Goodbye my almost lover,
goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm trying not to think about you..
can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance.
My back is turned on you..
--
The contact felt good, and for once, she didn't feel guilty about it.
Oliver's lips collided with hers as her fingers moved gracefully through his dark, shaggy hair. His hands found their way down to her waist, and she grabbed his head forcefully, pushing him, if possible, even closer to her. Their warm breaths mingled together simultaneously. Neither wanted to stop, Lilly could tell. Oxygen, though, is vital for human beings to survive and separation had to happen soon before either of the two dropped unconscious.
Lilly was the first to pull away, unable to hold her breath any longer. She smiled at the boy in front of her, who's eyes were still shut and lips still waiting for more. She giggled, and he slowly opened his lids. His face flushed, and he bit his swollen lip.
He cleared his throat, "Was that.. okay?" He asked, for he was the one who initiated the kiss in the first place. He still wasn't sure what Lilly considered him as.
She nodded, her cheeks red from the action. "Yeah, definitely okay." She grinned.
He smiled, relieved, as she went in for another kiss. He stopped it short this time. She opened her eyes, startled.
"Lilly.."
"Yeah?" She raised her eyebrows.
He sighed. "What is this?"
Her forehead scrunched in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
He sighed once more and made himself comfortable on her mattress. "Us. I mean, is there even an us? What are we?"
She shrugged, "I don't know." She took a seat next to Oliver, and placed a hand upon his leg. "Listen, I know you want to be more then just this.. but, I'm not ready."
"Not ready?" He furrowed his eyebrows, and removed her hand from his leg. "You don't want a boyfriend or something? Cause' that's fine, Lilly. But, I'm not going to be.. I don't know, your toy or whatever."
Lilly couldn't help but giggle. "This is weird. What am I? The boy in the relationship now? Cause' what you're saying sounds exactly what a hopeless teenage girl would say in an episode of Degrassi."
He chuckled. Lilly grinned, happy to see him out of his serious mode. "Whatever." He waved his hand dismissively. "I'm serious, though, Lilly."
She sighed. "I want to be with you, Oliver. You're the boyfriend I've always wanted but instead got Jake Ryan." Oliver smiled happily at that. She knew telling him he was above Jake was one of his favorite things to hear. "But, speaking of Jake.. we broke up not even a week ago. Moving on so quickly -"
"- was fine with Jake." Oliver finished for her. He gave her a stern look. "He was making out with one of your close friends only days after the break-up."
Lilly ran her fingers through her now messy hair. "It's different for girls. Boys can do that and it's perfectly fine.. but, for girls, it means you're a slut."
"Who cares what people think?" He asked incredulously. "I thought you were over that."
"I am." She emphasized. "They can think that I'm a loser now.. that I'm nothing, that I'm stupid. Whatever. But a slut, Oliver? That's the worse thing to be called when you're a girl. They can think anything about me but that."
He sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I never thought about it that way.."
"Because you're not a girl." She grinned. "And good thing, because then I couldn't do this." She smiled, leaning in for another kiss that was sure to last a good fifteen minutes.
--
"Miley, what do you think of these jeans?"
Miley put a finger up to her chin, tapping it while in thought. "Um. I don't know. They seem a little to faded, don't you think?"
Lilly sighed, and inspected them one last time. "Yeah, you're right." She checked the price tag. "But, they are only seventy-two dollars."
Miley shrugged, "Why not? Go for it."
Oliver watched with great curiosity. He didn't understand how girls could be so interested in what color jeans were.. or how faded, or how ripped, or how many pockets they had. He shook his head and sighed, "Must be nice to be rich."
"Oh, it is." Kyle grinned.
Oliver rolled his eyes, and suddenly felt out of the loop. He turned to face his friend, "Do you buy seventy-two dollar jeans too?"
Kyle shrugged, "Occasionally. But, I'm more of a sweater guy then a pants guy."
Oliver nodded, "Right.."
"Kyle!" Miley shouted over the racks of clothes, beckoning him to come to her. "Come here, I need your opinion on this shirt."
Kyle shot Oliver a sorrowful gaze, but knew he didn't mean it. He chuckled as he watched Kyle's dignity crumble in the presence of Miley.
Lilly, more bubbly then usual, popped around the corner. She was holding the to faded, only seventy-two dollars pair of jeans. "Hey," She grinned. "Having a good time?" She held on to his arm.
"Um," He forced a smile upon his face when he saw how happy she was. "Yeah, I'm having a great time."
She squealed, "Good! Me too," She sighed. "I don't know why.. I feel so happy lately." She looked off, staring at Miley and Kyle with a huge smile on her face. Oliver watched her, confused by what she was doing.
"It's so good to finally have real friends." She sighed, "To know for sure that they'll be there for you." She continued to watch the two, "I can just be myself."
Oliver's eyes widened. Wow, he thought. Lilly really was in a good mood. He swung his arm around her shoulders, "Good to know, Lils." He grinned down at the smaller girl. "Now, let's find you a shirt to match those jeans."
She held onto his hand that was draped around her shoulder with both her hands and smiled widely at the boy above her. "Yes! But, since the jeans kind of suck.. we need to find a shirt that really pops. I can't go around in these jeans with just any old shirt."
Oliver smirked, I guess some things will never change. He walked with Lilly to the t-shirt section of the store. She was inspecting a baby blue (he should of guessed) flowy tank-top when he saw something, or should he say, someone, he wished he didn't.
Jake Ryan came strolling in, holding hands with a cute brunette girl he noticed as Jacqueline, Lilly's old 'friend.'
"Um, Hey." Oliver grabbed Lilly's arm. "I saw some really cool shirts over there.." He pointed to the back of the store. "Let's check it out."
She furrowed her eyebrows. "But, those are the dresses." She crossed her arms. "Oliver, If you don't want to shop, just tell me, I won't -"
"Lilly!" Some shouted cheerily, sounding so fake it could make you want to puke. Lilly's face turned stone cold and her eyes glazed over.
Jacqueline ran over to her and embraced her in a hug, "Oh my Gosh, how are you?!"
Lilly smirked. "Fine." She worded simply.
Oliver lied low, hoping no one, particularly Jake, would notice him.
Jacqueline smiled a sickeningly sweet smile. "It's so good to see you. We never talk anymore." She pouted.
Lilly took a deep breath. "And why do you think that is, Jacqueline?" She asked, her voice trembling.
Jacqueline shrugged like the clueless idiot she was, "Well, cause' you're so busy with your new crowd.." She glance at Oliver and snorted.
Lilly crossed her arms. "Excuse me? Do you have a problem with him?" Lilly barked.
Oliver grabbed Lilly's hand, attempting to pull her away. "Lils, come on, let's go."
Jake decided to make his grand entrance at this time. "Oh. It's them." He spat, and entwined his fingers with Jacqueline's. He smirked over at Oliver and Lilly before sweetly kissing her cheek, "Come on, Jackie, let's go."
Lilly glared long and hard at the two people she used to be so close to. She squeezed Oliver's hand tightly for support, but didn't remove her glare.
Jacqueline grinned, "See you around, Lilly." She waved.
Jake smirked, "Yeah, see you." He walked off with 'Jackie' and they both started to erupt with laughter.
Lilly wanted to scream, run over to Jacqueline and rip all of her pretty little hair out of her pretty little scalp. She began to riffle through clothes, "Who does that little two-faced, idiotic, queen of all things that are bitchy think she is?!" She hissed, taking any shirt she thought was remotely good-looking and throwing into her shopping bag.
"Lilly," Oliver lightly touched her shoulder. "Breath. It's okay. We're having a good day, remember?"
"No," She spat. "We were having a good day."
He looked at her, unamused. "Come on, don't let that jerk ruin your day."
She took a few deep breaths, and then forced herself to smile. "You know, you're right. And another thing, who the hell cares what that jackass thinks?"
"Yeah!" Oliver encouraged.
She grinned, "I want to be with you, Oliver. Right now, at this very moment."
He looked a little taken-a-back. Then it turned to happiness, then to confusion, and then to anger. The last part Lilly didn't understand. "I don't want to be your boyfriend out of spite, Lilly."
"What? No!" She defended, taking his hands in hers. "That's not -"
"Of course it is. Jake comes in with his new girlfriend, and suddenly you want a relationship with me? Just earlier today you said you weren't ready." He explained, sighing. "Tell me, what changed your mind so quickly?"
"I - Well - You see.."
"Exactly." He sighed. "You're hard to figure out, Lilly. You're too confusing and this is way to hard."
Her face dropped, and she released his hands. Hers fell at her sides. "What are saying?"
"I'm saying that, for now, me and you.. it's too complicated. Maybe we should stay friends for a while."
"Friends?" She repeated, astonished. "Oliver, when were we ever just friends?"
He shrugged. "We're just friends right now, aren't we?" He raised his eyebrows.
"You've got to be kidding me?! And you call me confusing?!" She stomped her foot, and stormed off, leaving Oliver behind. "MILEY!" She shouted, catching up to her friend who was in the clearance section, laughing and goofing off with Kyle.
Miley stopped abruptly and turned to face her friend. Her eyes widened when she saw Lilly's face, red from anger. She ran up to her. "Lils! Are you okay?"
Lilly sighed loudly. "No, I'm not." She glanced back at Oliver, but quickly looked away once she noticed him looking at her as well. "I'll tell you in the car. Come on," She latched her friends arm with hers. "We're leaving."
--
I should of known you'd bring me heartache,
Almost lovers always do.
--
Don't fear, Loliver fans, this story does have a happy ending.
Reviews?
Love,
Steph
BTW, the song in this is "Almost Lover" by "A Fine Frenzy" - I thought it matched this chapter well.