial cream and gauze. I look at Oliver and he nods, giving me some sort of permission to start on my uncertified nursing work.
"What were you doing here?" I can't help but ask.
It'd been five days since he'd disappeared and I could help but be a little mad at him. He left without a trace. And sure, maybe it wasn't his fault, but it still hurt.
"Reading."
Can't say that's the answer I was expecting. Maybe a 'My dad trapped me here' or a 'I was afraid to escape' or even a 'I should be with my dad'. Never did I think he'd give such a normal response.
I decide to play along with his unrealistically normal answers, "What book?"
He grabs the book that was left on his bed when he saw me walk in and shows the cover to me.
"The best friend dies at the end," I blurt out once I see the title.
"No, he doesn't," Oliver tells me.
I furrow my eyebrows, confused. I could've sworn that that book ended with the best friend dying. That title is familiar, with that ending.
"Maybe there's another book with the same title?"
Oliver shakes his head, "I've had this book since I was a child, reminds me of someone."
I step back a little, my heart beating fast, "I've never read that book."
"I know," Oliver put the book down so that he's able to grab both my hands, "Haze, are you okay?"
I step back again, pulling my hands away from Oliver's big ones. His eyes flash with hurt but I can tell he's trying to remain calm, emotionless, for my sake.
"Do you remember? You know?" I ask him.
He nods, "I thought you'd forgotten."
"That book, I lied to you so you'd pay attention to me. You never liked playing. And then," I stop.
"You slipped. Haze, I swear I didn't push you, I would never," He stands up and walks towards me.
I take another step back, my back hitting the wall behind me. Oliver stops in front of me, not daring to touch me after I pushed him away. My shoulders slump as I take a shaky breath.
"I remember, I tell him," I look up into his eyes, a smile creeping on my face, "Oliver, I remember," My face falls again, "I known you for so long and you never said anything?"
"I wasn't allowed to. The doctors, they said it'd be worse to force you to remember."
I look up to Oliver again, "You wanted to tell me?"
"Fuck, Haze," Oliver steps back and falls back down on his bed, "All I've ever wanted to do is tell you. I tried doing little things, but I was scared to make things worse. The chain, it was your favorite of my mom's, you always commented on it," He takes a short breath, "That's why I call you Haze."
"I can't believe it," I breathe out, "I'm childhood friends with the Oliver Grey."
Oliver let's out a light breathy laugh but quickly returns to his serious stance, "I got a second chance after your fall, and I know it's terrible for me to find a silver lining."
I walk up to Oliver and plop down beside him on the bed, "Don't worry," I laugh, "I got my silver lining because of this whole situation," I wave my arms around to make my point.
I look to Oliver to see him smiling, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" It felt weird to hear him say those words that I had to make sure I was hearing correctly.
"For disappearing."
"I don't think it was your fault," I nudge his shoulder.
Oliver hisses in pain. He falls back, letting his back hit the soft bed.
"Oh, sorry, no fun for a while then."
"Fun time?" Oliver shoots back up to his seated position.
I can't help but laugh at his reaction. He looks like a puppy getting a brand new toy. But part of me is hesitant. Oliver Grey is a high school bad boy, he knows exactly what he wants, what he likes. I don't feel like I fit that image. He's what some might call experienced while I am exactly like my title, a prude.
"Uh, Oliver?" I wait until he's looking at me, "I'm, I'm a," I can't seem to get the words out.
"Virgin?" He offers.
I nod my head and whisper out, "Yeah."
"Hazel, that's not some title."
I sit there in silence, taking in what he said, everything he's said. Maybe he's right, Oliver is my boyfriend because he chose to be. He knows me, he knew what he was getting into. He chose me. I give him a little nod with a smile. He seems to understand that I'm content with his words, not wanting to divulge further at the moment.
"Come on," I stand up and extend my hand for him, "Ryder, Tyler, and Grayson are waiting."
"They can wait," He tells me.
Oliver then grabs my extended hand and pulls me down with him. I extend my hands so that I don't fall on top of his bruised body as we both end up on the bed again. This time in a much more compromising position.
"Oliver," I breathe out.
He doesn't let me say anything else before slamming his lips on mine. His kiss is needy, starved almost, and mine is just the same. I missed him, missed the taste of Oliver. Who am I becoming?
"Oliver," I whisper out again.
"I missed your lips."
"Come on," I say, standing up again, "Maybe when you aren't in so much pain."
Oliver grunts in disapproval but gets up anyway, accepting my extended hand. When we open the door, Ryder and Tyler are standing there in their same bouncer stance as when I left them there.
"Took you long enough, what was he, hiding?"
I roll my eyes, "Let's just get out of here."
"Agreed," Tyler says, patting my back, "You good?" He asks just me.
I nod, "Great."
He nods back, "We move."
Ryder and Tyler start making their way back out the hallway to the stairs.
"Made up?" Oliver asks me.
"I guess you could say that," There's a small smile on my face.
"Come on," Oliver tells me, pulling me close, "Let's move."
He grabs the back of my legs and lifts me up bridal style.
"Oliver, what's are you doing? Your bruises."
"You are not slipping again."