From the Hills to Crenshaw

3.0 | Italian Dinner

Olivia's POV

"I can't believe they're making you stay there. No car! No money! This is worse than rehab. It's like prison." Layla says over the phone and I giggle because she wouldn't know what either is like. "Does he even have Wi-Fi at that place?"

"It's not that bad. My grandpa just sleeps, on and off, all day. As long as I make him soup and take his dog outside every few hours, he's okay." I admit as I watch FeFe run through the front yard.

"Don't tell me you actually like that place?" She asks and I laugh.

"No, but the alternative is a rehab in Colorado. So I'm sucking it up until my parents come to their senses." I explain. "Besides, had I not gone to that party with you, I wouldn't be here!"

"Good point! And for that, I'm sorry! But let's not lose focus to why you're really there! Jordan, and your loyalty to him, is the problem."
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She's right. The night of homecoming, he came into the house high as giraffe ass. He was stumbling and knocking shit over as we walked inside. And I knew it would only be a matter of time before my parents woke up.

So I took the pill bottle from his pocket and I got him upstairs as fast as I could. And it's a good thing I did because both of my parents walked out as soon as I laid him on the bed.

They assumed it was underage drinking. And in their minds that's way more forgivable than drugs. So I went to my room and found a random book bag to stash the pill bottle inside.

Little did I know, the next day my mom would be looking to donate gently used supplies for one of her business partner's charities and the book bag would soon be in her hands.
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"You know what? With all of this chaos in my life, I almost forgot how much of a drama queen you are!" I tell her and she can only laugh at the truth.

"So will I see you at school on Monday?" She asks and I sigh.

"They're making me take the Beverly High online option," I say in disappointment.

"What? Do they realize you're a senior? Why don't you just tell your parents it was Jordan's pills so things can go back to normal?"

I hear her words loud and clear, but the sight of a few boys walking up the street stifles my response.

"Ain't no way we're losing a game this year," one guy says before the other shakes his hand in agreement.

"Olivia," I hear my grandpa call and it's obvious they do too, by the way their heads turn in my direction.

But my eyes won't let me respond to my grandpa because they appear to be magnetically drawn to the guy who's slightly behind the others.

I noticed him yesterday, even through the drama. And today is no different.

"Liv? Girl, are you there?" Layla shouts.

"Olivia, get in here!" My grandpa shouts from a distance and it takes the shutting of the front gate to get my attention.

"Here you are, ma'am!" The mailman tells me and I can't believe how far a look from a couple of hundred feet away took me.

"—-Liv? Girl, are you good?" I hear Layla say before I finally respond.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" I reply hesitantly. "I have to go. My grandpa is calling me."
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A few hours later, I notice my grandpa asleep on the couch. And I doubt he'll be up again tonight by the sound of his snore.

As I sit back in the dining room chair, I roll my eyes at the excessive amount of crossword puzzles sitting on the table before looking towards the refrigerator.