6: Just Don't Believe It

It's a school day. Fuck.

"Boys you better be up!" I yell to Ben and Braden from my bathroom.

This whole sharing a bathroom deal with Oliver Grey has proven quite difficult. You would think for someone so elite and high class as him he would have some manners or discipline. Nope, he's definitely a bad boy through and through. I mean the amount of time I've tripped on a damp towel in the past few days is more than normal. And normal should be zero, but to Oliver Grey, 13 is.

I quickly get ready and go to the kitchen to start on breakfast. The boys make their way to the table and Oliver was in the bathroom last I heard. Probably leaving another towel on the floor.

"Eat up," I set breakfast down in front of the boys, "You're growing."

They start scarfing down their breakfast as Oliver leisurely makes his way to the kitchen and grabs an apple and the mug with straight black coffee I had set aside for him. Apparently he likes his coffee like he likes his women, according to him. I didn't find the joke quite as funny as he did.

"Haze, time to go," Oliver tells me.

I look over at the clock displayed on the microwave and realize he's right 7:45, time to get the boys to school. We all stack into the car and Oliver makes his way.

"Why is Oliver taking us to school?" Ben asks.

"He's doing his part of a deal."

Oliver looks over to me but doesn't say anything. I feel guilty when he gives me that look. Was I not supposed to tell my own two little brothers that we had a deal? It's not like I explained the intricacies of our little agreement. And anyway, who are they gonna tell? Who's gonna believe them?

Once we've dropped them off Olive starts his way towards the high school.

"So why don't you just get an apartment if your so stacked with money?"

"None of your business."

"I beg to differ since my room is now your living quarters."

Oliver just rolls his eyes and stays silent. Great conversation there bud. Lovely talking to you, always a pleasure. God, why do I even open my ugly ass mouth sometimes. If I'd just stayed quiet maybe be wouldn't be mad at you again.

We're about to park and move on from this awkward silence we've been sitting in for the past 5 minutes. Right as he pulls into the parking spot Oliver speaks up.

"Because with you, no one knows where I am."

Was he trying to be all broody and mysterious on purpose? Or was he being rude? It kinda felt like a jab to me. Of course no one would suspect Oliver Grey and Hazel Kindler knowing each other, much less living together. The man sleeps in my room and has the audacity to be all bad boy on me. I should just threaten to kick him out. No, I couldn't do that.

By the time I'm done with my internal dialogue Oliver is already halfway to the school. He left me in his car and left without another word. I huff and get out his car and make my way. I try to ignore the few stares I get as I close the door of Oliver's fancy car. Most people probably think Oliver would be caught dead before having me in his car. I wonder what's going on through their heads. Probably something along the lines of "She's easy."

"Levi!"

"You came with Oliver?" Levi questions me.

I shrug, "He offered a ride for the boys, I wasn't gonna refuse."

"You know by lunch the rumors are gonna be crazy."

"Just don't believe it."

"You know I don't trust anything that comes out of these idiots' mouths."

I smile and nod at him before making my way to my first class of the day, chemistry. We were finally getting lab partners today and actually doing something fun other than learning about sig figs. I usually have this class with Oliver, but he barely shows up. If I remember correctly he thinks, and I quote, 'Why take chemistry when I can just fuck without a balanced equation?'

Example two of why Oliver Grey is a bad influence. Plus, that's probably the longest sentence he's said all year. He's a man of few words. Very few words. It used to be that he would talk tour ear off and joke around a lot. Now, his longest sentences are when he's purposefully trying to piss off a teacher with some sassy remark. While very entertaining, I still liked his balanced equation joke. I secretly think he's a nerd deep down under all that leather.

Oliver walks in and his eyes immediately lock onto mine. Curse me for staring at me, curse him for catching me and smirking. He keeps eye contact as he makes his way over and sits down next to me. I break the eye contact, immediately grabbing my silver chain that I wear. His piercing blue eyes being too much to handle this close up.

"Alright, whoever you're sitting by, that's your partner for the rest of the year."

I look over and catch Oliver lazily staring back at me.

"Howdy partner."

My jaw visibly drops as I register the words that just came out of my mouth. I did not just say that. I did not just say howdy to Oliver Grey. I must look like an idiot right now. I'm such a disgrace to the human race.

Oliver just smirks and fakes a tilt of his hat, "Howdy."

His voice is deep, deeper than his normal. I suddenly have a major attraction to cowboys. Or maybe it's just the word howdy. My cheeks turn red and I cover them with my hands, not wanting Oliver to see me affected. It's all in vail though because his eyes still haven't left me since he walked in. Great, I've let Oliver Grey know he has power over me. This can only end in chaos.

I feel his hands come up to my face and pull my hands that were covering my cheeks away. His hands linger on my wrists and I look up to his face, but his face is stone cold. He quickly lets go and turns to face the front, breaking his eye contact with me.

"Stink bomb," is all he says before mixing the last of the vinegar into the beaker.

We were supposed to be mixing baking soda and vinegar. A simple little experiment as a get to know your partner. Not that I needed to get to know mine, everyone knows Oliver Grey.

I look up at him and smile before grabbing my bag and running towards the door in the front of the room. I feel Oliver close behind me. When the teacher is about to get onto us, our beaker explodes with a putrid smell.

Peace out fuckers, I'm not smelling like old eggs for a week.

I run out the door and make it outside, automatically running to Oliver's car. I'm laughing hysterically and use the hood of his car to support my body weight. When a shadow looms over meI look up to see Oliver with an amused smirk on his face.

I think back to the times when if this had happened he would also be rolling on the floor like a maniac too. Sometimes I like to think that that Oliver Grey is still in there somewhere, deep beneath the leather.

"Come on."

I sober up and look up to Oliver who has the passenger door open for me and is waiting expectantly. All amusement is gone and he's back to his stone cold face.

"Where are we going?" I ask but get into the car anyway.

He makes his way to the driver's side and turns on the engine. As he pulls out of the school he's till silent.

"Food."