Oliver woke up abruptly as a hand suddenly touched his knee. He shot up and looked around, only to realise he was still at Charlie's place. They must have fallen asleep during the third movie they put on. Charlie eyes were still shut so his hand probably fell on Oliver's knee by accident. Oliver lazily reached out to his phone and groaned softly when he saw it was four AM.
He had to finish his work. His father would not be impressed if he didn't. He slowly pulled himself up out of the comfortable position he was in. As he walked past Charlie to sit down on another seat, he suddenly paused to study him. He was in a deep slumber and his mouth was slightly open. Oliver unconsciously reached down to touch his cheek. As his hand landed on Charlie's face, he mentally asked himself what he was doing. He quickly retracted his hand but that didn't stop him from continuing to study Charlie.
Eventually Oliver stopped staring at him, after realising how creepy it was but he still couldn't get Charlie out of his mind. Even as he plunged himself into another email and gulped an energy drink in preparation for a sleepless night, Oliver couldn't stop thinking about Charlie.
The boy looked too perfect to just erase from his mind.
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"Oliver? Oliver, wake up."
Oliver's eyes shot open and he found Charlie staring at him with a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Why are you asleep on the kitchen table?"
Oliver straightened his back and cursed under his breath when he realised he had fallen asleep while working.
"Shit. What time is it?"
"Uh.. ten?"
Oliver shot up out of his seat. "I'm late for work! Shit!"
Oliver grabbed Charlie's mug off of him and chugged down the remainder of his coffee, much to his disdain.
"Hey!"
Oliver winced. "I'm so exhausted. My head is about to explode. Charlie, give me an upper."
"A what?"
"Just a small bag or pill to keep me going throughout the day."
Charlie raised an eyebrow at him. "No," He said as if his answer was obvious.
Oliver rose out of his seat indignantly. "What?"
"Obviously not! I told you I'm not comfortable selling to you. And secondly, you overdosed yesterday so why the hell would I give you more drugs?"
"Because you're a dealer?"
"So, that's why you're here? Not as a friend but as a customer?"
"I never said that!" Oliver rolled his eyes, making him even more furious.
Charlie scoffed and stormed out of the room.
"You're being dramatic!"
Oliver groaned. He was surrounded by a bunch of drama queens! Why did everyone always get angry with him?!
It wasn't his fault everyone was so sensitive. Sometimes he wished he surrounded himself with people more like him. Thick-skinned, chill people. Smart people.
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Oliver's eyes nervously darted to his office door. He had found some pills in the drawer of his desk at work and devoured them ravenously. He spotted an intern watching him. What did she want? Why was she staring at him?
It was so hot. Oliver was certain that there were sweat stains visibly soaking through his work shirt. It was a new shirt that he had bought that morning before work because he couldn't bring himself to go home. Was the AC not working? What was going on?
His heart. It was banging against his ribs, ready to leap out. And his stomach was churning nauseatingly, threatening to unleash last night's pizza.
The words on his computer screen were shuffling and dancing around. Nothing was making sense.
"Oliver? Are you okay?"
Oliver looked up to find his dad peering suspiciously at him. When did he come in?
"Uh... yeah. Just ate some bad pizza last night..."
Ed Scott closed the door before approaching his son and examining him carefully with his intimidating gaze. "Son, I wasn't born yesterday. I know what this is."
"And what is it?" Oliver quipped back challengingly.
He let out a disappointed sign. "Go home, Oliver. I can't have you here embarrassing us like this. Everyone is talking about your erratic behaviour-"
"There's nothing erratic about my behaviour. I'm just being scrupulous with my work. That's good thing."
Ed shook his head. "Go home. And take tomorrow and the day after off to get everything out of your system. But on Thursday, we have that important meeting with the shareholders so please come in early and sober."
"I can never impress you, can I?" Oliver sneered.
"What?"
Oliver suddenly banged his hand against his desk. "I work and I work and-"
"Lower your voice!" Ed hissed.
"I have one bad day and so it must be the drugs? You don't trust me at all!"
Ed paused. "I never said anything about drugs..."
Oliver cursed under his breath and fell back on his chair. "I..."
Ed calmly took the files in front of Oliver and placed them under his arm. "I'll finish reviewing these. I'll see you on Thursday."
"Dad, that's not fair! I'm capable-"
He didn't even turn around as he left Oliver's office.
â¡â¡â¡
Oliver stormed into his apartment with rage in his steps. How could his father send him home like that? The entire office watched him as he left. It was so humiliating!
"Ugh!" He punched the wall with his fist, not feeling any pain even as the first drops of blood from his now bruised knuckles stained his skin.
He raged into his office, pumped from anger and whatever he took that morning. It looked the same as he left it that night with Nora. White powder dusted the ground. A smashed frame on the floor.
Why was everyone so fucking sensitive? Why did Nora leave him. He was the perfect match for her. It was illogical to leave. It was out of character for her. Nora's choices were always carefully deliberated.
Why would she leave him? Why did everyone leave him? Why did no one love him?
"Fuck!" He yelled out, dragging his hands down his face.
His eyes focused on the row of picture frames on his bookshelf. Each photo contained a beaming Nora. How dare she say he didn't make her happy? Those photos were proof!
Without thinking, he swept the frames off the shelf with one dragging motion. He cursed and shook the case until it came undone from it's hinges. He pushed it until it toppled over, immediately breaking apart after landing.
He grabbed a metal vase that they had bought for an unholy price at some auction and used it to hammer against the desk, crying out with each bang.
He tried his best. Why could no one see that?
There were reminders of her everywhere. Oliver stumbled deliriously through his apartment, his heart beating faster than ever before.
It wasn't his fault that people left him. Nothing was his fault.
His hand curled around the arms of some pretentious arm chair and he threw it at a glass table in the middle of their pretentious sitting room as if he was taking part in a hammer-throwing competition.
His fist were still bleeding and somehow a shard of glass had cut his arm. But he felt no pain even as the murky blood mixed with his salty tears. Even as he cried and yelled and cursed. Even as he realised just how alone he was.
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Please Read;
Hi everyone!
I hope you're all doing well!
I have a small favour to ask! Voting in The Fiction Awards is now open and so if you have time I'd really be grateful if you went and voted for me! I probably (definitely) don't have a chance of winning but it might help advertise my book so that more people can discover the lives of Madeline, Nora, Spencer and Oliver!
I've been feeling really down these past few days. I might have to take a really short break from wattpad just to get into the right mind space. I will still be reading and replying to comments but maybe don't expect another update for another two weeks instead of one week. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you but I just don't feel good.
I love you all. Stay safe.
Love,
-hexed
xxx