The Slightest Touch

Chapter 1 - Broken Mirrors

The blaring noise rang in the small room signifying it was already morning and yet another weekday. Small rays of sunlight beaming in the crevices between the curtains flooded her sight as she cursed and hid under her blankets. She was usually a morning person but with an excruciating hangover from the previous night, she couldn't stand the ringing in her head.

But she knew it wouldn't stop ringing if it wasn't either from her effort or from her father right before dragging her lazy ass downstairs. And she wasn't in the mood for that.

So with a huge groan, she finally rose from her bed, smashed the source of the noise and got ready for her first day of work in the diner.

She was trying to remember how she had agreed to work and throw her summer life out of the window, but currently, it wouldn't make sense to her anyway. She had wondered why her mother have been pestering her endlessly to work at her aunt's shop when clearly they didn't need the help. And she didn't need the money. Their family was well off, and even without the profession of her mother and father, the inheritance from her grandparents would have still been enough to sustain them, and might she even say 'lavishly'.

"Olivia! We need to leave in ten minutes or you're riding the bus." Her mother exclaimed downstairs, seemingly in a hurry, as she continued to tie her shoelaces.

"I'm almost done!" She took a huge sigh before gathering her belongings and stuffing it untidily into her worn-out backpack, cursing as the zipper was stuck again.

Damn I seriously need to buy a new one.

After rushing down the stairs, she was met by the strong aroma of eggs and bacons laid set in the kitchen counter. But she was in no mood for breakfast and went straight to the fridge for a bottle of water, chugging it like her life depended on it.

"How's your hangover kid?" Her father which she hadn't noticed suddenly popped up beside her with raised eyebrows and a mocking serious look.

That was all it took for her to choke on her water and started coughing it out with wide eyes.

Shit. He knew.

After her coughing fit, she faced her father on her right which was still sporting the raised eyebrow expecting for an explanation.

"You, young lady needs to stop sneaking out at late nights expecting we don't hear your heavy footsteps. I don't even know if you were attempting to be silent." He was now mocking her. There was no seriousness in his tone, making her sigh knowing her dad wasn't mad at her.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I thought you two were already sleeping so I didn't bother to wake you up. Besides I'm almost twenty one now and it was just a couple of drinks." She was trying to get away from an impending fight they were about to start because she knows her chances against him was slim.

After a while of her father's silent deliberation, he sighed defeated and took a water bottle for himself.

"Boys?"

"No boys." She answered quickly to assure her father that he will not be dealing with grandkids soon. Silently shuddering at the mere idea.

"Look, I trust you kid. But you can't blame me to look out for you." He eyed her seriously and she only nodded, understanding her parent's protectiveness.