The Girl Next Door || Olivia Rodrigo

three steps back

Madison's pov (March 15th, 2018)

I sat at the kitchen table while I did some homework and ate a snack. My dad walked in and I glanced up from my work when I noticed him looking at me.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"I was just wondering if you've talked to your mom recently?" Dad asked me.

"No." I answered. "Have you?"

"I have and I think she really misses you." Dad told me.

I let out a scoff. "Yeah, right. If she misses me then why doesn't she call me?"

"I don't know." Dad said. "Just give her a call, will you? I know she'd really appreciate it."

I didn't answer him and eventually he did go back into the living room to continue watching his football game.

I sat in my bed as I scrolled through tiktok. I scrolled upon a video about a mom and daughter which caused me to slightly frowned.

I exited tiktok and went to my mom's contact. I hesitated before pressing the call button. It was 9 pm there so hopefully she answers.

"Hello?" A man's voice answered the phone. A man's voice that I never heard before in my life.

"Um... Hi? I'm- I'm sorry, I think I have the wrong number." I said. "I was trying to reach Amanda."

"No, you've got the right number. Madison, right? My names Jeremy. I've heard a lot about you. Your mom is in the shower. Can I take a message?" Jeremy asked.

Instead of responding, I just removed the phone from my ear and hung up. Are you fucking kidding me? Mom already has a new boyfriend?

My phone started to ring and I looked over at the contact, seeing it was Olivia. I answered it and put the phone to my ear.

"Hey!"

"What, Liv?" I snapped.

I immediately regretted it. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line.

"Sorry. I- I just wanted to see how you were doing." Liv told me.

I let out a sigh. "Oli-"

Before I could even finish, she had already hung up on me. I mentally smacked myself on the head before getting up from my bed. I slipped on my Ugg slippers before quietly leaving my room.

It's times like these where I'm grateful Olivia lives right next door to me.

Olivia's pov

I sat in my bed with my phone in my lap. I tried to think of what I did wrong to have Madison snap at me. All I did was speak normally but somehow I still struck a nerve.

I thought we were at the point where we didn't have to snap at each other anymore and could just talk to each other about our problems. Sometimes it's always one step forward and three steps back with her.

I watched my phone light up with a text from Madison telling me to open my front door. I let out a sigh before quietly making my way downstairs and opening the door.

"Livie, I'm sorry." She told me as she walked in.

"It's fine." I said as I closed the door.

"It's not. I was upset about something and I took my anger out on you. I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry." She apologized. "Can you forgive me?"

I looked into her eyes before nodding. She let out a relieved sigh before I took her hand and brought her up into my room. I shut the door and we sat on my bed.

"Why were you upset?" I wondered.

"Because my mom already has a new boyfriend. It's fucking bullshit. She moved out, like, three months ago. How can she move on from my dad so quickly?" Madison asked.

"I'm not sure, baby. I'm sorry." I said.

"It's fine." She softly said before laying down with her head resting on my pillow.

I laid down next to her, resting my head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around my waist before putting the other behind her head. I rested my arm on her stomach as I lifted my leg over her waist.

"Have you talked to your mom?" I asked.

"I tried to call her before but then her stupid boyfriend, Jeremy, answered the phone." Madison said.

"Maybe you should call her again and see if she answers. She probably didn't want you to find out like that." I thought on the bright side.

"Either way I think she moved on too quickly." Madison told me.

"Yeah. I still think you should call her." I responded.

"What did you want to tell me on the phone?" Madison changed the subject.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. And I wanted to know if you wanted to come down to my families beach house in Malibu for Spring Break next month." I offered.

"You have a beach house in Malibu?" Madison asked in slight shock.

"Mhm. We go every spring break." I told her.

"I'd love to come." Madison said.

Madison's pov

I looked down at Olivia when I heard her let out a few light snores. I let out a small chuckle when I noticed she was asleep.

I reached into the pocket of my pajama pants and pulled out my phone. I called my mom again and after a few rangs, she answered. Not Jeremy this time. thank god.

"Hey, mom." I slightly smiled. "I... I really miss you. How are things going in Boston?"

After talking with my mom for a few minutes, I hung up the phone. I looked back down at Olivia, smiling at her sleeping state. She looked so precious when she was asleep.

God, I love her.

Wait, what?