Destroy Me Gently:Ex-Enemy Becomes My Lover!
Chapter 45: His truth and the lie

Chapter 45: His truth and the lie

Chapter FORTY FIVE

**Oliver West**

The next day came too fast. The hallways buzzed with the usual morning chaos, students rushing to lockers, their loud chatting voices bouncing off the walls.

I kept my head low, scanning every face and every corner. Watching out for him.

It didn’t help that my stomach twisted every time I caught a glimpse of dark hair or heard footsteps that might be his.

I’d practically begged William to come early, before Kieran would even think about showing up to drive me to school again. And just a few minutes after I got into William’s car, I received a text message. From him. Even now, I was still too nervous to even open it. My bet was that he must be furious after coming to my house in vain.

For this reason, I must avoid him, at all cost.

We were walking past the bathroom when the door swung open and someone nearly walked straight into me.

"Watch it," the guy muttered, stepping around me.

I glanced up to apologize and the words got stuck in my throat.

Designer jeans that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. An expensive jacket that hung perfectly on his shoulders. Hair styled like he’d walked out of a magazine. No glasses in sight.

It took me a full three seconds to realize I was staring at Matt.

He caught me looking and his expression turned cold, nothing like the nervous kid who used to sit in the back of chemistry class.

"Problem?" His voice had lost that quiet stutter completely.

I shook my head rapidly, still taken aback "No, sorry."

He walked away without another word, leaving me standing there like an idiot trying to figure out what I’d just witnessed.

"What’s wrong with you?" William asked, following my confused stare. "Wait... is that Matthew Jenner?! Holy cow!" William’s raised voice earned a few attention and Matt shot us a quick glare.

"I know right," I said, though my brain was still trying to process the complete transformation I’d just seen.

"Let’s just get to class, we’re going to be late, Mr Dickson gives out detention slips even faster than the way STD spreads in this school." William remarked. It was enough motivation for me to move faster.

As we hurried our way through the main hallway, I noticed the usual morning stares had shifted. Students were still looking my way, but their attention seemed divided, like something else was capturing their interest.

"Oh my god, did you hear?" A girl’s voice carried from our left.

"What happened?"

"Heath and Hailey broke up last night. Like, completely out of nowhere."

My steps slowed a bit.

Heath?

"Are you serious? They seemed fine yesterday." Another curious voice said.

"I know, right? Nobody saw it coming."

"First Kieran starts who knows what with Oliver, now Heath breaks up with Hailey. What’s going on with the popular guys?"

My chest did something warm and proud.

If the rumors were true, Heath was finally taking that terrifying first step. I wondered if seeing Kieran’s strange action towards me had given him the courage to make his own choice, but either way, something inside me felt happy for him choosing to live honestly.

The warning bell rang and students started filtering into classrooms.

As I slid into my seat, every nerve in my body went on high alert.

I didn’t need to look to know he was there, behind me.

Kieran’s presence filled the room like smoke pushing into my lungs, thick and suffocating. When I finally worked up the courage to glance his way, I immediately wished I hadn’t.

His eyes were already locked on me, and if looks could kill, both William and I would be corpses by now. There was something dark swimming in those steel depths, something that made the pen in my hands shake and my throat go dry.

For the entire class, I could feel those eyes burning holes through my skull. Every time I shifted, every time I breathed, it felt like he was memorizing every tiny movement I made.

How long was this going to continue? Each second felt like a bomb was about to explode.

And how long could I continue to avoid him?

If possible, forever.

My phone chose that moment to vibrate, I looked at it with panic, thankfully it was on silent.

The single text had my blood freezing.

Wait for me after class–K

It took every effort not to bolt out of the class.

I squirmed in my seat, completely oblivious to the teacher’s words, and when the bell finally rang, I shot out of my seat like the room was on fire.

"Oliver..." William started, but I was already pushing through the crowd.

"Catch up with you later," I called over my shoulder, half-walking, half-running through the slightly packed hallway.

My heart pounded against my ribs like it was trying to escape. Kieran hadn’t said a word, hadn’t even moved from his seat, but those eyes had felt like hands crawling all over my soul.

I needed air. Space. Somewhere to breathe without feeling like I was drowning.

The rooftop was always empty between classes. I took the stairs two at a time, my lungs burning by the time I pushed through the heavy door.

The cool air hit my face like a breath of relief. I leaned against the railing, trying to get my heart to slow down, when voices drifted from around the corner.

What?

Someone was already here?

Damn it.

I turned around with the intention of leaving when the voice sounded again.

"This is too risky," The male voice said, and something about the familiarity tickled the back of my brain.

I froze, pressing myself against the wall.

"Why?" Another male voice, rougher with hurt. "Are you afraid that rich jerk boyfriend of yours will find out?"

A silent pause followed and the familiar voice came again.

"If he finds out, we’re both dead. He just gave me his credit card last week. It’s unlimited, you know. I can’t lose him, not when my birthday is close, he even promised me a car. That idiot is completely in love with me,"

Matt.

My hands started shaking as I crept closer, staying low behind the air conditioning units. What I saw when I peered around the edge made my stomach drop through the floor.

Matt was on his knees in front of some other guy from class and they were...

Oh god.

"It’s too risky here, are you sure no one comes here?" Matt asked again, I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. Just as his gaze swept around, I flattened myself to the wall once more.

"Yeah, do it good," His partner groaned, "I have to watch my boyfriend have a boyfriend. Do you know how hard it was for me? And that bastard follows you everywhere, I can’t even contact you in peace"

Shit.

I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be listening to this, my eyes dropped with horror as the other guy unbuckled his belt and Matt’s mouth was working on him the next instant.

I stumbled backward, my vision spinning like I was going to pass out. Matt was cheating on Heath, and it was right under his nose.

He was simply using Heath’s money while sneaking around with someone else.

Poor Heath.

He’d finally gotten the courage to live his truth, to end his fake relationship with Hailey, only to be played by someone he trusted.

This was so messy.

And I had the horrible feeling it was about to get a whole lot worse.

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