the exception [pin hawthorne] 𝐢𝐢

chapter two

"Olivia!" Marcus called out to her. She turned around and stopped. "Thank goodness I found you."

"What's up?" Olivia asked.

"Where is everyone?" He asked, looking around.

"What do you mean?" Olivia said, playing dumb.

"Come on are you joking? Half the stables are gone!" He exclaimed. Olivia sighed.

"The cup has been stolen, Zoe and Pin went to retrieve it and the others accompanied them for backup," Olivia explained.

"Zoe and Pin?" He asked.

"Well they're the only ones Holloway doesn't know," she furthered. Marcus held an intense look in his eyes, his jaw clenched.

"What are you doing?" Olivia said as Marcus took out his phone.

"Calling Holloway," he said dryly.

"What! Marcus what the hell!" Olivia said.

"Come on, don't tell me you're not worried about Zoe and Pin being alone together," Marcus said, and Olivia faltered. Should she be worried? "Deep down, you must know there's a reason you and Pin aren't together yet."

"I..." Olivia trailed off. Had she been so stupid as to think that she'd ever had a chance with Pin? Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize Marcus was gone until it was too late.

"Marcus!" She called out, quickly walking through the stables. "Marcus!" She called again. She found him walking out of the tack room. "Oh what did you do," she murmured. Marcus looked at her shamefully, as if he'd immediately regretted his actions. "I have to warn them," Olivia shook her head, taking her phone out.

"No! You can't," Marcus exclaimed. "Zoe will hate me," he added. Olivia felt torn. She didn't want to leave her friends to fend for themselves, but she didn't want to get Marcus in trouble with a sigh, she put her phone down.

"Fine, but I think you should tell Zoe, she'll find out one way or another," Olivia said, walking away, hoping she'd made the right decision.

"Olivia!" Mia's pretentious voice called out. Olivia took in a deep breath and plastered on a sickly sweet smile.

"Mia! What can I do for you?" She asked.

"Well, you can start by telling me where Pin is. He still has to sweep all around the stables!" Mia said.

"He needed to do something else, I can take care of the sweeping," Olivia said.

"What? No, it's his job, why isn't he here?" She asked in annoyance.

"Mia, give him a break, he's been working non-stop for the past month. I'll do it alright? He'll be back before you know it," pleaded Olivia.

"Fine," agreed Mia. "But this yard better be spotless Collins," she added, walking away. Olivia made her way to the tack room and took out a broom, beginning to sweep the floors of Bright Fields only after having brought Nina back to her stable. The closer they got to the journalist's arrival, the more anxious Olivia got. The group was not back with the cup yet. Dread settled when Olivia saw Mia head out to greet the Journalist. Finishing up with her sweeping, Olivia headed towards the tack room to put the broom back, though it was there she found Mia, trying to get past Rosie.

"Funny thing, the cup... isn't there," she heard Rosie say.

"Well, where is it?" Mia asked.

"Here!" A voice called out. They all turned around to find Zoe running back with the cup. Olivia heaved a sigh of relief.