CHAPTER 71: A NEW CHARACTER UNLOCKED

Chapter Seventy

**OLIVER WEST**

Xander waved something in the air, and I stared at the item in recognition.

It was my glasses case. Wasn’t it supposed to be in my locker? I must have taken it to class and stupidly forgotten it in my haste to leave.

"Oh my god, thank you! I didn’t even realize I’d lost it!" I took the step towards him.

Mom’s lecture would literally make the ears of our whole neighborhood bleed if these new glasses ever got scratched.

"No problem," Xander said with an easy smile. " I found it on the floor after everyone left."

On the floor??

Yeah, stupidly careless of you Oliver!

I reached out eagerly to take it, already mentally thanking whatever gods had sent Xander to save me from certain death by maternal fury.

But before my fingers could make contact with the case, a longer hand from behind me shot out like a viper, snatching it from Xander’s grip.

"There. He got it back. You can leave now," Kieran said coldly, his voice carrying enough ice to freeze hell over.

Next thing I knew, my back crashed against Kieran’s chest, his arm thrown around my shoulders.

This was so mortifying and AWKWARD!

The silence that followed was so thick I could have cut it with a butter knife. I stood there with my hand still extended uselessly in the air, it was just glasses, why did Kieran have to make it such a big deal?

"Um... Oliver, since I’m new. I also wanted to ask if you could show me around. I already got lost twice, before I found you here..."

"You can’t figure out how to navigate a building, what are you, Five?"

"Kieran!" I hissed, mortified by his rudeness.

Xander’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn’t look offended. If anything, he looked... amused?

It felt so awkward now that my toes were practically curling.

"Wow," Xander said slowly, his gaze moving between Kieran and then back at me.

"That’s some serious possessiveness right there." He tilted his head, studying me with mock concern. "Oliver, blink twice if you need help."

A nervous giggle escaped my mouth before I could stop it. The tension was so thick I felt like I was drowning in it, or maybe it was because I couldn’t even breathe properly.

Not when I could feel Kieran’s pulsating heartbeat on my back and his arms were tighter around my shoulder with enough force for me to stumble more into him.

The gesture was clearly territorial, like a wolf marking its territory.

"He’s fine, aren’t you, Ollie?" Kieran said, his breath teasing my ears, making them ticklish and I squirmed.

The cuddle was too much, how could he not even be ashamed being this intimate in front of another person!

"Y-yeah, I’m fine," I managed, clutching my retrieved glasses case which I’d collected from his hands.

Xander stared at us for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he shrugged, that easy smile returning to his face.

"Well, if you’re sure," he said, already backing toward the door. "See you around, Oliver."

The way he said my name made Kieran’s grip tighten almost imperceptibly.

The moment the door closed behind Xander, I spun to face Kieran.

"That was incredibly rude! He was just being nice, and also, he’s new,it was just a simple request—"

SMACK.

The sharp sound of Kieran’s hand connecting with my butt echoed through the empty classroom.

I blinked slowly, my body not registering pain, and then it hit me all at once and the shriek that escaped my mouth probably shattered windows in the next building.

"What the hell, Kieran! That hurts!"

"He was nice?" Kieran’s eyes blazed with something dangerous that completely snatched my breath.

"I can see his intentions clearly, Ollie. And I’m not going to let him anywhere near you."

"You’re just being cruel!" I protested, rubbing my stinging backside. "He probably feels terrible now. You made it so awkward—"

SMACK!!!

"Arggggghhhhh!!" My words averted to a louder yelp louder as Kieran’s hand not only spanked me but squeezed my butt, his grip too tight.

"Kieran!" I tried to wiggle away, but his other arm was still around my neck, keeping me close.

"Listen carefully," he said, his voice low and intense. His fingers moved to my ear, starting with a gentle touch that made me shiver. Then his teeth found the sensitive spot just below my earlobe, and he bit down just hard enough to make me gasp.

"Stay away from Xander," he murmured against my ear, his breath warm on my skin. "Yes, I’m jealous. Yes, I’m possessive. I don’t like when others look at you, talk to you, touch you." His grip on my ear tightened slightly. "Only I have that right."

Before I could respond, his mouth was on mine again, kissing me with a desperate intensity that made my knees weak.

It was possessive and demanding and completely overwhelming.

When he finally pulled back, I was breathless and more than a little dazed. And totally speechless, I didn’t even know how to respond.

"Do you understand?" he asked, his thumb brushing over my swollen lips.

NO. I DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!

But my stupid head could only nod dumbly.

"Good boy." His fingers brushed through my hair, the smile on his face made me want to just kill him and hold him at the same time.

No.

Why was I allowing this??

I wasn’t a masochist right? Kieran’s lunacy couldn’t be rubbing off on me!!!

-

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-

"Love is for the weak!" William declared dramatically as I approached our lunch table.

I stared at my best friend like he’d grown a second head. I would never be used to this freaky change!

"What are you even talking about?" I asked, sliding into the seat across from him.

It felt weird being in the cafeteria during lunch. For years, I’d avoided this place like the plague, too scared of running into Kieran and his crew. But now... now I could actually eat here without fear of having evil glares being thrown my way or my food knocked to the floor.

The irony wasn’t lost on me that the same person who’d made my life hell was now the reason I felt safe here.

"I’m talking about emotional independence!" William continued, apparently not noticing my confusion, or he just decided to ignore me as he read aloud a quote from his phone.

"Attachment is the root of all suffering. I am a lone wolf now, Oliver. A magnificent, untouchable lone wolf!"

"Since when do you quote Buddhism?" I asked, unwrapping my sandwich.

"Since I realized that depending on others for happiness is a fool’s game!"

I leaned closer, lowering my voice. "Will, are you okay? Because you’re acting really weird, and yesterday you looked like you’d been crying, and now you’re—"

"The old William cried," he interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "New William is evolved beyond such base emotions."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, keep your secrets. But I have news."

William’s eyes lit up despite his supposed emotional detachment. "Spill."

I glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then whispered, "Kieran confessed to me, he said he likes me." I left out the obsession part, if I was honest, I was slightly scared.

William’s dramatic posturing crumbled for exactly three seconds before he caught himself.

"Love is a chemical imbalance, Stay strong, Oliver. Don’t let the patriarchy fool you into thinking you need a man! Fighting!" He made a fist pump at me.

"The patriarchy?" I stared at him, my brain reeling with confusion "William, what the actual hell happened to you over the weekend?"

"Enlightenment," he said firmly, making the most serious expression like he wasn’t spewing gibberish.

"That’s it," I said, pulling out my phone and shooting him a glare. I was already exhausted, I needed my best friend, especially at this critical time!

"I’m telling a trusted adult. This behavior is concerning and your parents might need to be aware!" My threat got him to snap out of it as he lunged at me to snatch my phone.

"What the hell?!! You got the latest phone Oliver? Did you win the lottery or something?!!"

Great.

Here, I thought I had finally scared my best friend into being himself again.

I was about to respond when I noticed movement near the cafeteria entrance.

Xander had just walked in, and his gaze was scanning the room like he was looking for somewhere to sit.

I looked around to also notice that all the tables were full. Well, except ours.

Kieran’s warning immediately blared in my ears, along with the phantom sting of those spanks I’d received. I quickly looked down at my sandwich, hoping to avoid eye contact.

Please don’t stop here!

Don’t even look in my direction.

But even with my gaze focused on my food, I could sense him approaching. The sound of footsteps, and the way conversations seemed to quiet slightly as he passed.

"Hey," Xander’s voice came from right beside our table. "Mind if I sit? Everywhere else seems to be full."

I kept my eyes glued to my sandwich like it contained the secrets of the universe.

"Xander!" William’s face lit up, his weird philosophical mood temporarily forgotten. "Of course, sit down!"

I shot William a betrayed look. Since when was he so welcoming to strangers? Or right, they knew each other.

"You’re Alex’s friend, right?" William continued as Xander settled into the seat beside me. "From the party Friday night?

"That’s me," Xander said easily.

"Why did you transfer at the end of the semester? I didn’t even think that was possible, will you be able to catch up with everything?" William asked him and Xander just shrugged.

"My stepdad recently moved to this place, so..."