24 - Operation Cart-Her

ADRIEN’S POV

“And that’s what happened.” I finished explaining to Theo and some of the guys about what happened.

“Is she okay now?” Theo asked.

“Yeah.” I replied.

I checked my phone and texted her.

YOU : “hope you’re doing better.”

I looked up to find three pairs of eyes looking at me.

“What?”

“You’re cooked.” Theo responded.

“For saving a life?” I scoffed.

“You carried her into a hospital.” Max started.

“That’s basic human decency.” I replied.

“Then kissed her.” Elliot continued.

“She kissed me.” I defended.

“She was literally sedated.” Theo deadpanned.

“That part was slightly accidental and it happened under stressful circumstances.” I started, realizing what this was. “We’re done here.”

The worst decision of my life was telling them anything.

“Come on! Just admit it. We’ve never seen you that stressed over anything that isn’t football.” Max told me.

He wasn’t wrong.

Immediately, we heard what happened from inside the house. We rushed down but June was already gone.

I regretted ignoring her the whole night.

I ran like I was chasing a ball.

My heart broke when I found her, and when she fainted. I started panicking even more.

I felt guilty about what happened to her.

“See what I’m talking about.” Theo’s voice sounded, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Done daydreaming?” Elliot smirked.

Theo looked at me for exactly three seconds before saying, “You like her.”

“Absolutely not.” I replied.

“Attention!” Max said in front of the room, holding the remote like a corporate executive.

I read what was on the screen, “OPERATION CART-HER : A strategic breakdown”

What the fuck?

I immediately regretted having friends.

“A fucking slideshow? What is this? A business meeting?” I said.

“Operation Cart-Her is officially beginning.” Theo said, "I noticed what they did with the “Cart-Her”, like June’s surname.

“That is the worst name possible.” I commented.

“Wrong. It’s romantic.” Elliot supported.

“It sounds like a bloody kidnapping plan.” I said as I facepalmed.

“Slide One.” Max started.

“No.” I told them and leaned back into the chair immediately.

Theo ignored me and dimmed the lights.

“As you can see,” Max continued. “The subject, a Miss June Carter, displays avoidant tendencies.”

Elliot raised his hand, “Are we allowed to call people subjects?”

“Focus.” Theo snapped.

“As we can see, the current status is : emotionally doomed,” He pointed to the words on the screen. “And there have been severe attachment symptoms detected.”

“Evidence one : carrying her life a dying Victorian man seeing sunlight for the first time”

“That is unbelievably specific.” I frowned.

“But accurate.” Theo replied.

“WARNING SIGNS : overthinks everything, pretends not to care, emotionally constipated, secretly likes you”

Somehow they described June, all but one.

“The last one is literally unsupported.” I said.

“Next!” Elliot yelled.

Theo took the remote from Max, eager to say his own presentation.

“EVIDENCE OF FEELINGS : staring, smiling at phone, voluntary studying, hospital incident, kissing, “Jay”

“Oh come on.” I rolled my eyes.

“Oh Jay, I will protect you.” Theo mimicked, holding Max.

“I hate you guys so much.” I deadpanned.

“THE DENIAL STAGE : excessive smiling,jealousy, carrying her like a wife”

“You obviously like her, we just need to get the fake thing out of the way.” Elliot spoke this time.

“Who’s we?” I replied.

“This is a safe space.” Max announced.

“Even if I did, she doesn’t.” I said, knowing i’d made some sort of confession.

“I think you’ve gotten past the first stage.” Max said.

“Breaking the wall?” Elliot asked.

“Exactly.” Theo responded.

“How do I move forward?” I asked.

They all looked at me. I raised my hands in submission, “maybe I like her, just a little.”

“Finally!” Theo said and slumped on the couch beside me.

Elliot pulled out a white board and marker.

Where do they get all this stuff?

“You just have this lying in your room?” I asked Theo.

He shrugged.

Operation CART-HER was a terrible idea, evidently stupid and I wasn’t desperate enough to try it.

“I appreciate all this, really. But I don’t think I should pursue anything.” They all paused to stare at me then at each other.

“When you’re ready, we’re here to help.” They gave up.

Thank God.

I decided to take a walk and clear my head, to also detangle my feelings.

I knew my friends wanted to help but they didn’t understand.

Hell, even I didn’t understand what I’d gotten myself into.

I knew why I entered into this relationship with June, to impress my family. To prove to them that I could achieve something, even if the achievement was a person.

Not just any person, the most brilliant, radical and intellectually sound person at Westminster.

To also improve my marks, even if I needed her help.

But in the midst of everything, all the study sessions, revisions and performances.

I had somehow got dragged into the illusion it created.

The problem with pretending for people like me, is that you eventually forget you’re doing it.

The first real thing between us didn’t feel like a mistake.

The kiss.

I knew she wanted it too.

I could tell by how her breathing changed, the look in her eyes, and how she kept leaning closer.

It took every ounce of self control in me not to kiss her.

But, she kissed me first.

I groaned in frustration.

“You look crazy.” A familar voice.

I turned around to see Lori.

“What do you want?”

“Adrien.” She said softly.

I got reminded of what she did to June, how much she put her through and I felt enraged all over again.

“The stunt you pulled on Friday? Don’t you ever try it again.” I said, malice lacing every word.

“It was pathetic. You should be ashamed of yourself, she almost lost her life because of your jealousy.” I told her.

“I was just trying to protect you, I still love-” she wanted to continue but I raised my finger.

Her gaze and words held no remorse.

“Don’t you dare complete that statement.” I said, stepping closer to her.

“Keep my girlfriend’s name out of your mouth.”