𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇 |𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

THREE| THE DARKNESS BENEATH

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THE NIGHT had been quiet, and Olivia wasn't sure whether or not she liked it. She grew up in a loud and colorful household. Her mother was always so vibrant and wild that it followed her everywhere she went and rubbed off on those around her. Maybe that was the reason why she was always happy with life even when she felt like it was missing something. Now that she was gone she felt lonely and dull like all the color of her life was buried six feet under with her.

She tried to distract herself from her thoughts, which had been working for a while. After she had left John on the rooftop, Chas had taken her back to the Mill-house where she unpacked what little belongings she had in her new bedroom. When that ended quicker than she would've liked, she sought out a new distraction. She sat crisscrossed on her bed with her back against the frame. A copy of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare had now held her attention.

Once she was able to push back the reminder that this was the book her mother had begged her to read so she could have someone to discuss it with, was when she could actually get into it. Jace had just taken Clary to the greenhouse to watch a flower that only bloomed at midnight, when a soft knock on her door had stolen Olivia's attention. Still reading she softly called out to whoever was on the other side, "Come in."

John leaned against the doorframe with his hands pushed deep into his pants pockets. His sleeves were rolled up his arm, and his trench coat had been discarded somewhere the minute he got back from the bar. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and Olivia peered up at him. He had entered the room so quietly she assumed that whoever had knocked earlier had simply left. She placed her bookmark within the two pages (because she refused to fold the corners of a book) before placing it on the nightstand. She could tell by the look on his face that he was hesitant to pass the threshold.

"You can come in." She encouraged him.

John crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. His hand rested on his lap. He studied their surroundings briefly before finally looking at her. This was the first time he was fully looking at her. She wore black joggers and a baggy, faded, white Taylor Swift t-shirt. Her long, wavy, blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail. Her ocean eyes bored into his light brown eyes intensely that it dawned on him that he had been staring for too long.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I-uh-just wanted to check on you." He gave her a cocky smirk that-despite what he believed-didn't do a good job of masking his uneasiness.

Olivia gave him a shy smile. "This is uncomfortable for me too." She told him in hopes that he'd take comfort in the fact that he wasn't alone in his discomfort. But after hearing the words fall from her mouth, she had begun to regret them. "I-I don't know why I told you that." She added with an awkward laugh.