January 12th; 2024
One Week Later
Olivia Flower's Point Of View
Dear diary,
I'm almost half way through my first trimester and it doesn't feel real. In the last month my entire life has changed from a dull, lonely, and dysfunctional to WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING? I mean, I'm having a baby and I have a husband. My mom is probably sick in 20 different ways but refuses to acknowledge it and I constantly cry because I don't know what's happening. I do know one thing though.
School is killing me and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep up with it. I feel sick all the time, I constantly have to go to the bathroom, I can barely stay awake during class and my face is seriously breaking out. Some girls have started to realize I'm pregnant which has made the bullying and teasing only worse. Before I didn't care but now it hurts and it makes me feel shameful. Before people called me mean names but now it feels like they're calling the baby and I a bitch; dumbass.
Today is a Friday and it's after school so I have no school for a couple days but that doesn't mean I'm not scared. My heart races with the thought of it and my hands tremble with anxiety. I feel so pressured and beat up. I feel like I have to do something or I'll never make it.
Sincerely
Olivia Flowers
P.S I changed my name.
I toss my journal onto my bed and set my pen on my desk. I take a deep breath and walk downstairs where everyone seems to be doing there own thing. I walk over to my dad as he's been the most approachable lately.
"Can I talk to you and Mom in private?" I ask.
"Uh sure. Hey babe, Liv wants to talk to us!" He shouts. The three of us walk into the kitchen to sit down and I look at the two of them, mostly with fear.
"What is it honey?" She asks.
I take a deep breath and look at them. "I want to drop out of high school." I admit
"What?!" The two yell in unison.
"I want to drop out. School is too hard now. I'm constantly being harassed and I feel sick 24/7." I explain.
"Just because you don't like school doesn't mean you can just drop out. You have to finish high school." My mom quickly says.
"You dropped out and you're a multimillionaire."
"I had no other choice! Do you think I wanted to drop out? I wanted to stay in school and finish my education but I physically couldn't. I had to choose between you or an education and I chose you."
"Why don't you ever understand my needs?"
"This isn't a need! I couldn't finish high school because I had to make enough money just so we could have the lights on! I got kicked out and had no support system. To raise you, I had to drop out. You're not like me Olivia, you have your family, and Lucas, and so many people who love you an care about you that'll help you."
"Or I can drop out and get my GED in a few years."
"Olivia, I haven't been agreeing with your mom lately but she's right. You can't just drop out because you're having a baby. If you're gonna drop out, at least finish this semester."
"You don't understand! Everyone is treating me horribly; I'm tired of being harassed and bullied. I just want to be home where I can feel at peace."
"You're not gonna feel peaceful in a few months when you're in your third trimester just begging to give birth already and when you do, you're going to tear your own damn body apart and spend 2 years of your life changing diapers while your baby is screaming." She snaps.
"I assumed you'd help me sometimes."
"Yeah, of course we will help you from time to time but raising a child of your own is extremely difficult. It's not like owning a puppy or an intense tamagotchi."
"If it's so hard, then why can't I drop out?"
"Because you don't need to! You'll never find a decent job unless you have at least a high school diploma. You can't live off of this family forever. I might have millions but you should be self sufficient and not some brat who feeds off of others."
"Taylor, just calm down. The more you tell her not to the more she's gonna want to." Joe whispers. I still here it which fills me with more resentment.
"I think this is the best thing for me."
"You're 16! You were stupid enough to get knocked up and you think you know what the hell is best for you?" She snaps at me again.
"Olivia, don't do this. Okay? It's not a good idea and it's something both Taylor and I can agree on."
"I want to be happy. I want to drop out of school so I can be happy and raise this baby properly."
"You know what 80% of woman that have babies do? Have a fucking job. You can't get a job of any decency without going to school."
"Statistically."
"It doesn't matter. You can't drop out, I won't let you. It's a stupid move. You're setting yourself up for failure."
"Lucas is staying in school! If he's staying don't need to."
"You can't rely on someone else's money forever. You have to graduate." My dad looks at me in eyes. For the first time in years, he turned against what I wanted.
"Dad, you're against this too?"
"Your mom is and so am I. It's dumbfounded and you shouldn't drop out."
"You know why I called this family meeting? So I could tell you I was. I didn't need your permission to do this."
"The government requires it. Spoiler alert." Taylor says.
"Once you turn 17 you can drop out without your parents permission and if I recall, I'm turning 17 tomorrow. I don't need your permission, I came for your support."
"Dammit, Olivia. You-you're sending me up the walls right now." Frustrating her has become a favorite task of mine lately. She begins to cough and when I mean cough, it's hoarse and dark. It's barking loudly with a dry after tone.
"Are you okay?" My dad asks her as he rubs her back softly.
"Can you get me some water?" She asks. My dad nods and grabs her a cup of water which she quickly chugs down.
"Babe, you need to get that checked out. It's been going on for weeks." He's clearly changed the subject to attend to her needs. Maybe she is faking it to get out of this shit show.
"I'll set up an appointment this week. Okay?" I can tell she's only doing it to reassure my dad that everything is safe.
"You faker." I mutter to myself.
"What?" Taylor glares.
"Nothing, nothing. Just feel better I guess." I begin to walk away as this is something I don't want to deal with anymore. I'm dropping out and I don't care what the hell they tell me.
"Olivia Meredith Swift, get back here right now!" She snaps loudly.
"That's not my name anymore!" I yell back. I hear the hoarse cough begin once again which holds her back from most likely murdering me. I'm done with this place. If my mom can do what she want, why can't I? She can leave us but I can't leave school? God I hate this.
————————
Author's Note:
One of the chapters where Olivia pisses me off 🙃
Filler chapter but I enjoyed it :D
Song: Role Model-Eminem
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Shadows (Jaylor Fanfiction)
Fanfiction[Sequel to The Tattoo Kiss] History repeats itself. Almost a decade later, Olivia is making the same mistakes as her mother. Will Taylor step up as a mother or sit back and watch it all burn?
