BAD BOY SAVED (male pov)

Filmmaker Luke.

The dorm had been unusually empty this past week, Olivia wasn't the only one avoiding me so when I heard the familiar jangle of keys my heart and head darted up to face the door, waiting.

Reece walked in with her tail between her legs and like a stubborn child I am I crossed my arms over my torso and narrowed my eyes in her direction. Her long hair was pushed back into a messy bun and small feathery strands fell loosely by her exhausted face.

"Liam, please let me explain." She pulled the sleeves on her Adidas hoodie over her hands and coiled the material in around her fingers, clearly feeling nervous and awkward.

"I'm waiting for an explanation." I told her with a cold tone.

She sat herself down beside me on the bed, keeping enough distance so that she didn't touch me but that didn't make me panic less. She had already tried it on with me once, now my guard was raised.

"I slept with Luke." She told me shyly, looking away like that embarrassed her. Little did she know I already knew that because his mouth brags about everyone he has ever been with.

"At first he was really sweet, managed to talk me into making a tape. Afterwards he didn't call me or text me, not until he needed something from me." She looked up at me from underneath her long eyelashes, her lips twisted up like she was gnawing on the inside of her cheek. I could see where this conversation was going. That sleazeball.

"You and Olivia caused quite the stir with him. He called me up and told me if I didn't kiss you then he would release the tape to everyone, the whole campus including the dean and professors. He told me the time and place I needed to kiss you so that he could be ready with the camera at that the moment he needed to be. Then he made me show Olivia the photo and tell her all of those things. I'm so sorry Liam." A warm tear trickled down her face and the once pure skin turned blotchy before my eyes.

"You should have come to me." I told her, softening my tone.

"I was embarrassed, I don't want anyone to know. He's going to keep blackmailing me, maybe I should just let him release the tape and get it over with." She wiped away another fallen tear.

"Don't you dare." I warned. She looked up at me, warm honey and deep caramel hues blended behind a watery glaze. She felt lost, I could see that in her facial expression. Like there was no other option available for her. It resonated with me and I needed to come to her rescue. "I'll sort it."

"How?" There was a certain desperateness to her voice, one that wanted to believe I could get back her tape and end her troubles. So I reassured her.

"I don't know yet, but I will." I replied in my most sincere tone.

"How can I make things okay between you and Olivia? I'll talk to her, tell her about Luke. Make her understand." She offered but I held my hand up.

"No, you've done enough. Olivia doesn't want to speak to me right now, I'll give her time to calm down and then try again. We are meant to be together, something as small as this isn't going to prevent that. Let's go get pizza and play some mini golf."

***

I spent the weekend hanging out with Reece, distracting myself with healthy options instead of what I would usually busy myself with in the past. But now I was standing on the soccer pitch, watching Luke brag about another one of his weekend girls to anyone who would listen.

"How's your girl Liam?" He asked me, deliberately.

I tugged the lace on my cleat so tight the string was in danger of snapping. His face wore a slimy smirk and my lip curled upwards in disgust. I was trying to hard to refrain from punching his lights out right now but I didn't want to be that person anymore.

I want to be someone worthy of her.

"Your little plan is going to fail, we will get back together." I told him without a trace of doubt in my voice. He laughed out loud, wrinkling his eyes up in each corner.

"Sure, sure sure." He said waving me off with his hand.

I watched Luke carefully all day, studying the method he used to unlock his phone in case that's where the videos were stored, noting the combination he keyed in whenever he opened his gym locker and listened in on his conversations. Surprisingly I learnt a lot.

When he went on the Mcdonalds run I made way to the locker rooms, halting when I came across the one with his name on and keyed in his code. The locker door sprung to life and I smiled at myself, appreciating a job well done.

His locker smelt like sweaty gym socks, obviously got it so cushioned at home he didn't know how to do his own laundry, figures. Sheepishly I dug through his gym bag, wanting to burn my fingers off whenever I touched something dirty of his.

Unfortunately nothing looked out of the ordinary, except the mountain of illegal steroids he had stashed away in clear bags. I pulled my hand out quickly and knocked over a barrel of protein powder, except when it tumbled over it made a jittering sound that was unlikely to be made by milkshake powder.

Bingo Maines.

I grabbed the barrel and unscrewed the lid, peering my eyes inside the plastic tub. Sure as shit there were hundreds of black flash drives stored in there. My mouth fell open as I dug my hand in the barrel, checking there was nothing else in there.

"Fuck, does he tape every girl?" I said to myself out loud.

I heard a door slam from across the room so I quickly slipped the barrel into my bag and closed Luke's locker as quietly as I could. Jack came around the corner and looked at me strangely, I gave him a greeting nod although he didn't deserve one and he acknowledged me back with a nod.

I left campus and went to the beach, there's a certain rock I like to sit on, it's the calm in the center of the storm with all the waves banging against the edges. I feel it's somewhat symbolic to my life. I'm the waves and the rock is the place I'm trying to become.

Sometimes I sit here for hours, drawing, thinking, being alone. It's the tree house away from home. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number, trying one more time to reach out to her.

Please pick up.