Chapter 17

Since the night Oliver kissed me, I started to ignore him. Maybe it's for the best. I don't think I should get drunk either. However, in the hospital it was hard to avoid him. I was just keeping my work professional and only rarely talked to him. 
Everyone in the hospital asked him about his eye which I gifted him when he kissed me. He said that he bumped into a wall last night. 
Now I had to follow my clues. It was the start of the plan. Lydia already had a plan. She will distract the man from his laptop as they know each other. Then I will go and take the footage of 2nd May. 
I stayed a few steps behind, watching as she walked up to him. They started talking. He looked relaxed—good. That meant he wasn’t paying attention to his laptop.
This was my chance.
I moved quickly, slipping through the crowd. My hands felt a little sweaty, but I ignored it. I had one job—get the footage from May 2nd.
I reached the laptop. My heart pounded. One wrong move, and this would all go downhill.
I took a deep breath, then got to work.
My hands moved fast, fingers tapping the keys as I searched for the footage from May 2nd. A list of files popped up on the screen. I scrolled until I found the right one.
Click.
The video loaded, and my breath caught.
It was here. I saw them. Stiles and Luka. They were arguing. Luka pushed him and Stiles hurt his head. He had blood on his head. Then Luka walked away. I didn't have the time to listen to the arguments. I copied the file and saved it on my phone. 
I gave her a sign that my work is done. She then finished her distraction. Then we both walked to my home and listened to the footage. Stiles and Luka were arguing about drugs. 
Luka was forcing Stiles to hand him over the proof that he saw him selling drugs. Stiles denied it and told him that he had hidden the evidence. 
Luka was angry and he hit Stiles and pushed him into a wall which gave him a bump on his head. Then Luka walked away. It was the real footage. 
Clara and Max invited me to play, so I went. I wasn’t really in the mood, but they wouldn’t stop asking.
We started the game. Everyone grabbed water balloons, laughing and running around. I was just trying to focus on not getting hit.
Then I saw him.
Oliver.
I tried to ignore him. I didn’t want to deal with him today. But somehow, he kept getting closer. No matter where I moved, he was there—too close, too aware of where I was.
I clenched my jaw and focused on the game. Clara and Max were on opposite teams, along with Cam. Oliver was too. I hated that.
The other team was already winning. They had more people left, and I knew I wouldn’t last much longer.
Then I saw Clara aiming at me. She had a balloon in her hand, ready to throw. I braced myself, ready to dodge—
But before I could move, Oliver stepped in front of me.
Splash!
The balloon hit him instead. Water soaked his shirt, dripping down his face. He wiped his eyes and turned to me, a small smirk on his lips.
“I gave you a chance. Use it,” he said.
I froze.
Why would he do that? He wasn’t supposed to help me. We weren’t friends.
For a second, I just stared at him. The way his wet hair stuck to his forehead. The way his shirt clung to his skin. The way his eyes held something I couldn’t understand.
Then—
Splash!
A balloon hit my side. Cold water ran down my arm.
Cam yelled, “Game over!”
We lost.
Oliver chuckled. “Looks like we’re both losers.”
I scowled and walked past him, ignoring the way my heart was racing.
I hated him.
Right?
After the game ended, I shook the water off my arms and started walking toward Lydia. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone, especially Oliver.
But I felt him behind me.
I ignored it.
I reached Lydia, but before I could say anything, a hand grabbed my wrist. Firm, but not rough. Warm.
I turned. Oliver.
His jaw was tight, his eyes darker than usual. “Where are you going?”
“To talk to Lydia,” I said, trying to pull my hand away. He didn’t let go.
“Stay.” His voice was quieter now, almost… desperate.
I frowned. “Why?”
His grip loosened, fingers sliding down my wrist before finally letting go. “Because I—” He stopped himself, exhaling like he was holding something back. Then he ran a hand through his wet hair and looked away.
I waited.
He didn’t finish his sentence.
Typical Oliver. Always playing games.
“I’m leaving,” I muttered and turned toward Lydia again.
But before I could take another step, he spoke.
“I don’t like seeing you with her.”
I stopped. Slowly, I turned my head. “What?”
His eyes met mine, frustration clear in them. He hesitated, then took a small step closer. “I don’t want you walking away from me. I don’t want you running to her.”
Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist. I hated it. I hated him.
So why was my heart racing?
I scoffed. “I can talk to whoever I want.”
His jaw clenched. For a second, I thought he was going to say something else, but he didn’t. He just stared at me, like he was trying to figure something out.
I turned and walked away.
Even as I reached Lydia, I could still feel his eyes on me.