Take Control

Oli walked into the pub confidently with Tom by his side. He was determined more than ever. He was just going to tell them the truth. Screw it if they couldn't handle it. He felt good about Malorie. He knew he made the right decision by being with her. Although he had said it before, this time he meant it when he said she was different. She was. He knew it, Tom knew it. Now he just had to convince the four most stubborn people he knew that it was true.

"Oye yeh came! Where is yeh bird?" Matty asked Oli as he sat at the table they surrounded.

"Home." He responded now a bit nervous as Tom told him he would go get the two of them drinks.

"I like the bird. She's brill." Lee stated with a grin on his face and Oli felt a bit of relief. At least he knew how they felt about her before hand.

"Yeah, she is..." Oli chimed in as Tom sat a drink in front of him which he quickly downed.

"Yeh ok?" Matt asked and Oli simply nodded before slamming the glass down onto the table.

"Look, let meh just come out and say it. Malorie and I, well it's not just for show. I like her, she likes meh, and we are togetha."

The guys stared at him in silence and Tom silently slid his drink to his brother fearing that he needed it more than him.

"Oh come on Oli, she's juss a bird! Yeh can't juss sleep wif her and let it be? I can't handle this shit 'gain." Matty chose to be the first to speak.

"No, I'm afraid I can't. She's not Allie. She's smart, and funny and carin' and...ya know what? I don't have to explain myself. Be mad or whateva, but we are togetha." Oli said as he sat Tom's now empty cup back down.

"And don't sit here and say shit bout her cause yeh all like her." He added and Lee spoke, "Well, yeah..."

"I mean, what happened to tha Oli before Allie?" Matty asked ignoring what was just said, "The one who juss didn't give a fuck, slept wif whoeva, didn't date."

"He grew tha fuck up Mattah, and maybeh yeh should do tha same." Oli grumbled sliding his chair back before stalking out of the building. He should have expected something from Matty.

He didn't bother wasting time pacing the ground. He simply got back into his car a bit more angrier then when he last got out and headed back to Malorie's apartment. She would calm him down.

He sighed as he tried to cool himself off before arriving and once at her door he knocked twice and waited impatiently.

Malorie opened the door with a knowing look and he breathed out, "I hate Mattah some times yeh know? I juss...so stupid." He grumbled tugging at his hair in thought before Malorie grabbed his arm and pulled him in. He studied the girl in front of him as she stood there in silence waiting for him to speak his mind. She had learned a long time ago that it was best just to give him time then to force it out.

"I love yeh." He fumbled out and even he was a bit taken aback when it left his mouth. Although he was certain she already knew, it had never been said in direct context. Her eyes went wide from his words as his hand linked with hers instantly. For the first time he was completely nervous.

"I do love yeh, ok? I can't help it. Yeh so, amazin' and beautiful and perfect and I juss, I hate that I have to put yeh frew this because my mates are twats." He rambled on. A grin hit her lips although her heart was pounding in her chest at a disturbing pace.

"I love you too." She whispered and relief instantly covered his face, "Yeah?"

The girl nodded and he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Then who cares what those blokes fink yeah?" He asked, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I don't."

He kissed her gently and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I just, I want yeh to feel comfortable around everyone. It's just important to me, ok?" He whispered.

"I do. Seriously. It's fine."

"Ok, just tell me if yeh eva feel othawise."

"I will. Promise."

He kissed her softly, "Well, reallah it was juss Mattah wif tha issue. Lee likes yeh, the othas well they were pretty silent. Juss know Mattah's anger is directed at meh not yeh."

"I know. It's fine." She whispered burying her face into his shirt.

"You smell like cigarettes now." She mumbled, causing him to chuckle. He grabbed her hands and stepped back from her causing her to give him a confused look. He quickly tugged his shirt off and let it fall onto the couch.

"There." He responded pulling her back to him. She relaxed against his tattooed covered chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Do yeh work wif Allie tomorrow?" He finally asked and she nodded against him.

"So yeh should probably juss meet meh at my store so we can go ta lunch instead of meh comin' to get yeh like usual."

"Yeah, probably a smart choice."

"I'd just rather avoid conflict, and seein' her." He grumbled.

She looked up at him and he kissed her forehead, "Let's get some sleep, yeah?"

She nodded and grabbed his hand, walking him to her room. Her mind still reeling from the whole lot of issues at hand. One, his friends hating her (sort of.) Two, Allie, his ex girlfriend, now employed by her aunt. She had a lot working against her. Then again, she was never one to back away from a challenge so she wasn't planning on giving up. Plus, she actually meant what she said. She loved the boy. Somewhere in between their random hook ups and sarcastic remarks, she had fallen for him. Luckily, it didn't take much for him to fall for her either.

Once they stripped out of most of their clothing and settled into Malorie's sheets, Oli's thoughts turned into words he had no control over.

"I'm not goin' to let anyone ruin this, Mal. I mean it." Oli whispered his hand grazing her cheek as they laid together. The more he thought about it, the more determined he was to prove a point. To prove them all wrong. He would prove he could pick a decent girl.

"They won't. They just care about you." She offered a response. She honestly understood why his friends acted that way. In a way she respected them a lot more simply because they honestly were looking out for his best interest.

"I guess." He mumbled.

He kissed her gently before pulling her to his chest, her soft breathing causing his body to relax. He knew that Allie being here wasn't helping his situation. He needed the girl to go back to where she had been hiding. Maybe he could pay her to leave. Even the thought alone made him laugh to himself. He knew it would never be that easy with Allie.

Nothing ever was.

He was however, determined to find out her motive for being in town. She had nothing holding her here. No family or friends or a boyfriend. It just made no sense to him as to why she was sticking around. Maybe it was him being over paranoid, but after everything she had put him threw he couldn't help it. He had to get to the bottom of it in order to make himself feel better because knowing she was around put him on edge. The only time he felt otherwise was when in Malorie's presense and he couldn't be around her 24/7 so something had to be done. At least for his own sanity.