Oli ended up driving and Matt let me sit in the front even though usually he booted me into the back seat if the three of us were in the car together. We picked up Chloe on the way to the hiking area Oli and I had been to just a week or so ago, and she'd brought a picnic rug and basket. We stopped at the store to grab some snacks, though only Matt and Chloe went inside... I wasn't in any mood to show my face in public, so Oli waited with me in the car. I never felt uncomfortable with him, but I don't think he knew what to say to me. He wasn't usually so quiet, but then again, neither was I. I was usually making jokes or teasing him, that or trying to get into his pants.
"I guess we won't be throwing ourselves into the backseat in the parking lot this time, huh?" I questioned with a tiny smile, thinking back to when I told him to 'get in the back' the last time we were there. I remembered how shocked he looked when I said it. "Well no, unless you want Matt to commit a double murder and bury us in the woods." he chuckled in response.
"He would never murder me. You however..." I replied with a grin. Oli just laughed. He knew I was right.
"You know... I really am sorry for how I was this morning." I said, feeling like I still hadn't properly apologised for being a total bitch. "Mel, it's fine. Don't worry about it. You had a lot to deal with, I honestly don't blame you for lashing out." he said.
"Yeah well, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I should have punched a pillow or something." I said. "Or written some angry, screamo lyrics." he chuckled. I thought for a moment, before some words came to my mind.
"He's a fucking piece of shit, I'm so glad that we split." I sang in my best Oli kind of low, screamo voice he used to do... though, the word 'sang' should definitely be used lightly. For a second, Oli just looked at me, then he burst into laughter and I did too. I guess it was good that I could still laugh after how fucking shit my morning had been. "Oh man. You fucking make me laugh sometimes." Oli said.
"I always make you laugh, Oliver." I rebutted.
Matt and Chloe returned and we headed out to the parking area for the hiking trails. It brought back obvious memories, and Oli and I glanced at each other as we parked. We walked the same track I'd walked with Oli the time before but this time we stopped at a grassy area to lay out the picnic blanket. It was only just big enough for the four of us, but I took off my shoes and put my feet on the grass to really feel like I was away from civilization. Honestly, it was really peaceful out there. The sun was kind of out and it wasn't too breezy, plus we didn't talk about Corey once, not even for a second. It was honestly really nice. Chloe needed to wander the five-minutes or so back to the toilets so Matt went with her and with all of the extra space, I sprawled myself back on the picnic rug and looked over at Oli. He was just sitting on his corner as I watched the clouds moving across the sky. As horrible as my morning was, I really couldn't complain about my afternoon out there in the peace and quiet.
"Do you think that cloud looks like a bumble bee?" I asked, breaking the serenity. Oli looked up as I tried to point it out, then he laid down next to me letting out a 'ohhh' as he saw which one I was pointing out. "I think you have a vivid imagination." he chuckled, clearly not seeing my bee. I liked his company. He made me feel at ease, even when my mind was trying to take me to places filled with unpleasant things. "You know, I think you might be my favourite friend." I said out of nowhere.
"What?" he chuckled.
"I mean it." I said as I turned my face to look at him. "I have lots of friends, but I think you might be the best one now." I told him. "Unless you think there's a rule that you can only have one Nicholls as a best friend and you like my brother better." I laughed.
"No, we can be best friends." he replied in amusement.
"Best friends with benefits." I said, correcting him with a chuckle. He just laughed.
"You know, if they weren't due back any second, I'd roll on top of you right now." I admitted. He just laughed again.
"You really are the horniest person ever. Though to be fair, I'm actually kind of surprised you haven't asked me to sneak back to the car with you yet." he chuckled. I laughed but as weird as it was for me, I wasn't even really in the mood. "There's still time." I joked.
"No, in all seriousness, I'm actually not thinking about that at all today. For maybe the first time ever while I'm around you, it's not at the forefront of my mind." I admitted. I wasn't sure why I'd just said that; why on earth I'd told him exactly how I felt.
"I get it." he said as he picked up my hand and squeezed it. "Today you just need the friends part rather than the benefits." he added with a smile. He was completely right.
We spent about three hours just hanging out in the quiet before heading home. Matt went back to Chloe's place and said he would be home late, so Oli and I were going to be alone for at least 7 or 8 hours. My libido had been resting all day, but having the house to ourselves was still tempting, I must admit.
After Matt left, Oli chilled on the couch with his phone while I did some laundry. I loaded the machine then went and sat on the couch opposite him while I waited, but I didn't want to turn my phone on again yet... the peace was too nice.
"I know I already said it, but I really am sorry for this morning. I was an absolute bitch." I said out of absolutely nowhere, my thoughts just spewing past my lips without really thinking about it. Oli looked over at me from behind his phone but didn't agree, even though I knew he did. "You can agree with me... I take responsibility for my actions, especially when I'm being an absolute nightmare." I stated. He kind of smiled.
"You were a little bit of a nightmare..." he replied.
"No, I was a full-blown one. I hate that I still let him get to me so much, and I'm sorry you were the one who copped it." I said.
"Honestly, it's fine." he replied before going back to looking at his phone. Things felt kind of different with Oli and I, like I had softened or let my guard down a bit after he saw me in full-blown psycho mode yet his attitude and opinion of me never shifted. It really should have... he should have been scared of me, at the very least wanting to avoid me, but he seemed exactly the same as always. God that was attractive and for the first time all day, I looked at him and remembered how fucking sexy I found him. I guess twelve hours was enough of a break for my libido...
I got up and went to lay beside him and he didn't even look away from his screen, he just wrapped his arm under me and re-grabbed his phone as if it were the most normal thing in the world... almost like he'd done it subconsciously. Whatever he was doing on there, he was clearly engrossed in it.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Playing Candy Crush." he chuckled.
"Candy Crush? I thought you were into killing zombies and hardcore shit?" I chuckled in response. He shut off his phone and looked at me with this embarrassed, innocent expression that was so funny. "Sometimes I am sweet." he said playfully. I rolled my eyes, but honestly, he was being cute and I wasn't sure if I loved it or hated it. "Stop trying to be cute." I said as I went in to kiss him. He laughed against my lips and squeezed me tighter and I definitely liked that.
We laid there kissing, sharing a few pleasant little kisses before I snaked my hand down to the band of his pants. "Wait." he said to stop me.
"What? Why?" I questioned as I pulled my face back to look at him. Why on earth was he stopping me? "What's the rush? We can slow down a bit." he said with a snicker to himself. What the fuck?
"Slow down?" I questioned. "What? Do you just want to lay here talking and kissing for the next hour?" I asked mockingly.
"I wouldn't hate that..." he replied.
"Uh, I would!" I stated. "I want to fuck you, not talk to you." I laughed. He just rolled his eyes at me like he always did. "Fine..." he replied with a whinge before I resumed what I was doing and slipped my hand into his pants.
We had sex right there on the couch and any thoughts I had of Corey completely dissipated. Oli made me forget about everything that had happened. I guess that saying 'the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else' is true after all!
- - - - -
I had to go out on Wednesday to finalise my outfit for the London charity event on Saturday, so I was out for most of the day - with my Mum for moral support. I was going to wear a local designer so was doing a fitting for any final alterations, not that any were needed. I loved days out with my Mum like that, it was just nice to spend time with her and almost feel like a young girl again, shopping with her in town. It was even nicer given everything that had happened the day before. I told her about it, but we didn't dwell on it. She did call Corey a 'weasel' though which amused me a lot.
I was still hurt and angry about what he'd done, that he'd lied, that he couldn't even tell me he'd met someone else when he dumped me! I was done giving him any more of my headspace though, so I swept it all away and tried to just get on with it.