Better | Olivia Rodrigo ✓

Ⅰ. real life

sometime in 2020

"Say a little prayer for youuu."

The disjointed harmony on Cecilia's end echoed harshly through the room, bouncing off the walls. Olivia cringed from her spot curled up on the bed, Iris nudging Cecilia slightly with fake annoyance before the two continued their rendition.

Glee had been the first stop on the train of making Olivia happy again. It was often the first step to making any of the three happy again once they had had a long day or the world simply got too much, Glee always seemed to take that away. Unfortunately, that meant that the self-proclaimed Unholy Trinity had nearly set a world record over the number of times they had watched Glee together, laughing, dancing, sobbing and singing often over a tub of ice cream and a constant plethora of snacks courtesy of Iris.

The girls' obsession had initially started with Cecilia, as she had stumbled onto the show one late night, the second episode Showmance playing, although she hadn't known it at the time. She was probably too young to be venturing into the world of musical comedy, let alone Glee, but she was captivated, quickly sharing such passion with her closest friends, forever and always, Olivia and Iris. Now after years of heartbreak, bad test results, breakups and broken bones and even though both Iris and Olivia had ventured out into the world of acting leaving Cecilia behind to sort out her own passion, Glee and ice cream never failed to bring the girls together, especially when one of them was sadder than they could remember.

Just over an hour ago, Cecilia's house had been quite different, silent rather as the brunette contemplated seriously throwing her maths textbook out the window and burning it. Although it was quite a violent way of airing her grievances with calculus, it had been swiftly brought to an end by the sound of a knock echoing through the house. Olivia had been on the doorstop, inconsolable and a blubbering mess, snippets of words catching within Cecilia's ears. Breakup. Love. Happiness. With just a few words, the picture had solidified in Cecilia's mind, knowing exactly what had caused this or rather who.

Now the group of friends sat in Cecilia's living room, Glee playing endlessly, the often off-key karaoke pair of Cecilia and Iris, a huge tub of ice cream with three spoons sticking out at random angles and only the occasional hiccup and sniffle from Olivia. They were all ingredients destined to help mend Olivia's heart, and slowly crack by crack Olivia would indeed patch herself up.

"Hey." Cecilia started, flopping down beside Olivia, fondness in her eyes as she looked at the red-rimmed brown orbs set in the brunette's face.

"Hey Lil," Olivia responded half-heartedly.

"How are you holding up?" Cecilia started. "Actually, don't answer that. It was a stupid question, sorry."

"No, not at all. I'm okay, all things considering. Thank you for all of this." The brunette remarked, looking around at the mess of a living room with a slight smile.

"It's no problem, Liv. I'd do anything for you, you know that, especially when it's something that is going to make you feel better." Cecilia continued, earnest shining in her eyes. "Besides once you get over this, I already know you are going to make a kick-ass couple of songs about this and maybe one day you'll finally give me that album you've been promising me for years!"

"And you'll be by my side no matter what?"

"You betcha."