Moirai

Chapter 14

Olivia woke with a start, the room dark, but she could hear the sounds of the city from outside the window above her head. Glancing around the room, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Olivia?" Someone called from outside the door and she sighed, sluggish, into her pillow.

She was at Ben's house. She remembered it all. The fight, the diner, staying the night here. Riley. Olivia rolled over before slowly sitting up, the t-shirt Ben had lent her slipping off her shoulder.

"Are you awake?" He asked softly from outside the door.

Olivia pushed the covers from her body, moving from the warmth of the bed and towards the door, pulling it open gingerly. She blinked in the light as Ben's eyes came into focus. He scanned her quickly before he flushed, clearing his throat and scratching the back of his neck.

"Ah, you're awake. I know...I know it may not be the best time, but I thought I'd check." He paused and she frowned at him in confusion, "Yesterday we all agreed we'd go to brunch today before my parents head home, but I know that after last night you're probably not in the mood. Did you want me to tell my parents something came up and you had to cancel?"

Honestly, there was a part of Olivia that really did want that; to just get back into bed and curl up in a ball and cry the day away. She couldn't just lay down and roll over, though. She'd always known Riley would meet his soulmate one day, she'd just never suspected it would have changed anything.

Now that it had, well...frankly, she needed a distraction.

"No," Olivia croaked, throat dry from sleep. "No, it's OK, we can still go."

"Are you sure?" He asked, eyebrows shooting up into his hairline, lackluster with the morning hour and Olivia smiled weakly.

"Yeah, I need something to keep my mind occupied. I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to your parents, though...you know, about last night."

He nodded eagerly, "Yes, of course. Well, we're meant to meet my parents in two hours so that's why I wanted to check."

Olivia nodded, scratching her stomach through Ben's shirt. "Could we maybe send my clothes from yesterday through a quick wash and dry while I shower?"

"Yes, of course. If you just give them to me, I'll wash them."

After her shower, Olivia toweled off, dressing back in the clothes Ben had let her borrow the night before. She could hear him out in the living room, shuffling noises dulled by the hum of the washing machine. Stepping from the bedroom, Olivia eyed Ben from behind as he stood at his bookshelf, back to her and flipping through a book, fingers busy across the pages. His back flexed through the material of his sweater and she watched as his fingers came up to scratch at the hair on the nape of his neck.

Yesterday, she could never have imagined herself here, but she was inexplicably comfortable nonetheless. Olivia's heart felt like it had, had a balm spread across it, dulling the pain, at least for a moment. Distraction was exactly what she needed right now. "What are you reading?" She asked softly.

Ben jumped, body rocking forward and he braced himself against the bookshelf before turning to look at her, eyes wide. "You scared me." He chuckled and Olivia smiled.

"Sorry."

He looked down at the book in his hand, holding it up to show her the cover. Twelfth Night.

"Shakespeare?" Olivia hummed, moving towards him and he allowed her to take the book from him, flipping through the pages herself.

"Ah, yeah- I was just kind of skimming the pages. Distraction technique, I guess."