Sonder • Book 2 In THe Reality Series

Olivia

Tapping my fingertips on the steering wheel to the beat of my favorite This Side Up song I watched out the window for my Mom's girlfriend's son, whom I'd claimed as my brother out of necessity.

Our Moms had been dating for four years when we moved into a house together five years ago. We'd grown up blowing out the same purple birthday candles Sarah kept in the kitchen drawer and unwrapping presents under the same lopsided evergreen tree every December twenty-fifth.

Scanning to see through my sunglasses I scanned the throngs of kids exiting the steering wheel until finally my eyes landed on the awkwardly tall, lanky blonde.

Lowering my music I watched his eyes lift from the ground and scan the parking lot for one of our Mom's cars before he noticed me and bowing his head once again, hastily shuffled over.

Getting into the car he closed the door behind him, buckled his seatbelt and adjusted his backpack on the floor at his feet before inhaling and exhaling shakily.

"How was it?" I questioned, reaching across his lap to remove a cigarette from the back in the glove compartment.

"Be cool, don't be a smoking fool." Luke mumbled.

"What have I told you about quoting commercials." I sighed, "It's weird. Normal people don't do that. Don't do that."

"Normal people scare me."

"Quoting TV shows is only a little bit better."

"Livy." He breathed, turning to stare at my nose, then my lips, my forehead before finally my nose again, "Don't smoke. If you smoke..."

"Don't say it."

"...You're a joke."

"And you said it," turning in my seat I tried making eye contact with Luke but he looked away, "I would give up smoking, but I'm not a quitter."

Luke's eyebrows scrunched together.

I could tell he was digging for another quote he'd filed away somewhere, however before he could I spoke.

"How's it coming?"

His frace brightening considerably, he reached down into his backpack and pulled out a folder, "I was kind of stuck. Writer's block you know?" he rambled, "But this new teacher came in and she's pretty. She reminds me of snow white so I added her character, she can talk to animals."

"Bad ass." I praised, turning out of the school, "How much longer until she's done."

"Thirty-seven days."

"On the dot huh?"

"Yes."

"Should I start working on a movie deal?"

"You think it's good enough."

"It better be."

"I think it would be good for Marvel, it's not really DC style."

"I've always been more of a Marvel woman; Spiderman, Wolverine, the X-men, Batman."

"Batman is DC."

"Eh, forget Batman he's just a rich dude in tights."

"Spiderman is just a poor dude in tights."

"Get out."

Startled, looked between me and the car door.

"Are you going to stop?" he questioned seriously after a moment.

Feeling bad that he'd thought I was honestly kicking him out of the car I shook my head, "I was kidding. Sarcasm. You've got to learn what that is man."

"I don't get it."

"I know."

"I wish I did."

"I know. But it's okay. Dry humor is great too. Brits love it."

Luke nodded.

"Enogh about you." I said, playfully elbowing him, "Let's see it."

Smiling, Luke handed me the folder from his backpack.

Setting it in my lap I waited until we were in the Starbucks drive though line before opening it and flipping through the carefully and arguably expertly drawn comic pages.

"Is that the new teacher?" I questioned, pointing to a drawing of a large breasted Asian woman in a tight leather one piece.

"She's exaggerated slightly." Luke answered, "I increased her bust size... significantly."

"You should have left her as is." I commented, "A small breasted super hero would earn you major feminist cred."

"You're a small breasted super hero."

I considered telling Luke that insulting a woman's bust size was beyond rude, but I knew he didn't understand he was being insulting so I left it alone.

Instead, I ordered him a Grande hot chocolate, extra whip from Star Bucks and brought him home.

"I'm getting a pizza." I informed him as we each started towards our individual rooms.

"I want olives."

"That's gross Luke."

"Okay never mind."

"You need to stick up for yourself." I informed him, "You're allowed to have an opinion."

"I want olives and mushrooms."

"Gross. Okay."

Nodding, he turned on his heel and continued to his room.

Watching after him for a moment I sighed before entering my room and flopping down on my bed.

Realizing that I'd forgotten my phone, I picked it up and checked for missed messages, my heart summersaulting in my chest at the sight of Sierra's name.

Nervously, I sat down and read the text she'd sent.

Sierra : I missed you. You haven't been in music this week. I hope everything is okay. Mr. Chance asked about you. I hope I see you on Friday.

She missed me. Someone actually noticed I wasn't at school and cared.

My head spinning, I closed my eyes imagining Sierra's lanky frame and how are chairs were always a little too close together making bumping into each other unavoidable.

She made the class shorter, more tolerable and at times downright enjoyable.

Her family owned some kind of cheese empire but you wouldn't know it. She didn't act like the other kids with money, she didn't smell like cheese, far from it, she smelled amazing and she didn't act like other girls, she was different and I liked it.

'T>