𝐀 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞

*𝗟𝗶𝘃𝘃𝘆*

Livvy threw her hands up in frustration. She was fighting an impossible battle with her mother. Ashley had said she wanted Livvy to go on yet another school camp in Mount Gambier. Unfortunately for her, Livvy didn't exactly feel like going.  She loathed them. Hated, even. It was mostly just because she owned a bad reputation at school. Every time she walked past someone who wasn't her friend, they'd glare at her. She was sick of it.

"I just don't see why!" she protested. Her mother raised her hand.

"That's enough Livia. You'll be going no matter what you say. Your opinion will not be valid in this."

Livvy opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, but then closed it. She got up and stormed out of the room.

"Planning to sulk in your room?" Ashley called after her. Livvy glared at her mother. "Leave me alone!"

Livvy stormed into her room. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Of course, her mother wouldn't listen to her. She never did. Sometimes, she wondered why she bothered. In her mother's eyes, she was always going to be a young, immature, selfish, foolish girl who knew nothing of the world. She lay down on her bed, and closed her eyes, pretending to ignore the tears sliding down her face.

Charlie, her twelve year old brother, opened the door. "Are you and Mum fighting again?"

"Go away Charlie." she sniffled, covering herself in blankets. She didn't need her beloved younger brother to see her like this. Livvy felt herself tense up when he rubbed her back. Charlie sighed. "i'm not letting you boss me around, Livvy."

Hot tears sprang to her eyes. Tears of anger. "Let me guess, you hate me too now?"

Charlie made a noise that sounded a lot like a snort. "That wouldn't happen in a billion years. You're my older sister, no matter how annoying, and I love you."

Livvy chose to ignore that fact that he called her annoying.

"You do know that your friends are in the living room right?"

Livvy almost choked. "Mum's in the living room!"

"Exactly, which is why you should get up and save them from another one of Mum's lectures about showing up  with no notice," Charlie replied.

Livvy flung the covers off her. "You're probably right, knowing you. Thanks for letting me know."

He just smiled.

**

"And then she stormed out-" Livvy heard her mother say. She gave a soft gasp. Just great. Now her friends were going to hate her too. She shook her head. "Right, I've had enough of this," she muttered.

When Livvy 'walked in' her mother pursed her lips into a thin line. "Livia. Lovely of you to join us."

"I can't believe you. You talked about me behind my back and then pretended you didn't say anything."  she said. Livvy could feel her friend's eyes all over her, but she didn't meet them. She was too mortified.

"Livia, I'd never do anything like tha-" she starts.

"It's Livvy, not Livia! And DON'T LIE TO ME!"

"Livia, this is unacceptable!"

Livvy opened her mouth to say something, but her bets friend Amelia stopped her. "No, Mrs. Greystone, you're the one being unacceptable."

Ashley opened her mouth in horror. Clearly, no one had ever said anything like that to her.

Zoey, Amelia, and Skylar all stood up, Zoey grabbing Livvy before she could run off. "C'mon girl, let's go get some coffee."

Ashley's jaw dropped. "She's way too young for coffee!"

Zoey grinned. "That's where you're wrong. Come on, let's go!"

Livvy forced out a smile. They're probably just masking their newfound hatred with happiness, she thought.

As soon as they were out of the house, each of the girls gave Livvy a gigantic hug. "You've been crying haven't you?" Amelia said. Livvy nodded, embarrassed. She never cried, not even when she got hurt. 

Skylar frowned. "I think your mother's a few screws loose of a packet."

Livvy snorted. "Yeah, that's a very good way to describe her."

The girls shared a smile, before they hopped into Amelia's car.