Page 25 of Waking Olivia

"No," I whisper. I stare at my hands, gripping the coffee cup so hard that they are drained of color.

"Maybe you should try to remember. Maybe that’s the key to ending all this,” he says. “Did you talk to the counselor?"

"She was a moron."

"I'm guessing you say that about 95% of the people you meet.”

“Well, it's true of about 95% percent of the people I meet, so I'm okay with that statistic."

"You need to talk to someone," he insists.

I ignore him. Therapists are for people with little problems. Therapists begin to drown the second they hear about me.

“So how did I end up here?" I ask.

He rubs his temples as he begins to pace. "Your door was locked. I could have woken you, but I was scared that you'd ..."

"Freak out?"

He nods. "I didn't know where else to take you. I put you in my room and I slept on the couch. But this is bad. You absolutely should not be here. I could get fired for this."

"It's not like anything happened," I argue.

"No one is going to believe that, Olivia," he sighs, turning away. "Not with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snap. "Just because a few guys on the team ask me out doesn't make me the team slut."

He rubs his eyes. "I wasn't trying to imply that you were," he groans. "You're attractive. That's all I was saying."

A tiny warmth weaves its way through me. It shouldn't. I shouldn't care what he thinks. "I'm attractive, huh?"

He walks away. "Don't worry, your personality ruins it. Let's go. You're gonna make us both late."

My eyes slidetoward him as he drives me to my apartment building. It's almost unfair how pretty he is, with that jaw and that hollow under his cheekbones, the ruggedness of his face contrasting with his soft mouth.

"Oh, shit," he says as we pull up. "I forgot you're locked out."

"I keep a key under the flower pot to the right. Just in case you ever happen to be stalking again."

"I wasn't stalking," he growls.

"I guess I never thanked you," I say reluctantly, "so, um, thanks."

"I can't keep you from doing what you're going to do," he says quietly, "but if you tell anyone, I'll probably lose my job."

"I would never tell anyone." I start to remove his T-shirt and he stops me.

"Just keep it. You being seen leaving my car is bad. You leaving it half-naked would be worse.”

20

Olivia

When Will walksonto the track a little later, I avoid his gaze. He seems to be avoiding mine as well. He's in a shitty mood and barking at almost everyone as we warm up. Everyone but me. "Higher kick, Olivia," is all he says and even that is lackluster and unwilling.

"You can't do that," I tell him quietly.

"Can't do what?"

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