The Deal (English)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

I looked up as I heard a knock on my door. I shut the book I was currently reading. “Come in.” I called out, already dreading seeing whoever it was outside that door, because it was either Linda or my dad. When the door opened, I suppressed a groan. It was both of them.

“Olivia, your father and I need to speak with you.” Linda said, in her usual soft but firm (and highly annoying) tone of voice.

“Not now.” I said. “I’m busy.”

“Doing what?” Dad asked me.

I held up the book I had been reading.

“Put the book down and listen to what your mother and I have to say to you, Liv.” Dad sighed.

I wanted to snap for the millionth time and tell him this woman was not my mother, but I just rolled my eyes. “What?”

“Olivia, something is wrong with you.” Linda said, in what was supposed to be a mild tone. She sat down on the bed and placed an arm on my knee, which I shook off.

“Are you calling me mental?” I asked her curiously. “Do you want to send me to an asylum?”

“Of course not, Liv.” Dad sighed.

“Shame,” I murmured. “At least I get to get away from the two of you.”

The two of them look at each other and exchanged some sort of stupid, wordless form of communication, before turning to look at me.

“Liv, what’s wrong?” Dad asked. “You’re not the Olivia I knew anymore.”

“Dad,” I said, sitting up straighter. “If you expect me to be the stupid five year old daddy’s girl forever, then I think you’re crazy. It’s called growing up, if you didn’t know.”

“Does growing up mean disregarding respect for your parents and rules totally?” Linda asked. “We asked you specifically not to attend anymore parties and stay at home instead, but you sneak out almost every night to see your friends. You don’t talk to either of us properly anymore, and either you’re always out of the house, or you’re locked up in your room. You don’t eat anymore, and I doubt you get sleep because you’re partying so much.”

“Liv, can you make a conscious effort to change yourself? Your mother and I are worried about you.”

“How do you know mum’s worried about me?” I asked. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

“I—”

“If you meant her—” I gestured towards Linda, “then even you know you’re wrong. She doesn’t give a shit about me. And I don’t care.”

“Why won’t you accept it, Olivia?” My dad asked, sounding exasperated. “She’s gone! Your mother is dead. Linda is your—”

“Don’t,” I said, starting to feel really angry, “even think about it. She is not my mother, and you’re as good as not being a father too. I don’t care what you have to say, I don’t care if you’re ‘worried’, just leave me alone.”

“You can’t go for anymore parties.” Linda said, standing up. “And this is your final warning.”

“Whatever.” I muttered. “Can you guys leave now?”

Linda walked out without another word, and dad turned around to look at me too.

“Get out.” I said, and he sighed, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as they were gone, my phone rang. Good timing. I lifted it to check who it was. It was Harry.

It had been three weeks since Harry and I had made our deal. We were the only ones who knew about it, both having decided that we should keep it to ourselves for now. He was as annoying as ever, both before and after sex, but I was getting used to it—a little.