In My Mind

Chapter Thirty Two - Olivia's POV

When I wake up my first thought is wondering about how Aria went at Cara's house last night. It still amazes me how people who have hardly known each other all their life can just suddenly be so close, well at least Aria and Cara. After school I can't go and see anyway, going back to my house to see if Mum has been is more important. Maybe I should go see them first, it will only be quick.

Walking past all the houses in the area, all quiet no one moving around the streets. I see her house in the distance, it stands out from all the other houses because it looks so different. It quickly gets closer and when I reach it, I go to head up the pathway but pause. Maybe I shouldn't go so close to school finishing. I turn around and out of the corner of my eye I see someone move in the curtain. I cringe, that's incredibly awkward and embarrassing. Quickly I stride off to get away from that scene.

It doesn't take long to walk to my house from Cara's. Apparently we actually live quite close but I've just never noticed. There is no car in the driveway but that is usual. When I open the front door it creeks and apart from that there is silence. Inside the house everything looks untouched and dust is starting to build up somethings. In the kitchen, the note I left is gone. Maybe she is back! I search through the house for her, "Mum?" I move through the rooms flinging my head around the door frames and peeking into the rooms, "Are you here?" But she is nowhere to be found. She must have been home, maybe she's gone to Grandma's. I text her, where are you?, and I'm just about to ring Grandma when I hear a phone ring. And it's not just a random phone, it's Mums phone. Where is it? I look through the house and find it next to her bed. on the screen it says, ten new messages. I can't look at them, her phone is locked. Why doesn't she have her phone? It's not like her. She's definitely not here. There's no real trace of if she was here or not, her phone could have been here the whole time and maybe I never left a note. I go to my room and collect a few more things that I left behind earlier in the week. As I go to head out the front door again, I can't help but notice something on the ground in the corner of the kitchen. Not sure how I missed it before, I walk over to take a look at it. It's the note I left for her. Chills run down my back. Someones been here, maybe her maybe a complete stranger breaking in. I want to get out quick, it's all too weird.

First I head home to drop the new stuff I picked up from home and later I head over to Cara's. Back over at her house I head back up the pathway. I can't help but feel embarrassed about earlier this afternoon. I ring the door bell and Ruby answers. "Oh it's you,"

"Gee nice to see you too Ruby!"

She stands in the doorway with her arms folded.

"Anyway is Aria here?" I ask, slightly intimidated by her strong looking figure.

"Nah," She just replies.

"Cara?"

"Well actually I was hoping it was her ringing the doorbell, but it was you instead," She doesn't sound extremely happy.

Why would Cara ring her own doorbell? That doesn't make much sense.

Ruby continues, "She woke up sick this morning so I came around, we fell asleep and when I woke up she had gone somewhere. She really was too sick to but she did anyway,"

Hmmm, I stand there biting my lip not sure what to do. "Let the girl in already Ruby!" Nathan calls out. Ruby rolls her eyes and moves out of the doorway, "Not my house, not my rules!" I guess she's implying she wouldn't let me into her own house. I walk inside. My eyes inspect the house. Every time I come here there is something new my eyes find to look at. "Who knows where Aria is, it doesn't take that long to get from school to here," Nathan says.

"Sure, Nathan, it takes someone three hours to walk home. She probably went somewhere!" Luke yells from down the hall.

I sort of laugh but don't because it was just an awkward situation. Nathan walks off into his room probably so it's just Ruby and I. I sit down on a chair. Ruby doesn't join me but that doesn't shock me much. I think she still hates me, doesn't trust me, but I don't really blame her. After all she hasn't had much to do with me except for the times I rejected Aria and Cara and then broke up with Tyler because of them. Ruby walks off into another room. The clock ticks and time passes by minute after minute. Nothing happens in the house. Why am I still sitting here. It's dinner soon. The front door opens and I hope it's Cara or Aria, but it's not. Aiden walks through the door. He starts to take his jacket off but pauses when he sees me. His eyes sort of squint, "Hey, weren't you here earlier?"

"Well ur.."

"No you weren't, I remember you were walking up the pathway and then left again,"

I blush and can feel the heat of embarrassment again. "Oh yeah, I realised I had to do something first, you know so I just..."

"Doing something," He grunts, "Sure,"

"Hey," I start to laugh a little.

Cara walks through the door. She sees Aiden and then me laughing.

"Oi, Aiden stop hitting on her! Just causes she's single again doesn't mean you can do that!"

He widens his eyes and walks off. Cara just watches him. "I wasn't hitting on her," He whispers but his voice raises a bit higher.

When he's left the room Cara apologises, "Sorry about that, he thinks he can just,"

"It's fine, he said he wasn't,"

"Liv come on, he totally was you just couldn't tell. I know him well enough to know that!" Cara tries to convince me. "Anyway why are you here?"

I start to stand up, "Nah it's ok, I was waiting to ask Aria something but it's getting late so I'm going to head home,"

I head for the front door and Cara holds it open. I start walking down the pathway and I turn back, "By the way, Ruby is waiting for you I think,"

Her eyes widen like she forgot about Ruby and then shut the door quickly. I guess my question will have to wait for tomorrow.