Up At Night

6

- Lauren -

"Lauren! Can you come down here, please?!" I heard my dad hollered from downstairs. I groaned as I rolled out of bed and realizing that I was just wearing sweatpants and a shirt. I went downstairs and my other older step brother was there. Jack. Jack Connor. Wow. What. "Oh... Hey Jack." I said. "Hey, Lauren." he said and I hugged him. Jack is 26, so he has a wife. His wife is pretty cute. He has a 5 year old kid, he's cute. "How are ya these days? You've grown pretty tall since the last time I saw you." he said. Jack lives in Australia. I'm not sure why he is here. "I'm pretty good." I said. "She kissed the girl of her dreams last night." Tristan whispered to Jack. "Tristan!" I said and I punched him playfully. He just laughed it off and walked away. We sat on the couch and started talking.

"So, what's up?" Jack asked. "Nothing really. I'm graduating this year, so it's pretty tough. Exams are next week, so I've been pretty much working hard for those." I said. "I think you shouldn't pressure yourself, ya know. I've been in there." he said. "I know. I just want to pass the tests. I don't want to fail any of them." I said. "Exams are hard. I know." he said. "You better pass grade 12, or not you can't work in my business!" I heard my dad shouted again from the kitchen. I just rolled my eyes. "Has he always been like that?" Jack asked. "Yeah." I said. "What do you actually want to be in the future?" He asked. "I want to be a musician, Jack. I always had." I said. "Have you practice any instruments or anything?" He asked. "I go to the music room every now and then at school. I've been practicing guitar and piano lately." I said. "That's great." He said. "I want to have my own guitar." I said. "Do you want to get one right now?" He asked. "Really?" I said with a really huge grin in my face. "Yeah." He said and we got up from the couch.

- Olivia -

"Olivia!" I heard a manly voice from downstairs. I guess it's my dad. What does he want now? "OLIVIA SELENA BRADLEY!" I heard him again once more. My middle name is Selena because my cousin, who is as known as Selena Gomez, you know, that girl who sings "Hands To Myself", she was there when I was born and she named me after her. "OLIVIA!" He shouted again and barged into my room. "Oh my god, dad!" I shouted at him. "Why did you break up with Steven Meyers?!" He shouted again. "Because I can, dad." I said and stood up from my bed. Steve's parents and my dad are business partners, but I don't know why he wants me to date Steven so bad. "But you can't!" he shouted at me. "I CAN FRICKING DATE ANYONE I WANT. YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME. I AM ME. OKAY?!" I snapped at him. I crossed my arms and his face is getting red. "YES I CAN. I AM YOUR DAD. I CAN DO CHOOSE ANYTHING FOR YOU." he yelled at me and he pushed me onto a wall. I hit my back onto the wall pretty hard and I burst out of the house with tears in my face. It's raining. Fuck it. I ran. Just ran. I don't know where to. I have my bag that contains my laptop, few clothes and some money. I always prepared for something like this. 

The rain just poured down my face, my clothes, my bag. Everything. I'm soaking wet. I don't know where I'm going. I stopped few minutes later to catch my breath and I found this abandoned church on the top of the hills. Wow. I don't know how far I ran. I ran pretty fast, I don't know how fast. I pulled off the wood that covered the door that wasn't even there. I sat down near the door and looked into my bag for something to dry myself with. I had a small towel. That's it. Being in this church.... feels pretty bad. I took my phone out and quickly dry it before calling the one and only, Lauren. It went straight to voicemail.

"Hey! This is Lauren Winston. I might be busy right now or just watching netflix. Please leave a message!"

"Hey Lauren.... It's me.... Olivia. Please don't look for me if I don't come to school tomorrow. I know how bad you want to look for me. But... just don't. Please." I said and ended the voicemail there. I just stared at the broken ceiling. I just cried. I want to cry. I wish my dad wasn't like that. He's been like that since mom died. My mom... she suffered from Alzheimer's disease. I missed her. I missed the dad that I used to know. 

"Daddy..." my 6 year old self cried, looking for my dad. My dad running to me afterwards. "Yes, Olive?" he asked. "Can you carry me? I fell off the monkey bar. My legs hurts." I said. "Sure thing, Olive." he said and carried me in his arms. "We should go to the clinic to check it up, ya?" he asked and I nodded. He then took me back to the car and we went to the hospital. The doctor said that I have a broken leg and he gave me a cast. "Are you okay, now, Olive?" my dad asked. "I'm alright, daddy. Thank you for taking me to the hospital." I said and he flashed that good grin of his. He had the sweetest smile I've ever seen. I missed that smile of his. 

I woke up with the light shining in my eyes. I realized that I've cried in my sleep because my face is still wet even though I've dried it. I looked at my phone and it said 9:34 am. School has started. Oh, fuck it. I don't care. I got some missed calls too. 15 from Lauren, 3 from my dad and 19 from my brother, Connor. I got 5 text messages from Lauren. 

Lauren: Ollie, please answer.

Lauren: Olivia. Please. I don't want to worry myself.

Lauren: Ollie baby. I want to know where you are. Your brother told me that you ran away.

Baby? What?

Lauren: Olivia. please.

Lauren: I give up. Just please tell me soon. <3

I just texted her back. 

Me: I will. 

I changed into the clothes that I had in my bag which are sweatpants, a tank top and a hoodie. I walked out of the abandoned church and made my way to the nearest cafe. I don't know what you call "nearest" but it's not too near from the church. I ordered myself a coffee and a good old brownie and just stare into nothing. "Hey, you alright?" the waitress asked. She put my food and drink onto the table and I fake smiled. "I'm okay." I said. "Okay then." she said and left. I drink my coffee and ate my brownie and left the cafe. 

*ring*

My phone rang as I walked to a convenience store. Connor. My brother. I just ignored it. I got myself a pack of cigs, I smoke. Occasionally. A week supply of food, a lighter and a copy of The Outsiders. I don't know why I didn't bring my own copy of The Outsiders. It's one of my favorite books. My only, actually. That guy... Jack Connor, he looks like Sodapop from the movie. Just different accent. I made my way back to the abandoned church and start reading the book. I made my way fast to the part where Ponyboy and Johnny ran away to an abandoned church, like how I am right now. (A/N I don't want to spoil the book for u, so just get on with it.) I took one stick of cigarette and start smoking it. I want to escape. Right now. The poem that Pony read to Johnny, "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost, just basically explains everything to me.

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay. 

Nothing gold can stay indeed. Like my mom. She was the gold in my live. Until she died. My dad's kindness. The friendship between Lauren and I. I decided to stop reading and start to blast music from my phone. The first song was Fragile by Prince Fox feat Hailee Steinfeld.

"I'm just as fragile as you."

I'm as fragile as my dad. 

[5 Days Later]

- Lauren -

I sighed and threw myself onto my bed. Where the hell is Olivia?! I don't the hell know. She won't answer my calls. I picked up my new Ed Sheeran signature guitar and started to write a song. I don't know how. 

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Ahbsjshnsisbgshsb I literally have no one reading this book except @zebracover and @slushpuppysophie. Maybe some other pals. Thx you two. x C :)