Jealousy - Enolive 🧡

Chapter 14 - Misunderstanding

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Olive had been washing the same teacup for ten minutes.

"Olive?" Horace said for the third time.
"Hmm?" Olive snapped back from her thoughts.

"Olive, you seem...distracted. What's on your mind?" Horace may only be thirteen but he was so mature and wise beyond his years. He always knew just what to say. Well, apart from when he was talking about clothes. He never knew when to be quiet then.

"It's just - Enoch. He's acting weird and willingly talking to someone. Emma. I know Emma's with Jake but I feel..."

"Jealous?" Horace finished.

Olive nodded meekly and felt embarrassed. Enoch didn't like her anyway so she should be happy he was talking to someone. Why did she feel so jealous?

"Olive, darling. I am a hopeless romantic and that pretty little Enoch of yours is madly in love with you. No question. It's a shame he's straight really but it warms my heart seeing the way he looks at you. Now, don't worry about whatever he's doing with Emma. They're just friends, more like acquaintances and you mean the world to both of them. Just wait and see."

Olive smiled and hugged Horace. When she finished her chores, she went up to her bedroom to see if Enoch or Emma would come in. She looked out of her window and they weren't anywhere to be seen. Enoch only stayed downstairs if he had to and now was supposed to be free time. Usually he would be in his room, or Olive's. But not today.

Olive was about to get up and play with Claire or Bronwyn when she heard laughter. It was Emma and a boy. But not Jake; Jake had a high-pitched girly giggle that they would all make fun of. This was deep, hearty laughter that was almost unknown as it was so rare. Enoch's. Pushing her jealousy aside, she remembered Horace's words and decided to follow the laughter to join in on their fun.

She was actually smiling as she got to Emma's doorway, seeing her two best friends in there. Only then did she stop.

Enoch was holding Emma's hands and staring right into her eyes.
"I love you."

Olive didn't even wait to see Emma's response. She ran back into her room and slammed the door, tears blurring her vision as she sunk down against the wall.

How could she be so stupid? Enoch never loved her. Or even liked her. It had always been Emma.

Back in Emma's room, the pair were smiling.
"Brilliant Enoch. That was perfect. Just say it to Olive and I'm sure she'll be your girlfriend. Tell me how it goes!"

Enoch had rehearsed what he was going to say to Olive a few times. Every time he said it to Emma it made him laugh because he couldn't keep a straight face. The last time though he had perfected it, he imagined it was really Olive he was saying it too and it seemed to work.

He was about to find Olive and ask her to be his girlfriend but he heard her door slam. Olive was never angry. What was up with her?