Chapter 25

A month had passed.

The first thing I did after my date with Jordan was ask him if we were a couple. He said we were, which made me happy.

Life was peaceful right now, if you excluded my family life.

I was still friends with Eve, Abigail and most importantly Oliver. Jordan hasn't said a word yet about Oliver and me being friends. I felt glad that Jordan knew that I wasn't going to bend the rules for him.

As for my home life however, Rick hasn't been home for a month. He had disappeared. Mum sat in her chair every day, staring out the window, wishing the man she loves would come home.

In a way I felt sorry for her, yet I was happy that he wasn't around to hurt her and me anymore.

"Hey beautiful," a voice came from behind me.

I turned around to see Jordan with a big smile on his face.

I giggled. "Hey."

"How are you?" He asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Oh, I'm alright. Still hate school though. You?"

"Pretty good. So you coming over to my house today so we can hang out?"

"I can't. I am hanging out with Oliver."

Even though Jordan tried to bury the hanger he had for his brother, I could still see the look of annoyance on his face.

"I'll make it up to you."

The annoyance was whipped off his face and replaced with a smirk. "How?"

"Well..." I slowly caressed his cheek. "Will a kiss do?"

"Hmm...I don't know..."

"I guess I will have to try then," I whispered, gently pressing my lips against his.

His hands caressed my cheek, as he softly kissed me back. He started to deepen the kiss, trailing his hands from my cheeks to my hair and pressing his lips more forcefully onto mine.

I felt his tongue press against my bottom lip and I held my mouth open so that he can kiss me passionately.

When we pulled apart I asked him softly, "So did I make it up to you?"

"Hmm...well how about you come over to my house Friday night an we watch a movie? Maybe then I will forgive you."

"I will see if I can book you in," I replied playfully.

"Oh, now you are going to gt it."

I tried to get out of his grasp, but it was to late he started to tickle me.

"No, no! Jordan please." I begged between every giggle.

"I don't know."

"Jordan!"

"Fine, fine," he stopped tickling me and pulled me into an embrace. "So date with me Friday?"

"Of course." I whispered back.

"Cece-I..."

"Cece, come on. I'm not waiting forever!" Oliver's voice called down the hall.

"Coming!" I shouted after him. "What were you saying?" I asked Jordan.

"Never mind."

"Okay see you later." 

"Yea, bye."

I gave him a quick peck and skipped over to Oliver.

"So Eve asked me out on a date." Oliver said while we were siting on his bed.

"What did you say?"

"I don't know what to say...She's a lovely girl."

"But..." I prompted.

"But I don't know. I haven't had a relationship in a very long time...And it's most likely what she wants."

"Well do you like her?"

"She's a nice girl, pretty and talented."

"But do you like her?"

He sighed and mumbled something.

"What?"

"Never mind."

I could of sworn I hear him say-

"I know she wants to get out of here as much as I do...But say now I do fall for her or something...school isn't going to last forever. In six months I'm outta here. She and I will be going separate directions." 

"Stop thinking about the long term and think about the here and now."

"I don't want to think about the now. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Eve is a good friend of mine."

"And is that all she will ever be to you?"

Oliver shrugged.

"What's holding you back?"

"I can't say..."

"What do you mean?"

Oliver sighed,"It's hard to explain."

"Try me."

"Well there are two reason. One I can tell you and the other one I can't."

"Fine. Now spill it."

"The last girlfriend I had was about two years ago, I was sixteen. We started dating when we started high school. She was thirteen and I was fourteen. So we had been dating for about two years...I really loved her. Then one day...She didn't show up at school."

"Was she sick?"

Oliver shrugged. "I went to her house and her parents didn't know where she was. They were crying like crazy. It was like she disappeared."

"Well, where did she go?"

"I don't know...She was here one day and the next...she was just gone."

"Do you have any idea where she went?"

"A bit..."

"And where do you think she went?"

"...Well I only date people who have the same interests as e right?"

"Right."

"Well we talked about how we wanted to get out of this town as fast as possible. Any way we could get out, we would do it. Every year in Autumn the army would come to town, the day she disappeared was the day the army left town. I think she went them."

"But how, she was only sixteen?"

"She probably asked for a ride."

"Where do you think she went?"

"Probably New York...She loved books. It was her passion, she loved to write and read. Knowing her, she is probably studying her final year  to become a publisher."

"So that's it? She loved you and left you just like that?"

"Yeah."

"What a b***h."

"Watch it," he warned.

"No!" I retorted. "Who the hell does that? You loved her and she loved you. You don't just walk out of somebody's life just because the opportunity came. She could of at least asked you to go with her."

Oliver shrugged. "It's in the past."

I sighed. "I guess. So now what is the second reason?"

This time Oliver sighed. "I can't tell you Cece, as much as I would love to, but I can't."

"Fine."

It was silent for a few minutes until Oliver decided to mess up my hair.

"Jerk," I muttered and grinned.

I lay in bed that night, thinking about mine and Oliver's conversation.

I could have sworn he muttered "She's not you."

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I told myself to get a grip, he is Oliver, your best friend.

I opened my locker finding a note pinned to my door.

Every time I see you, my heart skips a beat

 To imagine you in my arms, I become so weak

When you smile, it makes my day,

Just to be with you, I know that everything will be okay

You seem so carefree and happy

And then when I am around you nothing seems sappy.

You don't seem to mind what other people say about you

Never letting your mood turn blue

You live by your own rules

Not caring if someone thinks you're a fool

Every time I am around you, it feels like a dream

Like nothing can break me from this scene

I want you to be mine, to have you in my arms each day

The only think you need is to tell me okay

We could laugh together, just give me a sign

Please promise me that you will always be mine.

~Jordan

"You like it?" Asked a voice from behind me.

I turned around to face Jordan. "But I am already yours." I told him confused.

"I know, I wrote this for you before we started dating."

"Really?"

He nodded, blushing as he started to rub his neck.

"How sweet." I grinned at him and kissed his cheek.

"You think so?"

"Definitely."