CHAPTER ELEVEN

Forgive Me for Falling

Lilly's Point of View

Yes, no, maybe.

These are the only possible answers to the question that I've been asking myself lately. No, scratch "maybe." It's not a possible answer. Not at all.

So I bet you're wondering what that question is. Well, it's this...

"Am I falling in love with my best friend, Oliver Oken?"

It's a fifty-fifty thing. You know, with those two answers. And I'm guessing that the answer is, well, yes. Yes, I'm falling in love with my best friend.

Typical, huh?

But enough chit-chat. Let's get straight to the point.

"Lilly, thank God, you've woken up. I haven't been standing for, like, half an hour," Oliver told me.

I sat up from his lap. "I am so sorry," I replied. "I actually can't sleep last night, because I have these thoughts haunting me."

"What thoughts?" Oliver asked.

"Nothing, it wouldn't really be important to you," I said. But in truth, it would mean a lot to Oliver, because it may or may not cause our friendship to end. He just doesn't and can't know it yet.

"Okay." Oliver nodded.

I can't look him in the eye, now that I figured out that I've fallen for him. Miley was right. There was a couple between me and Oliver. Oh, no. Miley. Oliver's head-over-heels in love with Miley. Things won't be the same with her and me, even with Oliver. Love is just so complicated.

I stood up. "I'm just going to take a walk."

"Yeah," Oliver said. He caught up with me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" I nodded, and left him without a word.

When I was a few feet away from Oliver, the tears sprang out of my eyes. I looked back at our campsite. Oliver was just sitting on the log, probably thinking something over. I can't take it anymore. I ran back to him.

"I think I'm falling in love with you, okay?" I yelled, so quickly that I'm having second thoughts if I actually said that. "There, I said it."

Oliver turned around. "What?"

I calmed down, a bit. "I'm..." I sighed. "I'm falling in love with you."

Oliver stood up. "What do you mean? You like me? Like like me?" He wiped my tears with a napkin.

I nodded.

Oliver was silent for a minute. Then, without warning, he walked closer to me, leaned over and kissed me. I kissed him back. The kiss had been going on for fifty-eight seconds when Oliver pulled back. Yes, I had been counting the seconds. Why didn't he go for the full minute?

"Does that mean that you feel the same way?" I asked him.

"I'm sorry," was Oliver's reply. "I really am." He backed away slowly, then ran towards another direction. I just stood there, watching him.

The tears started falling again. I just slid into my tent and hugged my knees.

"Ouch!" somebody outside said. It didn't sound like Oliver, but it was a boy. A twig snapped. "Anybody there?"

I got out of the tent and took one look at the guy. He was cute, alright. But cuter than Oliver or Jake? I don't know yet. "Who are you?"

"My name's Sean," he said. "What's yours?"

"Lilly," I told him. "What are you doing here in my campsite?"

"I think I'm lost. One moment I was with my girlfriend, then I turned around and found out that she's gone," Sean explained.

"Oh, you have a girlfriend?" I asked.

Sean shrugged. "Not that serious."

"So I have a chance with you?" I said. I clapped my hand over my mouth. "So sorry, the words keep spilling out."

"No, it's okay." Sean laughed. "But, yeah, I guess you have a chance with me."

I shook my head. "No, forget it. I was just joking. I already have a..."

"Boyfriend?" Sean tried to finish for me.

"No, it's complicated," I replied.

"You like him, but you're not sure if he likes you back?" Sean guessed.

"Kind of like that." I nodded.

"Was he the one you were kissing?" Sean asked.

"You saw that?"

"Yeah, sorry." Sean ran a hand through his dark blond hair. "I was looking around for someone to ask help from, then I saw you guys. Not wanting to interrupt, I didn't go near you."

"Yes, he was. His name is Oliver. How old are you, exactly?" I asked him.

"Just turned sixteen last month," he replied.

I turned around to look if Oliver had returned. No such luck. "I wonder where he is now," I whispered to myself.

I wanted to look for him. Oliver, I mean. But it would be rude to blow Sean off. "Hey, Sean?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Could you come with me for a while? I'm going to go look for Oliver," I said.

"Sure, Lilly. I'll come with you."

We searched everywhere. But just like Miley and the others, Oliver was nowhere to be found. We gave up and went back to the campground. It was already dark, and I was dead tired. I saw a figure by Oliver's tent, and I realized that it was Oliver. He'd gone back all along!

"Oliver!" I called to him. "Where have you been?"

"I don't know. Somewhere," Oliver said. He came out, and eyed me and Sean for a few seconds. I looked down, and realized that Sean had been holding my hand. I took it away quickly.

"Oliver, it's not what you think..." I began.

"I can't believe you, Lillian Truscott," Oliver said. He only calls me by my whole name when he's really angry with me. "You tell me that you've fallen in love with me and then you go do something with some other guy?"

"No, Oliver, listen—" I said.

He cut me off. "No, you listen. I've been waiting for this my whole life. To have someone like you say that you like me. I don't even like Miley that much anymore. It's you that I liked all along. And now, you leave me for someone else?"

"I was never going to do that!" I told him. "Sure, Sean is cute, but you're the one that I like better, don't you get it? Besides, who was it who ran away after kissing me?"

"I only did that because I was confused!" Oliver reasoned. He ran into his tent, never to come out.

"You okay?" Sean asked.

I know it wasn't his fault. But I looked up at him and shook my head slowly. Then I ran into my own tent, letting the tears fall once more.

(A/N: And another new character I created enters... How'd you guys like this chapter? Thanks for those who greeted "Happy Birthday" to me! And for the reviews, thanks, too!)