Love Liv And Everything Else

Chapter 3

I parked in front of my house and got out of the car. My mom's car wasn't in the driveway. As soon as I got to the front door, I heard a yell.
"Olivia, the love of my life!"
I shut my eyes and cursed myself for forgetting to go through the back. I turned around and saw my fourteen year old neighbor walk towards me.
"Hey, Ethan." I greeted him.
"What's wrong love?" He asked, "You act like you're not happy to see me."
"I'm not," I said, "Have you seen my mom?"
He shrugged, "She probably went to pick up Sophia from school."
"How come you're not in school?"
"Because I just got out of a dentist appointment." He smiled as wide as he could. "You see? No braces."
I pursed my lips. "Well, you do look nicer." I turned back around and put my house key in the lock and opened the door.
"Am I good looking enough to date?" His whole face lit up. He followed behind me in the house and closed the door behind him.
"No." I called out as I walked to the kitchen. His face fell.
"But I already told my friends we were dating." He whimpered as he slugged himself into a chair.
I opened the refridgerator and grabbed a yogurt.
"Yogurt?" I offered.
He pouted, "Yeah."
"Strawberry or Mango?"
"You don't have Blueberry?"
"I just took the last one. No, you can't have it."
"Strawberry."
I grabbed the strawberry yogurt and tossed it to him. He tore off the lid and started drinking from it.
"If it makes you feel any better," I said as I leaned on the counter, "you really do look more handsome."
"First the haircut and then the braces," He gestured to his hair and mouth, "and it's still not a good enough reason for you to date me."
"Going to jail isn't a good enough reason for me to date you."
He perked up," Are you saying if it was legal, you would-"
"No Ethan." I said, "Aren't there any girls at your school that you like?"
He grimaced, "Eighth grade girls are so dumb. They won't date a boy unless he has a car, or Justin Bieber."
My eyebrows shot up. "Wow, middle schoolers nowadays."
"Tell me about it. I can't wait till high school." He huffed, "The girls there are more mature and feminine. They have experience and stuff."
I laughed, "Trust me Ethan, you're better off obsessing over me than to try to date an upperclassmen."
"I can still dream."
I walked over to him and grabbed his empty yogurt cup. "Dreams keeps you going."
I heard the front door open and my mom call out, "Olivia?"
"In here!" I called out as I threw away the empty cups. My mother and younger sister walked into the kitchen. As soon as Mom entered she engulfed me into a hug. "Happy Birthday sweetie."
I smiled back at her, "Thanks Mom."
"Hello Ethan, I see you have your braces off. You look so handsome." She smiled at the boy. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, just came here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
Mom laughed, "Is that so?"
He nodded, "I plan to take your daughter far away and give her a good life."
"Well I appreciate that hun' but Olivia is 20 now. Don't you think it's time for you to like girls your own age?"
"If you're insinuating I ask for Sophia's hand in marriage then I'll pass."
"Creep." Sophia murmured.
"Stick in the mud." He shot back.
"Is that my shirt?" I pointed at the dark red sleeveless blouse on my younger sister.
She lifted her chin proudly. "Yes it is."
"You little shit," I cursed.
"Language." Mom said.
"You've been taking clothes from my room haven't you?"
"If you don't want me to take them then stop leaving them here!" She craned her neck.
"Mom!"
"She has a point Olivia," She replied, "I don't pay for your housing on campus for you to just leave half your stuff here."
I pouted, "You act like you're not happy to see me."
"Of course I am sweetie. Just not every single weekend."
Sophia laughed and I took a step towards her. She backed away to the refridgerator. "Who took the last strawberry yogurt?" She demanded.
"Ethan did." I smirked.
She whipped around and glared at Ethan. He raised his hands in defense. "Because Olivia took the blueberry one."
"Behave," Mom ordered, "I'll buy some more. I need to get groceries for dinner tonight anyways. Shall I make your favorite Olivia? Chicken alfredo, rice a roni, and buttered green beans? And for desert, I'll buy a red velvet cake?"
My mouth was already watering. "That sounds fantastic, but can you save me leftovers? I'm going to a party tonight."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me.
"What?" I asked cautiously.
"You, Olivia Carmen Reeds, are going to a party?" Sophia repeated.
"Yes." I answered, "Why is that so surprising?"
"Do you even need to ask?" She chuckled. I lifted my hand but she already scampered behind the counter.
"It's just I never knew you went to parties." Mom said.
"I've been to plenty of parties before! Just last month I went with you guys to Aunt Lexi's birthday party."
"That was a birthday party, not a real party." Sophia snorted.
"Birthday parties are real parties."
"Not really." Mom said.
"Mom!"
"I'm just saying!" She raised her hands, "What made you decide to go to a party anyway?"
"Well I didn't. Landon convinced me to go."
"Ah, I see." She nodded.
"What?"
"That boy could convince you to move across the world with him if he wanted to." She argued, "How is my little Donny doing anyways? You should bring him by the house again, I miss him." Donny was my mother's nick name for Landon. Unlike me, he actually let her call him by nickname, even at twenty years old.
"Mom, Landon is a man now. He has other things to worry about. Like baseball and school and-"
"His girlfriend?" Sophia smirked. I rolled my eyes but nodded.
"Darn Landon," Ethan cursed, "He has an amazing girl completely in love with him and devoted to him and he has no idea."
I glowered at him. "I'm not 'completely in love' or 'devoted' to Landon. He's my best friend since middle school."
"I don't blame you if you were in love with Landon," Sophia added, "He's really hot."
"Sophia." Mom warned.
"It's true!"
"He's not that hot." Ethan grumbled beneath his breath.
Mom grinned and grabbed her keys off the counter. "I think it's time we go to the store, huh?" She looked at Ethan. "Wanna come tiger?"
He declined her offer. "Thanks but I'd rather stay here and hang out with Olivia."
"I'm going to be in the shower Ethan."
"Even better."
"Alright," Mom interrupted, "Let's go Ethan. You either come with me and Sophia to the store or go home. Your choice."
"Can I get a candy?"
"You can get something nutricious and non fattening?" She offered.
"So, like, water?"
She laughed and guided Sophia and Ethan out the door while I ran upstairs to take a shower.