Guilty As Charged

Chapter Four - Olivia

'Mother.' I put my hands on my hips and give her a death stare.

  'What is it, Olivia?' she sighs loudly. 'I don't have time for your accusations today.' 

  'Where were you yesterday?' I ask, angrily. 'I called you thirty times! Does it kill you to answer your daughter's phone calls?'

  'Maybe it does,' Mother replies, turning the page in the paper in front of her and sipping her coffee, hardly paying me any attention. 'Honey, I was in a meeting and it's not ideal to answer the phone in an important meeting.'

  'You were in a meeting all day?' I let out a scornful laugh. 'Mother, your meetings are two minutes long, you really expect me to believe you?' 

  'Olivia, lay off!' she growls at me. 'Find something worthwhile to do, rather than wasting your time complaining to me about your life failures!' 

  I glare at her. 'I've never complained to you about my failures because you never have time for me!' I scream at her, walking off and slamming the lounge door, standing in the corridor, feeling a rush of hate towards her. 

  I had no friends, and no family. 

  When Ben, my brother died, my parents closed off. They loved him with all their heart, and when it came to me, I was a horrible second place, second choice, second everything. I couldn't beat him at anything, I didn't even have one speck of my parents love. If I disappeared, I don't think they'd notice. 

  Although I was always jealous of Ben, at least he cared about me, but now he's gone. And now, I have no one. 

  My phone beeps and I look down to see thousands of messages filling up my screen. I'm in a group chat with my clique, and they want to do something special today for Kayla's birthday, which I'd forgotten about. 

  I sigh and log in, wishing Kayla a happy birthday, then shadowing the messages. As the leader of the clique, I should be the one making the plans, even though it's her birthday, but today, I really don't feel like it.

  Kayla: Olivia, are you here??

  Anna: You've been out of it all week, is there something going on that we don't know about?

  Jess: Is it another boy?

  Kayla: She'd never cheat on Alex.

  Then there's an argument in the chat and I roll my eyes.

  I turn off my phone and walk upstairs, feeling restless. I fall onto my bed and close my eyes, trying to sleep.