Destroy Me Gently:Ex-Enemy Becomes My Lover!
Chapter 17: Double Trouble

Chapter 17: Double Trouble

Chapter SEVENTEEN

**Oliver West**

I opened my locker to get my books for the first period, moving slowly since I had plenty of time. But I couldn’t stop looking over my shoulder every few seconds. Kieran had been absent for several days now, but who was I to complain? I still didn’t feel at ease though, I still jumped at any sound, expecting him to emerge from nowhere.

I hadn’t spoken to William either, watching him ignore me and hang out with his other friend prickled my heart each time. But maybe this was for the best.

This way, he would be safe at least. I was being a coward, not fighting for the most important person which Kieran had taken away from me, I hated myself for just agreeing to his condition.

Fighting back against Kieran had never worked in the past, I used to have a lot of friends during junior year, then they all mysteriously stopped talking to me. They didn’t act like they were being threatened, they all just suddenly started to hate me.

At least with William, things between us wouldn’t have to get sour.

A piece of paper fell out when I grabbed my textbook. I picked it up, thinking it was just some random flyer, but when I unfolded it, my eyes went wide.

To the cutest couple in school,

You two are SO perfect together! I’ve been watching you guys and you’re totally meant to be. Oliver, you’re so lucky to have someone like William who cares about you. And William, the way you protect Oliver is so sweet! You should totally make it official already. Everyone can see you’re in love!

Hoping you get together soon!

Your biggest shipper!

WHAT THE HECK–?!

There were little hearts drawn all around the edges with "O + W = LOVE" written in glittery pen. My head snaps around and I spotted Raya near her locker down the hall. She was this quiet, nerdy girl who always wore thick glasses and kept to herself. She had her nose buried in a book like always, but when she glanced up and saw me looking at her, she quickly looked away with a small smile.

I didn’t need more evidence to know she did this.

My face felt like it was on fire. Did everyone in school think William and I were dating? First Kieran called William my boyfriend, and now a random person was writing us ship letters?

I quickly shoved the letter deep into my pocket just as William walked up to me.

The moment I saw him, guilt crashed over me like a wave. I’d pushed him away that day, hurt him when all he was trying to do was help me. But then the panic kicked in, washing away the guilt and replacing it with cold fear. What if Kieran saw us together? What if he thought I was disobeying his warning?

None of us spoke. The unusual tension between us had my toes squirming restlessly.

This would be the first time we ever had a fight.

"Hi," He broke the silence first.

"H–hi," My voice came out a bit scratchy.

"Are you okay? How have you–"

"I’m fine!" I said way too quickly, when I saw some girls walk past, for some reason I felt they were giggling at us.

No.

Maybe I was overthinking" I’m totally fine! Nothing weird happening here!"

William raised an eyebrow. "Okay... that’s not suspicious at all." He looked around and I followed his gaze to spot Raya, who quickly buried her face back in her book. "What’s going on?"

"I have no idea," I lied, feeling the letter burning a hole in my pocket. The idea that people thought we were a couple made my stomach twist with panic. What if Kieran heard about this? He’d told me to make sure William stayed away from me

William looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but then his expression got serious. "Look, Oliver, about that day"

"I don’t want to talk about it," I turned around quickly, starting to walk toward class. I couldn’t do this. Not here. Not where Kieran might see us talking.

"Well, too bad, because we’re talking about it." William grabbed my arm to stop me. "You can’t just push me away like that and expect everything to be normal. You may be comfortable with our silent break, but I’m not,"

Why is he insisting on a loser like me? He had other friends, he could easily find someone more amazing to hang out with.

"Everything is normal." The lie tasted bitter in my mouth.

"No, it’s not!" William’s voice got louder. "You’re acting weird, you won’t look at me, and that day you literally shoved me out of that room with Kieran. What’s going on?"

I could feel people starting to stare at us, probably thinking we were having some kind of couple’s fight. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might explode. "Nothing’s going on. I just... I can handle my own problems."

"That’s such bullshit and you know it!" William looked really angry now. "I’m your best friend, Oliver. I’m supposed to help you when that psycho is hurting you."

I wanted to agree with him so badly. I wanted to tell him everything. But I couldn’t. Not when Kieran’s threats echoed in my head.

"You don’t understand—"

"Then explain it to me!" William threw his hands up. "Talk to me! That’s what friends do! Or boyfriends, or whatever the hell we’re supposed to be according to half this school!"

My gaze snapped to meet his, So he had heard the rumors too.

"I don’t care what people think about us! We are both gays and if they think we’re sleeping together, that’s their business," William’s voice was tight with frustration as he grasped my shoulders and forced me to face him "I care about you getting hurt every single day and not letting me help!"

But I couldn’t explain. How could I tell him that Kieran threatened to hurt him if I didn’t stay away? How could I tell him about Ginny and what really happened eight years ago? How could I explain that his best friend took someone’s life.

I could imagine his shock. Then he would hate me for life.

"I can’t," I whispered at last.

William’s face fell. For a second he just looked hurt and confused. Then he got angry again.

"Fine," he said, his voice cold. "If you want to deal with this alone, then deal with it alone. I’m done trying to help someone who doesn’t want help. And I’m definitely done with people thinking we’re together when you won’t even trust me enough to tell me what’s wrong."

He turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the hallway feeling like someone had ripped my heart out.

I was still standing there like an idiot when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around expecting to see William coming back, but instead I saw Raya’s twin brother Marcus and three of his friends walking toward me.

Marcus was in the football team and one of their star players, I knew he had a reputation for being mean to people. The look on his face right now was definitely not friendly.

"Hey, gay boy," Marcus said loudly, making sure everyone in the hallway could hear. "I hear you and your boyfriend have been making my sister all excited with your fairy tale romance."

My stomach dropped, but I forced myself to stand straighter. I was tired of being pushed around by everyone. Unlike with Kieran, others don’t frighten me or make me become a pathetic mess. Only Kieran had a cruel way of doing that.

"Fuck off," I said, surprising myself with how steady my voice sounded. "It’s none of your business."

"Did you raise your voice at me, faggot?" He shoved me hard in the chest, making me stumble backward. "Raya’s been going on and on about you two lovebirds. Says you’re ’relationship goals’ or some shit. It’s making me sick."

"I said fuck off," I repeated, getting angrier. "What I do and who I’m friends with isn’t any of your business."

"You are corrupting his sister and everyone else with your pathetic lifestyle. You both look like twinks, I wonder who’s playing top or bottom between you both" One of his friends asked, stepping closer.

My fist clenched in anger.

"I’m telling you to mind your own damn business," I shot back firmly, even though my heart was pounding as they began to crowd me.

Damn

Their presence was suffocating.

I nearly cannot breathe. And they kept approaching, taking up all my personal space.

"Listen, freak," Marcus grabbed the front of my shirt. "I don’t want my sister getting ideas about gay relationships being normal or cute or whatever. You and your boyfriend need to keep your disgusting romance away from her. Got it?"

"Get your hands off me," I said through gritted teeth, trying to pull away from his grip.

He shoved me again, harder this time. I fell backward and hit the lockers with a loud bang. My books scattered everywhere.

"Maybe you need a lesson in keeping your perverted lifestyle away from my sister," Marcus said, cracking his knuckles.

That’s when Amanda appeared out of nowhere, like a vulture smelling blood.

"Oh my god, what’s happening here?" she asked in this fake sweet voice, but her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"Just teaching this little freak some manners," Marcus said. "Him and his boyfriend have been giving my sister weird ideas."

Amanda’s smile got bigger and nastier. "Weren’t you after my Kieran the other day? Now you’re with William? You really do get around, don’t you?"

"Go to hell!" I said, trying to get up, but Marcus pushed me back down.

"Such language," Amanda said, pulling out her phone. "This is going to make such a good video."

"You’re all pathetic," I said, glaring up at them. "Getting worked up over who I hang out with. Don’t you have anything better to do?"

"We do. But beating the gay out of you also counts," Marcus and his friends closed in on me all at once. I was trapped between them and the lockers with nowhere to go. The hallway was full of people watching, but nobody was going to help me.

Amanda kept recording, her smile getting more evil by the second.

"This is so perfect," she said. "Finally, someone’s going to put you in your place."

I closed my eyes and waited for the first punch to hit.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​