FIGHT OF LOVE AND HATE

Hungry.

"It was 6:00 am, and I hadn't slept. My eyes were wide awake, thinking, perhaps overthinking about someone – Olivia. I don't know if Olivia wants to be with me, or if she wants to continue what we had, or if I'm even ready for that; I don't know myself.

I stood up and walked downstairs, finding Olivia and Ben cuddled up on the sofa. I walked towards them to discover both of them were sleeping. They looked cute, very cute. I slowly took out my phone, attempting to sneakily capture a picture of them. Unfortunately, my stupid phone's flash was on, which made Olivia wake up and catch me in the act.

I stood there frozen, scared, or maybe nervous, feeling like I was caught doing something illegal, which I wasn't. I was only trying to capture their picture. Although photographing someone without their permission is technically illegal, she isn't just someone; she is – "What's the time?" she questioned, squinting, while her other hand was still on Ben's head, ensuring he didn't wake up.

"It's 6 am," I replied.

"Oh, gosh, I need to get ready," she mumbled, stretching her neck due to the awkward position she slept in. She got up with Ben and walked upstairs, presumably heading to his room for him to sleep. I followed her too. When she came out of his room, she got startled with my presence, and a gasp left her mouth.

"Umm, are you going somewhere?" I questioned.

"I-I have to go to the station," she said, walking towards her room with me following behind her.

"Even after what happened last night, it's not safe. The–"

"I can't just stop going to work, Ava, after last night. It was bound to happen; it happened to me. What if it had happened to Andrea or you, Mom, Theo – anyone? We can't just be scared and sit inside the house."

"Okay then, what do you want to eat? I can make you something." I said, making her stop and turn around to face me.

"You want to cook food for me?" she questioned.

"I–I, yes, why not." I think I saw her lips try to form a smile, but she stopped it.

"I can make you a grilled cheese chicken sandwich without tomatoes, just the way you like," I said, knowing it's her favorite. It might be hard for her to decline it.

Before she could utter a word, Chloe came out of the room and saw me and Olivia, stopping in her tracks.

"I am sorry, but I heard grilled cheese chicken sandwich, which made me even more hungry than before."

"Before? When did you wake up?"

"Probably for the past 15 minutes, I have been thinking about what I should eat to control my hunger, and then I heard you say the sandwich, so I couldn't wait anymore and came out."

I let out a chuckle at her behavior.

"You can get one only if you help me make one," I said with a smile on my face.

"Of course, I will," she replied happily. I turned to look at Olivia, who just stood there with a blank face. When her eyes met mine, it's like something clicked in her mind. She turned around to enter her room without answering my question.

"Li–Olivia, should I make you one too?"

"No need, I am not hungry," she said and proceeded to walk further into her room but stopped when I questioned her.

"But you didn't eat anything last night too. You might start feeling light-headed if you don't eat much."

"Thank you for considering my health, but I am not hungry, and I can take care of myself," she said and walked away, closing the door behind her.

Is she really that mad at me for what I did, or is she scared of me, or she now doesn't want anything to do with me?

"She hates me," I turned to look at Chloe with an 'are you serious' expression on my face.

"What, she hates me. I get the vibe from her."

I sighed deeply and walked downstairs towards the kitchen to cook a sandwich. I am still going to make one for her even if she said no.

"Well, your vibe needs some fixing. She doesn't hate you," I said, grabbing a loaf of bread from the pantry.

"Nah, I feel like she does," she pressed.

"Any preference you have for your sandwich?"

"Yup, no tomatoes, I hate them."

A small smile formed on my face, just like Olivia. She hates tomatoes too, for God knows what reason. Finishing up the sandwich and placing down her hot coffee beside it, I turned around to see Chloe trying to gulp down the whole sandwich in one bite.

"I'm hungry," she said, which came out as a muffle because of her mouth full of food. I shook my head and considered taking Olivia's breakfast upstairs, but I dismissed that thought. Checking the time, it was 6:40. I grabbed Chloe and walked outside into the garden.

"Why did you bring me here?" Chloe asked.

"To enjoy nature," I replied, looking straight ahead, feeling the morning breeze against my skin. I turned to my side, seeing Chloe staring at me with a dumb expression on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"Enjoy the nature?" she questioned.

"Yes, Chloe, it will make you feel at peace. Trust me. Now, come on, close your eyes and just feel the breeze," I said, doing it myself but stopped when I heard movement inside. That must be Olivia. 

I walked back inside to see her holding her tumbler with her blazer hanging on her arm, her hair wet, and I could smell her shampoo and body wash—coconut. My eyes moved to the untouched sandwich sitting on the table with the coffee I made for her. I walked towards her, her back facing me.

"Olivia," I called out her name, getting her attention. She turned around with a confused look on her face.

"Hmm," she hummed.

"The sandwich, I made it for you."

"Oh, uhh, Ava, I think my stomach is upset. I might just eat fruits at the station."

"You could have said so. I would have chopped up fruits for you. I can do it now, give me a moment," I said, turning away, going into the pantry, picking and choosing her favorite fruits—apples, strawberries, grapes, and there it is, blueberries.

I walked into the kitchen and didn't find her. I looked around and couldn't find her. I saw Chloe eating the sandwich I made for Olivia.

"You just ate food."

"So what? I'm hungry," she replied. I shook my head. Maybe she is upstairs in her room. I started cutting the fruits for her, packed them in the box, and sat in the chair in front of Chloe, waiting for her to come down.

"She left," Chloe said.

I furrowed my brows. "Who?"

"Olivia. She left if you're waiting for her."

She left. I... When did she leave?

"When you were in the pantry," Chloe answered. I nodded my head. She might be in a hurry. She might have received a call from the station, or she didn't want to stay around me anymore.

"Are you going to eat those fruits?" Chloe asked.

I sighed deeply and passed the box to her, and she gulped it down in minutes. Well, damn, she is hungry.