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chapter two.
OLIVIA SHELBY WASN'T MUCH OF A GIVER. Whenever a friend's birthday, or even one of her siblings' birthdays, rolled around she always had no clue what to give them. Even if they were her closest friends who she'd known since she'd worn nappies, or the brother who changed her nappies when everyone else refused, she still had no clue on what to get them.
Olivia had gone down every route you could think of for presents; the sentimental route, of trying to paint or draw something which she'd tear to shreds because she didn't like how it looked, the considerate route of buying them something from the shops because she thought it suited them or was something they needed, which would end up getting returned because Olivia had decided it wasn't the right present anymore. And the final route which was simply all she could give for people's birthdays: a hug.
Yes, the simple measure of a hug. (And a card)
So, it was safe to say she wasn't much of a giver.
And Olivia wasn't much better at being a receiver. And when I say that I don't mean in the stereotypical way that meant she criticized every present she'd ever received and turned her nose up at it with complaints spewing from her mouth. The Shelby wasn't much of a receiver because she never got presents, which was not due to the fact she was naughty or, perhaps, too mean to Finn, it was simply the fact that the Shelbys could not afford presents, or (before his departure) their 'father' could not be bothered to buy them.
Olivia said she didn't mind having no presents, claiming it was 'family' that was the best gift of all, not what came wrapped for her and tried to ignore the disappointed look on her friend's faces when all they received was a hug on their birthdays. But, maybe there was always something that itches within her to do better, to finally see her friend's faces light up in shock when Olivia Shelby delivers them the best present of all time. And maybe, just maybe, she'd get to undo the bow on a present and throw the wrapping at Finn.
But, neither Christmas nor her birthday were near. So, Olivia would settle for giving her longest friend, Charlotte Junia, the best present on earth. After all, it was the best gift Olivia could gift the girl for having been friends with her for so long.
Obviously Charlotte had no objection to be Olivia's friend considering they were babies and couldn't actually say 'no', but the girl wouldn't change her best friend for the world. No matter how many times the Shelby doesn't listen, or how many times she comes over in the dead of night to complain about something her family have done.
So, Olivia Shelby was not much of a giver but she would try her fucking best to give her friends the gifts they deserve.
