the Secret Life of Damien Carmichael

7. Oliver's Offer (part II)

"He doesn't seem to like me very much," Oliver whispered to Carrie as he watched Damien leave. Carrie eyed him.

"Do you want him too?" she asked.

Oliver pursed his lips and got to his feet, "I should go," he said.

Carrie grabbed his arm, "If you like him you're going to have to say something," she said firmly, hoping to get across how serious she was. "You can't just wait for him to figure it out and make the first move, he's rather hopeless in that regard."

Oliver didn't respond, instead, he stared down at his tray, as if contemplating what she had said.

Carrie couldn't help but wonder if he was contemplating it. He was so mysterious. So very to himself, it was hard to know anything about him, because he didn't seem to like to open up all that much. They had managed to have a few conversations over the last few weeks but she could tell there was something he was keeping entirely to himself, though she couldn't say what. She let go of his arm, and Oliver turned, making his way out of the dining hall leaving Carrie to her own devices for the remainder of lunch. She had almost finished and was just about to get up herself when Tyler appeared almost out of nowhere and sat down across from her.

"You're looking well," she said with a smirk, eying the bruise on his right eye that she had inflicted.

"How are you still even here?" he spat.

"Mom and dad donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to this place, they wouldn't kick me out," she said.

Tyler raised an eyebrow at that, she didn't like that look on him. It was a plotting look if ever she saw one. "So, are you the reason I got called into Updike's office to talk about me and Gabe or was that Carmichael?" he hissed.

Carrie snorted, "Everyone in the whole school knows you got fucked by Gabe Crenshaw, pretty low point for you I'd wager, but then not a super high point for him either I should think," she smirked. "'Sides, I have better things to do than talk about who you get fucked by."

Tyler glared, "So what, you thought you'd take it to Updike to try and get me in trouble and get yourself out of it? Well, it didn't work. Luckily, Gabe has a little thing called loyalty and managed to keep his goddamn mouth shut."

Carrie shrugged, "Like I said, I have better things to do than to concern myself with your shitty sex life."

Tyler snorted, "Tell that good for nothing Carmichael that he better watch his back. Next time it's not gonna be just a marker message on his face either."

Carrie laughed, "You really are pathetic you know that? Are you really so insecure that you're really going to threaten him? For what?"

"He ruined my life!" Tyler yelled, somewhat louder than it was clear he intended. Several pairs of eyes suddenly turned towards them. Unlike Carrie, Tyler didn't seem to possess the ability to be embarrassed, though she hid this fact well.

"You might do well to take some responsibility for your own life," she said standing up, she raised her tray threateningly and Tyler flinched. Carrie smirked, and with that she made her way out of the Dining Hall, feeling rather proud of herself as she dropped her trash into the bin beside the door and placed the tray on top of it.

Now if only she could get Oliver and Damien to get their heads out of their asses that easily, she thought to herself. Vaguely, she wished life were more like a fanfic, at least whenever Claudius and Adam were acting up, she usually knew how to get them together. Carrie considered this for a moment, she had read and written enough fanfiction by now to know all the common tropes by heart. Enemies to lovers were often her favorite, especially where Claudius and Adam were concerned. Only, Damien and Oliver weren't exactly enemies, they were just, complicated. She had read a few fics that presupposed Claudius and Adam had met in different circumstances in which case, they wouldn't have been enemies per se, but they definitely wouldn't have liked each other right off the bat either. Claudius was fussy, rich, and bratty like Damien, whereas Adam was the complete opposite, making them diametrically opposed. But as they say, opposites attract. Oliver was something of an enigma. It seemed obvious, at least obvious to her, that he was interested in Damien. She had witnessed enough longing looks to draw that conclusion. And Damien was often defensive where Oliver was concerned, which lead her to believe that he also had some feelings for the other boy. Mutual pining, she thought with a smirk. She could only hope there would be something to bring them together and make them realize how perfect for each other they were.