OLIVER
I started laughing. I've never seen her like this before. Especially not around me.
Probably the booze was the one talking right now.
"Have you ever been in love, Oliver?"
I nodded before answering,
"I have."
Her eyes widened in shock.
Wow, do I seem like my heart has frozen over and I have lost the capability to love?
Yeah, sounds about right.
"How about you, Baron, ever been head over heels in love?"
She sighed and sadness took over her gray eyes.
They looked haunted.
"Yeah..."
"Nathan?"
She nodded.
"What was her name?"
"Casey."
She looked away from me and started staring at the ceiling.
"Pretty name. Must be a pretty girl."
"That, she was."
She smiled and turned back to look at me.
"Where did you learn how to drift?"
Change of topic.
Thank god.
"It's a secret so you can't tell anyone."
She nodded enthusiastically.
"I used to drag race when I was 22 or 23. I learned it from the drivers there."
Her hand flew up to her mouth.
"Lies"
I nodded and started laughing.
"Nope."
She punched my arm and started begging me to bring her drag racing.
"Come on, Oliver!"
"No, you can't go. Besides, I'm not in touch with the guys in the drag racing circuit anymore."
I reasoned with her but I was looking away. If I looked at her for too long, I might actually give in.
"You're Oliver Royce! You can still get a hold of them, can't you?"
This is so hard.
"Yes but I am still not bringing you."
She pouted at me and made her eyes even bigger.
"Pleeeeaaaaase,"
I sighed, I'll just admit defeat but I won't commit to anything just yet.
"I'll see what I can do."
She did a little victory dance while lying down. It was adorable.
We were lying in bed for hours just talking about each other. She got up to change into more comfortable clothes just in case she got sleepy.
I followed suit dressing up in plain green sleep shorts.
"Why do you sleep shirtless?"
She asked all of a sudden.
"Why not?"
"I just don't get it."
"If you're not okay with it, I can stay on the couch. I'm completely comfortable there."
I'm not. I really am not.
But for you, I'll say that I am.
"No, you can stay here. Besides, if god forbid, somebody bursts in and sees you sleeping on the couch, what would they think right?"
She's rationalizing my sleeping beside her.
That is so nice.
We're lying side by side in the king sized bed, laughing at the stupid things we've done as kids, teenagers, as adults.
She propped up on one elbow.
"Why is the Aventador matte gray?"
I shrugged,
"No particular reason. I just thought the usual glossy finish was too usual. You know?"
"There is nothing usual about a Lamborghini Aventador, Oliver."
"I guess you can say that."
"so why matte gray?"
I laughed, why is she so persistent?
"All the other matte colors weren't doing it for me but when I saw the gray, I was sold."
She paused for a second,
"So you bought it and the color was already matte?"
"Nope. Had it painted the day I went to your office, actually."
She looked confused.
"After I asked you to be my pseudo boyfriend?"
I nodded, looking up at the ceiling.
She sat up, looking at the impending dawn. I turned to check my phone, 5:09 am.
We've been talking for that long?
She turned to me and started getting under the covers.
"Ava, how come you never talk about your mother?"
"Why talk about someone who wasn't even there most of the time? There won't be much to say."
"My mother was the same," I added.
"Your mother was an alcoholic?"
I was stunned. And I bet my face showed it.
She turned away and crawled under the covers.
"Yeah, didn't think so."
"One last question Oliver."
"Okay."
"Did you have a pet growing up?"
"I did. A German Shepherd named Max. Why?
She shrugged, "Didn't think you'd be the type to keep pets."
"Why not?"
"I thought you couldn't keep anything alive for more than two weeks. Your relationships seem to have that shelf life."
That stung a little bit.
"I'm glad that you revere me so much."
"Max was alive for 12 years, by the way." I continued.
She rolled her eyes and sat up.
"Did you and Todd have pets growing up?"
"No. Mom's allergic so we never had any pets."
"Did you want any pets?"
"Todd and I wanted to have a dog. We begged our father but mom had allergies. So no pets for us."
"Why don't you get one now?"
She shrugged, "It doesn't feel right yet."
I turned to lie down on my stomach and looked straight at her.
"What dog would you have wanted as a pet, then?"
She turned away from me and said,
"I'm not telling you."
"Fine then."
She didn't reply anymore and drifted off to sleep.
I was staring at the ceiling for a good fifteen minutes or so before I eventually crawled underneath the covers as well.
the sun was halfway up when I closed my eyes.
AVA
I know it's silly to dodge Oliver's question about the dog, but it just feels like an intimate topic to me. We even talked about my mom. Large can of worms right there.
It's part of my past and filed under 'desires for the future with husband and children'
I dreamt of having a dog with my husband which my children could play with and grow up with. I've even made the dog up in my head.
Todd's the only one who knows the specifics since we always talked about it when we were kids.
Sometimes we still do.
Oliver and I are starting to become a little too intimate for my liking.
The kissing, hugging and all the other affectionate stuff we dabble in. It's too much.
I have to keep my head in the game with one foot still planted on reality.
Leaving this reunion should not result to me being the latest addition to Oliver's list of women.
I woke up that morning with 15 minutes before breakfast was to be served.
When I turned to wake up Oliver, he wasn't there.
I reached for my phone on the bedside table only to find a sticky note taped on the screen.
Went for a run.
Be back soon.
Love, Oliver
I don't see the need for "love,Oliver" but whatever. It's not like I can change it anyway.
I immediately got up and started getting ready for breakfast. I threw on a simple turquoise halter maxi dress and sandals. I brushed the tangles in my hair away and just as I walked out of the bathroom, Oliver came in from his morning run.
"You're up." He said, removing his earphones and setting them on the lounge table.
I flipped my hair away from my face. "Ready to go too. Which is a lot more than I can say for you."
He scoffed as he took off his gray hoodie that was drenched in sweat.
"Hangover or did you just miss being a bitch to me?"
I sat down on the bed while I applied powder on my face,
"Little bit of both."
"Now are you going to get ready or am I going to breakfast with Abercrombie?"
I snapped at shirtless Oliver.
"Quick shower and then we'll go, mademoiselle."
He winked and took a shower.
After 10 minutes, Oliver finally emerged from the bathroom wearing a black vneck shirt and jeans.
He gave me a quick peck on the cheek and grabbed his sunglasses.
"I'm ready to go."
~**~
The breakfast buffet was once again filled with people I had hoped to never see again after our graduation years ago.
I spotted Camilla and I led Oliver to the table.
He looked apprehensive and hesitant when he realized we were headed for that particular table.
Strange.
"Ava! Oliver!" Camilla called out from the table.
"Morning, Cam." I greeted her as we approached the table.
Oliver quietly pulled out my seat without acknowledging Camilla's greeting or presence.
The moment I sat down, Oliver excused himself and went to the buffet table.
I figured his morning run made him incredibly hungry.
He came back with the same amount of food he had yesterday. Still fit for an Olympic athlete.
"Wow, we're definitely famished. Aren't we, Oliver?" Camilla remarked after seeing the tower of food on Oliver's plate.
He just nodded and kept picking on his food.
I leaned in and whispered to him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
He looked up at me with a blank expression and just shrugged.
"Don't you want to go get food?"
I sighed and got up from my seat.
Obviously, there was no way he was going to tell me what was bothering him.
I came back with toast, bacon and scrambled eggs. When I sat down, Oliver noticed how I didn't get a drink.
"Juice?" he asked as he stood up from his seat.
"Yes please." I replied with a smile. It's the last whole day we'll be spending here. Might as well stay in character the whole time.
"Hey Ava," Cam turned to me when Oliver was meters away.
"What's wrong with Oliver?"
Beats me.
"I don't know, really."
She shrugged and went back to her food.
He came back with freshly squeezed mango juice and gave it to me with a huge smile on his face.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." He breathed into my hair as he kissed the top of my head.
As we were finishing breakfast, the insufferable Meredith Harker came up on stage again.
"Good morning Blake High! I would just like to remind you all of our prom later tonight!"
I completely forgot about that.
"We're opening the nominations for King and Queen from this moment until noon. Nominees will be posted in front of this hall and voting will start at 6pm!"
Nicole and Paige started handing out small pieces of paper to all of us.
Oliver turned to me when he finished writing down his nominees for King and Queen.
"Ava, look."
King: Oliver Royce
Queen: Ava Baron
I punched his arm and pulled him closer,
"Why did you nominate us?!"
He shrugged and said, "I think it would be fun."
Before I could grab the small piece of paper, Oliver had passed it to Nicole.
Who was still flirting with him relentlessly.
I would catch her trying to get his attention from time to time. Only to fail miserably over and over again.
I caught Oliver signalling to Hanna and Todd's table.
They all held their thumbs up as if agreeing to something.
"What is that all about?" I pointed to my brother's band of jocks.
"Guy talk. Doesn't concern you."
"Guy talk? Then why is Hanna gesturing for you right now?"
I nodded to Hanna's direction and Oliver just waved and cocked his eyebrows up at her.
I raised my hands up in defeat.
"Fine. You all share your secret language while I remain out of place."
He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead.
"It's for your own good."
I nominated my brother for King and Hanna for queen. It didn't really matter since Todd would probably win anyway.
Even if Oliver has been practically adopted by Blake High.
He's made so many friends here even a couple of new business associates.
It got me thinking, if he can promote himself like this on his own, why does he keep pestering me at work?
I got rid of the thoughts because they would have to wait. They would be dealt with in New York.
After I handed my nominee to Paige who was passing by, Meredith appeared out of nowhere with her husband Christopher.
"Not getting our hopes up, are we?" She sang when she stopped by our table. I saw that she was holding up the paper containing Oliver's nominees.
She must thought I was the one who wrote that.
Oliver and I got up to leave and decided to ignore her. Meredith, however is not used to being ignored.
"Ava wants to be queen everybody!" Meredith announced to the hall filled with people.
My eyes widened in shock and my brain went dead.
All I saw was red.
I just turned on my heels and the palm of my hand met Meredith's overly blushed up cheek, making a loud slapping sound that hushed the whole place.
She was holding her cheek and her eyes were as big as golf balls.
I stepped forward while she almost stumbled backwards only to be caught by Christopher.
"You are still a narcissistic lowlife who has nothing better to do with her life other than put other people down to make yourself look better."
She looked thoroughly frightened but I wasn't even halfway done.
"Well guess what, Harker. You can't bully me around anymore. You are not better than me. Nor will you EVER be."
An audible gasp escaped her lips.
Christopher looked like he was about to punch me.
Didn't take him for a guy who would hit a woman so I continued.
"I can be queen if I want to. I don't need a plastic crown to prove it. I have a billion dollars in my name that says so."
"Bow down, bitch."
With that, I turned on my heels and stormed out of the hall.
From a distance, I could hear applauding and cheering. My head was spinning and I couldn't comprehend if the applause was for me or someone else.
I felt myself get lifted off the ground in a bridal carry and saw Oliver's face.
"That was amazing!"
His grin was so wide, it even got me to smile.
"Thanks." I muttered and hung my head.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he slowly put me down.
"I'm thinking my speech knocked the wind out of me as well."
He let out a hearty laugh and began to carry me on his back.
He carried me without any apparent difficulty at all. He was even doling out smiles and nods here and there when we passed by some of my classmates.
They didn't just greet Oliver, they noticed the lumpy turquoise sheet that was on his back.
"What you did Ava was the craziest thing I have ever witnessed in my whole entire life!"
"I wish I recorded your speech Ava!"
"I had to change my nominees after your speech girl!"
Wow, I didn't think it would have that much impact.
He let me down when we were already at our cabin's doorstep.
I trudged inside, my head still feeling light.
I plopped onto the bed face first and didn't even remove my shoes.
Lying there, I realized how incredibly insane and irrational my actions were. I couldn't believe I had just slapped Meredith Harker and told her about my net worth!
I felt my shoes being tugged away from my feet but instead of kicking the shoe-napper away, I let him remove my shoes.
When they were off, I folded into a fetal position on the bed.
"Proud of you," Oliver whispered as he lied down beside me.
"Why? What I did was completely unnecessary and horrible. I should be ashamed and so should you." I buried my face in one of the pillows and screamed.
I could hear Oliver laughing and felt him shift on the bed.
"That was your closure Ava. You won't have nightmares about Meredith torturing you anymore."
I looked up from my pillow and saw him smiling at me.
What he said made sense to me. Maybe I did need to get all of that out of my chest. And now that it's out there, I don't need to keep reliving it.
Closure feels nice.
After a while, I drifted off to sleep.
~**~