(Oliver's tattoo)
|9.| gummy bears and exes
"So... Are you ready for the Psychology test next Wednesday?" I asked conversationally asked I sat myself beside Oliver on the seventh bleacher from the bottom at the football game that evening. The wind was picking up harshly and unpredictably as I stuffed my hands in my pockets, my phone vibrating as I clutched my hand around it, it was no doubt January texting about this 'date'.
Clenching my teeth when another gust of wind hit me, I shivered. It was fucking October and I made the stupid decision of leaving my hoodie on my bed.
My hands were stuffed in the large pockets of my sweatpants as I glared holes down in Sid's braided head that sat in front of me at chest level, her eyes staring at the field down below.
I know she was feeling the burn, well figuratively considering the fact that it was well around 50 degrees. She was warm though if the way her ears turned red when Luca looked over at her had anything to say about it, she was nervous.
And I was freezing.
Oliver shrugged, the fabric of his flannel rubbing up against my bare shoulder, creating a warmth that somehow made me jealous of his sensible clothing choice, "Yeah, I guess," he muttered, his hand coming up to scratch the side of his jaw, his earrings and lip ring gleaming as he turned his head, before resting his hand on his knee.
He didn't understand how fucking hot that was.
"Hey, are you c-cold?" I'd heard Luca ask as I tried to focus on something other than Oliver. I could hear the hesitation in Luca's words as he turned his face sheepishly towards Sidney.
Well yeah, I'm fucking freezing.
"A little but not really," she answered awkwardly as she closed her hands in between thin legging clad thighs, obviously lying. Sidney wasn't one to ask for something and you could tell that she wasn't one for chivalry either.
Sneaking glance at Oliver, I envied his flannel... Not because it got to touch his skin but because it held warmth, something so unattainable to me.
"Here..." I heard Luca's timid voice as he turned towards Sid and held out his hoodie, smiling slightly, Sid reluctantly grabbing it and murmuring a quick 'thanks' as she chewed on her lip, sliding it on her body, it fitting her perfectly with an exception of the sleeves being a little too long.
And I knew that Oliver wouldn't be one to do anything as nice as that, especially when I basically begged him for this 'date' and he'd basically insulted me on numerous levels during that process.
"What number is Jackson?" Sid asked, trying to sound casual as she turned around to my seething face. I was glaring at the way she stuffed her hands in the pockets of that jacket.
"32."
I must've sounded angry because when Sid nodded and turned, I'd heard her murmur something about PMS and I could faintly hear Oliver scooting away from me on the metal bleacher.
Rolling my eyes, I focused more on the game and not the early effects of hypothermia as I kept my eye out for my brother.
Number 32 wasn't easy to find but after some careful deliberation and wrongful picking of other numbers that slightly resembled 32, I sighed and closed my eyes. Blocking out anything, I tried to remember why exactly I'd asked him to the game instead of just going out for pizza or something.
My brother.
And that was when I felt a tapping on my shoulder, "Hey, uh, Emerson?"
Opening my eyes, I looked over at Oliver before he motioned behind him to the school building that was around that area.
"Do you want anything from the concession stand?" I heard his silent voice call out to me, he hadn't spoken for a while so it was a bit raspy as he spoke, only getting used to it halfway through my name, causing to to sound choppy.
"I'll go with you, it's fucking freezing out here."
That earned a chuckle from him, a sound I was still getting used to as he nodded before making his way to the end of the bleacher and walking up the stairs, me following as I held my arms around myself, the cold nipping at my skin.
Once we were inside, I thanked the heavens for omitting me with warmth, my hands coming out of my pockets and fingers flexing as I tried to wake them up along with my brain as I digged in my pocket, finding only my phone.
"Shit, I left my money at home."
I remembered sitting my money down on my dresser as I was trying to rush downstairs to stop Kat from embarrassing Luca for no reason. I was stupid and I was hungry.
My cursing of myself was put on hold when Oliver sighed before pulling out his phone from his pocket checking the time, grabbing my arm and walking us closer to the concessions, "What do you want?"
I blinked. Is he seriously offering to pay?
"C'mon, I don't have all freaking day." Oliver said, frustration lacing up in his tone as he pushed his fallen sleeves up, showing the tattoo on his wrist of a small black bird hovering over the words 'love yourself so no one has to'. I hadn't noticed his tattoo before almost as I hadn't noticed the way he was staring intently at my lips as I licked them.
Opening my mouth to protest, I tried to avert my eyes from his tattoo, "Oliver-"
"Emerson." He said with finality, his eyebrow raising at me as his tongue darted out running across his bottom lip.
Rolling my eyes, I walked to stand beside him at the concession stand, "Gummy bears, dude."
Oliver looked around for staff before averting his eyes to the counter and twisting his left earring when he saw the back of a brunette's head. He cleared his throat before speaking as if he weren't used to talking to people, which he wasn't, "Can I have-"
"Oliver?" The voice of Jacie Morgan interrupted as I saw her spin around, messy ponytail still intact as she looked at him with large doe-like hazel eyes.
"Oh hey, Jacie." Oliver's eyes flicked to her and then back to the board where the prices were listed as he digged around in his pocket, "Do you want anything to drink?" He asked glancing at me as he pulled out a ten.
I shrugged, "Coke." It was the least expensive there besides water and I didn't like having to ask someone else to buy me something. I felt like I was wasting his money.
Oliver licked his lip again, bringing my attention back to the perfect shape of them, my eyes trailing up to the length of his lashes as his eyes squinted a little to read the messy writing, "Alright, two things of gummy bears, a Mountain Dew and a Coke," he ordered, looking briefly at me, that pesky piece of hair falling again in front of his eyes.
His hand came to brush it away as Jacie went to ring him up, "I didn't know you were back."
It sounded like he wanted to laugh at her obvious lie as his attention was averted back to her, "I'm sure you did."
She rolled her eyes, sliding his purchases across the counter with a sigh, "You're dating again?"
The way she looked at me after left a funny taste in my mouth, my nose scrunching up in response. Did she wanna fight?
Oliver shrugged, picking up the bag with one hand, handing it to me as I dug for my gummy bears, "I don't see how that's your problem." He said flatly, sending me a half smile when I'd taken out the package, my face lighting up like a Christmas tree.
"I just wanted to know, I don't care who you date I've moved on from the 'psychopath'." Jacie excused, twirling her hand around in the air as if she didn't care but the way her nose scrunched up at me contradicted, "even if you did downgrade."
"Bitch-" I started, Oliver cutting me off and honestly, her jealousy wasn't reason enough for an altercation. Absentmindedly, I continued digging, listening in on their conversation as it progressed.
Oliver rolled his eyes, "she's the downgrade? she didn't cheat on me, you did." He raised a bushy eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. It almost sounded like he was sticking up for me, "and I'm not even surprised that you moved on, you were moving on during our fucking relationship."
I nudged his shoulder, "Oliver-"
"Not to mention you were sleeping with dumbasses tell me, how was Phoenix in bed, Jacie?" He asked sarcastically, ignoring what I'd said as if I didn't exist at the moment. He seemed to be blanking out.
Jacie scoffed, placing her hands on her hips as her eyes narrowed at him, "About as good as Jovie, I'm sure."
"I did not cheat on you."
She huffed, "Likely story, dumbass-"
Holding up his hands, Oliver shook his head, "You know what, I don't care. Come on, Emerson." He said before grabbing my wrist and walking back towards the doors but before we could make it to the bleachers, he made a last turn making his way outside and to the side of the school. Hopping through a slit in between the two sides of the fences, he unlocked it so I could slip through. Eventually, we made it to the parking lot in the now darkness of the night, street lights lit.
⌄⌃⌄⌃⌄⌃⌄
"Want to go somewhere?" Oliver asked, leaning closer to me, his voice at whisper level as I shoved gummy bears in my mouth, his minty breath becoming a cumulous cloud as he spoke.
"Where?"
"Well, we can go make out." He suggested quietly, catching me off guard with his nonchalant tone. Oliver, although he said it sheepishly, was becoming more comfortable around me whether he wanted to or not.
The gummy bears tumbled one by one out of my mouth as my head snapped over, my eyes gluing to the side of his face as we found Luca's silver sedan, sitting on top of the hood.
"I was kidding," Oliver hissed, his body going back to it's normal closed off stance: his shoulders hunched, arms pulled in and crossed across his chest and legs resembling how boys normally sit but not as free as before.
I huffed humor lacing my tone as the side of my lip quirked up, "Wow, I wasn't aware that you knew how to 'kid' around."
Oliver rolled his eyes, leaning back on the hood and staring up at the sky, "Next time I won't tell you a joke."
"That was barely a joke."
He gave me an unimpressed look as he opened his package of gummy bears. I thought nothing of it until one came hurdling towards the side of my face. Sending a glare to him, a smile cracked through ruining my angry facade as I launched one back at him.
This continued on for a while, pelting each other with candy until one bounced off of Oliver's nose and he'd caught it in his mouth. Laughing, I watched as a smile lit up his face and inside I congratulated myself for making him seemingly happy, "Do you wanna go somewhere or not?"
I rolled my eyes, "Fine." I said reluctantly, mocking his response from when I asked him out, but the smile spreading across my face did nothing but show that I was happy.
A/N:
What's up babes?
It's been forever but... 21.5K votes? ARE YA SERIOUS?
I love you guys so much, it's unreal. x
I'll be updating EVERYTHING that I haven't in a while, I'm literally almost done with chapters for EVERYTHING
Updated: Monday, Feb. 2
What other story of mine do you want an update on?
The one most wanted will be updated as soon as possible.