Only if you know (Book 1)

Chapter 2

The interior of the house was as lovely as the exterior. The house is massive, with two floors. It was well-designed. Olivia would have paid more attention to it if she had been in better shape. But she was too preoccupied with the various thoughts racing through her mind to comprehend what lay in front of her.

      Yes, here and there she found herself quietly awestruck, but a flashback of her past life would instantly send her back into depression mode.

      “This is Caleb, my son.” When Eliana spoke, she was jolted back into the present. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t notice him standing right in front of her.

      Caleb simply stood there looking at her. She felt small and insecure as he studied her intently as if she were some kind of research project. Eliana had mentioned during the car ride that her son was the same age as Olivia and that they’d be attending the same school. But she hadn’t expected this.

      Without a doubt, he was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen. He stood taller. He was easily five inches above her with his frame lean yet strong beneath a red shirt and blue jeans. But in that moment, all Olivia could see was disappointment in his glassy blue eyes. She could easily tell that he didn’t accept her here. Well, as usual, she wasn't heartily welcomed into this family.

‘Wow!!!’ So, this was the mystery girl who’d suddenly become part of his life. She was… beautiful, far more than he had expected. But he refused to let that thought linger. He wasn’t about to give her the benefit of the doubt. Not a chance.

      When Caleb first saw her, these were the first thoughts that came to mind. But just by looking at her, he could tell she was high. Her eyes were red and puffy with dark circles. But he still thought her to be absolutely beautiful. He must have gone truly insane.

      Why did people do this to themselves? Why did they need drugs to feel alive? There were so many other ways to find happiness, to heal, and yet, they always chose this path of destruction.

      He hated it.

      He hated them.

      So, when his mother introduced them, Caleb didn’t even bother to pretend. Without a word, he turned on his heel and walked away. He knew exactly what his mother expected. A polite smile, a brief tour of the house, maybe even a friendly conversation, but he couldn’t. He refused to indulge her. Because the very sight of her, even though fragile, broken, and, in his mind, addicted, filled him with disgust.

Caleb walked away without so much as properly acknowledging her. The look in his eyes was a mix of hatred and disgust. It was unmistakable. She didn’t need words to understand what he thought of her.

      Well, that wasn’t new. 

      If it had been any other girl, maybe she would’ve felt hurt. But not Olivia. Not anymore. Besides, girls like her weren’t treated kindly to begin with.

      After Caleb’s abrupt exit, Eliana immediately began apologizing on his behalf, her voice flustered and gentle all at once. “I’m so sorry, Livy. He’s not usually like this. He just needs a little time to warm up to you. Once he gets to know you, he’ll come around.”

      BIGGEST BULLSHIT EVER!!

      She could say with absolute certainty that Caleb wasn’t going to be friendly with her anytime soon. Maybe not ever.

Soon after, Eliana showed Olivia to her room.

      It was much larger than the one she’d had before. A queen-sized bed sat neatly in the centre, facing a sleek LED television mounted on the opposite wall. To the left was a tall window that let in soft daylight, and to the right stood a spacious wardrobe with a dressing table beside it. 

      The walls were painted a soft sky blue. Olivia’s gaze lingered on the color. It was one of the few things that still brought her a sense of calm. She finds her peace in blue. There was something about it, maybe it was the memory of sitting on the sand, watching waves crash against the shore, the vast expanse of aqua water reflecting the sky. That endless blue had always made her feel lighter, even when her heart was not.

      “It’s not much, but hope you’ll like it,” Eliana said kindly, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.

      “It’s perfect,” Olivia replied softly. “Thank you… so much.”

She meant it. She truly did. This family had given her shelter, safety—things she no longer thought she deserved. She owed them everything.

      Eliana left her soon after to unpack.

      When Olivia finally stepped into the shower, the warm water cascaded down her skin, mingling with the silent tears streaming from her eyes. She didn’t try to stop them. As the steam filled the small bathroom, reality began to sink in. The past she had lost, the life she was now stepping into, and the ache of knowing nothing would ever be the same again.

      By the time Olivia stepped out of the bathroom, it was already nine o’clock. After the long bath, she was in desperate need of a nap right now. 

      No one would have guessed it, but she was on drugs. Not because she was an addict, as she despised it. She despised what they did to people. But what choice did she really have? 

      After seeing her parents’ bodies lying cold and lifeless on the floor, being the victims of the very addiction she hated, something inside her had shattered beyond repair. In her desperation to stop the pain, she had done the unthinkable. She had tried to follow them, to take the same pills, to make her heartbeat stop just as theirs had.

      But fate hadn’t granted her that mercy. And now… now it’s over. That life. That version of her. All of it. She is also done with herself for good. It was time for her to embark on a new journey with a new self, one in which no one can ever hurt her or even remotely make her feel things she doesn’t want or deserve to feel.

      Olivia Brown was no longer visible to the rest of the world. Half of her had died three years ago, and now that her parents are no longer alive, she is completely gone, with no trace of herself left.

      With that thought, she lay down and closed her eyes, sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep.