Margaret and Olivia

Chapter Four: Strawberry Smoothies With A Dash Of Love

Olivia Samson was twenty years old, and she would attend her junior year at the University of Richmond during the upcoming fall semester. She was planning to study art history in order to become a curator at an art museum. Her parents were well off, so they paid for everything but rent. She had two roommates and used the job to help pay for the cost of rent. Her roommates, Amber and Jace, were girls that Olivia had gone to high school with. She was allergic to dogs and adored cats.

I knew all of this because ever since I met Olivia, I frequented the diner more often than usual. My once a week visits turned to thrice a week visits. I did so in order to help her get out of her shell of shyness. I wanted to help Mary Jane so much that when I didn't eat at the diner, I brought dinner from home and sat at the smoothie shop across the street, sipping a strawberry smoothie and watching Olivia interact with customers. Within a week and a half of knowing Olivia, she soon lost her sharp edge and was cheerful to customers.

Within two weeks of knowing Olivia, I barely watched her with other customers. I would sit outside, sipping my smoothie and daydream about Olivia and I. I hadn't gotten the courage to ask her out, but I would one day. In the meantime, I imaged us together in my head. We would be a happy couple. We'd go to dinner and the cinemas once a month. We would head to Virginia Beach for the weekend and enjoy the sandy beach. My blue eyes would match her revealing blue bikini. It was a happy thought – the two of us, but then I saw something, rather someone, who would ruin Olivia and my happiness.

After finishing my daydream of Olivia and me at the beach, which ended in karaoke in the car on the ride home, I stood up and threw away my smoothie when Olivia exited the diner for the day. She walked to the parking lot and was greeted by a mystery man. He was a young, tall, light brown-skinned man around Olivia's age. He leaned stood about a foot taller than her and had to bend when he leaned in for a hug. Her lips curved into a smile as he planted his lips on her cheek. His lips shifted from cheek to lips. All of my hopes of her and I shattered with that moment.

Over the next week, I let my heartbreak get the best of me. I avoided going into the diner, but I sat at the smoothie shop every day and watched Olivia. I watched her brush her hair off of her shoulder, a habit she picked up after gaining confidence. Her hips swayed as she entered the kitchen, as though there were love songs playing in her head. I watched her and wondered why it hadn't been me kissing her. I wondered how long they'd been a couple, what his name was, what she saw in him, was she interested in me but didn't know I was available? These thoughts overtook me as I stared at her from across the street.

At the end of the week, a brilliant thought struck me as I walked to the smoothie shop. I realized I could just ask Olivia about her love life. We were no longer acquaintances– friends, actually. So there would be no problem with just asking her. I walked past a trash can and threw away my home made sandwich. I walked past the smoothie shop and crossed the street to the diner.

The diner's door jingled with delight as I entered. Olivia and Mary Jane looked up and smiled at my familiar face. Olivia walked over to me, with the swaying of her hips. She sat me at a booth near the entrance, then exited towards the kitchen. She soon returned with a bottled root beer and a menu. The diner was nearly empty, it would be the perfect time to ask Olivia about her love life. I could only hope that she'd slip that she wanted to end her current relationship or that she secretly wanted to be with me.

After bringing out my food, I invited Olivia to sit down with me. She did so without hesitation. I had ordered a cheeseburger and fries. Olivia reached out and grabbed a fry while slumping into the booth. I bit into my burger just as Olivia began to speak.

"Carter, have you ever been in love?"

I shrugged my shoulders, trying to keep my cool. She paused and stared out the window.

"Well, I haven't either. At least I don't think I have. I dunno. But there's this guy. And I've only known him for a few weeks, so the idea is ludicrous, I know, I know. But I don't know, Carter, I just feel... something special. He's something special."

I quickly swallowed the food in my mouth as my heart began to pound.

"Yeah, I know what it's like to think someone is special. There's this girl, and she's really special to me. I ought to tell her. But this guy – you should tell him how you feel. He just might feel the same way."

Her eyes lit up and she nodded along to what I was saying. My pulse ran wild as I tried to calmly eat my food and not focus on her possibly admitting her love.

"You know, Carter. You are so, very right!" Her cheeks turned a bright red as her red lips blossomed into a smile.

"So," I paused, hesitantly. "Who's the lucky guy?"

I held my breath, my leg shook with anticipation. I looked down at my food, avoiding eye contact. I grabbed the bottle of root beer and took a tipped it back.

"Antonio."

I pulled down the bottle, quickly swallowing and coughing. My heart dropped but continued speeding.

"Who?" I dabbed my mouth with a napkin.

"Oh! Right, I never told you about Antonio. Sorry about that. Well, I was waitressing – it was actually a few days after meeting you. I was waitressing for this handsome guy and at the end of his dinner he nervously, politely asks for my number. I was so taken by surprise that I sort of just stared at him for a moment." She let out a small laugh, then flipped her hair behind her shoulder before continuing. "Well, we went on a date a few days later, and the rest is history."

"Cute." I said with a fake smirk. She grabbed another fry while nodding her head in agreement. The bell to the diner rang, and another customer entered. Olivia stood up to go to the customer. I told her I was finished with my food, despite it being half eaten. I lied and told her that I wasn't that hungry, leaving out that I had lost my appetite because my heart had sunk to my stomach where the salty fries should have gone. She took my trash and headed towards the back.

I stared out the window as I waited for my check. I was upset and angry. If I had asked her out when I first met her, then she would be with me and not Antonio. That must have been the mystery guy I saw her with. My jaw clenched with the thought of the two of them. I quickly paid and barely said goodbye to Olivia as I immediately left the diner, wanting to be far away from Olivia – a strange feeling that upset me further.