Chapter 13 – Olivia Clark

It’s been a week since the…. Incident… with Chase and Jackson. I know that it only happened because of me. Because I wasn’t sure what kind of feelings I had for either of them. I have been ignoring both of them the whole week. I still don’t know what I feel for them. Plus I don’t want to choose between them. I can’t get myself to face them, and every time I see them in the hallway at school, or even in class, I have been avoiding eye contact, not even looking at either of them once. I have to admit though, it was one of the hardest things to do. The whole time I tried to forget about Chase’s sculpted muscles, his touch on my body, and the fact that I suddenly hugged Jackson after I brought him with me outside. I’m sitting under the tree, at my go-to spot. The sun kissing my skin very lightly but probably shining bright enough to get me tanned. I’m reading the romance novel I brought with me. After some time, I lean my head back on the tree, bring my knees close to my chest and close my eyes, just taking in the peace of this space. Until I feel a presence next to me. I already know who it might be, so I don’t bother to open my eyes. A few minutes have passed until I feel a hand slither up and down my leg. I’m sure who it is now. I recognize that touch. His strong hands on my soft skin feels mesmerizing. I slowly open my eyes and look at Chase. „What have you been thinking about this past week?“, he speaks ever so gently, as if the peace might break into a million pieces like a ceramic plate, if he spoke too loudly. „Why did you beat up Jackson? I mean… I know why… but I want to hear your thoughts“, I whisper. „I love you. I have always loved you, Olivia“, he says as I stay silent. „Do you remember the day you came to this school?“ I answer him with a gentle nod. „I couldn’t believe my eyes. I knew what we had gone through before. When I met you on my vacation in France a year ago I immediately fell in love with you, and I didn’t think that I would see you ever again, so I just asked you for your number back then. I deleted your number, when we had that fight a year ago, because I just couldn’t face you after that. And then, on your first day of school, I just couldn’t believe that you actually moved here.“ He breathes gently in and out, awaiting a reaction from me. „And when I found out that Jackson was bullying you, I had enough, already.“ ,he continues. „And then Jackson told you that he wanted to talk to me and you… punched him. Because you wanted to protect me“, I continue his thought, looking at him questioningly. „and because I love you“, he continues, nodding slightly. I didn’t notice that he came closer to me while we were talking, until his arm brushed against mine. He slowly leaned in, giving me enough time to think, and pull back if I wanted to, but I didn’t. I fully leaned into him, and he pulled me closer, while putting one hand on my cheek, and the other one on my hip.