Class Of 96': 1994 (BxB Mystery)

Chapter XXII - "I know a spot."

The school has been suspended until January. Isn't that great? I mean . . . I hope by then, they'll find The Hazard.
But I keep on getting these dreams. Vivid dreams. I was The Hazard, stalking my next victim under the blue moonlight. I would wake up sweaty and out of breath, wondering if it's true.
But it's not.
. . .
Right?
Ring, Ring, Ring!
I look over my desk to see Ollie's burner phone vibrating. I beamed as I rushed over and picked up. And suddenly, all my worries have been lifted.
"Ollie!"
'Stephan! Hellooo.' He chimed in, all jolly. I knew him so well I could imagine what he looks like as we speak.
"Is there something going on?"
He smiled on the other side. 'Yes.'
I chuckled and sat down on my bed. "Well what could be so important, you would call me privately?"
Ollie paused.
'I know a spot.'

***

I parked my bike at the back of our school and saw none other than Ollie Blossom, hands crossed, waiting for me.
I laughed. "The school?"
He shifted his weight onto his hip, grinning. "The woods."
At the back of our school, there was a government project to plant a dozen trees. Well . . . it became deserted until it was turned into what we know today as G.H. Academy.
"The woods?!?" I playfully yelled.
"You coming?"
I scoffed in disbelief with no choice but to follow Ollie.
As we walked, chills crawled down the back of my neck. Bugs and snakes could be here. Leaves and branches were prickling my scalp while I felt itchy all over.
"You really hang out here?" I step over a fat vine. I look at him. His hair was waxed and he was smiling, huffing for air.
He cracks a laugh. "Believe it or not, it's nice. When I need to clear my head, I go here. It's like a secret hideout when you ought to be alone."
"Alone?" I pause. "Does anybody else know about this spot?"
"Nope. Just you."
Just me? He goes here alone and now he's not the only one that knows this place. He's never told anyone else. That means he trusts me. He trusts me.
We reach his hideout. It was a small hollow spot in the forest with no trees. There was a circle fireplace in the middle, firefly lights hanging from the surrounding branches, and chopped logs posing as chairs.
Ollie bent down to on the radio laying on the ground, playing a sweet, classical song. "A few seniors tipped this place to me when I was fourteen. I guess they wanted their hangout to be as loved even if they left."
"That's sweet . . . " The seniors who tipped him off wanted their place to be loved. I can't help to wonder: "But why didn't you share this with us?"
He sat down on a bark. "We all have different ways of loving a place." He patted the log. "Join me,"
I sat beside him and sighed. "I can see why you like it here."
"It's prettier at night."
" . . .  At night?" Ollie is one brave man. All alone in the middle of the woods with all the bugs.
He looks at me. "Do you know why I told you about this place?"
I think. "Because . . . you trust me?"
"Precisely!" He nudges my shoulder and smiles ear-to-ear, his smile lines creasing into the prettiest grin. "Do you want me to tell you something?"
"Tell me."
"Are you a smoker?" He asks out of the blue.
I tilt my head. That was so . . . sudden. "No . . . ?"
He straightens his back, raising a playful brow. "Not even weed?"
" . . . No."
His smile grows bigger, gid taking over. " . . . Would you like to try?"
I jump from my seat, the hair on my neck sticking up. "You smoke weed?!?"
"Not now!" He bursted into a mad laughter. A cute laughter if you ask me. "I only have cigarettes on me."
I couldn't imagine him lighting a cigarette and sucking it between his lips. "You smoke?"
"Yup."
" . . . Explains why you would smell like smoke sometimes. Does Molly know?"
"Mhm. But she's more of a weed person. She likes messing with drugs."
"D-drugs?!?" I choke on my words. I never knew Molly was that type of person. I always saw them as rich and refined students. I guess you never really know what's going on with somebody. "So . . . she has her own druglord or something."
He shrugs. "Surprised?"
"That's crazy." I stay silent for a moment, lost in thought. I clear my throat. "Why though? I mean . . . it's really bad for you."
He snorts a laugh. "It's my form of rebelling. It's stupid, I know."
He's a rebel. I thought he was picture-perfect role model for the longest time. That's kind of . . . handsome.
"I'm not a rebel!" Ollie quickly takes back, holding his hands up. Did he just read my mind? "I'm just stubborn. Don't let that ruin your image of me." He chuckles.
"Then . . . why are you telling me this?"
"Because I want to be closer to you." His eyes sparkled with eagerness as the night sky grew golden. "Do you feel the same?"
Yes, I do. I want to be more than friends. I wish I could tell him that. My throat was itching to just admit it. But I can't do it. I could ruin our friendship.
"I feel the same." I utter in a whisper. I shift my gaze from his eyes to his lips. Then back again. Only now did I notice how close his face was to mine.
Just a inch was our space. Had I leaned closer to him by instinct? I could feel his breath brushing my skin as his peppermint wax lingered in my nose.
I stared at him. My love-drunk eyes were focused on Ollie and Ollie only.
Oh, why? Why did I have to fall for him?
The dreamy orchestra from the radio melted with the sounds of nature. I wish he was mine. I really do. I love him.
How could I not love Ollie Blossom?