Chaos Palette

10.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the classroom window, illuminating the worn pages of their English textbooks. Mrs. Thompson announced a pair project, assigning Lilith and Oliver as partners.

"Literature?" Oliver groaned playfully, sending a mischievous wink towards Lilith. "Looks like we're stuck together, partner."

Lilith chuckled, returning the wink. "Looks that way, quarterback."

After class, Julia caught up with Lilith in the hallway, excitement gleaming in her eyes. "So, spill the tea, Lil," she teased, nudging her playfully. "What's the deal with you and Oliver?"

Lilith rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Nothing much," she replied coyly. "Just project partners."

They shared a knowing smile, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. It was good to have a friend who understood without needing to say a word.

As they prepared for their cheer routine, in the gymnasium, before the game, Samantha, Oliver and Ryle's ex-girlfriend, gave Lilith weird looks. She sauntered over, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"So, Lilith," she sneered, her tone dripping with jealousy. "You seem to have a thing for going out with my leftovers. First Ryle, now Oliver. What's next? You gonna run through the whole team?"

Lilith bristled at the implication, her temper flaring. "At least I don't treat them like disposable toys," she retorted, her voice sharp. "But hey, thanks for the concern."

The tension hung thick in the air, but Lilith refused to back down. Samantha's snide remarks were nothing new, but they still stung.

Tonight's the big game. The stadium buzzed with excitement as the players took to the field, the cheers of the crowd echoing in the air. The game was intense, each goal celebrated with wild enthusiasm from the spectators and the cheerleaders.

After scoring the last goal and securing the win for their team, Oliver was bombarded by cheerleaders all around him, but his eyes sought out only one – Lilith. She stood off to the side, her attention focused on her phone, a frown marring her features.

Lilith's heart sank as she checked her phone, only to find no reply from Ryle. She had texted him some time earlier. She had hoped to plan a quiet night in with him before starting with the finalising of the wedding cards. Sighing, she pocketed her phone, the weight of disappointment settling in her chest.

Oliver approached Lilith, a bottle of water in hand. "You did amazing out there," he said, offering her a bottle of water. "And you look beautiful, as always."

Lilith offered him a grateful smile, her heart fluttering at his compliment. "Thanks, Oli," she replied, taking a sip of water. "You weren't too bad yourself."

As they exchanged words of encouragement, Oliver leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper. "Meet me outside near my car after the game," he murmured. "I've got something I want to show you."

Lilith hesitated, her thoughts still lingering on Ryle. But when she checked her phone one last time and found no messages from him, she finally agreed. Something about Oliver being an open book with her made her feel very comfortable around him.

Outside, Oliver grinned, holding out the keys to his car. "Ready for an adventure?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Lilith took a deep breath, pushing aside her doubts. "Lead the way," she said, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

They drove to the beach, the salty breeze whipping through the open windows of the car. As they reached the shore, Oliver wasted no time in diving into the cool waters, his laughter echoing in the night.