Chapter Two (Oliver's POV)
Nick Cooper was jacking off in a public bathroom to a photo on his cellphone, of not just anyone, no.
Me.
The kid he tormented every single day for the past seven years.
"Uhm." I heard myself say at last. Nick seemed to snap out of his stupor, snatching his cell phone up off the ground, snapping it shut and shoving it into his jeans pocket before grabbing the front of my shirt, making me gasp.
I probably should've run while he was distracted, but I was feeling stupid and suicidal this morning apparently.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Nick demanded, giving me a shake. Cue sarcastic response.
"It's a public bathroom, Nick." I replied flatly. Nick glared at me, but it looked like he was having some kind of mental battle as his expression grew hard and critical.
"Don't play stupid. What did you hear? You didn't pick up the cell phone, did you?" He demanded angrily, this time shoving me into the wall between the two sinks. His fist was still twisted in my shirt and I tried to stay calm, but it was difficult with six foot quarterback Nick Cooper glowering at me like I was a cockroach.
But judging from what I just caught him doing, he didn't seem to think I was a cockroach.
"I didn't hear anything or touch your cell." I lied, but he obviously knew I was and slammed me into the wall again, making me gasp. He winced and let go of me, backing off and running a hand through his hair in frustration. He started cursing obscenely, enough to have my cheeks feeling warm before he kicked one of the stall doors harshly.
This was probably my cue to run, but I couldn't move.
Nick was ticked, and it wasn't the fact that he almost tore the door off its hinges that said it either. His eyes were worried, searching the black and white tiles as if they held all the answers, his hands pulling at his hair as he paced around like a caged tiger.
Was he mad that I found out?
It's not like I'd tell. Who could I tell anyway? I was a loner, I didn't have any friends and the only other people I spoke to were my sisters, Anya and Molly, but even they had friends they spoke to more often. I didn't run to my parents about anything either, which is why they only knew about Nick from my sisters.
"Son of a bitch," Nick cursed out loud, then whirled around to face me, making me back up against the wall again, "Aren't you going to say anything, Barbie Doll?"
"Like what?" I asked stupidly. Nick rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
"You know what you caught me doing! You know, you have leverage here. What'd you want? Weed? Popularity? Cash?"
"No. I don't want anything."
"Bull."
"I'm not gonna blackmail you," I muttered dryly, "In case you haven't noticed, douche-baggery is your talent, not mine."
"You little..." Nick's voice trailed off and he just stared at me for a while, his eyes narrowing suspiciously and his fists clenched. I was waiting for him to threat to kill me if I told anyone, which I wouldn't so it'd be a huge waste of time on his part, but that's just what Nick did.
He wasted his time.
"I'm not going to tell anyone," I assured him, reaching down carefully to pick up my bag, "Besides, even if I did, why would I tell anyone you were thinking of me? It'd be more embarrassing on my half of the story." This time, I was stunned to see Nick's cheeks burn pink as he reached up, pressing his clenched fist to his forehead and gritting his teeth like he was wishing he could sink into the floor and disappear for eternity.
I felt myself blush in response. Man, he was attractive when he blushed. Obviously I was wrong and Nick was the most embarrassed one of us two.
Well, that's what you get when you masturbate in a public restroom.
"You're not... wondering about this at all?" Nick asked at last, snapping me back to reality and making me blink.
Of course I was curious. The kid who's been bullying me since middle school was masturbating to a grainy cell phone image of me. I wanted to rip him apart with questions and a little part of me was hopeful, but it was crushed whenever I remembered who I was talking about here.
Nick Cooper. Nick the Dick. Nick the star quarterback. Nick the honor roll student. Nick, the guy who -no matter how you looked at it- was masturbating to me.
"I am," I admitted, watching Nick turn as red as a Christmas bulb, "But I'm not going to make you tell me. It was probably just curiosity or something stupid like that."
"Curiosity that lasted seven years?" Nick asked dryly. I frowned at him.
"You're the one who knows the answer and you don't have to tell me. I won't make you."
"Jeez, you're annoying."
"Did you want me to tell the whole school?"
"No! God, no. I just... What the hell, man? I've been tormenting you for years. I almost broke your arm twice, scratched your last car, got the school to start calling you Barbie Doll, and stole your homework more times than I can count. And yet, you're still being nice to me? Are you retarded?"
"No, I just have dignity. Obviously something you lack, but hey. That's fine with me. I don't wanna get into your private life. Your really really private life. And you don't wanna get into mine, so... Let's just pretend this never happened and we can go back to being the bullied and the bully, huh?" I asked, oozing sarcasm half the time. Of course, Nick caught on and scowled at me for a second, then looked the other way.
"What?" I asked. Nick grunted in response, then glared at me.
"Don't tell anyone, hear me? If you do, I'll make you wish you were never born."
"Got it."
"Good." Nick spat at me, then strode toward the door, throwing it open with a band and slamming it shut behind him, making me wince. I started to walk out when he came back in, causing me to almost jump several feet into the air.
"What?!" I demanded. Nick studied my face for a moment and he was way too close for comfort, a position where he could easily slug me in the solar plexus or bite my head off. I just stood there staring at me and he stared back, opened his mouth, then shook his head.
"Nothing." He grunted and left, leaving me to stare after him, dumbfounded.
After that, I made my way through my classes feeling like a zombie. I was way too wrapped up in what had happened. Sure, I told Nick to forget about it, but it was far more difficult. I was still outrageously curious. Why would Nick do that? He hates me.
Right?
Oh, please. As if he could possibly like you, don't get your hopes up, Oliver. The guy's a douche bag and he hates you. There's no way he'd like you as much as you like him.
I sighed at the little voice in my head that I liked to call my sunny side, with all due sarcasm included. The rest of the day was a drag and by the time I was rushing to my car, I was feeling better. Slightly anyway, but it was ruined when a hand smacked onto the door of my car, making me gasp and whirl around.
Nick was glaring at me like one of those serial killers in horror movies and all I could do was stare back at him, biting into my lip.
"You didn't tell anyone, did you?" He demanded. It was my turn to glare now as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Yes, Nick. The whole school knows now, even your mother. I sent her a telepathic message and she's very disappointed in you."
"All right, Lieutenant Sarcasm, cut the shit. I don't trust you."
"And I don't trust you either."
"Look, we have something in common," Nick drawled, then hesitated and surprised me by relaxing, dropping his arm away from me, "Can we talk for a second?"
"Depends. Are you referring to the type of talk that big kids do or the type of talk you normally do with me?" I asked. Nick glared at me and grabbed my arm, jerking me away from the car door so he could open it and shove me inside rather roughly, making me wince. I rubbed my shoulder as Nick walked around and got in the passenger seat, glancing out the window to make sure no one saw him.
God forbid anyone saw Nick Cooper get into Oliver Patterson's car. Oh, the humanity!
"Could you, like, drive away now?" Nick demanded. I cocked a brow at him.
"I get to take you home?"
"Shut up and drive, Barbie Doll, before I do to you what I did to my sister's barbies."
"What, lick their groins?"
"Strap them to fireworks."
"Right, I'll take that as my cue." I decided as I started the engine, listening to it purr for a moment before I pulled out of the parking lot and got on the road. Of course, I had no idea where I was driving to. I contemplated heading to the Ravenwood cemetery, you know, to get a head start on what Nick was probably planning to do to me, but I figured Nick ddn't appreciate my sarcasm like other people did, so I just drove around the block for a moment before taking the longest way I knew to my house.
The entire time, Nick was silent.
Part of me was irritated. What did I look like? A chauffer? A psychologist? A wall? Did Godzilla forget how to speak already? I took a deep breath and counted to ten to settle that part of my personality. I tried not to be a dick, but I had the tendency to let my dad's part of the doggy training get in the way of my other dad's training.
Of course, then there was the part of me that couldn't resist getting giddy.
Nick Cooper was in my car, sitting next to me, not torturing me. Okay, well, not in a bad sense of the word anyway. He seemed tense and antsy, bouncing his knee up and down and chewing on his lower lip as he stared out the window intently. If he stared hard enough, I swore he'd burn a whole through the glass.
"So... What did you want?" I asked at last, unable to bear the silence any longer. Nick flinched and glared at me. I held up my hands in defense before dropping them on the wheel again, then used my elbows to drive, resting my face in my hands.
"I promise I don't bite." I offered.
"God, don't say that." Nick mumbled into his hand. I shrugged and leaned back, taking the wheel into my hands correctly as we drove past the police station in town. After that, more silence as we drove through the relatively small town of Ravenwood.
It was one of those stereotypical cute towns that weren't quite in the country, seeing as Jensen City was just several miles to the east, but we were kind of small. The town mainly consisted of a movie theater, little knick-knack shops, a bakery, a Family Fare, and the only thing our town was famous for. A fancy painted restaurant known mostly for our huge ass greasy burgers and massive french fries. It was enough to make McDonald's look like child's play.
Not ugly, but too small for my tastes. I liked my grandparent's place in Jensen. It wasn't quite in the city, but in a suburb right off the highway nearby. Grandpa Vic had the biggest house in the world, I swear, and he shared it with my other grandpa, Ace.
Is it just me or is my adoptive family just full of queers?
Not that it bothered me. In fact, it was nice. It meant I didn't have to worry about telling my dad that I liked a guy at school. Of course, I never said which guy. Said guy sitting right next to me...
"I like you." I almost hit the brakes when Nick's voice permeated my thoughts. I almost swerved off the road too and into a nice looking Chevy Malibu before I regained my wits.
"Sorry, I was trying not to die. Come again?" I asked for confirmation, glancing at him out the corner of my eye to see him turning red.
"Pull the goddamn car over before you get us killed! Jesus!" Nick groaned, slamming his hands into the dashboard. I didn't want him ruining the car my dad spent his paycheck for the month on and pulled over into the movie theater parking lot, the bright neon pink lights flashing and dancing around the wet asphalt from yesterday's storm.
I turned the engine off and sat back in my seat, looking at Nick now, who was rubbing his temples.
"Give me a second. I'm trying not to puke." He muttered.
"I'm a great driver."
"It's not your driving."
"It's a brand new car!"
"It's not the car, idiot!"
"You don't have to get snippy with me."
"God, why'd it have to be you? It's not just the fact that you're a guy, with a dick-"
"Yes, guys have those, you know. You do too, of course, you already know that-"
"STOP. I know! It's the fact that you're so damn sarcastic."
"If you think I'm bad, my dad's the captain of sarcasm. I'm his specially trained monkey." I responded, folding my arms over my chest and bringing my knees up to push against the steering wheel, avoiding the horn so I wouldn't bring attention to ourselves. I looked at Nick now to see his distressed expression as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
"I don't know why, but it happened around middle school. For some reason, up until then, you were just that weird little blonde kid. You were really cute and funny when you were a kid," He paused to shake his head in disgust, "And I have no idea why, but when sixth grade came around, I just really wanted to kiss you."
"Huh?" I sat up, confused as I stared at him.
Please tell me I'm not dreaming, God. I promise to pray at dinner and not eat half of it ahead of time. I promise to clean my room and do the dishes and wash the non-existent dog we have and give to the poor and sell my car. Don't let this be a dream.
"I don't know," Nick snapped at me, glaring for a second before he groaned, throwing his head back against the seat and pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes, "It was gross! On the first day of school when you smashed into me because that fatso whathisface-"
"Josh."
"I don't care what his name was. He pushed you into me when we were in line to get into the school and when I caught you, something in my head just sort of snapped. I think I'm going completely insane, because I wanted to kiss you. You were just right up in my face for a second and you just backed and started apologizing like crazy before running off. It's so sick. You're a guy. God, if my mom found out I was gay, she'd kill me!"
"Wait, wait, wait," I commanded, making Nick drop his hands to glare at me in irritation, "You're telling me... That ever since sixth grade, you've liked me?"
"No dip, doofus."
"Why didn't you say anything?!"
"You're kidding me, right? How could I possibly go up to you, another guy- Or are you forgetting that part? And just say 'Hey, I know we're both dudes, but for some reason, I really just wanna kiss the crap out of you'. Real smooth, Oliver." He spat.
"You know my name?" I asked incredulously. Nick glared.
Man, he had gorgeous eyes... Shit, I really am a masochist. Wait until my parents I'm a sick pervert crushing on my bully.
"That's not the point," Nick snapped, "The point is I'm a freak. That's why I... was doing what I was doing."
"Wait, if you like me so much, why do you treat me like shit?" I demanded, leaning on the steering wheel and turning to face him completely. Nick scowled, his hair falling over his eyes for a second before he brushed it out of the way, looking away as his cheeks tinted pink.
"Because you're a jerk."
"What'd I do?"
"You're spreading your gay virus. First your parents, now me. I don't want to like you. It's gross and weird and wrong. We're both guys. I've got status and you've got... well, nice shirts, but that's about it."
"Gee, thanks. Glad to know I've accomplished something in life." I muttered. Nick grunted, then leaned on the dashboard, burying his face in his arms. He was sulking now and part of me wanted to kick him back into the way he was before.
Same old jerkface Nick Cooper. The hotshot football player with more than enough chances for a scholarship, a life of adventure and pretty women.
At the same time, I could feel my heart swelling in my chest.
Nick liked me!
He really liked me! Sure, he had a shitty way of showing it, but he liked me!
"I like you too." I heard myself say, then immediately regretted it when I saw Nick's shoulders tense. I got prepared to bolt out of my own car and run down the street, hoping to make it to my house before Nick killed me with my Mercedes.
He jerked his head up, snapping his head to stare at me, but he wasn't glaring. Thank goodness for that, but he was still looking at me funny. It was a look that asked if I was kidding or not. I gulped and leaned against the door away from him a little, my hand on my handle.
"Did I say that out loud?" I asked uneasily. Nick frowned.
"You like me too?"
"I think that's what I said. Did I? Cuz, if I did and you're mad, I was just kidding. If I did and you're okay with it, great! We can, uhm... Well... Actually, I have no idea what we can do." I admitted honestly, twisting my blue flannel shirt in my hands. Nick averted his eyes for a second, then looked back at me with a serious expression.
"I know how to solve this." He stated.
"Nothing violent, right?"
"We need to have sex."