26. Detention

Joel

Olivia didn't come to school today. Katrina told me that she's still on the hospital. Luke is not here either.

He's still on detention.  I wish he was here.

I can't bear to stay alone any longer. My thoughts are killing me.

☯☯☯☯

She came to school today.  It's morning, the day began and she's the sunshine.

She's standing at school's front yard and I'm watching her from afar.

She's chatting with her friends and she's smiling.

Her smile makes her face shine.

Beautiful.

Her smile is so beautiful.

It's full of life.

Her smile is what makes her Olivia.

I want to steal her smile and keep it forever. I want to be the only one who gets to see her smile.

I want to hide it from others.

I want her to smile at me. But a girl like her would never smile at the devil.

''Olivia!'' Andy runs toward her and hugs her.

He spins her at the air, and she laughs.

She always laughs and smiles at him.

Her eyes always shine when she looks at him.

It makes my chest hurt and I have no right to feel this way.

''If looks could kill, Andy would be six feet under.'' Luke says behind me. I flinch at his voice.

His detention is over. He got out of his room today.

It was short because of school.

We talked about our little fight that night when I sneaked him breakfast today, and he apologized to me.

I frown at him, and he smirks.

"You're looking at Andy like you want to kill him.'' he says.

"Oh, really? I hadn't realized.'' I roll my eyes and he smiles.

''Olivia looks fine.'' he says looking at her.

"Yeah.'' I sigh.

My phone vibrates on my pocket.

I take it out and look at the message.

Royal Academy News: Your pretty girl is back!! Are you happy now? It broke my heart seeing you sad when she wasn't here. *Sad face emoji. *

I clench my phone hard at my hands.

This account has always sent me stupid texts.

It would be a lie if I'd say that it doesn't make me mad.

It frustrates me!

But it's good that isn't posting anything.

Because I gave him a secret.

The secret that only my family knows, and my father did everything to hide.

A secret that can destroy my life at any moment.

I don't text it back like always.

''Let's head inside.'' I say to Luke and walk ahead of him.

☯☯☯☯

Olivia is walking toward us. She looks furious.  Me and Avril are sitting in the cafeteria waiting for the bell to ring.  Andy is with her too.

''Do you think she'll do something?"  Avril asks and I shrug, looking at her.

Olivia will definitely do something.

Olivia.

''You're ready?" Andy asks.

"I was born ready.'' I say and walk toward the devils.

''Salut.'' Andy smiles and drops on the couch.

They don't respond.

Avril and Joel keep looking at their phones as if we didn't come here at all.

They stay unbothered.

''Aren't you welcoming me?'' I say, ''I was gone for two days.''

Joel looks up from his phone and I flash him a big smile.

He frowns, confused.

Avril looks up at me too, ''Hi Avril!" I cheer.

''Did the cold do something to your head?" she stares, and I laugh.

"That was a good one, belle.'' Andy laughs.

"Right?" I giggle.

They frown and look at each other.

''Okay, you Joel can deal with her crazy head, I'm out of here.'' Avril says getting up.

''Where do you think you're going?"  I grab her arm and glare at her.

''What do you want?" she yells, trying to free her arm from my hold.

I push her with full force, and she lands on the couch. Joel gets up, but Andy is already at his feet holding him back.

''Let go.'' Joel hisses.

"Or what?" Andy laughs.

"Or I'm not going to be responsible on what's going to happen to you.'' Joel says in a dark voice.

"Oh really?" Andy laughs like a maniac.

I look at the glass of water standing at the table and Avril looks at it too.

We both reach for it, but I grab it first.

''Don't you dare-'' I throw the water at her, not letting her finish her threat.

"How does it feel, Avril?" I smirk, holding the empty glass.

''You bitch!" she screams.

She gets up from the couch and grabs my hair.

I grab hers too and we start fighting.

We both fall on the floor, and I'm on top of her.

Avril let go of my hair and grabs my hands making me let go of her hair.

''Stop girls.'' Andy yells.

We don't stop, we continue fighting and kicking each other on the floor.

I grab both of her arms and push them at the sides of her.

"You messed with the wrong Meyer.'' I hiss.

"I'm going to kill you, sugar.'' she laughs and kicks me with her feet.

I fall backwards, away from her.

Damn, she's strong!

Avril puts her knee on my chest and pins my arms at my sides.

"You're weak Meyer.'' she hisses and pulls all her weight at my chest.

I cough.

"We'll see about that.'' I say, struggling to breath.

I gather all my strength and push her away from me.

Now I'm on top of her.

''What the hell is happening now?" I hear Andy yell, ''My cherie are you okay?''

My hands end up on Avril's throat. All I see is black.

She scratches my hands and kicks me with her feet.

But my hands are still placed on her throat.

Suddenly I am dragged away from her.

Joel grabbed me by my waist and got me away from her.

We stumble backwards and his hold on my waist tightens.

''Stop.'' he whispers behind my ear.

''Don't you dare fucking touch me!'' I scream and take his hands off my waist.

I go away from him, and he stares at me, unblinking.

''That was all you could do Meyer?" Avril laughs while lying on the floor. I turn to go at her, but Joel goes in front of me.

''Step away.'' I say gritting my teeth.

"No.'' he says.

"Step away!'' I yell hitting at his chest.

He grabs my wrist and brings his face closer to mine.

"I said stop.''

''Get your fucking hands away from me.'' I yell.

He drops my wrist and makes a step back.

I hit at his chest again.

"I hate you.'' I say pushing him, ''You're going to pay for it, Cullen, you hear me?"

He stares at me.

Nothing is written on his face.

No emotion. No anger.

Nothing.

He just stares at me blankly.

''I fucking hate you.'' I push him again.

Say something, damn it!

''Stop it Liv, this is enough.'' Andy speaks.

"No, it's not.'' I say and turn toward Avril, who is now at her feet.

''Come on, bitch. Show me what you got.'' she laughs. I go toward her and push her. Hard.

She falls on the ground and groans.

I try to get down on her, but Joel pushes me away.

Andy catches me from falling.

He pushed me.

With his full strength.

''Get her away from here.'' Joel yells at Andy. My face fells.

Joel kneels down to his sister and helps her to her feet.

''What the fuck are you doing?" Andy yells and grabs Joel by his collar. ''Who the fuck do you think you are pushing her like that?"

Joel looks at me and then his eyes widen.

''I didn't mean-'' Andy punches him and he stumbles backwards.

''I'll fucking kill you if you touch her again.'' Andy says and punches him again.

''I'm fucking tired of you man.'' Joel says and punches Andy, kicks him with his feet and then twists his arm behind his back making Andy wince in pain.

My eyes widen in horror.

Joel is younger than Andy, but he overpowered him very easily.

His fighting skills make my jaw hit the floor.

''What's going on here?'' principal Nova yells walking toward us.

''Joel.''

"Andy.'' Lucy and Luke shout at the same time, running toward us.

Joel lets go of Andy and he gets away from him.

''How can you fight like this? Where are your manners?" principal says, ''This is a school, not a zoo!'' she looks at us disappointed.

''Are you okay?" Lucy asks me and I nod, ''What happened?"

''What is wrong with you? What did you fight for?" Luke asks looking at Joel's bleeding lip.

''They started it.'' Avril scoffs and I glare at her.

''I don't care who started it!'' principal Nova says mad, ''Oh, God, look at your condition!"

She says referring to Andy's bleeding nose and Joel's bleeding lip.

''This is so irresponsible! Look at the mess.'' she throws her arms in the air, ''Detention after school! I don't care whose children you are.'' she says and leaves.

''Andy, why did you fight with him? This isn't you.'' Lucy says putting a napkin in his nose to stop the blood.

"He pushed Olivia.'' Andy says, his voice full of hate.

''You did what?" Luke asks in disbelief. Joel shakes his head and leaves without saying anything.

''Joel!'' Luke yells and runs toward him.

***

I'm starting to think that principal Nova hates me.

School is over and I have a detention.

To clean the pool. With Joel.

Andy and Avril have to clean the library.

Can my day go any worse?

I have to be alone with Joel Cullen for thirty freaking minutes!

Getting into the pool classroom I take a look around.

Joel is not here yet.

I take off my jacket and my tie and start to fix the chairs around the pool.

I hear Joel come in. He starts picking up the towels that are on the ground and I look at him from the corner of my eye.

I try to lift a chair to put it on its right place, but it doesn't move.

Is this shit stuck?

I try to push it and fail. I think I waisted all my energy with Avril today.

Joel must have seen me struggling to lift this chair because he came closer to me.

He grabs the arms of the chair without saying a word.

I step back and he lifts it with such an ease.

Hey, that was stuck a few seconds ago.

He takes it to its place with the others.

I try to get the other chair, but he grabs it from me and gives me the towel he was holding.

Still without saying anything.

Guess we switched our jobs. I continue picking up the towels and folding them, while Joel fixes the chairs.

I'm never underestimating the job of the janitor ever again.

And I swear I'll never drop the towels on the ground like this.

This shit is tiring.

We continue working separated, without speaking or making eye contact.

But I steal a few glances at him.

He's picking up the stuff that people have left here, for janitor to pick.

His hair is falling on his forehead and he's not doing anything to push it out of it.

He seems lost in thought.

The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up, revealing his arms.

And his tie is untied.

He looks really hot, damn it and damn me!

Suddenly he looks up at me and I quickly look away.

Shit.

Mop the floor Olivia, stop looking at him.

After finishing mopping the floor, I go to the lockers to put the towels inside.

There is a ball at the top of the locker.

Who is the idiot that put it there?

I reach my hand to bring it down, but it's to freaking high.

I go at the tip of my toes.

''Come on.'' I groan struggling to get it.

It keeps slipping from my fingers.

''Here, let me.'' Joel's voice came from behind me, and he reaches for the ball.

I look up and we lock eyes.

Ocean eyes are staring at me with such heat.  His body is too close to mine.

Joel puts his arm around my waist and my back collides with his chest. I swallow and look up at him.

Get away from me, I want to say to him.

Don't touch me, I want to scream.

But I don't do any of it. I just stare at him, unable to look away.

He lowers his head to my neck, and I stop breathing.

He breathes in my neck and my heartbeat quickens.

''Joel...'' I whisper.

''Sorry.'' he whispers at my neck.

My face fells.

Is he...apologizing to me?

For what?

Bullying me, locking me out in the rooftop or pushing me?

His nose runs up to my jaw and then down my neck again. I'm struggling to breath.

I know I have to push him away.

But I can't.

I'm locked in place unable to move any inch.

''You can go now kids.'' a teacher yells and Joel backs away from me.

Shit, I can't believe what happened.

I walk past him, grab my jacket and leave the pool.

I don't even look at his face while running away.

I'm blushing really hard.

How can my enemy, the person that I fully hate, make me feel this way?

Running out of the pool I collapse with someone's chest.

''Ouch!" I groan. I look up and see...Sam?

Sam Archer is at my class.

He's a nerd and doesn't speak to much.

Actually, he doesn't speak at all.

I'm surprised to see him here. The school ended thirty minutes ago.

''Sam?'' I say looking up at him, ''What are you doing here?" He looks at me and then leaves, without saying anything.

Weirdo.