The Thousand Year Curse (The Curse Books) (12 page)

I don't even want to wait for a response. I won't be able to get any sleep if I wait for the bing so I put the note down on my desk, shove my phone on its charger and jump into bed. I place the flower on the pillow next to me and fall asleep gazing at the rose. A reminder of my Ollie.

CHAPTER SEVEN

the kiss

I pick out a perfect yet subtle outfit for the day. It's a skirt but not a mini skirt by any means. I'm not going all slutty now. I'm wearing a tight black short sleeve shirt on top which hugs my curves perfectly. I chose some cute black boots with a little heel on them to boost my height. I want to dress nice, which hasn't happened in at least a year. My life is definitely starting to change. Happiness blooms in the pit of my stomach scaring me.
 

The bell rings signaling the end of third period. The thought that in less than five minutes I'll be face to face with Ollie sends anxious butterflies up my stomach. To make matters worse it's a new week and Becca and her crew are in class. I try to breathe but fail at that as well, as I cough up some air that went down the wrong lung. I'm worse than I thought.
 

"You'll be fine." Junior tells me before leaving me standing in the hallway alone.—brat.

I get to class early since I've made the habit of getting all my books in the morning. I sit in my usual seat and wait—and wait—and wait. I think time has actually slowed down just to torture me. I start to jiggle my legs and bite my lip—the anticipation killing me.
 

I can sense him before he even enters the room. A sort of electricity flows through my body starting at my toes and ending on my bright cheeks. He walks in the room but stops in the entrance glancing around before his eyes settle on me. He comes over to sit with me as he takes his now usual spot behind me. I turn in my seat to face him. He has a smile on his face, his teeth shine at me, sending warmth up my back.
 

"Hey." I say a little breathlessly, smiling back at him.

"You look great today." He says opening his bag to get his books out.
 

"Thanks." I blush involuntarily. He is staring down so I hope he doesn't notice my red cheeks.
 

"So tonight…" He mutters the situation turning awkward. "I'll get you at seven, okay?" He seems about as excited as I am, if not more.
 

"Yeah, that's perfect." I answer back my eyes all dreamy.
 

"We're still meeting in the library during eighth though, right?" He asks with a hint of worry in his voice.
 

"If you want." I say, praying he wants to.
 

"Yeah, I do." I let out a sigh of relief knowing I will get to see him again today.
 

"Cool." I sound so juvenile.
Cool.
Who says cool anymore? People who aren't cool, that's who!

"Cool." He mimics me. I turn back to the front of the room cringing at our interaction. Somewhat awkward but not too bad.
 

The teacher calls attendance and everyone gets quiet. Half way through class I peek over to the other side of the classroom. Becca is grilling me, her eyes trained on the back of my head. I turn back to face the front of the room, pretending I didn't catch her gaze. Her presence alone bothers me. I'm convinced I was a murderer in a previous life and this is just my karma coming back to bite me.
 

The teacher starts giving out homework and I realize class is ending. The period went by remarkably fast. I start packing my books unsure if I should wait for Ollie or not. Discretely, or so I think, I glance back towards Ollie. He spies me peeking meeting my eyes and grins a little. Damn-it, he was watching me.
 

"Can I walk you to lunch?" He asks standing up and leading us towards the door.

"Sure, don't you have class?" I wouldn't want to impose—even though I really, really do.

"Not today." I'm pretty sure he's skipping class but, hey, I'm not going to complain. We start walking to the student center together.
 

Once we get closer to the room, I start trying to find Junior in the crowd. I don't want Ollie to find out I sit by myself. Once we enter the room a few people glance up but I am invisible since no one notices me anymore. I've become air to them.
 

We spy Junior waiting in line for a buffalo chicken wrap. They are a huge hit at this school. Everyone calls it Buff Chick Day. The line is long and to be honest, I don't want to wait. I think Ollie can tell I am tense so he picks up my hand wrapping his around it—not the way a dad holds a daughters hand either. It is a fingers intertwined, making a statement kind of way.
 

I gaze down at our hands to make sure I'm not imagining anything. Once I've confirmed I'm not, I avert my gaze up to his face in question.
 

"Do you want something?" He asks rubbing my palm with his thumb. Words refuse to form in my mouth so I nod. The entire time I'm getting food our hands stay interlocked. His warmth surprises me sliding up my arm in gentle waves. Shyness comes over me and I bow my head.
 

When we leave the food area and go back to where most of the tables are, the attention shifts. Every one is staring at us. Not so much me but Ollie definitely. I try to hide behind a curtain of hair as my flight or fight responses shoot through me. I want to run but Ollie holds me in place refusing to let me go.

He pulls me with him as we continue to walk. My legs aren't working so I must look like a complete idiot as they flail about. He picks a table close to the exit of the cafeteria. He must think we will need a quick getaway or something. He sits down and drops my hand. The heat leaves me and loss takes over but I push it aside.
 

I'm being a baby. I keep thinking that he's going to disappear and leave me. I need to get over it. I'm going to push him away before we even start a relationship. I need to keep it together. He pats the chair and I sit next to him.
 

"Everyones staring at you." I lean in to him and whisper. He glances around catching several eyes staring back at him. He smiles over at me and leans down to my ear.

"No they're not. They're staring at us." He whispers so close to my ear that I feel every breath. He's laughing so I join in. Ollie has this way of making stressful situations better. Just the fact that there is an
us
makes me forget about the rest of the people in the room.
 

Junior waltzes out of the food area and I wave him down like he is my five year old son. He walks over leisurely, saying hi to a few people along the way. He finally plops down next to Ollie. Rude, he picks Ollie over me—I'm a tad jealous.

"So word on the street is you two have gone public?" Junior bluntly asks looking from Ollie to me and back and forth. I kick him under the table and he yelps reaching down to rub his shin. I glare at him the meanest snarl I can manage and Junior smugly smiles back at me.
 

"Wasn't me." I tease Junior daring him to continue this conversation.
 

"Everyone says you two are a couple, fact or false?" Junior asks again. This kid needs a muzzle.
 

"Fact." Ollie states plainly, not even blushing or batting an eye lash. Here I am mortified and he is calm as a cucumber.
 

"Really?" Junior and I both ask at the same time.

"Well, we're dating now, right? Well technically tonight, but still." Ollie explains. His logic does add up—a couple?
 

"I guess so?" I answer but it comes out more like a question.
 

"You don't want to be a couple?" Ollie asks me with amusement in his voice. His eyes never falter. I look to Junior and he shrugs.

"No!" I say a little to loud. "I do." I fix my tone and finish.
 

"So it's settled." He affirms grabbing my hand from under the table. I let out a breathe thanking god. He gives me a little squeeze and keeps them clasped in between us.
 

After the awkward conversation, the topic changes to band. I observe as Ollie and Junior chat. I guess there is a home game on Friday night and they are playing at half time. It sounds like a big deal. They both tell me I don't have a choice but to go. It's not like other plans are clogging up my schedule. On the down side, they will both be playing in the band. I'll be stranded alone with the crowd.
 

Lunch ends way too quickly. It's sad because this is the first time our group has been together. Ollie and Junior's friendship seems longer than it really is. I like it though.
 

Since Ollie and I are a couple, he will be around a lot more. My best friend being friends with my boyfriend is pretty important. I can get used to the group of us.
 

Seventh period goes by in a breeze. We are starting to talk about Zeus and his stories in Greek Mythology. It is pretty cool. I wonder how people think this kind of stuff up. I mean who has that many kids. Doesn't make sense to me but at least it's an interesting story.

Mary is happy to see me today. I was going to go straight to my spot in the back of the library but figure I'll stop and chat. Ollie is usually late to these meetings since he has class in the art wing which is on the other side of school.
 

"Hey Mary, how are you today?" I ask her propping my bag on my knee.
 

"I'm fine sweetie, how about you?" Mary responds. She stops typing on her computer and smiles up at me, giving me her full attention.
 

"Just fine." I answer and smile back at her. I open my mouth to tell her about a book I'm reading in English but she speaks up first.
 

"You should head back. Your boyfriend is waiting in your spot." She says and I am taken aback. Boyfriend? I know it's a small school but still—she's the librarian for crying out loud.
 

"My boyfriend?" I question her. My face must be contorted because Mary gives me an odd stare.

"Yes, that young boy you work with." She explains. Of course, she thinks he's my boyfriend. Once again I'm reading too far into this.
 

"Oh?" I say like a question still rooted in my spot like an idiot.
 

"Is he not your boyfriend?" She asks, her eyebrows coming together as she blushes from embarrassment. Oh my god. I've embarrassed her now as well.
 

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. That's me. Thanks Mary."
 

"No problem sweetie." She says after me as I run towards the back of the room.
 

I have a boyfriend? Man, that sounds weird. I've had a boyfriend before but this is different.
 

Ollie is sitting in our little cubicle in the back of the library focusing hard on something. As I get closer I catch him writing something down. Really fast too. I can barely grasp his hand moving up and down the page, the movement is so fast. I walk over and tap him on the shoulder. He jumps up knocking me over as I fall flat on my face dropping all my stuff across the floor.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so, so, sorry." He apologizes as he tries to pick me up. "You startled me," he further explains. He pulls me up and onto his lap.

"Are you okay?" He asks while rubbing my head and stroking my hair.