Assurance

"Answering phone calls can be tricky, but not even returning a text is another." said Veronica next to me. I was at school lunch, and beyond tired and the noise of the cafeteria was getting to me. All of my 'friends' were giving me shit for ignoring them. I had stayed up last night doing all the homework that was assigned over break.I was kinda sketchy on how today would go, since I had ignored nearly everyone over break. But this morning I seemed to get a lot of hellos and smiles surprisingly. Going through the day really just made me wish Oliver and I went to the same school.

"Sorry, just was just extremely busy over break. Charlotte was here, then the wedding and all. Family stuff." I lied to everyone.

"How was the wedding?" asked Kylie.

"Quite nice actually, really extravagant affair."

"I would have came with you if you replied that night. Or any night for that matter Ms. 'I'm too busy for anyone to talk to me' " said Veronica again and our table started to laugh. I felt bad that she was constantly trying to get close to me ever since I've known her, but I always seemed to push her away.

"It's not funny guys, I really was busy!" I blushed.

"I know why she didn't answer, she was too wrapped up in that Oliver bloke." said Amanda next to me. I turned my head sharply towards her smirking face as the laughing died down.

How did she know anything about me and Oliver?

"What do you mean?" I asked slightly flustered. Anyone here sitting with me hardly looked like the type to run around in Oliver's circle of friends.

"Who's Oliver?" asked Kylie.

"Sheffield's not that big of a city girlie. Word gets around quick when you start spending all your time with a guy like Oliver." said Amanda rolling her eyes.

"What is she talking ab-" started Yvette before the ending lunch bell rang.

Saved by the Bell.

The lunchroom started to get louder as everyone focused on getting out. We all separated in the commotion, saving me from the questions that were to come. I had fifth hour maths, and I took my seat in the back quickly. My head was spinning with the ideas that Amanda put in there. Amanda didn't seem like the type to hang around Oliver and his mates, but maybe I was wrong. How she knew I spent so much time with Oliver was beyond me. I didn't know her too well myself, only the few lunch conversations we've had over this year and maybe a few hangouts with the gang. Amanda was the intimidating kind of girl, a striking beauty and attitude that made her come off a bit standoffish. I did the only thing I could think of, send her a text.

hey, can i talk to you about something? I asked, trying to keep it simple.

about oliver i suppose. shoot ;)

how'd you know i was spending time with him?

my cousin betzy, she mentioned oliver was spending a lot of time w/a new girl. saw you in a few pics w/oli she showed me

Whoa. I wouldn't have thought of her and Betzy as cousins, they hardly looked anything alike.

oh, i didnt realize you knew betzy. i just met her myself

yeah, and dont worry. i wont say anything more. just funny watching your face when i brought him up

How did my face look? Surely enough, I guarded my friendship with Oliver. It was something I cherished, something special that I wanted to keep all to myself.

oh, okay. so you know oliver pretty well? I dared to ask.

well enough, spent my fair share around him

I made myself put the phone down.

One of the first things Oliver told me the second day I met him, was that he wanted to get to know him for myself. He hated the passing of judgement against him, and guarded himself heavily. I only saw what he wanted me to see of him, while I did the same by default. I loved being with the Oliver I knew, he was the only Oliver I knew. Maybe there was a completely different reckless Oliver I didn't know, but that's alright with me. The boy I knew was the one I met the first night of the wedding. I respected his sense of secrecy. Oliver has been nothing but beyond nice to me, never pressuring me into anything. He gave me my own choices, something I don't think I gave him enough credit for.
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"Oli can't get to the phone right now. He's straightening his hair." laughed Tom into the phone making me laugh as well. I had just got done taking a shower after doing my homework for the night and saw I had a missed call from his house phone ironically.

"Seriously Tom! Where is he?" I laughed.

"Staring at his pretty face in the mirror looking for flaws." he said and I cackled again. "Just be lucky me Mum didn't answer. She would have told you he was dead!"

"Seriously Tom." I tried, stopping my laughter as I lied on my back on my bad. "Where's my frienddddd?" I whined and he started to laugh.

"I actually have no clue where your boyfriend is, let me check his room." he said and I heard his footsteps and I started to hear loud music as well. "The shit music he plays in his room, this guy. Oi! Oli!" he squealed and the music stopped. "There's a little birdy on the phone for you. Claims she knows you quite well."

"Give me the phone Tom!" I heard Oliver yell. I laughed as it sounded like the two were in quite the tousle. I could just imagine the two skinny boys fighting over the small phone. I finally heard the door slam, and a panting Oliver let out a tired "Ello love."

"Heya!" I laughed.

"Tom's a git sometimes. Sorry about that."

"He's a good laugh though, it's fine." I laughed. "Sorry I missed you, I was in the shower."

"It's alright, I couldn't send you a message today. My phone won't turn on!" he said sadly and I started to laugh loudly. "Shut up! It's not my fault, I just dunno what happened to it!" It was needless to say, Oliver treated his phone like shit. I think it might have actually been a nice phone a long time ago, but it was beyond battered now. Last time I saw it, it was being held together only with the aid of tape. "I gotta go get a new one tomorrow, I can't take not having it."

"Whooo hooooo! Oliver finally gets a new phone!" I squealed into the phone. "If only it wasn't doomed to be treated like shit just like the last."

"You're mean." he stated and I laughed again. I could only imagine him sitting there with his lip jutted out. "So how was your day, love?"

"Boring." I sighed. "The whole time I couldn't stop thinking of all the thing's I'd rather be doing. Got tired of hearing people's shit about me ignoring them over break."

"Understandable." he said simply.

"Why don't you go to my schooooollll?" I whined into my pillow and he let out a low chuckle.

"Cause I'd have to beat up too many meat head blokes drooling over you all day." he grumbled and I let out a giggle.

'It's nothing like that honestly. I hardly ever get approached for anything like that." I said honestly.

"You just don't get approached. Doesn't mean the blokes aren't looking."

"If you say so." I mumbled. I had hardly ever noticed an guy interested at all in me. "How was your day?"

"Pretty alright, cept' the fact I couldn't bug you all day. Matt entertained me fair enough."

"Nothing interesting happen?"

"I had some brownies that were pretty good. I slept all through my last few periods."

"Why can't break be longer? I'm tired of this shit of an education system."

"Did you feed Drella?" he asked.

Shit. I looked down at the small white kitten laying in her bed below me, probably beyond hungry.

"Yup." I chirped, before hopping out of bed and going to the bathroom to get her food.

"You're a horrible liar, love. I thought giving you the cat would teach you something about lying." I will admit, Oliver was good. He wouldn't make me admit my lie, but accept it none the less.

"I told you to take her! She hates me." I said while emptying the packet of food into the little bowl. I watched in sadness as Drella started to devour it quickly.

"With good reason! I'd hate you too if you didn't feed me." he said, his seriousness taking me slightly off guard.

"I'm sorry." I admitted.

"It's a real animal. I can understand you not playing with it and what not, but it at least deserves to eat."

"It's not an it, it's a her. Her name is Drella." I said, slightly mocking him and he let out a heavy sigh.

"You really are something, Kristiny. You know that?" he said with a chuckle.

"As are you Oliver."