burning at the stake | o.r.

chapter 1: prey to predator

Olivia Rodrigo stirred in her sleep. The scar on her neck pulsated as her nightmares continuously looped the moment she had her literal and entire life sucked from her body, dry. However, she was yet to be awoken as she had grown accustomed to the feeling of constant emptiness while being both awake... and asleep.

Her ironed cheer uniform laid on the chair in the corner, courtesy of her mother, who had pretended not to notice the drops of stained blood around the neckline, treating them away with her home remedies and positive thoughts. When her mother had asked Olivia why there had been blood, she simply replied with "I got a nosebleed."

And for another time, definitely not for the last time, her mother wondered why her daughter had been getting so many nosebleeds. She chose to put a pin in it, nothing the doctor can't fix!

...

The entrance doors at Silkset High swung open, a large gust of air meeting the bare arms of t-shirt clad students, their eyes fixed on whatever could be entering so dramatically.

It could only be one thing... or one person. And that was Olivia Rodrigo. Everyone knew her name, her face, and her reputation. It had been but 4 months since she had strutted through those doors for the first time, not really for the first time, but the first time anybody noticed. Her cheer uniform was snug around her body and her hair was enviable, which unintentionally set the trend for double hair clips. For most, it was their first time really acknowledging her. She had gone from a nobody who was the proud founder of Bible Study Club, to Silkset High's meanest mean girl. She ditched the cross necklaces and purity rings for the spot of head cheerleader.

She was undeniably attention-grabbing. Wherever she walked, everyone's eyes followed. Her presence was intoxicating to be in, and you could imagine the influx of boys who heeded at her every move. She had received so many dating offers that she was almost over it, not that she hadn't already had her fair share of rendevous.

From Danny to David, to Mikey, to Evan, to Aidan, she has a long list of ex-lovers. She would hardly call them lovers, as they were nothing more than horny teenagers looking for something to fill. Olivia was sure that she didn't need any filling, although she did, she just wasn't interested in what they had to offer. Her goal was to have fun, and that's exactly what she does, being the mass manipulator that she has come to be. Her feasts never got old. The shittier the boyfriend, the better the blood.

Oh, right. Blood! Ah, yes the very thing that led poor helpless Olivia to her demise. I say demise because she's... dead. Olivia Rodrigo is dead and no one knows. She knows, and that's enough for her. It's enough for her because that means there's enough blood for her to prey on. She had to admit, she's never felt better than she has as a dead person. Her skin's clear, glowing 24/7, and hasn't lost its color, matter-of-fact, and her body never changes no matter how much she eats, or how much she doesn't. She's stuck as strikingly fit 17-year-old Olivia for eternity, and she doesn't see any problem in that.

As for Josh, he was already parading throughout the school with his new girlfriend within two weeks of turning Olivia, as if nothing happened, like a damn sociopath. She pretended not to care, pretended like it didn't matter to her that he never spared her a single glance while she spent her nights crying on her bathroom floor. Which eventually became meaningless, as all the heartbreak she had felt for her once-lover had converted entirely to anger. Olivia refused to show him any interest, deciding that even allowing herself to look in his direction was morally wrong. She vowed to never show emotion at school, for everyone practically worshipped the fact that she was a stone-cold bitch. It's how she felt, and it's how she'll act. Josh had simply ruined the innocent girl that used to reside inside of the corpse that is Olivia Rodrigo. And that was fine, for now.