The Night We Met

Chapter 10- Hooked on a feeling (Oliver)

River's fooling herself if she thinks I'm just going to sit there and "pretend" to be her boyfriend. No. This is the universe finally giving me a second chance with her. It's been six months, but I still haven't been able to get her out my mind. River's going to be mine. Deep down inside, I know she had to know my offer to pretend to be her boyfriend was bullshit. She's not dumb, but she probably needs time for something, so I'll play this game. Who would've thought that this move was beneficial in more ways than one. I could have it all now. Hockey to placate my family, a degree in law I plan to fall back on and now River. Nothing good every comes to me, except money and for however long I have this thing with River I'm getting it, no matter the consequences.

I have no fucking idea whatever River ever saw in that fucker—Rash? No Bash. God who names their kid Bash, that stupid fucking name in it of itself should've been a red flag. That smug asshole and his California barbie girlfriend tried and failed to humiliate River and that pisses me off to no degree. I've dealt with posh assholes like them my whole lives so I know this isn't over yet and I'm ready for whatever they're bringing to the table.

Even though this arrangement is bullshit on both our parts— I'm just gentleman enough to not point it out to River— To play this game with her ex, I hope she knows how to insult without directly saying it, it's truly a gift. A gift only my mother and Gossip girl have gave me.

I wasn't lying when I told River I loved that show. Growing up, my mother and I didn't have much in common except that show. That's how we bonded. I can tell she resented me a bit. She loved me in her own way but I know she hated me. It took a long time for me to truly admit to myself and just get the memo but when I did, I felt free. I could never truly be him.

Everyone loved him, everyone hated me. I knew and just didn't care, I didn't have the time to care— too busy with hockey— but when he died, I was forced to care. Who wanted to deal with the troublemaker son when the good son died. I either had to get with the program or deal with the consequences so i conformed. I hate feeling like this, like him dying was somehow his fault when it wasn't, but sometimes it does feel like his fault. He died and I had to deal with the aftermath, sometimes I wish it was me and not him who died.

Before I could get stuck in my head too much, I get a call from Joey. "So, you have a girlfriend and YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

"Hi, Oliver! How was your day?"

"Hi, Oliver! How was you day?"

"She's not my girlfriend." Yet

"Yet."

"What?" Can this fucker read minds or something?

He sighs obnoxiously. "She's not your girlfriend yet, you wouldn't agree to do something so idiotic if you aren't planning on getting with her."

"How did you even know?"

"I'm dating her sister... remember?"

 "Oh. Shit what's her sister's name again?"

"Your girlfriend didn't tell you? Here I thought you guys were close."

"Her name is River and she's not my girlfriend yet."

"Hmm so you admit it."

"Joey." As much as I would love to play dumb with him, I'm just not in the mood for his shit today.

"Fine. Fine. Her name's Brynn" He says all dream like

"Yeah thanks bye."

"WAI-" I hang up on him. I roll my eyes but can't stop the smile that spread across my face. Despite my sour mood before, Joey brightened my mood.