heartbeat-(jeff wittek)

iii

WORD COUNT: 1129

OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS OLIVIA HAD SLOWLY BEGAN TO LOVE EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE VLOG SQUAD. Those few weeks were filled with getting drunk with Zane, filming bits with David and falling in love with the vlog squad family. She didn't realise how much she missed the freedom of choosing the circle of people she got to have in her life. As great as everything was going it came crashing down when Olivia unexpectedly ran into Chris and it brought back all the darkness she had forgotten, she found herself drinking not for a good time but to escape. The high she had felt over the past month was beginning to wear off and Olivia was terrified.

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Tonight was Erin's birthday and David was hosting a small get together where he specifically told Zane and Olivia to watch the drinks as Erin wanted a controlled, non-rager birthday party.

Olivia jumped off the white couch in search of a drink hoping to uplift her mood. She found it hard to exist in a serene setting like this, alone with her own thoughts without having any form of anything in her system . She hated when her thoughts were the only thing she could hear, as it was as if everything she was running from catching up to her.

Olivia snapped, she jumped up and discretely slipped to the drink table. She poured a half full glass of scotch and headed outside for some fresh air, hoping it'd clear her head. Olivia leaned against the David's backyard's railing, staring out into the view of LA, letting the soft breeze blow her hair out of her face. She gazed at the houses below, admiring the sparkling pools and lit up gazebos.

A figure appeared in the corner of her eye, Jeff was the only one who saw the girl come outside and decided to check on her.

"I see you gave up on David's rules." He said, motioning to her glass.

"It's apple juice." Olivia joked and he let out a soft chuckle.

Jeff leant against the railing next to her, shoulders lightly brushing against each other. They sat in a comfortable silence enjoying each others company and admiring the view. Olivia wanted to scream as her drink didn't seem to be putting her thoughts at ease, but just making her question life in general.

"How do you think you think you'll die?" Olivia asked, not taking her eyes off the view. Jeff furrowed his brows confused at the context of Olivia's question. "Sorry being around a flame thrower and snakes everyday makes me think it's coming any day now." She adds, hoping Jeff won't think too much of it.

"I think a better way question is how do you want to die?" He stated, tapping his finger on the railing.

"Poetic. I'll change the question then, how do you wanna die Wittek?" Olivia asked facing her body towards Jeff, looking into to his eyes.

Jeff looked down, pondering, deeply questioning himself.

"Peacefully in my sleep, hopefully after I've done everything I've ever dreamed of doing." Jeff watched as Olivia's lips broke out into a small smile as her heart melted at his answer.

"And what's everything you've ever dreamed of doing" Olivia further asked, leaning dangerously closer Jeff, intrigued by his answerings.

Jeff sighed, running a hand through his hair as he thought.

"Fall in love, have a family, take care of my parents and milk youtube until I'm not earning a single cent."

Olivia nodded her head in approval before looking down to her feet. She wished she had that sort of passion for life, or at least an idea of where she wanted her life to go. There was a point in her life where she was working a job she actually enjoyed, she was in a relationship she thought was it for her and she walked with a bounce in her step, but nothing is as it seems and everything soon turned sour.

With his finger Jeff lifted her chin to meet his gaze and he found himself getting lost  in her sparkling hazel eyes. Jeff and Olivia both knew they were playing with fire just being alone with each other but the connection they felt towards each other was magnetic.

"Your turn." Jeff whispered softly.

"I wanna die once I've wrapped up everything in my life, I don't want to have any what if's  just unrepentant memories."

Everything about her made his heart beat faster and he didn't know how to control himself around her. A light gust of wind blew a piece of Olivia's hair into her face breaking their eye contact. Jeff gently brushed it behind her ear and their eyes met again and sparks flew as the distance between them slowly shortened.

"CAKE TIME!" Zane ran out into the backyard screaming.

Olivia blushed as she stood up properly and took a step away from Jeff. Olivia threw him a weak smile and walked over to Zane, Jeff following but keeping his distance.

The group gathered around David's dinning table feasting their eyes on a beautiful cake Natalie had ordered. Erin's eyes lit up as she watched the candles get lit and as everyone began to sing. Olivia and Zane only began singing after they had sucked some helium out of the remaining balloons. Erin had a genuine grin on her face as she watched the vlog squad sing to her, and it only made Olivia wish her previous birthdays could have been as precious.

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Natalie had cut the cake and the group had moved to the lounge room as the sun had set. Heath, Mariah, David, Natalie, Carly, Matt, Jeff, Todd, Scott, Jason, and Erin were all sitting on the sofa while Olivia and Zane were spread across the bean bags.

"Alcoholics" Heath muttered as Zane and Olivia sipped from a bottle of champagne.

"Baby don't act like you didn't use to drink beers for breakfast." Zane said sassily cracking the group up. "Not all of us have found the love of our lives yet so in the mean time we lonely- so we drink"

"PREACH" Olivia cheered. Zane handed her the bottle and she began to chug the rest of it, Zane's comment about love reminding her of current relationship status which automatically meant she needed more alcohol in her system.

"Don't you worry baby, I know that one day we'll fall in love." Olivia chuckled wondering if she'd even be able to escape from her previous relationship to even find someone else who would fall in love with her.

"To finding love." Olivia rallied lifting the empty champagne bottle above her head.

"To finding love." Zane yelling, slightly slurring and on the verge of passing out.

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