Love Under Construction

6. Motivation

Olivia's POV

"I don't know Skip!" The man I've learned to be, Shawn, yells across to his boss as I sit outside on the balcony and watch the sun come up. "He said he had some type of meeting."

"Only meeting he's going to be having is the one where I give him his pink slip," Skip yells back and I roll my eyes.

I assume they're referring to Spencer, since he probably had that meeting with my dad this morning.

"He won't need y'all after today," I say lowly before the balcony door opens.

"Last night was crazy, mama!" Colson admits and I just listen. "After about five shots, the studio session was a blur."

He pulls out his personal stash of marijuana to smoke before laying his head in my lap like a child does his mother.

"What do you say we get out of here? Just go to an island— sober— healthy— get married— I don't know—- maybe have some babies—" I suggest and he stares up at me as I caress his cheek.

"That sounds nice and all, but that's way too domestic for me," he answers seriously. "Remember that day we met though?"

He quickly changes the subject, making me sigh. A part of me knew he wouldn't want that. And the better part of me knows I don't want that with him either.

"Yeah," I answer.

"I lost my mind seeing you in there. I was like 'I have to be God's favorite'—- to be in this bitch with someone as fine as this girl."

I chuckle at his analogy of the day we met. "Even in that chaotic place, life seemed so much more simple back then."

"Because we had each other," he tells me before we kiss.

I used to think that. But now and days, I'm not so sure that's why life was simpler for me.

"Things just feel different now—- you know?" I ask calmly and he shrugs.

"We ain't the same broken teenagers we once were!" His voice cracks as I watch his eyes become a little more humble. "And if I don't tell you enough, thank you for saving my life!"

I watch closely as he sits up, kisses my forehead before walking away.

I take in his words as I lean my head back against the couch and remember the exact day we met.

He was weak and dependent on drugs to help him cope with the lost of his mother. And I was in rehab for what my mom called 'preventative measures'.

Truth is, up until this day, I have never touched a drug in my life. But my mom and dad were too indulged in their nasty divorce to understand all I  really needed was a hug and a little reassurance that they, actually, loved me and couldn't live without me. I wanted, so badly, to know I was more important than their money and assets.

And that's what I got, eventually. Only, it wasn't from my mommy or daddy. It was Colson who needed me. And I relished in the glory of helping him. I felt wanted and seen by him. I used his vulnerability to put a band-aid on the cut my parents left on my heart. And now that my cut is a mere scar from my past, I no longer need a band-aid or Colson for that matter.
___________

Hours later, the silence from the empty house, allows me to hear the voices outside more clearly.

"Bro, are you fucking serious?" I overhear Shawn's voice, making me peep out of the window to match the face.

I quickly notice Spencer swinging a hammer in a black tank top.

"Crazy, right? I mean, it may not see theaters, but the fact that I got my foot in the door, means everything."