"So, Olivia, will you be my girlfriend, my... one and only?" The words slipped out and it felt amazing. I'd wanted to ask this for the longest time.

Her hands clasped over her mouth and a smile grew over her lips. "Carter-"

"Oh yoohooooo!" Amber's voice interrupted us, and I looked over to see her waving that princess wave you see in parades.

"Amber?" Olivia questioned, her voice sounding cracked and disappointed.

I stomped to her side and my voice was low when I said, "Get out of here." It was harsher than I wanted but at least it was more likely to get to her.

"Not before I tell Livvy the truth." She sounded innocent, but her eyes told another story. One involving something I didn't want said at the moment.

"Don't call me that. Livvy. Gross." Olivia's voice cracked into the conversation. Her eyes still the real type of innocent I loved.

Shifting my eyes from one girl to the other I said, "Let's go, Liv." My eyes were down at my feet when I continued. "It's time we should." Quickly, my eyes lifted to Amber and narrowed.

************

So, what was she talking about... what is 'the truth'?

I'm not sure. But we should just ignore it.

I guess. Anyway, it's late... see you tomorrow at school. ❤️

I'll be there.

She hadn't once brought up what I asked her, and to be honest, it was making me pretty nervous. It wasn't like her not to bring things up.

The next day, as I walked up the stairs to my Biology class, I passed Olivia. "Hey," I greeted, "What's up?"

"I can't right now, Carter. I just can't." Her voice was cold hearted and broken. But that didn't stop me from continuing.

"What happened? Why are you so.... cold, all of a sudden?"

My eyes drew up more to another guy standing next to her and he spoke as well, "Back off, player. We have better things to do." He took her by the hand and lead her away from me. Player? I thought to myself, They think I'm a player? My thoughts were taken away as I saw Olivia look back with her pouty lips in a frown. Mine were soon the same when she looked away again.

As they were disappearing down the steps, I heard her mumble: "Thanks, Liam."

*************

When class - after dozens of hours of endless lectures - was over, I went back to my dorm and slammed myself into the couch cushions. "Urrrrrgghhhhh!"

"You mad, bro?" Cole laughed as he walked into the living area. He wiped his feet and added, "You seem like you want to kill somebody..."

"I do want to kill somebody." I replied without emotion.

His eyes widened before he asked, "May I ask who?"

"Myself."

His eyes practically disappeared into the back of his head when he rolled his eyes, but his face still showed some sympathy. "What happened?"

"Olivia. She's just so cold all of a sudden." Replaying what I said in my head, I realized that I was really heartbroken. Turns out it doesn't take much to break me. "I don't know what I did."

"Didn't you say you ran into Amber the other day with her?"

"Yesterday, yeah. Why?" I lifted my face from the cushions and furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Do you think that... maybe.... she has something to do with it?" He suggested.

"Her friend did call me a player," I remembered, "What do you think she did?"

"Don't know." He started, a blank expression over his features, "But I know how to help you."

Without me asking how, Cole went into the kitchen and brought me back a plate of frozen steak. "What is this?" I asked.

"Steak." He replied confidently.

"Frozen steak?" I laughed. He just shrugged and I added, "A for effort." I sat the plate down as my face softened, and all of the painful memories came rolling back in. "It's hard...... you know? It's hard to love someone and just... have them suddenly shut you out."

"Well duh it hurts." He rolled his eyes, "Its Olivia. I was in love with her once, too. She's a tough nut to crack. But she'll figure out soon enough that you need to be with her."

"You don't understand Cole. I asked her to be my girlfriend... but Amber interrupted and ruined it all." The sting started in my eyes, but I wouldn't allow anything to come out. At least, not in front of Cole. Soon, thoughts came reeling in and my heart began to race. "What if she told her a rumor about me?"

He shook his head, "She's low, but I don't think she'd stoop that low."

***********

"Maybe she just doesn't like you, bro." Jake said, picking up a french fry.

The guys took me out to a diner in attempt to cheer me up. "That's not helping," Cole added.

"Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence." I added, too.

"We're sorry, Carter. But chicks are crazy. That's why I don't commit!" Jake's lips were in a smirk.

************

Flashback*

"What do you want Amber?" I pushed my way past her, trying my best to ignore it.

"Just to tell you the truth, darling." Darling? I'd thought to myself. She quickly continued, "About Carter. He has a past you don't know about.... a.... history..."

History? Okay, she was going to far. "You know what," I smacked down a box of macaroni back onto the shelf in frustration. "I'm done Amber. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS! But go ahead, say what you'd like..." brushing my hair out of my face, I sighed, "Whatever floats your freaking. Boat."

She partially whispered, "Oh its floating...." but continued immediately, "Carter's playing you. He has been since day one, thats part of his history. And trust me I know it hurts to hear... I was one of his victims, too." She looked down sympathetically although I knew it was fake, "Once I was his girlfriend, and, after only about a week or two... bam! Dumped. That's why I interrupted you two's little one fest the other day." She smirked and I frowned, "You're welcome."

Carter said she was just a girl with a crush on him... never his girlfriend... "He's not that kind of guy," I tried to lie to myself, but failed. "Right?"

"No, hun. He is....sorry." She sashayed off in a bratty kind of way.

Was she right? Did Carter just swoon me into one of his traps? Was I one of his victims? Even if I was... it was my honor to be... I was in love with Carter Young. Deeper than I ever thought I'd be for a guy. It hurts to know he never felt the same...

************

❤️❤️❤️