Texting Olivia Large ((On Pause))

6

"Are you sure you don't wanna come with? I hear cute guys from some fancy private school are showing up." Amanda said, smiling excitedly at me from the front seat of Joeys' car.

I shake my head and try not to focus on how my head collides with the top of the car anytime he hits a pothole. "I'm not really interested in all that."

Joey's annoyed voice spoke up from the driver's seat. "Also, I hope you are aware of the test coming next week.

Amanda rolls her eyes faces forward. She scoffs. "You both are nerds."

"Hey, not me. I don't even like reading." I say. "I only read because it's essential to get into a good university... Joey's the nerd."

I see him shrug. "True, true."

We pull up at my house and I wave them goodbye before walking up to my door.

"But that's not fair!"

The sound of Aiden screaming makes my hand hover above the doorknob of our front door in hesitancy.

I close my eyes and exhale out of my nose, mentally preparing for what I might see. I open my eyes and twist the knob.

My eyebrows go up. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting to see, but this is not it.

The house is trashed.

Pillows are on the floor, chairs are flipped and vases are broken, Aiden stands in the middle of the room, his eyes bloodshot.

I look between my mother and my little brother, trying to determine who could have done this. We tend to break stuff when we are angry in this family.

Brent, Aiden's best friend, sits on the only couch not flipped over. His eyes are wide and calculating, trying to figure out who's going to make the next move.

It's no surprise he's here. He's always here on weekdays. So often that he might as well live with us.

I raise a brow at the scene, ashamed for the bemused smirk that grows on my lips. "Good afternoon, family."

I can't help the little wisp of excitement that bubbles in my chest. There was always something about violence that intrigued me. Interested me.

I'm not proud of it.

Aiden marches over to me and grips my polyester in his hands. His voice is shaky. "Mom wants to take me out of karate class."

Any bubble of excitement is blown away by annoyed surprise. "What? Why?"

My mom speaks up, there's a viable line between her forehead as she pinches the bridge of her nose. "I can't afford it right now."

Aiden stomps his feet against the carpet with a dull thud. "All my friends go to karate class."

"You have friends in school." She tells him.

"No. I don't!"

I place a palm on his messy hair, strands of hair sticking out in between my fingers. Seeing him this close is disheartening. He looks miserable. "Mom, can I talk to you privately for a sec?"

I lead her to my bedroom upstairs and close the door behind me. "Aiden really loves karate class." I start slowly.

"I know that but..." She uses two fingers to rub circles on her forehead, probably easing a growing headache. "It's not in my budget right now..."

I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering whose side I should be but and eventually went to my room and got started on studying.

At least I try to study, but my mind keeps drifting back to Aidens distraught face.

I feel something tight wrap around my chest and I wet my lips. I can't concentrate on anything when my brother is bawling his eyes out.

My phone pings, distracting me from my thoughts

Lol. Favorite idiot💖

Omg they r so cute XD

Some 1 is hitting on me.

A few minutes later, the texts make less sense.

Lol. Favorite idiot💖

Drink timmmee

I so drunk rn

Pic me up?

Ie58jerhjooyve

~•~•~

"When you're sober, you owe me big time," I say, resisting the urge to throw up at the intoxicating stench of Amanda's breath.

Amanda just giggles in response. Then hiccups. The giggles again. She has her arms wrapped tightly around my waist for support. I'm not a touchy person but I let it slide cause she's one of my closest friends.

She's also drunk as heck.

I manage to drag her to the side of the road so we can wait for a taxi. I love Amanda, I really do. But drunk Amanda can be extremely annoying. She keeps burping in my ear, she randomly falls asleep on my shoulder and she keeps whispering stuff that I don't understand.

And what's worse, no taxi!

I wrap my arms around myself, the cold night air seeping into my light sweater. The idea of walking home surfaces in my mind but I don't want to have to walk. Not at this hour of the night.

"Hey, Olivia!" A familiar voice calls. I turn my head and groan at Adam jogging towards us. "I didn't know you went to these parties."

I wrap my arms tighter around my body, not really because of the cold, but because of my brain too suddenly deciding to crush my self-esteem. "I don't."

His eyes dull with disappointment for a second but then light up when they flicker between Amanda's drunk state and my miserable expression. "Do you guys need a ride?"

Even in my freezing state, my annoyance shines through in my voice. "Aren't your friends there?"

He doesn't seem to catch my tone of voice because he replies just as cheerful as before. "Nope, they're too busy doing...... Stuff."

I roll my eyes at the censorship. "Hooking up?"

"Maybe." His smile brightens and I wonder why until I realize I'm smiling too.

My smile falters and I hope I can muster an icy glare again. He notices this and frowns, then sighs.

"You want a ride?"

I manage to swallow my pride. "Yes, I do."

~•~•~•~•~

Sorry, this took so long, I've been working on a new book!

Y'all should check it out! It's called 'Grey means nothing' and I hope you all love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Love ya!!