“We did not hook up,” I said very flatly, attempting to shut down the rumor mill before it even started. I shot up out of my seat quickly, snatching my tray in the process. “I’m going to work on decorations. I’ll see you later, Hayley.”
I left the cafeteria, my legs trembling with anger. I wasn’t sure if I was angry with Ollie for telling everyone we kissed, or if I was angry with myself for liking it.
Either way, I was angry.
By the end of the school day, I felt a little better about what had happened yesterday with Ollie and his need to gloat about it at lunch. I took out my frustrations on snowflakes for the formal, and sure, they were cut like shards of glass and looked more like weapons than actual snowflakes, but whatever.
It made me feel a little bit better.
/> I tied my hair up in a ponytail and took off the little navy bow that was hung around my neck per uniform requirements and got to work. I gave the two nerdy boys the job of hanging the banner at the end of the auditorium so they’d do something other than stare at me with stars in their eyes as I waited for the group of Madeline’s ex-friends, aka the cheerleaders, to see if they could make better-looking snowflakes than the ones I’d made.
Glitter coated my fingers, and blue and white paint was splattered on my shoes, but it was sort of therapeutic being lost in a creative lull that didn’t involve fast cars, drugs, money, or the kiss.
“Hey.”
My paintbrush stopped stroking the cardboard cut-out of an ice-covered tree. I stared at Ollie’s shoes and tried to appear unbothered. “What are you doing here, Ollie?”
“I’m here to help, obviously.” The cheer in his voice had a small smile trying to work its way onto my face. There was the Ollie everyone was used to. The happy one. The light one. The one who acted like he didn’t have a care in the world.
I put the paintbrush back in the silver paint container and wiped my hands down my skirt as I slowly stood up to stare at him. The lift of his lip and hooded eyes made my heart stop momentarily. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Why couldn’t I seem to stay mad at him? Why wasn’t he annoying me? Was it the kiss? It was. It was the kiss.
“Go away, Ollie.” I cringed internally. Even I didn’t believe my words.
He chuckled. “Oh, you can do better than that, Piper.”
I placed my hands on my hips, telling myself to stay angry with him. “You’re a jerk for what you said at lunch. Telling everyone we kissed.”
Ollie ignored me as he began taking his uniform blazer off. My eyes followed his every move. He threw it to the side and loosened his tie, then he began to unbutton the top of his shirt. I felt my mouth go dry, and yet, I couldn’t stop myself from staring. Next, he rolled the cuffs of his shirt up to his elbows, and I was instantly sweating.
In the past, I’d done an exceptional job at keeping my feelings to myself. I’d blocked out the night I spent with him like it was nothing. Whenever I was close to him, feeling his body heat clamber off him in the back of Christian’s car, or when I’d catch his wink at Eric’s cabin, I’d play it cool. I’d roll my eyes and brush it off. Nothing to see here.
But yesterday had changed things. My mind was muddled. My hands itched to pull him in close—not even to kiss him, but to just feel him. The chemistry. Our connection. I wanted it.
My heart drummed. My blood trickled through my veins. The auditorium began to blur as I continued to stare.
When I reached his blue eyes, and they latched onto mine, I sucked in a small breath. I dove into their blue depths and found myself stalling. Ollie and I did a lot of staring at each other, but it was because we knew. There was something different about us.
Ollie erased the space between us, and his breath grazed my skin. His whisper floated over all my sensitive spots. “Did that kiss do to you what it did to me?”
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I traced the outline of his lips, and I was seconds from pulling him in by his collar when I heard a girl’s voice. “Hey, Ollie.”
Ollie growled, his eyes narrowing, clearly annoyed with the interruption. But me? I was thankful. It helped me get myself together. I was becoming swept away by Ollie, and that scared me.
Ollie ignored the cheerleaders and kept his head dipped down low. “What are you thinking? I see it in your eyes.” His mouth was set in a straight line as he tried to read me. “I see the fear. I see the retreat.”
My mouth opened, and I stuttered, “I’m...I’m…thinking I need you to hang these up over there.”
I quickly backed away and bent down to catch my breath as I pulled up some deranged-looking snowflakes.
He was clearly confused as he took in their appearance, but nonetheless, his large hand wrapped around the snowflakes, and he began walking over to the auditorium entrance and started climbing the ladder.
His eyebrows raised in question as he held one up, asking if it was where I wanted.
I gave him a nod and turned around, kicking myself for acting so stupid around him.
It’s just Ollie, get a grip!
Chapter Twenty-Eight