Look through my eyes

Chapter 3

I shake my head up and down, the stupidly expensive headphones work fine, even though they've been in a box for a couple of years now. I watch as the guy in front of me orders his coffee before paying for it.

I look at the coffee shop clock and sigh at the thought that it's still an hour before I get home.

I have to stop by and buy something from the grocery store if I don't want to eat out for the fourth time this week.

I order my coffee and hand my card to the guy, he raises an eyebrow when he sees the color of it, but I ignore him completely.

"We'll bring your order to your table," the guy says, and I smile at him.

I see the second floor through a small terrace, climb the steps and smile when I see a sofa right next to the window.

I sit down, removing my headphones, as I see the shelves full of books. I leave my purse on the table and walk toward them.

I look at the old copies with nostalgia, remembering a house that is no longer mine and belongings that are more than forgotten. A noise on the other side of the bookcase makes me stop my fingers as I am about to grab a book.

Sighs and some giggles make me blush slightly. I decide to give whoever wants privacy their space and walk over to the couch.

I look at my phone as I see Ash's invitation tonight.

I think about my options before agreeing. I came here for a reason, after all.

The laughter gets louder, and I'm about to put on my headphones and feign dementia when I recognize the blue eyes appearing from the shelves.

My mouth opens slightly.

"Soph!" Luna drapes her delegated arms over my shoulders, her cheeks flushed, her hair a mess, but radiating a happiness that can only mean something.

Oli blushes slightly when he realizes I've figured out what they've been doing.

"Do you have classes or are you out already?" The question from Luna gives me free rein to peel my eyes away from my brother.

I shake my head from side to side, trying to avoid imagining anything. Jesus is my fucking brother. How disgusting.

"I have one in forty minutes. Ash told me they served good coffee here, so I decided to try it."

"We love the coffee here. That they have a nice bookcase is a plus," she says, winking at me, and I try my hardest not to show a face of complete horror. From her laugh, I understand that I don't succeed." I'll go buy something for us, let us join you.

"I'm coming with you," says Oliver. I'm about to beg for it, but Luna puts her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to sit on the couch in front of me.

"My treat, handsome, you already did a lot today." She winks at me again, moving closer to her boyfriend to kiss him.

I take a breath, thinking of something else not to throw up right now.

Luna disappears down the bleachers.

Oliver and I look at each other and smile awkwardly.

I stare at the window next to me, watching the students walk by, unable to think of anything to talk to him about.

How long have I waited to meet him, so I could be avoiding him like a stupid girl since I got here?

I know well that I wasn't going to approach him in a sisterly way, not until it was all over, but still, friends. Could we be friends? After it was all over? Could we be friends?

I don't think so.

"You don't like me very much, do you?" His voice makes me peel my gaze away from the window.

My throat closes when I see a little pain in his eyes.

"Why do you say that?" I pray to the heavens that my voice doesn't sound clipped.

Oli smiles sideways, a smile somewhere between sad and uncomfortable.

"I've had that impression since we met. I know I can be a bit annoying," he says, and I shake my head, not knowing what to say, but with all the pain in my heart denying his words.

It's nothing annoying, nothing, nothing annoying. Ever since I learned of his existence and started researching everything about him and his family, the only thing I could think of him was that he is admirable. He has everything, everything his father can give him, at his fingertips, but he has never shown attraction to anything but the will to be someone like his father. Someone he believes to be good, compassionate, and full of pride in his citizens.

Good friends, I think if we had grown up together, we would have been very good friends.

But I know that will never happen, not when I know why I came here.

"You don't seem annoying to me; I'm sorry you felt that way; I'm not very good at relating to people." lies, lies and more lies.

And he notices.

"It doesn't seem that way with Ash," he says, and I smile sideways, looking nervous at the mention of the guy who, possibly wants more than a friendship with me. "What does surprise me is with Ian."

My smile disappears as I remember the black-haired guy.

At first, he seemed to hate me, but now he delights in making my days miserable. He analyzes my clothes, always looking for a comment on my shoes, my skirts or my earrings. He always asks stupid questions in class on my behalf, earning me teasing from others or a few surprised looks from teachers. He always puts a badly cut sheet of paper on my desk, wordlessly demanding that I copy it before crumpling it up and putting it away.

Luckily, he's been distracted or asleep enough not to notice me taking a picture of the pages before I fold them.

I sigh.

"Believe it or not, the day Ian and I get along, you need to call the police, the fire department and the governor of this damn town himself." I say this, expecting a laugh from him, but at the mention of his father's post, Oliver grimaces.

"I imagine so," he says, being interrupted by the waiter, who sets my coffee down on the table, with a piece of paper.

I look at him confused, but the guy just winks at me before walking away.

Oliver frowns, taking the paper from my hands before opening it and seeing, what I imagine being, the waiter's number.

"I think Ash will stop recommending places for you," he says, tucking the paper back into his pants.

I raise an eyebrow, unable to stop my heart from pounding at the thought of how overprotective he would be of me if he knew I was his sister.

"So what, at your place today?" Luna appears with both of their drinks. I notice how Oli tenses a little. Luna frowns, but then understands what he's getting at. "Hasn't anyone told her? I'm surprised she doesn't know." Luna turns to look at me. "Soph, Oliver is the governor's son."

I blink.

Oliver grimaces a little, never embarrassed by who his father is, ever. But perhaps waiting to see my reaction, knowing that people can react differently.

"From this town?" I asked stupidly. Luna nods, and then Oli nods, still with his eyes fixed on mine. "Congratulations?"

Luna's laughter fills the place.

"The election was ages ago, Oli's father is the governor who has lasted the longest in power because he's a good man." Luna says, smiling at her boyfriend.

I nod, smiling apologetically at them for my clumsiness.

Clumsiness my ovaries.

Oli seems to sigh at my reaction and then turns to Luna.

"Ash wants it to be at his house, his parents will be out of town. "

"Sounds perfect to me." Luna's smile and the kiss she gives Oli are like a reminder and a promise that whatever happened in the bookstore will happen again.

I look away, cursing Ash for putting up his house.