Bulletproof

65.

65. You're Actually Here!

"Are we really doing this?" I ask Oliver as I zip up my suitcase.

"Yes, we are" He nods "We're going to enjoy these last two years of college in LA" He smiles. We had decided over the summer that it was time to do things for ourselves. My mom found herself a new guy and he's perfect for her, so she's doing okay there, and now's the time for me to handle myself.

"Alright, so let's get going" I smile, Oliver takes my stuff out to my car, while I walk into my mom's room "We're leaving now mom" I say, and she looks up at me. She opens her arms, and I walk into them.

"Thank you so much" She whispers "I don't know where I'd be without you"

"Aren't I supposed to say that to you?" I chuckle "But seriously mom, it was no problem"

"I'm going to miss you Sweetie" She kisses my forehead.

"I'm going to miss you too Mom, I love you" 

"I love you too, call me when you get to LA" 

"Will do" I nod, I give her one last time, jogging down the steps and out to my car. I get into the front seat Oliver giving a large grin before driving off.

///

"You've been dressing really nice lately, what's up with that?" Oliver asks once I walk out of the bathroom to our shared apartment.

"I have to look somewhat appealing now that I'm single" I laugh "I'm 20 years old now, I need to get somewhat serious" 

"Fair enough" He shrugs.

"Ready to go surprise Mark? His mom told me where he lives" He says, holding up the keys.

"Let's go then" I smile, we walk out of our apartment and to the elevator taking it down and walking out to my car. We drive to Mark's apartment complex, his being right down the street from ours. We walk up to his apartment, and I knock on the door. I take a deep breath as the door opens, Mark's jaw dropping.

"Holy shit!" He screeches, pulling me into a bone crushing hug "Hi, I missed you. What are you doing here? When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Good to know you still ask a ton of questions" Oliver chuckles, hugging Mark after I do.

"We're here to see you" I shrug "And we also you know, go to college down the street" I add and he screams.

"You're actually here!" He jumps in happiness "Like for good?" 

"Yes" I nod, and he hugs me again.

"Come in, come in" He motions for us to walk in "We can go to this cute little cafe down the street, just let me put shoes on" He smiles, running off to his room. He comes back moments later, and we all walk out to my car. He gives me directions to the cafe, all of us getting out when we pull up. He leads us inside, and we grab a table, a waitress coming over to take our drink order. 

"Hmm, I think I want a panini" I say, deciding on the chicken one. I put my menu down, and immediately regret doing so. I squeeze Olivers thigh, squeezing my eyes shut, my heart feeling like it's going to explode.

"What? What's wrong?" He whispers, and I peek my eyes open to show him what I was looking at "Oh" He frowns, and I can feel tears fill my eyes.

"Hey, don't cry" He whispers, arm wrapping around my shoulder "Remember you're over him" 

"That was when I didn't have to see him, especially with someone else" I frown, Mark still oblivious to everything "He told me he would never like her" I scoff.

"Who is she?"

"That girl Aspen, he brought her over my house his freshman year of college, but told me countless times he'd never go for her" I roll my eyes "It's obviously something he told me so I'd get back together with him" 

The waitress comes back, so I put a fake smile on my face and we order our food. Mark looks around the cafe, his eyes settling on Austin and Aspen.

"Oh, I forgot they were still together" He bites his lip.

"What?"

"Yeah they've been together for a while" He shrugs, and there's an intense pain in my heart "They've been on and off since I got here" 

"That's good for him" I state sarcastically.

"He still asks about you though" 

"Well he shouldn't" I shrug "He has her, so I shouldn't matter" 

"Go make your presence know, go to the bathroom" Mark urges.

"No, I'm going to be mature about this" I shrug.

"Oh shut up, and go, you know you want to" Mark rolls his eyes.

"Fine" I huff, standing up from the booth.

"Too bad you didn't wear a low cut top" He clicks his tongue.

"Good to know you're still the same" I roll my eyes. I walk over towards the bathroom, trying to avoid eye contact, knowing this is probably a bad idea. Much to my unpredictable relief, he doesn't look up, which actually makes me feel sort of glad because I don't want him to know I'm here. I wash my hands in the bathroom, and just as I'm about to leave Aspen walks in and my stomach drops.

She looks at me in confusion, and I give her a weird look, hoping to insinuate that she doesn't know me even though we both know she does. 

I scurry back to the table, flopping down into the seat "She knows, he doesn't but she does" I say out of breath.

"What?"

"I was in the bathroom and she came in and she looked at me like she knew who I was" 

"Well, we just have to hope she tells Austin" Mark shrugs.

"No Mark, I don't want him to know I'm here" I shake my head "I've spent two years trying to get over him and obviously if he moved on I should too"

"Changing your image doesn't count as moving on" 

"Well it was a start" I scoff.

"But it obviously hasn't worked" 

"It worked up until I saw him"

"Exactly" He huffs "It only works when you're away from him" 

"What happened to the Mark that always told me he wanted me to dress nicer?" I ask.

"He wants his Brogan back"

:::

Hi, so Austin's pov next chapter, I'm excited.

I love you all

Bad_Boy_Hemmo