All About You

Chapter Nineteen

Present

"Miss Gretel, long time no see. How was your Christmas?"

I should be happy he's here. After all, he saved my life so I owe him.

"Good, quiet. How about yours?"

"I spent most of the time in the hospital. Mum wasn't in her best condition," he says. "Although, all the nurses were dying to ask me out."

I shake my head. Russell's mother has cancer. That's why he moved to Braxton; he wanted to be closer to her.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?"

"Don't know. Doctors are promising about her condition."

"That's good to hear," I say. "Listen, Russell, I want to thank you again. You saved my butt, when I was such a bitch to you."

"I couldn't let you die, Indi. How, otherwise, would you agree to go out with me?" He teases, shoving a large chip into his mouth. I feel the odd shiver that starts dancing over my chest, and when I look up, I spot Oliver a few tables away. Even in the crowd, we're aware of each other, and now his whole attention is focused entirely on me. His girlfriend is sitting by his side, running her hand over his chest. When I meet his piercing gaze, my blood heats up. He just needs to give me a signal that we're going to be friends again, that he's really forgiven me. I glance back at Russell, who is watching me.

"I would love to, but I'm not ready for dating, Russ. No offence, but I can't be involved with anyone right now."

Russell's a decent bloke. We have fun together, but I don't think he would understand what I had to go through in the past. I should look for support, but I feel like Christian's still around, draining me, pulling me back to the darkness.

"How can you keep turning me down?" he asks, and when I don't answer, he carries on talking. "All right, I know I'm full of myself sometimes, but I would never hurt you, if that's what you're afraid of."

I finish my food and give him a warm smile. People bluntly stare at us, suspecting there is something going on.

"Thanks. I'll see you later. I have to go."

"Okay, bye, India. Think about our future together," he teases.

When I look around, Oliver and Rhian are gone. I sweep my tray off the table and rush to my final class of the day.

I look at my timetable and check which class is next, but Oliver stands in my way. He got rid of his gorgeous girlfriend quickly enough.

"Hey, I need to talk to you," he says, sounding annoyed. My mind goes cloudy and I start to wonder if he's been waiting for me. Before Christmas, he couldn't stand to look at me, and now he's stalking me.

"Oh, Oliver, hey, what's up?" I say, but my tone is too high. His eyes linger over my lips for a second too long, and I try to keep it together, like I'm not affected by his stare.

"Come here for a sec," he orders, pushing me back to the stairs corridor like he's afraid other people will spot him talking to me, the loser.

"What do you want, Oliver? I got somewhere to be," I reply, irritated. He just keeps ordering me around, like he has a power over me.

"Just be careful with Evans. He can't be trusted," he says with recognizable tension in his voice. My heart skips a beat but then smacks me gently beneath my chest.

"Why do you suddenly care who I'm talking to? This never bothered you before."

His penetrating gaze unfolds the sudden wave of lust. How come he's suddenly so interested in who I'm hanging out with?