OCTAVIA
Starting my morning off with a bang—literally—put a definite pep in my step, even if I feel like I’ve been walking funny all day.
Not that I’m complaining.
Lincoln breaking down that final barrier between us… it’s like that final wavering part of myself has found solid ground.
There might be a mass of chaos in my life, but my four guys are here to stay. They’d give anything for me and I’d do the same for them.
The morning at school has passed in a happy blur, so when I sit opposite Indi at the table in the cafeteria, I still have a giant smile on my face.
“I don’t know what you had today, but can I have some?” she asks, looking exhausted as she shotguns a can of coke.
It’s impossible to stop the laugh that breaks free. “No, no you can’t. Pretty sure you and Lincoln wouldn’t merge that well. Like, I love you, but no.”
She pulls a face, sticking her tongue out. “Yeah no, not my type, but hell yes for you. It’s about fucking time you two got down and dirty. Was he a monster dick? Don’t answer that. I bet he was. All that big dick energy he has… just damn.”
I laugh at her, shaking my head as I take a bite of my burger. “My lips are sealed.”
“For now anyway.” She giggles.
“What’s so funny?” Maverick asks as he drops into the seat beside me. I start laughing uncontrollably. Indi joins in and we laugh till we cry.
“I swear it’s not even funny,” I say, trying to breathe and stop the laughter.
Mav just quirks his brow at me and steals one of my fries. “If you say so. Girls are weird.”
“You love my brand of weird,” I tease, and he pulls me into his lap, kissing my neck.
“Yes I do.”
Indi shakes her head. “Who would’ve thought that you could turn Maverick Riley into a cheeseball.”
I grin at her, their prodding back and forth is beyond funny.
“Only for her,” Maverick says, shrugging. “I can show you my other side if you’d prefer?”
He grins, baring his teeth at her, and I roll my eyes as Linc and Finn join us at the table.
“Oh good, the boss is here,” Indi snarks. “Put your leash back on.”
“Oh look, they’re friends again,” Finley snorts as he sits. “I knew you beating Blair the other day would soften him to you.”
“Has anything come of that?” I ask, worrying my lip.
Lincoln shakes his head. “I dealt with it. It’ll be fine.”
I blow him a kiss and the corners of his lips turn up. That might be the best I can get from him in this cesspit of a school, so I’ll take it. At least there are only, like, four months left until we’re out of this place.
We should probably start thinking about colleges, or at least have that conversation, but with everything else that’s been going on, we haven’t exactly had time to think about it.
Well I haven’t.
I had so many plans when I came back last summer: a clear goal and the steps that would get me there.
Now?
Everything has changed.