18 Chapter 16: I Like Him

The world seems to stop around Kyle. His breath is being held. And his eyes are watery. He stumbles, almost falling, as it all slowly hits him.

'Oliver likes me??'

He tries taking deep breathes to calm himself, but fails.

'Oliver likes me..Oliver likes...me..'

"Oh my gosh."he says. Then realizing Dahlia and Oliver are still on the other side of the door. He quickly covers his mouth as if that will stop words that have already been said. He hears Dahlia talking. They probably didn't hear him.

He gets up and walks back to the showers. No one really comes here at this hour. They're all busy studying or playing or who knows what.

Kyle stares at himself in the mirror. He's wearing a tan shirt with a jean jacket over it, since the afternoons are starting to get cold. He peels it off, like if that'll help with the million questions running around in his head.

He turns on the faucet and watches the cold water run for a bit before getting some in his hands and splashing it on his face.

"W-What do I do now.."he mumbles and turns the faucet off. He paces back and forth.

"Do I tell him I heard him?? Will he think I was stalking? Will he be embarrassed??"all of these questions run out of his mouth before he finally gets to the one he's been asking himself since that incident on the first day of school.

"Do I...like him back??"he freezes in his steps and actually processes what he just said. "Oh who am I kidding, of course I like him."

He falls to the floor, his back against a stall.

"What does this mean, though..?"

His trembling hands find his way up to his face and he rests them there for a bit, trying to calm down.

"I can't talk about this here..."he says, looking around. It'd be embarrassing if someone came in while he was in the middle of discussing his feelings for a certain black haired boy.

He stands up and grabs his sweater. He needs to get back to the room though. They might find it suspicious if he takes too long.

"I'll just act like I didn't hear anything...for now."he says.

He gets to the room and takes a deep breathe before knocking again.

"I'm back."he says cheerfully. There is visible awkwardness in both of their faces, but he pretends not to notice.

"Sorry if I took a little long."

"No it's fine."Oliver responds quickly.

Dahlia smiles and tries to hide it. "Well, I should get going. I have a meeting to go to. And it seems you two do as well."

Oliver nods and hugs her. "Tell Ann I said hi."

"Will do."Dahlia responds. "You should call him..okay?"

Oliver looks down and simply nods. "Bye."

"Bye."she turns to Kyle and smiles."Goodbye to you, too."

She grabs her purse as Kyle says bye to her and walks out.

"Your sister seems nice."Kyle says, trying not to be awkward.

"Yeah.."Oliver turns to grab his stuff and heads for the door. "See you in a bit."

Kyle nods and Oliver heads out.

Kyle sighs and plops down on the bed, confused on everything. Does he tell Oliver about it? Or should he wait until he's ready to confess it himself?

"Gosh...why me?? What's so special about me??"he whines.

Sighing, he gets up. "I have ro do something about this...after the meeting with Eddy tho. I don't want it to be awkward."

He was reaches into his pocket to get his phone, buy doesn't feel anything.

"Crap...I must have left it in the showers..."he says. "Should I get it..? Oliver is gonna be there.."

He sighs again and feels like screaming. "This day ks just going so well."

He gets up and goes to the showers. "I'll just quickly get it and leave without saying a word."

He gets to the showers and tries to listen by putting to put his ear on the door so he doesn't have to knock and let Oliver know he's there. But of course the door isn't closed all the way so he falls in.

"Ack!"he stumbles forward. As he's falling he feels send catch him.

His heart stops again and he feels his breathe stop. He doesn't even have to look up to know who's holding him.

"Kyle? Are you okay? Dkd you get hurt?"he asks concerned.

"N-No. I'm fine.."he feels his face go pink. "T-Thanks for catching me."

He realizes that Oliver hasn't let go and blushes even more.

"Are you sure you're okay? What were you doing at the door anyway?"He asks, still not letting go.

Kyle doesn't dare to look up as he answers. "I was gonna come get my phone cause I left it here but I wanted to listen to see if you had gone win the shower...so I wouldn't bother you. But the door wasn't closed right so I fell in. Sorry."

He feels nervous and sweat roll down his face as he explains everything. How embarrassing.

Oliver suddenly laughs, startling and surprising Kyle.

"You're adorable, you know that?"he laughs.

"Sh-Shut up.."he stutters as he feels even more nervous.

Oliver finally let's go, but Kyle doesn't look up.

"I'll just get my phone and leave."Kyle says, tucking his hair behind his ear as he feels so nervous.

He looks for his phone as Oliver waits.

"Sorry I'm bothering you."Kyle says.

"It's fine."Oliver responds.

Kyle finally finds it and turns around.

"T-Thanks."

Oliver nods as Kyle speed walks.

"Avery?"

"Yeah?"

"You sure you're okay? You look... off. Is something bothering you?"He asks.

'Yes something is bothering me, but I can't tell you what it is!'

"No, I'm fine."Kyle says instead, smiling. "Thanks though."

"Mhm."Oliver says nodding his head slowly. "You know I can see right through you Avery?"

Kyle blushes and tries to breathe steadily.

'Gosh...Oliver Brown you make me feel things I didn't know I could.'

"Yes I know."Kyle smiles.

He turns back around and walks away.

'I do like him...I can't deny it...but I don't know what to do about it..'