Take Me Higher

Chapter Eleven-Olivia

Sorry this is up a little late! Hope you like it. Chapter's 12-15 are on Radish if you want to read ahead!

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I look over at Jessa sitting in the passengers seat of my car. "Is there anything you need while we're out?" I ask her.

Jessa stayed at Tawny's house this weekend, which was nice because I got my bed back for a couple nights. Not that I cared all too much, or even used it for long periods of time.

Blake and I have been hanging out with his roommates practically every night after work, either at his place or at Ethyl's, which is their go-to bar that never closes. It also happens to be the bar that Reggie frequently drinks at with Frankie.

Friday night I had just missed him before Blake and I got there. Pretty sure he's avoiding me, after all I've kind of taken over his room so I get that he probably wanted some space.

"Actually, could I ask you for a huge favor?" Jessa asks.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Would you maybe, take me to see my mom?" Jessa pauses. "It's just, I know Reggie doesn't want to be there and I feel like I'm already barging in on you guys."

"Reggie just... has his own way of coping with everything. We're both completely fine with you staying with us. Tawny too, I know that having friends around can take your mind off of the reality of everything," I explain.

Granted, I never had many friends until more recently, aside from Reggie and his friends. He was seriously the best person when it came to taking my mind off of my mom.

I remember a few years ago, I was still in high school. My mom had started undergoing what turned out to be her last few rounds of chemo before she went into remission, though we didn't know that at the time.

I was at that point where I felt like it was all going to be over soon, if she didn't recover from it, I knew it was the last time. I'd overheard my parents discussing how she didn't want to keeping living like this and that she didn't understand how Reggie's mother Melissa, lived like that.

The whole two weeks of Christmas break, he kept me busy doing things. We went to the zoo for their Christmas light show three times because it's one of my favorite holiday events. We went to five different museums, two of which were three hours away. Then he proceeded to take me to multiple art shows and film festivals that were held at the local community college.

It meant a lot that he was there for me through that. It's already set in stone that Reggie won't let anybody be there for him, so if I can make what Jessa is going through any easier, I will.

I make a U-turn in the middle of the empty road and head toward the hospital that Melissa is staying in.

Once we arrive, I send a quick text message to Blake, telling him that I'm going to spend time with Reggie's sister. I haven't really told him too much about what's been going this past week. Mainly because I don't feel like it's his business and every time Reggie gets brought up in a conversation, I find myself making excuses for his vices.

"How are things with that guy you're seeing?" Jessa asks me while we walk into the building.

I smile. "Blake? It's going well, we've just being hanging out." Thinking back to this past week almost seems unreal, it feels like things have happened to quickly.

"I could've waited to see her, if you had plans--"

"Jess, no, I'm glad you asked me to do this with you. We were just supposed to hang out at his place tonight," I pause, reminded by the awkward remarks from Jared about Reggie the last couples times I've been around. "Honestly, I was secretly wanting a reason to get out of it. Blake's roommate, Jared, is kind of a ass, so..." I trail off, not even realizing where I was going with this.