1: Boys Are Like That

High school romance. Gag.

There's a couple sucking face right by my locker. I look away and decide not to get my book for class today. I'd rather fail that have to hear the quiet moans of high school romance.

"I can see you gag from a mile away."

"Shut up, Levi."

He just laughs and side hugs me.

"You know how to make me laugh, Hazel."

"You know I don't like PDA."

The bell rings and thankfully the lovely couple that was exchanging spit decides they care about their education. Can't stand PDA, did I mention that already?

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

I'm walking side by side with Levi Overton, my best and only friend. He was the one person I confided in and the one person I trusted. That's it, no one else. We became friends in middle school and since then, we've grown to know all about each other.

"Braden can be a handful," I shake me head and smile to the floor remembering this morning.

Braden didn't want to get out of bed this morning. He kept complaining that it was too early to function. I mean, those weren't his exact words, but I got that through the grunting and wining.

"Boys are like that."

The final tardy bell rings and we make it to our seats right on time. However, someone doesn't make it to class on time, he decides to show up 20 minutes late. Casual, I know.

Why even show up by that point? It's the last class of the day. Go home so I don't have to see your face, especially his face. It's too perfect I can't concentrate.

I'm just being honest, okay?

Oliver Grey. I'm sorry, Oliver the Great. The biggest bad boy this town has seen. Who knew a small town like this one would cause such rebelliousness in a man. The stories I'd heard of him were better suited for a movie, not this town. But then again, Oliver Grey is perfect for the movies. Sure, he's kind of a dick sometimes, but that's part of his broody charm. Girls pined for his attention, they flocked and called for him. He had groupies. I, gladly, didn't see much of the appeal. Oliver Grey may be the prettiest and hottest thing to walk these halls, but he always looks like he may hurt the next person that walks by

At least that's what the rumors say. I still remember him as the little kid in elementary school that he pulled my chair away causing me to fall on my butt in third grade. And, of course, I was wearing a dress that day so the not so graceful fall became a 9 year old strip show. I was the talk of the third grade for a week. He was a happy kid back then.

And now, nine years later, we sat in the same English class our senior year. Lovely how life wants you to reminisce over the good old days. For a whole year.

"You're late."

"Don't worry too much, Mrs. Thomas," I speak up, "This is the only time you'll see his face anyway."

Oliver's piercing blue eyes shift to me, "I wouldn't have been late if you weren't so damn annoying."

"How's that, huh?"

"You're the one that forgot tampons. At least we know you aren't pregnant. We were scared for a second there."

My mouth falls slightly in shock at what he just said. Oliver Grey told the whole class that I had had sex with him, I had a pregnancy scare, and that I was on my period. He got one of the three right and that aggravated me more.

Did he have a death wish? Because I'd love to make it a reality.

"Too bad, I know how much you wanted an Oliver Jr.," I refuse to back down from this little game he wants to play.

Oliver Grey is known for being a sort of prankster on top of being a bad boy. I guess it's part of the package. The class is thoroughly entertained, forgetting who I am while listening to the conversation. I would never in a thousand years touch Oliver Grey.

Mark me. Never.

"I thought the baby was mine!"

Oh god, what now? I must have woken up in a different dimension because there is no way this is real. I turn to Levi beside me and open my eyes wide. I was trying to make it through senior year alive. I didn't even make it one day without causing a scene, and with Oliver Grey of all people.

"I knew you were fucking him!" Oliver has a glint of amusement in his eyes, but his face is cold and angry.

He's loving this a lot more than he should. He shouldn't be enjoying this at all, but no. He's loving my uncomfortable squirming. He's loving the attention from the class. Most of all, he's loving the rep he'll gain from banging Hazel Kindler. As I said, dick.

My eyes stay fixated position on Oliver. His blue eyes on me as well.

"She loves me, you ass," Levi almost screams, "How dare you steal my girl?"

"Loves you?" His eyes shift to Levi, but quickly come back to me, "She screams my name," and his infamous smirk makes its way to his lips, giving me a wink in the process.

How is he so quick with his responses? It's all BS we're pulling out of our ass. He must have one loose ass to get the information so fast.

"Guys, I'm right here."

"Alright then," Oliver's eyes lock onto mine once more, "Him or me?"

An ultimatum. This is why high school romance makes me gag.

"That's enough," Our teacher yells, "All three of you, detention. Oliver, take a seat. Levi and Hazel, one more peep and you're going to the principal."

Oh, the principal. I'm shaking in my panties. I internally roll my eyes at the teacher. She really thinks a talk with the principal is going to knock some sense into me, I'll knock some sense into her. Geez, old people.

I whisper to Levi who's sitting beside me, "You're an idiot."

"Why's that?"

"Did you really have to add to that shit show?"

He just shrugs, "I was feeling left out."

Oliver makes his way and sits behind me. His shadow is cast over me and I stiffen at his closeness when he leans forward slightly.

"So, me or him?"

I scoff quietly and shake my head, not wanting to answer. Having sex with either of the two is an image I really don't enjoy having in my head. Levi is my best friend. Oliver is, well, he's Oliver Grey.

The bell rings shortly after. Our class cut short due to the impromptu play Oliver, Levi, and I decided to put on. The after school murmurs were all about the little fiasco. That Oliver Grey had sex with Hazel Kindler but apparently she had a boyfriend, Levi Overton. Oh, we were the talk of the town. Figuratively and, soon enough, literally.

It was a relatively small town, everyone knew who Oliver Grey was. The bad boy football player, a star in the making. According to him, he was already a star. What an overinflated ego. Surprised his dang head fits through the door.

"Detention," I grunt and tilt my head up to the ceiling, "I don't have time for this."

"I'll drive you, you'll be fine."

"Won't you be late for practice?"

"A couple more minutes won't kill the team."

"Thanks," I give Levi's shoulder a squeeze.

I wave goodbye and tell him I'll meet him at detention. All jokes aside, I actually was on my period. No pregnancy scare, my virginity takes care of that. But when Oliver brought up my period I got self conscious. Every girls worst nightmare is bleeding through on the first day back. Did he somehow know I was on my period?

No, no way. He wouldn't care about when I bleed enough to fill a pool.

"Hazel, you have detention?" Ms. Watson asks.

"My sass got the best of me."

"I got the best of her," The dark brooding voice of Oliver Grey says.

He was standing right behind me with his looming body casting a shadow over me. It felt safe, but at the same time it felt like I could die at any second. He was close enough to hurt me, close enough to touch me, and that was enough to make me tense up.

Ms. Watson just nods her head but her eyes are full of surprise. I'm sent to a seat and there I stay for an hour. This punishment drives me crazy.

If you've ever had to sit in silence for an hour without anything to do, this is worse. Why? I had to stare at the back of Oliver Grey's head.

The urge to reach out and touch his soft hair was killing me. And I was kicking myself for it. Every once in a while he'd flick his head to get some hair out of his eyes. That was the most exciting thing to happen in those 60 minutes.

"Go home," Ms. Watson finally tells us, "See you tomorrow."

Oh, glorious freedom. How I missed you.

Levi drives me to pick up my twin brothers, and then leaves us at the diner before making his way to soccer practice.

The diner has been here for years. Basically, the town's lifetime is the same as the diner's. Though not a lot of people come to it anymore, it's cool retro vibe didn't appeal to the preppy teens. I love it, and the owner is a hoot. I'm glad the diner isn't cool enough for Instagram stories, makes for a better time.

"Hazel! Welcome, welcome," Joe, the owner, greets me, "Braden, Ben, you boys want milkshakes and pancakes?"

"Yes!"

Joe looks at me for permission and I nod my head. I guess we can go wild today. Just today. As a first day of school celebration. Then we'd have to go back to our normal routine. We're not made of money here.

I always thought it was weird that school started on a Thursday, a waste of time in my opinion. All you do is ice breakers. We're seniors for god sake, we've all been together for years. By this point it's be sad if you didn't have a high school nickname.

Even if I hated mine, I still had it.

"Yay, thank you sis," Braden smiles up to me.

I send Ben and Braden to the bathroom as I sit at a booth just scrolling through my Instagram feed aimlessly.

There was a first day back party and everyone seemed to be posting about it. Story after story of girls doing shots and boys playing beer pong. Every post I saw was covered in a haze of smoke, probably from some bong action in the background.

The milkshakes and pancakes are placed in front of me while the boys are still in the bathroom. They must be playing with the soap dispenser again. You let them watch Spongebob once.

"You got me pancakes? And a milkshake?"

I know that voice. Now was not the time for this. I'm with the twins, I don't want to deal with this. If I don't look at him he'll disappear. That's the theory I'm sticking with. It's all an illusion.

My milkshake disappears from the table and when it comes back it's half empty. My poor vanilla milkshake, slurped by some thief.

"For future reference, I like strawberry."

"No. Leave," I cross my arms and try to look intimidating, or at least mad.

I don't think it's working. The thief stays sitting there. A relatively bored expression on his face, it looks kind of cold actually. Stone cold. His blue eyes shine in the weird lighting of the diner. It should be illegal to look is good. My milkshake thief finally speaks up.

"Haze, stop being like that."

"No one calls me Haze."

"I'm no one, then."

Oliver Grey, you are the complete opposite of no one.