Strong [A Barson Fan Fic]

- 1 -

Since Olivia was just a little girl, she knew that she wanted to be a mother. She wanted to have a bunch of kids, and she didn't even mind if they may be underfoot and cause problems. All she wanted was to have someone to love and someone to love her. She'd zone out in the middle of the day and just think about a life she'd have. But every time her mother caught her daydreaming about becoming a mother and having a family, Serena would make sure that she quickly snapped her daughter out of it and tell her how absolutely dumb she was to think that anyone would want her and would want to have a child with her.

"Why do you always have to say that?!" Olivia sobbed as she stood shaking in her apartment's living room. At only seventeen, she still couldn't just leave. She was still forced to spend her days with her mother and be abused on the daily.

"Because who would want you?! Olivia, you are so dumb and naïve! If you were to ever have a child, they would take away it from you because you will never be able to be a good mother. You are such a child and always will be!" Serena screamed.

Olivia eyed her mother for a moment before wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"I wish that they would have taken me away from you. That they would have seen how absolutely dangerous and toxic you are. I want to be a mom, so then I can prove to be better than you. And honestly, I don't think it would be that hard. Anyone could be better than you." Olivia hissed. She turned quickly and walked into her bedroom. She slammed her door as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

"If you think that you could do better without me, then get the fuck out!" Serena screamed from outside her daughter's closed door.

"Maybe I will! Maybe I will just do everything in my power to prove to myself and you... that I will be a better woman and a better mother eventually!"

///

That night, Olivia packed her bags and walked out of her mother's apartment. She never did expect for her mother to just let her go so easily, but it was a long time coming. They never got along, and Serena still hated Olivia for coming into her life in the way she did. And Olivia not only hated her mother because she was a teenager and most teenagers hated their parents, but also because it was evident from the start that Serena never did love her daughter and she was raising her out of force.

Olivia didn't know where to go, but as the days slipped by she eventually got on her feet once again.

She dropped out of school, which made things harder on her, but she needed a job to provide for herself or else she'd end up having to go back home. Well, the apartment that was never her home to start.

"Olivia?" A soft voice questioned, beside Olivia. Olivia had settled into a job at a local clothing store, and she was quickly learning everything. 

"Danny?" Olivia asked with a soft smile. She stood and smoothed her khakis as she looked at her friend from school. They had been more than friends a few times, but nothing ever progressed from there.

"Hey there, Liv. What are you doing here?" Danny questioned, as he looked Olivia over.

"I work here." Olivia spoke, as she blushed a bit. 

"I'm only asking because I haven't seen you at school lately. Kinda made me worry about you." Danny sighed. Olivia frowned as she nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I dropped out." Olivia spoke softly.

"Why?" Danny questioned softly. Olivia sighed as she picked up a pile of clothes before moving over to put them back in their spots.

"Uh, because I had to make money. I had no other choice." Olivia frowned. Danny watched as Olivia put the clothes back on the shelf, before grabbing her arm.

"Liv, what happened?"

"My mom kicked me out... we got into a huge fight and told me to get out. So I did. I had to make some hard choices, but I wouldn't change my mind if I had to do this all over again." Olivia replied.

"We miss you at school...The teachers have been asking about you, but no one has tried to step forward and find you."

"It's not like I'm missing, Danny. I'm alive and I'm just not finishing high school. I can't."

"Where are you staying?"

"Currently I'm in my car... but I applied for an apartment."

"Olivia-"

"Danny, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. And if you ever need or want to see me, I'm here. Like six days a week."

///

Over the next week, Danny came to see Olivia every day. He brought her dinner and they ate together on Olivia's break. It was a nice change for her, since she had been eating alone and mostly stale food for the past month she had been out of the house.

On Friday night, Danny came to the store with the principal from their school in tow.

"Olivia?" Danny asked, and Olivia smiled as she pulled her jacket on. She was expecting to go outside and eat with Danny again, but instead he brought an unwanted guest.

"What is she doing here?" Olivia asked, as her hands started to shake.

"Mrs. Walters is here to help you. Get you back to school." Danny smiled, but Olivia didn't respond. She just pulled her jacket off and tossed it behind the counter and started to log back into her register because she planned on skipping her break.

"Miss Benson, you should really listen to Mr. Mount. We miss you in school, and you are far too young to be out on your own. If you come with me now, we can get ahold of your mother and clear things up." Mrs. Walters smiled. 

Olivia looked up from her registered before sighing softly.

"Clearly you don't know my mother like I do. There is no going home or clearing things up. I'm out on my own, and at seventeen I believe that I'm capable of being an adult and taking care of myself. So if you wouldn't mind, leave. I've got money to make. I need to provide for myself somehow."