summertime - mid90s

the sleepover.

Olivia moved out of her room and into the living room. Her parents were drinking, nothing unusual. They hadn't been out much and hadn't invited people over for two weeks. Things had been calm for once but they all knew it could come crashing down at any point. When she was younger, she thought that things had finally changed but then she would be disappointed once again. 

"I'm going to Ryder's house. I'll stay there for the weekend."

"Again?" Her father replied, annoyed.

"Yes, again."

"I don't think you should be around that boy."

"Since when? I've seen him everyday for the last 10 years, why not now?"

"I saw his mother last night, she sleeps around with every man that will have her. And where is his father? That boy hasn't been raised right, you can be sure of that." Olivia almost dropped her jaw when she heard what he had to say. Who was he to criticize his family?

"I don't care about what his parents do and don't do. I know him, that's all I need to know." She looked towards her mother who pretended to be following the news on the tv. She hated how passive she was when arguments started. 

"So you can become a whore like his mom?"

"I'm leaving." Liv replied and her father got up on both feet, moving towards her.

"Oh, so you two are a little thing huh? Teen romance. Wait until he knocks you up or finds another girl. It won't be so sweet then." She hadn't told her parents about them being together, knowing it would only cause drama and she wanted to spare both herself and Ryder from it. 

"There's nothing you can say that would keep me from him." He was trying to hurt her, to make her doubt Ryder.

"He's a nobody, Olivia." Her father started laughing in her face but she didn't move a muscle.

"What does that make us then?" She asked and her fathers smug smile faded. Her father liked to think they were special. Like they weren't just as poor and just as fucked up.

"We worked hard, me and your mother did our best to give you everything you have!" He yelled at her and she turned around and walked towards her room, her dad following her.

"Leave me alone!"

"You don't decide when we're done. I do. You always fucking complain, it's like you complained from the day you were born! Never grateful for anything we have given you!" That hurt, she loved her parents but her childhood had been far from perfect. Olivia wanted better for all of them.

"That's not true. I would just prefer having two parents who actually gave a shit! Who didn't turn to the bottle just because they hate their fucking lives!" Olivia turned to grab her bag that she had packed. 

"If you walk out that door... you won't have a place when you come back. Then you won't ever be allowed in this house again." His words were harsh and it came as a surprise to her. No matter how bad things had gotten, she always came back home eventually. Eyes started to feel teary as she looked at him. She couldn't stay, she had no choice.

Olivia walked out and she didn't look back. She was a mess when she knocked on Ryder's window. Mascara had run down her cheeks from crying and she looked drained. When he opened the window and got inside, she wrapped her arms around him and started sobbing into his sweatshirt.

"I said that I was meeting you and... He told me not to come home." The lump in her throat made her pause to collect herself before continuing.

"I just couldn't stand hearing him talk about you like that."  

He didn't want to become a problem between Olivia and her parents, it was the last thing he wanted. Ryder's arms were wrapped tightly around her. If he could, he would've taken the pain from her. Seeing her cry made his heart ache. Why did such a good person have to go through so much hardship?

"Shhh, it's okay. We'll figure it out." With teary eyes she looked up at him. His hands moved up to cup her cheeks, thumbs moving slowly.

"I love you Olivia. I will always choose you." The words made her cry even harder and he just held her until she felt a little better.

//

It took a while until she was able to calm down. She felt like her heart was broken and that there was no way of fixing it. When she was born, she adored both her mother and father. Olivia knew how hard they fought to keep food on the table and give her the things she needed. No matter how much they had hurt her, she would always love them. No matter what.

"You can stay here as long as you need." Ryder held her hand as they laid next to each other in his bed.

"What will your mom say?" 

"She barely notices that I'm here half of the time, she won't mind. She likes having you around." Ryder's mom had said thousands of bad things, but never anything about Olivia. 

"I don't wanna be a burden." She said, looking away from his gaze.

"Hey... Look at me." He said, reaching out to tilt her head up.

"You could never be a burden." Her features softened to his words, trying to believe what he was telling her.

"Also... I have something for you." Ryder said before he got up and went through one of his drawers. 

"Come here..." He said, standing in front of the full length mirror. Olivia moved from the bed and walked over to him.

"It's nothing special but uh, it was my grandmothers. She gave it to me before she died. She said that in time, I should find a nice girl to give it to." He smiled as he moved it over her head and placed it on her chest. He closed the clasp and then admired her in the mirror.

"It's beautiful..." Olivia looked at it closely in the mirror. It was a heart with a light blue stone in the middle. 

"Are you sure? I don't wanna..." 

"She would've liked you to have it." Ryder put his arms around her, still keeping his gaze on her in the mirror.

Olivia knew that he had been close with his grandmother, even though he died when he was young. It was before the two of them became friends but he always spoke fondly of her. She wished she would've been able to meet her.

"Thank you."

She turned around in his arms and her gaze met his. When he was looking at her, she felt like the most beautiful girl in the world. He made her feel loved. It was far from what she had seen between her own parents and she was glad. Ryder made her feel special.

//

Alright, Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you have a good holiday, see you soon with a new chapter. 🎄❤️