27. Uknown number.

Olivia

''So, how was detention? You didn't tell me on Friday. '' Andy asks as soon as he drops on the couch.

''Please don't remind me.'' I say sitting next to him.

''That bad, huh?'' he says, and I nod.

I had been thinking about it the whole weekend.

Joel, the fight with Avril, him apologizing to me, it never left my mind.

Joel whispering ''sorry'' to my neck still hunts me.

I'm confused on why he apologized to me.

Does he really feel sorry about it?

Or it's just one of his games?

''Oh, it's that Lucy's book?" Andy says.

It's Monday today and Lucy always brings one of her books to school.

It's the way she starts the school week.

She says that books bring her peace and happiness, and her own books bring her luck.

I never understood it.

She reads the library's books the rest of the week, though. Expect Monday.

''Yeah, it is.'' I say looking at the book, laying on the table. ''Where is she?" I ask Andy.

"The history teacher called her.'' he says and picks up the book.

''I don't think you should touch it.'' I say looking at the book as if it would jump and eat me. ''She'll kill you if you damage it.''

"The Love Hypothesis*.'' he reads the title, ignoring my warning. ''Hm, interesting. Does love have hypothesis?" he asks looking at me.

''I don't know, bro. Ask Lucy.'' I say.

''Is this about chemistry?" he asks flipping the pages.

"No clue.'' I shrug ''Let's see.'' I say looking at the book, my curiosity growing.

''Yo, let's check the last chapter. Because the last chapter tells us everything.'' he says and flips the book to its last pages.

"That's actually smart.'' I say.

''The dude's name is Adam.'' he says while reading. We read the last chapter together, and this is actually cute.

Okay wait...I regret saying that.

''Uh, Liv? I don't think this is about chemistry.'' Andy whispers.

He shifts on top of her... my jaw hits the floor while reading and I cover my mouth with my hand.

''Okay, no'' Andy closes the book. ''You're underage Liv, you can't read this.''

''You're underage too.'' I scoff.

"Jokes on you, cuz I'll turn eighteen after three days.'' he says.

''But wait a minute.'' he says raising the book in his hands, ''What the actual fuck is this?"

''Oh, is that The Love Hypothesis?'' Luke asks. Oh my God, where did he come from?

Andy drops the book, and it falls on the floor.

''Merde.'' he curses.

He goes to pick it up but knocks his head on the table making his coffee cup fall on the ground.

Coffee spills everywhere.

''Ouch.'' he groans.

I look at the ground and my eyes widen.

The coffee cup has fallen on top of the book and coffee is spilled all over it.

''Oh my God, Andy the book!'' I yell and pick it up.

It's a whole wet mess.

''Oh shit.''

I shake the book and wipe it with napkins.

It looks like a failed experiment.

The Love hypothesis became a 'What happens to the book if you spill coffee on it Hypothesis.'

Oh, shit, shit, Lucy is going to kill us.

We need to fix this.

Andy and I blow on it and wipe it with napkins, but it becomes worse!

So much worse.

Is that a ripped page?

''Apocalypse!'' Andy yells looking at the destroyed book in front of us.

''What the hell is going on with these idiots?" Avril says.

I look up and find the Cullens staring at us.

When did they come here?

''You take the book.'' Andy says pushing the book in front of me.

My eyes widen.

''What? You spilled coffee all over it, why should I take it?" I push it in front of him.

"Well, Lucy is your sister.'' he gives me the book.

"And?" I say and give it to him.

"She'll kill you less then she'll kill me.'' he says and places the book in my hands.

"That doesn't make sense.'' I give it back.

We continue passing the book to each other and making lame excuses.

''Code red.'' Andy says with the book to his hands, ''I repeat, Code Red!''

"Where is she?" I whisper standing still.

"Behind you.'' he whispers back, ''She's coming.''

"Run.'' I say and get up.

We both run down the cafeteria in Lucy's opposite direction.

''Guys?'' Lucy calls.

''Run. Don't look back, just run.'' Andy yells with the book in his hands.

We stop in a hall away from the cafeteria.

''This, is what happens when you take Lucy's book.'' Andy stays struggling to breath.

''I'm not touching it again.'' I say my breath heavy.

''We should disappear this thing.'' he says pointing at the book and I nod.

We buried it in the garden.

And putted flowers on top of it.

''Okay. We're safe from now on.'' I speak.

We're heading toward the school, and yes, we missed our first period of class.

''She won't know anything about it.'' Andy says, ''At least for now.''

''Where were you two?" Lucy comes out of blue in front of us.

"Save me Jesus!" Andy yells at the sight of her and she looks at him in confusion.

''We...uh...we...'' I stutter to speak.

"Yes you.'' she raises her eyebrow.

"We were in the garden.'' Andy says.

"In the garden?" she asks.

"Yes, we were checking the flowers.'' I lie.

"Checking the flowers? Why?" she frowns.

''In case they escaped.'' Andy bursts out.

"Escaped?" Lucy asks confused.

"Yes escaped.'' I swallow.

This is so dump.

''From what?" she asks.

"From...uh.'' I stutter to find an excuse.

"From the ground.'' Andy speaks.

I look at him and he grins.

''The ground?" she asks.

"Yes, the ground.'' I force myself to smile.

She looks at our hands and furrows her brows, ''Why is there soil in your hands?"

Oh shit.

''Some of the flowers escaped.'' Andy says.

"And you returned them back?" Lucy asks annoyed.

"Exactement.'' Andy grins.

''Where is my book?'' she crosses her arms.

Oh man.

My time to die has come.

''What book?" I laugh nervously and she narrows her eyes at me.

"Quel livre, cherie?" Andy asks.

''I left a book on the table at the cafeteria and when I returned it wasn't there. And suddenly you two are ignoring me too.'' she says.

"Ignoring?" I say.

"We're not ignoring you.'' Andy scoffs.

''Well-''

"Oh, God! Look at the time, I have PE now.'' I interrupt her.  ''I have to go, see ya.''

"No, no. Don't leave me alone with her.'' Andy whispers. ''Liv!''

I run down the hall.

"Olivia!" Andy shouts behind me.

Phew! That was close.

''Hi, teacher, sorry I'm late.'' I say entering the PE classroom.

"It's okay.'' he says, ''Go to the locker and get a ball for yourself.''

I nod and head toward the locker.

Joel is here.

He's looking for something I suppose because he's searching the lockers.

He's wearing the PE uniform, shorts and t-shirt, and that look never fails to take my breath away.

I'm standing at the door, unable to move.

Our moment at the pool flashes on my mind and my throat goes dry. He turns his head and looks at me and I shift at the sudden eye contact.

''Hi, princess.'' he smiles.

Smiles? He dares to smile at me?

He did all those things to me and now he's smiling at me?

As if nothing happened?

As if he didn't lock me in the rooftop?

A crazy idea comes to my mind.

''Do you know where the balls are kept? I can't find it.'' he says in an innocent voice.

Innocent my ass.

I point at the locker with the balls with my head and he walks toward it. He gets it and then closes the locker.

''Can you get one for me?" I ask him while still standing at the door.

He looks at me in surprise, as if he doesn't believe that I asked him that and then nods.

I have to do it now.

He's distracted to get the ball.

I reach for the key on the door and get it out quietly.

''Is this one fine?" he asks, and I close the door. I quickly lock it before he comes at the door.

''Olivia!'' he yells.

"Who's locked now, Joel?" I laugh.

Well, as they say. What goes around comes around.

Karma is a bitch and today her name is Olivia Meyer.

I didn't plan on locking him here, but him being here is a good opportunity.

So, I should take it.

''Olivia open the fucking the door.'' he says in a tight voice.

He's really angry if he's calling me by my name.

''Apologize first.'' I say.

"You know I won't.'' he says.

''Have a great locked day then.'' I say sarcastic.

"Olivia!'' he hits the door and I flinch.

Oh, dear God!

''As you said.'' I say, ''The war began!'' and I leave.

Taking the key with me.

I know, I'm going to be in huge troubles when he gets out of there.

''Andy! Andy, Andy.'' I say running towards him.

School is over and we're heading to the parking lot to get home.

Joel Cullen is still locked....

I have no idea what happened to him, but he was absent to classes.

''What?" he asks.

"I did something.'' I say.

"You ruined another of Lucy's books?" his eyes widen.

''No.'' I shake my head, ''I locked Joel Cullen in the lockers room.''

''What?" he yells, ''No way!''

"Yes way!'' I say.

''Oh, mon Dieu!'' he laughs, ''Where is he now?"

"No clue.'' I say, ''Maybe he's still locked.''

He laughs harder, ''Oh, man. You're awesome! God job, cherie.'' he high fives me.

"He got what he deserves.''

We go outside and walk toward our cars.

Lucy is already waiting for us.

''Oh, this is not a good sign.'' Andy says pointing at Lucy.

''Hi, the most beautiful sister in the whole world.'' I hug her.

"Stop this with me Olivia.'' she says.

"Why? You are my beautiful sister.'' I grin and kiss her cheek.

''Salut mon-''

"Where is my book?" she interrupts him.

Me and Andy share a look.

''I know you two ruined it, just tell me where it is. Maybe I can fix it.'' she pinches the side of her nose.

''Bold on you if you think you can fix it.'' I murmur.

''What?" she asks me.

"Uh...I said how do you know that it was we that took it." I say her.

''She's a witch, I tell you.'' Andy says and Lucy glares at him.

''You two had been acting weird and avoiding me. So, normally, this behavior is when you two do something. And my book disappeared. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.'' she says annoyed.

''She has a point." I say.

"Mhm.'' And agrees.

''So, where is my book?" she asks again.

''Uh...at peace.'' I say.

"At peace?" she asks.

"Resting at peace.'' Andy says.

"Resting at peace?!" she asks in horror.

"In the school's garden.'' I say.

She looks at us confused and then her eyes widen.

''You buried my book?!" she yells.

''You can visit it whenever you want.'' I say smiling.

"We put flowers in its grave too.'' Andy grins.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it!" she cries out.

Andy started to explain her the reason why we buried her book.

My phone suddenly vibrates on my jacket's pocket, and I take it out.

I look at the message with a frown.

Unknown number: Hello Olivia.

Unkown number: They say what goes around comes around. You will face the consequences of your own actions one day. Are you excited about it?

I read the message with a frown.

Who is this and what actions is it talking about?

Another message comes.

Unkown number: I am.

He is excited seeing me face the consequences of my own actions?

Should I text it back?

''Well, mon cherie, you never told us that you read porn.'' Andy says and Lucy rolls her eyes blushing.

"It's not porn, but romance.'' she says.

"Romance with porn.'' he says.

"No.'' she says.

"Oh, come on, I know what I saw.'' he crosses his arms.

I focus back on my phone.

Fuck it, just text it back.

Me: Who is this?

The reply comes immediately.

Unkown number: Why don't you take a guess?

I groan looking at the message.

Of course this wouldn't be easy.

A thought comes in my mind and my heartbeat quickens.

Is it...Joel?

I look up from the phone and lock my gaze to some piercing blue eyes.

The ocean that hunts my dreams.

He's out of the lockers room?

I look immediately at his hands; no phone is in sight.

Disappointment creeps inside me. Why did I hope on being him?

The possibility of being someone else and not Joel is really creepy.

Who is it?

I look back at his eyes and he's glaring at me.

That look scares me.

Is the same look he gave me the day when he locked me in the rooftop.

Suddenly he starts walking.

Toward me.

Oh shit.

''Let's go.'' I say and push Andy and Lucy who are still arguing.

''Hey what-'' Lucy starts but I push her in the driver seat.

''Bye Andy.'' I yell and get in the car.

''What's wrong with you?" Lucy asks while starting the car.

"Nothing.'' I say and look out of the window.

Joel looks at me and then smirks.

Unkown number: Game started. Do you know how to play?

This time is for sure that the unknown number isn't Joel.

Because he was looking at me when the message was sent.

Author's note:

*The Love Hypothesis- romance book by Ali Hazelwood