Behind the mask

Chapter 5

"So, are you like, Stella's cousin or something?" Oliver asked me curiously.
We were still in the kitchen, me holding a half-filled orange juice glass and Oliver leaning against the kitchen counter. There were tissues behind us, from when I used them to clean my shirt. Obviously, it got stained into my white shirt and I just hoped that it would come off. Silly me! I should have put it in water or something before it actually stuck to my shirt permanently. Instead of running up to the attic to take my shirt off, I told Oliver, "Oh, no. She's my stepsister," I replied to his question.
"She seems nice. I think I like her," Oliver stated.
Oh, you have no idea.
I wanted to tell him that but I just shrugged in response and said, "Yeah."
Oliver thought of something and said, "Oh, I better get going. Stella is probably waiting for me."
"Yeah."

I ran up the stair, leaving my orange juice in the kitchen, along with the tissues I left there. I probably would get grounded for that but what Oliver said to me has definitely ripped my heart. It was like I got stabbed in my chest. I looked down, expecting a knife that torn my broken heart but there was none. I shouldn't be obsessing over a guy, should I? I never had...

But I definitely am, now.

><><><

"Can you believe it? He said Stella was nice. Well, that word isn't in my vocabulary when I describe her," I muttered to Madison.
Madison shook her head, "Oh, he has no idea."
"That's what I thought when he said that. And guess what? He said he likes her. I mean, who the hell would like that bi-" I was about to swear but Madison cut me off.
"Please mind your language."
"Sorry. It's just... It's a lot to go through you know, your crush, obsessing with your idiot stepsister because he thought that my singing was her voice. Ugh, do gods hate me that much?"
"Hey, at least you don't have to join all those stupid clubs I was forced to join!"
"True but I would rather go to those clubs than staying with those stupid people who literally fails nearly every subject!"
"Well, at least you have me."
"I love you."
"I love you too, bestie!" Madison giggled (she likes to giggle in random moments) and gave me a best friend hug that always makes me feels better.
As the bell rang to signal the time for classes to start, and said goodbye to her and ran off to class. On the way there, I bumped into some random guy and fell to the floor. "Ouch," I muttered under my breath. I saw the guy offered a hand to help me up as I rubbed my sore arm that hit the ground a few seconds ago. "I'm sorry," he apologised.
I got up, brushing the invisible dirt of my skirt and look at the guy in front of me. Well, not random anymore. It was Oliver. "Oh... it's okay... haha..." I laughed nervously.
"Sophia, right?" He asked, remembering my name.
"Yeah," I nodded.
"We keep bumping into each other like this. Like literally," He said.
Yeah, I better get going. Don't want to be late for English. Ms.Wilson is strict," I explained.
"Oh, yeah. See you in music. We have music together, right? Second period..."
"Oh, yeah..."I laughed nervously. Why am I acting like this when he's around?

Oh, cause I'm falling for him.

Literally.

><><><

My hands couldn't stop fidgeting with Oliver seated next to me. Fortunately, Stella wasn't in my music class otherwise she would kill me. And when I mean kill, I meant telling Victoria and having no money for college and torturing my entire life as hell.
"Now, you are to play this piece of music with a partner," Mr. Campbell said, "Now, I want your partner to be the person you're sitting next to."
I finger-crossed, hoping it would be Clara Brown, a sweet girl who is sitting next to me on my left side, meaning Oliver is sitting on my right. Students in the front row started to stand up, going to practice the song with their chosen partner. Mr. Campbell came nearer to us, matching the students up with the partner as he passed.
"James and Evie... Clara and Scott..." Dang, it! "Ahh... Sophia and Oliver..." Then he whispered to us, "I'm sure you guys are the perfect partner."
What does he mean by that? A perfect partner for this song or like as in, perfect couple partner? I think it's the perfect partner for the song because he doesn't even like me... he likes Stella Stupid Maxwell!

"So..." Oliver said once we reached the keyboard as he pulled a chair for me.
"Thanks," I smiled at him and he smiled back. He smiled a cute, adorable smile that made me melt into a puddle of goo on the chair I was sitting on.
"You know how to play the keyboard, right?" Oliver asked me once he was sat down.
"Of course! I can play lots of instruments, really..." Okay, I'm starting to ramble in front of him.
Oliver looked at me, curious, "Really? What instruments can you play?"
"Piano, violin, guitar and cello," I replied, smiling wider, which probably is making me look stupid.
"You have a talented family."
Oh no no no. Stella is like so talented she can not even read the notes or understand anything, really, in music. But instead of telling him that, I just shrugged.
"Okay then... well, let's get started."

><><><

I N S T A G R A M : @marquiseire