A/N: I’m getting excited for the next few chapters, hehe. Thanks for reading <3

Chapter 15: Pinky Promise pt 1

Ollie’s POV

It was difficult not to look at Benjamin’s table at lunch or what once was our table at lunch. Granted, it had been a couple of weeks that I had last sat at the table closest to the front of the cafeteria stage. But after years of sitting there with Benjamin and his gang of football boys, my eyes still wandered in that direction, even if I knew it was potentially asking for trouble.

Benjamin hadn’t even spared a glance as I walked past after grabbing my lunch, which, maybe that was better. 

Lauren sat between the two, in the same spot I once sat, nearly eye-fucking Benjamin. Her arms clutched his elbow, squeezing her chest out as if to attract his attention to her, obviously not in a dress-code shirt that revealed way too much, even by cheerleading standards.

Her, I could ignore; it was the blatant stare Mason was giving me from across the room that I couldn’t help but to glance back. 

Harvey, who sat beside me and the rest of our gaggle of queer people, had noticed my fleeting glances towards that table, earning me a nudge to the tender spot on my side. I hadn’t told any of them about the bruise or the hurtful words, and I planned on keeping that way. Pinching my thigh to mask the excruciating pain and resist the urge to jerk away, I sent him a glare and hissed. “What?”

“Somebody caught your eye?” The corner of his mouth upturned into a grin. Eva had turned curiously at Harvey’s words. 

“You hiding a fat boy crush and not telling us?” She interjected before Harvey could say anything. Her arm jutted out, nearly taking out Harvey to grasp my shirt sleeve. “The audacity. Ollie, you never tell us anything; who is it?”

“Nobody, alright?” A simple lie, I told her. Jeering a thumb in the general direction of Benjamin’s table, I said snarkily, “I’m just spotting our school’s most dignified couple. Aren’t they just regal?”

She snorted as we gawked at Lauren’s desperate attempt at trying to get Benjamin’s attention all to herself, while the boys most likely lost in some rant about their last game or practice. 

Aside from her blatant advances, the team did what they usually did, stuff their faces and talk shit about whoever they decided to bully that day—that or the latest hookup or video game match. 

Yet Mason was engrossed in none of that. Another teammate had snatched his food as he held up his phone, his eyes still trained in my direction. If I was honest, it was surprising that Benjamin hadn’t turned to see what his new best friend was staring at; or, he had seen and instead pretended I was some insignificant ant. 

Mason tapped on his phone, quite obviously too, not caring that any of his teammates could see the gesture and make an assumption as to who he was directing the motion to. Pretending not to notice, I turned to Harvey, hoping no one had caught the secret exchange. My phone chimed twice, two other messages that Mason had probably sent after he saw I hadn’t looked at my phone.

Harvey had looked at it briefly, and I only hoped he didn’t see the name. For added measure, I diverted the conversation before he could say anything about it. “Harvey, how’s the musical going?”

He tilted his head puppy-like, one of his dark locks falling over his face dramatically. “Okay, I guess? We were talking about the Winter formal. The musical isn’t until February.”

“Ah, just curious. I’m sure you’re all working hard, though. Memorizing lines and whatnot.”

“Yeah, I guess. It’s mostly songs, by the looks of it—well, not for Seymour. But I think I can manage; I already knew a couple of the main songs. I think the staging will be worse.”

Thankfully, the bell rang, signaling lunch was over, and I didn’t have to feel the daggers Mason was sending my way anymore. Surely if his teammates had caught wind of that, they’d probably seek me out again, thinking I’ve upset Mason somehow. I wasn’t sure my side could take another punch at this point. 

As quickly as my side allowed, I shot up from my seat, practically herding Harvey and the rest of us out of the cafeteria, just wanting to get to my class as quickly as possible. It wasn’t until I pulled Harvey down the corridor with our classes that I slowed down, my side slightly burning from speed walking. He let out a breathy sigh and looked at me curiously. Questions, had he not been out of breath, would have been rapidly fired at me.

My phone chimed again, and this time, I slipped it out of my pocket—four messages, from Mason, of course.

Meet me at the bus stop. I’ll pick you up. 

Okay?

If you still don’t mind chatting. 

And the last one. Ollie?

“Ooh, what’s this? Texting a special someone?” Harvey leaned his head toward the phone. Nearly dropping it from jerking my phone away, he flinched, looking like a deer in the headlights at my reaction. “Sorry, it’s just you—”

“Sorry,” I interjected. “Just a friend saying he’ll pick me up after school.”

Still a bit frightened, Harvey slowly nodded, taking an extra step away from my side as we headed down the hall, already parting from Eva and her girlfriend. “Ah, that’s nice. The bus is a hassle.”

I hummed before opening my phone discreetly. Quickly typing okay, before sending it, exiting out of the messages, and locking my phone. “Yeah, I’ll see you in AP Psych.”

He awkwardly waved as he headed to his English class as I tried to ignore the apparent ping from my phone, another reply from Mason.

Mason had sent a couple of messages after that, during class, through passing, and even right before the bell rang, which came off as Harvey had suggested; it was as if I had an overly attached boyfriend like I had someone special. His messages made it seem like I would flake on him, like it was some important date or something, which was absurd, and would never happen in a million years.

The bell rang out as the flurry of impatient students scrambled to get out of the room. However, I took my time, carefully packing my belongings, waiting till I got out of my seat. I hated the crowds, masses of teens packed like sardines in the hall, and I wasn’t about to get jostled and have my bruise hurt any more than it had to. That, and I was starting to regret agreeing to meet up with Mason. 

Usually, I couldn’t care less who saw me with who, but Mason was different. He was the football team’s pride and joy (aside from Benji), the star transfer student, and football extraordinaire. Surely, somebody would see me entering his fancy white car and assume things. Rumors and gossip would spread like wildfire, and in a matter of minutes, would get around to Benji and his team. 

As the millions of scenarios ran through my head, I took my time, taking the long way around the halls and building toward the bus stop. Maybe if I waited a little longer, fewer students would be around to witness us.