Olivia // l.t.

Chapter 16

Olivia

"You have really strong feelings for that boy." My mother was smiling smugly. I wanted to make a smart remark, of course I have feelings he's my boyfriend, but I bit my tongue.

She eyed my apartment warily making me feel self conscious. "It's a bit cluttered don't you think dear?" she glanced at my desk.

My planner, and a few printed rough draft articles were strewn about.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Not exactly, I barely have anything out of place." I sighed, there was no use in defending myself.

She took my planner moving it to the side, her hands taking hold of my notebook. I swallowed a lump in my throat as she started flipping through my pages of thoughts.

"Pros and cons list?" she gave me a wicked look. I tried to remain still because I knew if I showed any sign of worry or discomfort she would tear into me.

"For an article." I lied smoothly. She hummed to herself, shrugging and thankfully moving on.

"Your articles are so hopeless." She seemed displeased, but then again when is she not?

"I thought being a writer was your dream?" She asked. "It is, but I don't sugarcoat things." I said and I meant it.

My mothers eyes met mine, and they were soft. "What about this one?" She turned to the back of my notebook.

It was hidden, obviously from myself. I read the place holding title "How to fall in Love again."

I shrugged. "It needs work, probably a new title." I felt a bit strange talking about this with my mother.

She didn't really give any evidence that she cared about my passion, she always snubbed it like I was making a huge mistake. Just because I dropped out of law school.

She fidgeted with the edge of the page. "Olivia, you should write this article." her eyes met mine and I realized how tired she looked.

"You want me to write that article?" I was surprised to say the least. "If I may, make one slight adjustment."

She reached for a pen and I rolled my eyes. She was still Carol Rhea, and had to have her seal of approval somehow.

She scribbled over my messy scrawl, and in neat flowing cursive wrote the words: "It Is Okay to Fall in Love Again."

I read it slowly, three times to be exact, before I spoke.

"Is that a title, or some sort of motherly advice?" I looked at her, suddenly feeling a newfound sense of accomplishment.

"Both, but mostly the advice," she closed my notebook placing it back on my desk.

"That title could work, but all of the articles end with steps on how to accomplish the subject Lola wrote about, so technically—"

"Olivia, I know it has been a difficult few years for you." She gently rested her hands on my shoulders, ignoring the fact she cut me off mid sentence.

"You are young, beautiful, and need to quit sulking over the past." There she goes. I sighed ready to take the verbal blows.

"I know it hurts honey," her tone was surprisingly soft. "You aren't the only one." Her voice was shaky, and she rubbed her naked ring finger.

Louis' words from our first date were screaming in my mind. "You're not the only person who's ever had their heart broken, been lied to and cheated on."