Forever and Always, Olive

Chapter 24: Jealous

Chapter 24

I'm getting ready for work when my aunt enters my room. She takes a seat on my bed as I fix my hair in the mirror. I flash her a quick smile in the reflection and she returns it. "Hey," she greets.

"Hey."

"I talked to your mom yesterday," she starts to explain her reasoning for being here. "She told me about how you want to stay in Harrington for your senior year."

"What did you say?" I ask her curiously. I hope she lets me stay. I've been on my best behavior here.

"I don't think it's a problem at all. You're a wonderful girl and I love you," my aunt trails slowly and I sense something else.

"But?" I prompt her with a raised brow.

She looks hesitant to speak but when she finally manages to utter the words, they aren't as bad as I had anticipated. "You have to make sure you're staying in Harrington for you, not for your friends," she manages to sputter.

I turn around from the mirror and stare at her. "I am, aunt Gen. I like it here in Harrington. I have a job; I'm doing okay in school; I have friends. But that's not only it. Back home, I'm pressured into being someone I'm not. If I were to go back, I'd probably fall back into my old patterns, honestly. And if I didn't, I would have to find an entirely new group of friends. I'd have to find a new job. I'd have to start all over again, and it was hard enough the first time."

"I see where you're coming from. Besides, I don't think I'd be able to say 'goodbye.' You're too good of a cook," my aunt teases me with a small smile. I roll my eyes at my her but smile nonetheless. "Where'd you get this?" I notice her eyes fall to my pink bag. I put the rose in a vase with water on my bedside table and pray she doesn't notice that. I can lie about buying myself chocolates but it'd seem weird if I bought myself a rose, too. I'm not that lucky, though, because her eyes settle on the red petals and she raises a single brow. "You got a rose, too?"

"Yeah, uh, a friend gave it to me," I shrug weakly as I grab my coat off my chair.

"A friend?" she presses with furrowed eyebrows. I nod my head vigorously in hopes that she doesn't push it. "This seems a little romantic to be a gift from a friend," she notes as she twirls the rose in her fingers.

"I just have very kind friends," I blurt before turning around to face my dresser again. I absentmindedly fiddle with the handles as I wait for her to leave.

"How funny," my aunt chuckles knowingly. "You'll never guess who I saw driving down our street yesterday."

"Who did you see?" I wonder as I close my eyes and pray that it isn't who I think it is.

"Maddox," she states, which makes my shoulders slump a bit. Busted. "And he looked fairly happy. He even waved to me as we were passing each other."

"Did he? How nice. He probably was just passing through the neighborhood," I attempt to save myself.

"Yeah, he even stopped me and asked me to give you this," my aunt continues and I slowly turn around and find my lip balm in her grip.

"I must've left that in there when he gave me a ride home from school," I dismiss vaguely as I go to retrieve it. She closes her hand around the tube and gives me a pointed look.

"Tell the truth," she insists with narrowed eyes. I stare at her and allow my shoulders to slump as I give in.

"We hung out at his house yesterday. We just watched a movie, I promise. I didn't want to tell you because you would've told my mom and she would've told my dad and he would've been disappointed in me because he doesn't approve of Maddox," I rant before taking a large breath. "Maddox isn't a bad person, but my father thinks he is because of the way he dresses. If I could just show my father that Maddox isn't a bad guy, then he would approve of Maddox and I wouldn't have to lie about spending Valentine's Day with him."