OLIVIAI flip through the remaining pages of my biology textbook and realize that I have covered most of the material in a short amount of time. The corners of my mouth tug upwards. I deserve a pat on the back. Now, I can focus on the other classes I am taking.I have a habit of studying ahead in my classes, ever since high school. I have found that it is not only helpful for tests and exams, it also helps me to relax and have less stress. Plus I will be working part-time this year, so it is especially important for me to stay ahead. My family is not wealthy, but my father makes enough money to support us. Still, I have personal goals that I need to save for, like traveling to visit my mother in another state during our summer holiday. Since my dad can't help me pay for that, I need to find a way to earn money on my own.After school, I am going to start looking for a job, my first job ever. While I don't have any work experience, I am sure I can find something that is a good fit
OLIVIA "Nathan," I call his name, blinking my eyelashes rapidly. Imagine crashing into your crush like that. It is so embarrassing. I want to sink into the floor and disappear. I am sure Nathan thinks I am the clumsiest person on earth. But, I am not usually clumsy - just when I get nervous or restless which seems to be happening a lot lately. "Sorry, does it hurt?" Nathan asks, looking down at me. I reach up to touch my forehead. It is a little sore, but not too bad. I shake my head. "No, it does not really hurt," I reply. “Are you okay?” He questions. “You're a bit out of sorts.” “I am okay,” I answer. Even as I said the words, I know they are not entirely true. Physically, I am fine. But, mentally, I am a mess. I have so many thoughts and emotions swirling inside of me, and I don't know how to make sense of any of it. Nathan tucks his hands into the pockets of his denim jeans. His golden hair falls over his face, framing his handsome face. And damn, he looks
AIDENIt is official. I am losing my mind. I can't even concentrate on soccer practice. All I can think about is the hazel eyed girl with the killer body. I think it is what they call an “hourglass figure,”. Whatever the body shape is, she has a perfect body that is driving me insane. Her beautiful face is stuck in my memory, and her image burns into my brain. I can't get her out of her head, no matter how hard I try. Her lips…I don't know why the memory of them is still so vivid, or why I can still taste them on my own lips after so many days.Even though I have never been the one to date, I have been with a lot of girls. I can get any one I want with no stress. I have always been able to get exactly what I want, when I want it. But Olivia, she is different. No one has made me feel the way she does. There is something about her that has me hooked, making me long for her. I can't stop checking my phone, hoping for a message from her.It has been days since I told her to text me,
OLIVIAI dig through my tote bag, double-checking to make sure I have everything I need.Lip gloss? Check. A book? Check. A Pen? Check.An earpiece? Check.Pleased that I have everything I need, I walk to my closet. I open my closet and grab a jacket to go over my sleeveless crop top. I need to look decent when I go out.Earlier in the week, I had noticed a small restaurant and I decide to go and apply for a job there since it is the weekend. It should not be too stressful - they only sell drinks and light snacks.I grab my phone off the bedside table, give the door a quick check to make sure it was locked, and head out into the living room.My sister is sitting on the couch, where she is engrossed in her favorite TV show. She looks up as I enter, her eyes traveling over me from head to toe. Then, a grin spread across her face.Maybe this is going to be one of rare days when my sister is not being her usual difficult self. One of those days she is actually nice to me. “So, who is th
OLIVIAIt is like the whole world has faded away. Nothing else seems to matter except for the two of us. All I want to focus on is him. Us. My eyes drop to his lips, they look so inviting, so full and plump. I can still remember how soft they were the last time we kissed. I don't like that the memory sends shivers down my spine. I hate how much power he has over me. The way he can make me feel so much with just a look or touch. I hate the fact that he knows he has that effect on me. It is as if he holds all the cards and I am just along for the ride.“What are you saying to that, Olivia?”His voice is like a caress, soft and inviting. I can't help but feel a tingle run down my spine.What's he doing to me? His words are piercing through my heart. There is this way he said my name. It is not the usual “Olive” I am used to hearing. He had called me “Olivia”, rolling the syllables off his tongue with a thick Italian accent.I have to stop this before I get any more caught up in him.
This is a mistake. Another stupid mistake. I don't know if I am born to make mistakes or something. I should not be here. I should never have come here. I should have stayed home, bury my head in my pillow and imagine a world where Aiden is not my sister's best friend. Things will be different if that world exists."Hey, are you okay?"Ashley's voice snap me out of my train of thoughts. My mind is in a state of turmoil. I don't know what to think. I feel like I should scream "I am not okay" at the top of my lungs, but I hold it in, trying to get a handle on my emotions.I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. "I am okay," I whisper back. “Don't worry, the movie is about to start,’’ She says, smiling at me. I just nod my head, and try to smile.It is Ashley's idea to come to the movie night and she has the best intentions, but now I am beginning to regret it. I feel like I should not have come here. All I can think about is Aiden, and how much I want him. The movie night is suppos
OLIVIA"Are you sure we won't get caught?" I whisper, glancing around at the dark school building. "That is the whole point of doing this - the thrill of taking a risk and breaking the rules," Aiden states, a sly grin playing across his lips. "Don't you feel the adrenaline rush through your body? The feeling that what you are about to do is wrong, but you want to do it anyway."Aiden is wild.He is crazy - crazy in the best possible way. First, he suggests we should break the school rules. Then, he says we should paint the art class building, which is totally against the rules. If we get caught, we will be in big trouble. I know this is risky too, but for some reason, I find myself going along with him. Maybe, Aiden is right. I feel a thrill knowing that we are about to do something wrong. Even though a part of me is scared of getting caught, there is another part of me that is proud to be different, proud to be a rebel. Everyone else is inside the hall, watching a movie. But I am o
OLIVIA“What a jerk!" I swear under my breath when Aiden leaves the room. He has been toying with me the whole time. He never really intends to get drunk with me or make good on the deal. I feel so foolish for believing him.I let out a hiss, cursing him silently in my mind. Little did I know that he was just deceiving me and I thought I was about to do something wild I have never done before.Aiden is driving me crazy. I feel like a finished woman. Just then, I hear the door to the next room open and close.I can't blame him, but what if he gets drunk and starts touching me? We may end up in a situation we can't control. Fuck, a part of me wants that, no matter how wrong it may be. I want to feel his touch all over my body. Pushing away my thoughts, I unzip my jacket and let it drop on the floor, leaving me in only my crop top. I walk over to the king sized bed and let myself slump on it. The bed is so soft. I can happily stay here forever. Wait, this is Aiden's room. Girls mus
AIDEN Three months later… “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you, Aiden!" I wish I could block my ears so I wouldn't have to hear them singing this birthday song. I think it's really cringe. I don't even know what to do, how to act while they sing. I just stand there, my eyes locked on my girl. She's the only one whose singing doesn't make me cringe. Olivia has a big smile on her face, like she is more excited than I am and I'm the one clocking a new age. She even organized this whole thing, insisting I should celebrate with friends. And somehow, she got me to agree. So, here we are, having a mini party at my place with Bryan, Sarah, and Ashley. I turn 21 today. I'm in a better place; I feel loved. That's a good reason to celebrate. Olivia walks over to me and hands me a knife. "You can cut the cake now," She says. I nod and smile at her. Just as I position the knife and about to cut the cake, a voice interrupts me. "Don't cut the cake like it's your opp," Bryan jokes
OLIVIA Why the hell am I freaking out? It's just a date—a date with my boyfriend. This isn't the first, second, or third time I am going out with him. So, why am I feeling flutters all over my stomach? What's wrong with me? It's funny, even though he told me we are just going to see a movie, I can't help the butterflies in my stomach. It's always been like this. Whenever I see him, a part of me feels like a little girl getting her favorite treat. Is it normal that I still feel this way about him, even though our relationship is more than a month old? I can't get enough of him. I don't think I ever will. I know what I need now—a damn grip on myself. I haven't even picked out what to wear yet. If Aiden shows up and I am not ready, he'll tease me about how I always make us late. I really don’t want that. I walk to my closet. It’s just a movie date, right? Something simple will do. I consider jeans but then think better of it. I want to wear something cute. A mini dress it is. I grab
OLIVIAI blink my eyes open, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.The first thing I feel is the warmth beneath me, the gentle rise and fall of Aiden's chest. His breathing is the only sound I want to hear. I raise my head, letting my gaze linger on his face. He's still asleep, calm as ever. There's something about seeing him like this that makes my heart flutter. His messy hair falls across his forehead, and I reach up to brush it aside, my fingers lightly tracing his skin. He stirs a little but doesn't wake, only tightening his grip around me.A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. I think about us. What I love most is that, no matter what happens, we always find our way back to each other. We choose each other, again and again. If that is not love, I don’t know what is.I press a kiss to his chest, then shift just enough to reach his lips, kissing him there too. Is this what forever feels like? With him, wrapped in his arms, it certainly feels that way.Enough of
AIDENI slide into my car, the loud bass from the party music fading as the door closes behind me. I slam my fist on the steering wheel, regret boiling inside me. I’ve never regretted anything in my life, but this might be the first. I wish I’d never come to this party, let alone convinced her to join me.Where the hell is Olivia? Who did she follow? Why did I leave her alone like that? My mind spins, and the more I think about it, the more I blame myself. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so stupid, she wouldn’t have left.I don’t want to be here at this party anymore. But, I can’t just drive home, not knowing where my girlfriend is or who she is with. I pull out my phone—this is my only hope. If I can reach her and know she’s safe, at least half my worries will be eased.I dial her number. I heave a sigh of relief as the ringing echoes through the car. At least the call is going through this time, but she doesn’t answer.A line forms between my brows. Why isn’t she picking up?
AIDENI lean against the wall, watching Marcel pace back and forth in front of me. We're in a dimly lit room, the smell of smoke thick in the air. I take a long drag from my cigarette, feeling the familiar burn in my lungs. "When did you get back from Italy?" I ask."Two days ago," He answers.I had been with my friends at the main venue of the party when I spotted Marcel. I remember thinking it was the right time to tell him about my decision to leave the drug scene. Marcel has been quiet since I broke the news, I wonder what's on his mind."Aiden," He calls out, pulling me from my train of thoughts. "Are you really sure about this? You're just going to walk away from everything?"I exhale slowly, watching the smoke curl up toward the ceiling. "Yes, I'm sure," I say.I know this news shocked him. I never imagined I'd reach the point where I'd decide to quit drug dealing, the life I've known for so long. But, it's time. I've chosen to leave the darkness behind, and there's no turning
OLIVIASarah squeezes her eyes shut, then slowly opens them again."I know I haven't been a good sister to you. I've never treated you the way an older sister should," She admits.My eyes widen. Where is this coming from? Is she just messing with me again?"Why are you saying all this?" I ask. "This isn't like you. You never care how you treat me, whether I like it or not."Sarah takes a deep breath. "You're making me feel worse than I already do. I know I've been awful. Deep down, I knew it was wrong, but I just couldn't stop myself."She continues. "When our parents divorced, I completely lost myself. I didn't know how to handle the pain, let alone be there for you. So I started hanging out with my friends, and I abandoned you. I know that too.""I was lost too," I say, my lips trembling. "We could have supported each other, but even before the divorce, you were never there for me. It was always you and your friends. You never cared about me."Sarah rakes her fingers through her hai
~ TWO WEEKS LATER ~OLIVIACrazy. That is the only word that comes to mind as I stand in the middle of the crowded room, the noise and chaos around me growing louder. My eyes sweep the room. Smoke fills the air from countless cigarettes. The music is blaring. Bottles are littered across the floor. People are grinding on each other, drunk and reckless. If they're not smoking or making out, they're definitely drunk. Some are doing all three at once.I've been to a few parties before, but none as wild as this. This is insanity. What should I call this? Aiden's world? And where the hell is Aiden? He’s still not back from the car.Aiden and I arrived at the party just a few minutes ago, and he had to go get his phone, which he forgot in the car, while I chose to stay here and wait for him. I regret that decision now. I should’ve just followed him back to the car. Aiden invited me to this party. He said it had been a long time since he attended one, and he wanted me to go with him. You
AIDENThe warm breeze washes over me, sending shivers across the skin as I reach the lake. The lake is our favorite place - always calm in the afternoon, with a secluded spot we've claimed as our own. We’ve been here countless times before Sarah decided to call it our special place. It’s become a routine for us to visit two or three times a week. But now, I am not sure how much longer that will continue. I have a girlfriend and she’s Sarah’s sister. How much more complicated can things get?I spot Sarah, her back turned toward me. The plan is to sort things out with her. No matter what, I shouldn’t argue with her too much or let her get on my nerves. I walk closer and sit beside her. Sarah exhales smoke from the cigarette she is holding, then passes it to me. I take a drag, inhaling deeply before blowing out the smoke.“So, you’re going to marry my sister now, huh?” Sarah blurts out, still not facing me.I raise my eyebrows. “I would love to,” I mumble.Sarah spins around to face me
OLIVIAI step out of my car and head toward Aiden's doorstep. I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. After waiting a moment without a response, I move to press it again. But before I can do that, the door swings open, and my brown-eyed boy stands before me.“Hazel,” Aiden says, opening the door wider to let me in.“Hey,” I murmur.“You’re beautiful,” Aiden whispers, pulling me into a hug, his hand gently stroking my hair.“Beautiful?” I blurt out. “Don’t try to flatter me just to make me feel better, I’m sure I look like a mess right now.”“You look stressed, but as beautiful as ever. You never look like a mess, and you never will.”“Aiden - ”“You don’t see yourself the way I see you,” He murmurs, his breath tickling my ear.I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest. If I weren’t so stressed, I’d love to kiss him like my whole world depends on it. He’s so sweet.We hear someone clear his throat, and we quickly pull away from each other, turning to see Bryan standing there."