AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mmhmm. You forget I can read you like one of those romance books you love so much. You’re plotting something.” He kisses the tip of my nose.
My eyes dart over to Ashley and Macca, but they’re too engrossed in their conversation to pay any attention to Oliver and me.
Oliver’s gaze follows mine and he lets out a small chuckle. “Ahh, playing matchmaker?” He presses his lips to mine. “I approve.”
“What are you guys up to now?” Macca asks, completely unaware of what’s going on over this side of the table. “Wanna go to the movies?”
“Sounds like a great idea,” I reply, trying to hide my grin.
Ashley shrugs. “I’ve got no other plans.”
This is going to be easier than I thought.
∞
I stare into my closet the following Saturday. The butterflies in my stomach are like Olympic divers doing reverse four and a half somersaults in pike position as I try to decide what I’m going to wear to Ashley’s eighteenth birthday. I sigh, glancing around my room at the discarded dresses covering my bed and desk. It’s my first time at a club and I have no idea what to wear.Why am I overthinking this?
Mum chooses that moment to walk in.
“Oh good lord, Hannah,” she says, raising her eyes at the bomb site that is my bedroom. She clears a spot on my bed so she can sit down. “What on Earth are you doing?”
I groan as I pull another dress out of my closet, holding it up to my body before tossing it onto my bed with the others. “Nothing looks right.”
“You’ll look beautiful in any of these.” She rolls her eyes as she gathers up the discarded dresses.
“Thanks Mum, not helping,” I huff.
“Here.” She hands me a white lace dress that stops just beneath my knees. “Are you excited for tonight?”
“Yep! Ashley’s been waiting for this night for so long,” I say, slipping the dress over my head.
Mum picks up today’s newspaper off my desk, open to the article on this year’s local AFL draft hopefuls. I’ve already memorised the write-up on Oliver:Despite his concussion and shoulder injury in round one, 18-year-old defender Oliver Johnson is still a frontrunner for being drafted to a Victorian club with him being on the radar of no less than four clubs. Johnson has made a big impact in the under nineteen team for the Lions in the past two years, and he will be expected to continue making things difficult for local forwards when he makes his return to the game in a months’ time.
“He’s worked really hard to reach his dreams.” Mum puts the paper down and starts hanging up my clothes. “It’s good to see him around the house again.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, eyeing her wearily in the mirror as I fix up my eyeliner.
“Nothing, I just want you to be caref–” she pauses when we hear voices at the front door. “Have fun tonight, honey.” She smiles, kissing me on the top of the head. “Hi, Oli.”
He’s standing in my doorway, and Mum pats his shoulder as she squeezes past him.
“Hey Trish.” Oliver leans against my desk, and my breath catches in my throat.
My eyes travel over the way his shaggy blond hair flops over his forehead. His hazel eyes are sparkling. The sling is gone, and the black and white striped shirt he’s wearing hugs his muscular arms tightly as he crosses them against his chest.
“You right there, perve?” he chuckles.
Heat rises up to my cheeks and I duck my head. “I, uh, you…” I shake my head. “Shut up.” I move to swat him, and he grabs my hand, pulling me close and wrapping his hands around my waist.
“You look beautiful.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “We need to go before we don’t go.”
I grab a jacket and follow Oliver out to his brother’s car. It’s crazy how things have changed between us since my birthday two months ago. But as I climb into the backseat behind Jake, Mum’s words replay in my mind. It was the same thing Ashely had said to me: “Be careful.” The kiss at his birthday party stirred up new emotions, but the way he cut me out so easily…
“Huh?” I ask, realising Oliver and Jake are both staring at me from the front seat.
Jake raises an eyebrow. “Seatbelt.”
“Oh, right.” I strap myself in before he pulls out of my driveway.
