Under the Bridge

chapter forty five-"the feeling we get when we're apart."

L I A M

THE SOUND OF VOICES is what wakes me up. My eyes creep open, and I instinctively jump back at the new surroundings. I have to blink a couple times before I realize where I am. Tall bookshelves that are lined with a million colored titles, unbearably comfortable lemon colored sheets, and homework on the nightstand. Olivia's bed. 

I recall what happened. 

Olivia and I fell asleep during our study break. I glance at the clock and see that it's only seven, and then spy that Olivia is not here. I can hear scattered sounds from the other side of the door, so I slowly walk towards the door and press my ear to it. 

"What do you think you're doing? You're being irresponsible!" Her mother's voice sounds brittle and stern, and I remember why I was so scared of it in the first place. "You have a test tomorrow, you should be studying, not messing around with some--"

"Some what, mom?" I hear her interrupt, quietly, I can barely hear it, but it doesn't change the fact that my heart does a back flip. 

She doesn't have to stand up for me, I'm used to getting shit from Brian. But somehow, the fact that she did makes me feel a million emotions. Olivia Bear manages to surprise me every single fucking day. 

There's silence on the other end, until Olivia speaks again. "Mom, we were studying  and we feel asleep. I'm not going to abandon my responsibilities." 

Her mother's voice is a lot softer at that, and her response makes me tense a little bit. "I worked hard to make sure you got into Harvard. It's for us, dear. I just don't want you to lose sight of what's important." 

I feel my stomach drop a little. I knew that Olivia's mom wanted her to go to Harvard, but I didn't think she was delusional enough to feel like it was her daughter's dream. 

"After everything that happened to you in middle school, I didn't think we'd ever get you back on the right side of the tracks, I mean, you abandoned piano, you stopped any sports, colleges don't accept underachievers." 

How is feeling suicidal equate to being on 'the wrong side of the tracks?' I almost go out there, before I hear Olivia's voice respond. 

"Mom, I'm playing again." She says, which nearly causes me to fall backwards. 

The last time I even brought up Imagine, she nearly ripped off my head. I thought Olivia and piano were a dying dream, and it wouldn't be a good idea to ever try and convince her of it. 

"He reminded me how important music was, mom. He's not like everyone thinks he is." 

Mental note: kiss her. A lot. 

"I don't dislike him, I just don't want him to take over your life. You have a GPA to uphold." Her mother instructs. "Now, if you two want to come down for dinner, I brought over Thai." 

A little burden is pulled off my chest, but I still kind of want to strangle her/impress the shit out of her/cower in fear. Quickly, I move away from the door, knowing that Olivia would be back soon enough. 

"Oh give up, I knew you were eavesdropping." She says, returning through the doorway. I notice that she's wearing long pants. 

Good idea. 

"She's home early." 

"Her schedule is pretty irregular." Olivia replies. "Thank god you're wearing long sleeves, I don't think she'll be able to mentally handle the tattoos." 

"I see you covered yours, too." I say, motioning towards her Harry Potter pajama bottoms. "Too bad though, I missed those legs." 

I don't even know how she has such fast reflexes, but a paperback book manages to hit me faster in the chest than Sonic on molly. "You can stop abusing me, babe. Unless that's your kink, but I'm pretty sure that we can work things out, I mean--"