All About You

Chapter Twelve

Present

On Monday morning I look like a zombie, so I buy two energy drinks to keep me going throughout the day. Since the incident on Saturday, my nightmares have come back, and I barely slept. Dora has already been planning payback on Mackenzie all day yesterday. When I tell her not to get involved, she doesn't want to listen.

I have a headache throughout the lecture, and when I enter the canteen later on, I automatically look for Oliver. His rugby buddies are out there, but his usual seat is empty. Deep down I want to face him and thank him that he sent Jacob to rescue me. We aren't even yet, but I want to forget about my pride and talk to him. By the time I walk home, the rumour has it that Oliver locked me up in the changing room. People are saying that something went wrong, and somehow, I managed to escape. He was pissed, so he hooked up with someone new on Saturday night, and no one has seen him since then. There is nothing being said about Mackenzie, and I haven't seen her at all today.

But there is another rumour about Jacob's black eye. Apparently, it was Dora that punched him. The story goes that she found out that Jacob and I had sex when he came to rescue me on Saturday. It makes me laugh... the kind of stories people make up about what's happened to me. But in the end, I still want to know what is going on inside Oliver's head. Why he all of the sudden changed his mind and decided to help me.

A week Sunday, it's Dora's birthday. She already made plans and invited a few people to the local club to celebrate. After the drama with Mackenzie I'm not in the mood to show my face where I could be recognised, but I can't miss my best friend's birthday party. Everyone with some kind of social status will be there, and I might even have a chance to talk to Oliver, if he decides to show up.

I don't see him for the rest of the week. Every time I walk to the canteen or wander through corridors, I feel like someone stole a part of me. A little piece of the puzzle is missing. We have been apart for two years, but I'm used to knowing that he's around. He's clearly avoiding me. Dora mentioned that she saw him a few times on campus, so there is something unusual going on.

Being ruthless and cruel has its own points. The old India would have made sure that Mackenzie would get her payback. An old India would most probably make her suffer with humiliation, but I know that I'm better than that and I can't let her get to me. Karma always comes back, and I've learned to be patient.

Saturday night Jacob arrives at our apartment with a present for Dora. He's looking handsome with his new haircut.

"Present for my sexy girlfriend," he says, smiling and handing her a small stylish box.

"Oh, thank you. I love presents. Are you going to tell me what's inside?" she asks, and her eyes gleam with excitement. It takes her a moment to open it and then a large smile breaks over her face. "Oh my God, a ring."

"Don't worry. It's not that ring." He laughs, looking at her worried face.

"Of course, I know that it's not that ring," she mutters, blushing. "I love it. It's beautiful. Thank you, bear."

Jacob embraces her with a passionate kiss, and I go to my room to give them some privacy. I try to look my best, hoping that Oliver will show up. Maybe someday he will forgive me, but for now maybe we could at least make peace. I put a bit of makeup on and pin my hair in a stylish bun in the back. I go for jeans and a funky top that I bought in Gargle.

The Morgan family was wealthy, and I got a lot of expensive gifts from Christian. When he died, I burned everything, trying to destroy my last memories about him. Mum had no idea what I did, but burning stuff that he paid for allowed me to gain some kind of ease and accept that he would never hurt me again.