CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

TROUBLE — NEVER SHOUT NEVER
I'm in trouble I'm an addict
I'm addicted to this girl
She's got my heart tied in a knot
And my stomach in a whirl

MARCH, 1994.
SIXTEEN MONTHS BEFORE.

SUNSET CURVE OWED a lot to their music teacher. Miss Taylor planted a seed of hope in them on that first day in detention and without her, the band probably wouldn't exist. She let them know when gigs were available within the school and even let them use her classroom as a rehearsal space before they moved into Olivia's garage. They kind of owed her one, so when she approached them asking if they could help clean the music room, they couldn't say no.

Even though the band as a whole agreed to help, only two members were actually doing so. Bobby was nowhere to be found, Olivia was seated at a desk helping Luke with his algebra homework, and Alex and Reggie were organizing the brass instruments while the latter tried to convince the group to play a country song he wrote.

"Bobby will like my song," Reggie said with a pout. "He likes horses."

The image of Bobby riding a horse while singing Home Is Where My Horse Is was enough to make Olivia laugh. As she recovered, the door to the music room opened to reveal the very boy they were talking about.

Luke glanced up from his math problem as Bobby walked further into the room. "Speak of the devil," he muttered.

Alex shot him a look before turning his gaze to their rhythm guitarist. "Dude, where have you been? School ended like—" he glanced at his watch "—an hour ago."

Bobby just shook his head. He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, wearing an excited grin on his face. "Guess what I did."

"Tripped and face planted in the hallway?"

"Ripped your pants?"

"Finally asked Allie Nichols to be your girlfriend?"

"Booked a gig?"

Bobby was undeterred by their answers and his expression remained steady. "No, no, already did that, and yes!" He cheered pointing to each of his friends. "I signed us up for Battle of the Bands!"

"I thought sign ups were full," Olivia said with furrowed brows. She could remember Harmony Lane gushing about the competition and how they were barely able to get a spot months ago.

He shook his head. "One of the bands pulled out," he explained, walking over to sit on top of a nearby desk, "leaving a spot open for us."

"Oh, no way!" Reggie exclaimed, figuring that this was good thing for them. "What is that?"

Alex nodded, not having heard of the gig's title before. "Yeah, what is Battle of the Bands exactly?"

"It's a talent competition," Luke explained excitedly, standing from his seat. "Music scouts, label execs, managers—it's the real deal. Winner gets a thousand bucks and shot at a record deal. Dude, we'd so win that! We need to start practicing right now!"

He started to walk towards his guitar, but Olivia pulled him back by the back of his shirt. "No, no, no. Come back here." She forced him back into his seat. "Finish your homework and then we'll practice."

Luke frowned, jutting out his bottom lip as he stared up at her. "But Olivia—"

"But nothing." She shook her head and pushed his homework closer to him. "The competition is in May, your math test is this week. Remember what your mom said? If your grades slip, you can't play anymore. If you can't play anymore, then—"

"The band can't compete in Battle of the Bands," he finished with a sigh, "yeah."

"Right. Glad we're on the same page."

Bobby chuckled at the pair, tapping his fingers on the desk he sat upon. "Mama Liv strikes again."

"Shut up, Bobby." She rolled her eyes and pointed to the boys across the room. "Go help Alex and Reggie."

"Okay, bossy," Bobby mumbled under his breath, pushing off of the desk and making his way over to his bandmates.

"Heard that!"

When Olivia turned back to Luke, he gave her a look. "You don't look too thrilled about the gig," he said, eyeing her features. "You okay?"

She nodded her head with a small sigh, leaning back in her seat. "I'm okay. I'm just nervous for tomorrow."

Luke nodded in understanding. Sylvia's bakery was having its grand opening tomorrow and Olivia had been stressing out all week. "Hey, the opening will be great," he promised. "Your mom's baking is the best I've ever had. People will love it."

Olivia glanced up at him, their eyes locking. He was good at that, making her feel better. She didn't know how he did it so easily. "Thanks, Luke."

"It's just the truth, trouble."

His gaze never left hers and the two teens wore matching smiles. Both had a twinkle of adoration in their eyes that blinded them from seeing past their own feelings. If they just looked a little closer, they'd see that their feelings were there, staring right back at them.

Olivia became hyper-aware of how close they were when the soft murmur of their friends stopped. She could feel their eyes on her and Luke, so she pulled back and looked away. "Let's, uh," she moved her hair behind her ear nervously, "let's get back to your homework, yeah?"

"Yeah, good thinking."

THE GRAND OPENING of Sylvia's bakery, affectionately named Sylvia's Sweets, went just as Luke said it would. Tons of people stopped by to purchase baked goods. Some of them were teenagers attracted by Sunset Curve's influence, some were families, clutching flyers that the band had handed out at the pier, and others were tourists, merely curious about the long line up out front. Whoever they were, they left with a smile. The grand opening was a success and Olivia couldn't have been more proud of her mom.

While the opening of the bakery had gone swimmingly, it left Sylvia with a lot of work to catch up on. She needed to stay at the bakery, which meant Olivia was to go to the Patterson's lunch alone. She would've had Mikey to keep her company, but he was at his friend's birthday party.

Luke was kind enough to pick her up from the bakery and the pair spent the entire car ride blasting 80s rock, belting out lyrics as the LA traffic started to get congested.

"Miss Emily!" Olivia shouted, entering the house. Her arms raised as she walked into the kitchen. "My favourite Patterson!"

Emily turned away from the stove. "Olivia!" she greeted back with equal excitement. It was nice to have another girl in the house. "My favourite teenager!" She stepped forward and pulled the girl into a hug, acting as if they hadn't seen each other in a while even though they saw each other at the grand opening the day before.

Luke entered behind his best friend, copying her actions as he raised his arms up. "Luke!" He shouted mockingly. "The reason you two met!"

The two women pulled away from each other and turned to give him a look. Olivia walked up to him and patted his cheek. "If you're jealous that I'm the favourite, just say so." She gave him a cheeky grin as she walked passed him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. While his actions could've conveyed annoyance, the smile on his face indicated the opposite. He followed her to his room and they hung out until Emily called them for lunch.

The meal was full of lighthearted conversation about the bakery, school, and even the band (though that was a touchy subject and they quickly deterred before an argument could ensue).

When lunch was over, Olivia tried to help Emily clean up—the key word being tried.

"Here, let me get that," Olivia said as she reached for a dirty plate.

Emily shook her head. "Oh, Olivia, dear, you don't need to—"

"Mom, you guys go through this every week," Luke said, taking the plate from her hands. "Livy asks to help, you say she's a guest, she gets all pouty—"

"I do not get pouty," Olivia defended.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, you do." He turned to his mom. "Just let her help, she won't let it go until you do."

"You make me sound like a nightmare."

"That's because you are a—Hey!" Luke laughed as Olivia smacked him. "I was kidding!"

Emily tutted at both of them. "Okay, both of you, here." She handed her son the stack of plates she was holding. "Take these and go wash the dishes."

Luke gave his mom a grin before heading around the counter and towards the sink. "Well, it's the least we can do."

Olivia tried to hide her smile as Mrs. Patterson walked away muttering, "Cheeky boy."

The pair collected the rest of the dirty dishes and stacked them in the sink. Luke took initiative and assigned Olivia to drying duty. He pumped soap onto the sponge and got to work.

"So I've been meaning to ask you something," Olivia said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Luke glanced down at her. "Is it how to dry dishes properly?"

Olivia's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Hey, leave my dishes alone."

The shaggy haired brunet shook his head chuckling. "What is it, trouble?"

Olivia took the plate he was holding out for her. "Why do you call me that?" He had been calling her 'trouble' for months, but she never asked why.

"Trouble?" He asked for clarification.

She nodded.

"Do you remember the day we all got detention? I called you little miss perfect—"

"Which I am not."

"Eh, debatable."

Olivia let out a small laugh, realizing why he had given her the nickname now. "It's not that debatable considering you called me a troublemaker right after."

Luke shrugged and smiled softly at the memory. "Ever since then you've been trouble."

While the nickname started out that way—a shortened name to mock her golden girl reputation—that wasn't the case anymore. Luke called her that because he was in trouble. Olivia was a drug full of sunshine and everything he believed was good in the world. He was an addict. He couldn't get enough of being in her presence and he thanked whatever higher power there was that he had the privilege of existing at the same time as her.

He was in trouble. His heart would skip a beat every time she walked into the room, his stomach would flip whenever she looked at him. She was the reason he's been playing too much guitar and writing love songs till the early hours of the morning.

He was consumed by her. She was everything he wanted and more. She was the perfect balance of patient and agitated, reckless and cautious, gentle and fierce. She was a battle that heroes welcomed with open arms, and well, he was about to be a rock hero and that had to count for something, right? Olivia Montez was his best friend and there was nothing he didn't adore about her.

So why did he call her trouble? Because he was in deep, deep trouble when it came to her.

"Luke!"

Luke had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't notice one of the dirty spoons slip under the running water, spraying Olivia in the process.

He turned to her with his eyes wide. "I'm so sorry," he said, his eyes raking her. She looked so ridiculous, he had to stifle a laugh. "It was an accident!"

Not oblivious to the way he was smiling, Olivia shook her head. Her own grin was fighting its way onto her face. "You did that on purpose!"

"No, I didn't—" He was cut off by Olivia grabbing the retractable faucet and pointing it at him. "Liv! Quit it!"

"It was an accident," she said innocently, still holding the faucet over the sink.

He grabbed it from her and sprayed her with it.

"Hey!"

Luke laughed at her wet hair, trying his best to hold the faucet out of her reach. "That one was on purpose."

"Oh, yeah?" Olivia's eyebrows raised. In less than a second, she lunged for the sink. The two teens were left fighting over running water in a fit of giggles, their clothes dripping wet.

In the next room over, Emily could hear laughter over the music her husband had put on. Out of curiosity, she put down the magazine she was reading and headed towards the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway when she spotted the two teenagers spraying each other with water.

She watched them with a fond smile before returning to the living room. "Mitch," she hissed. "Mitch! Come look at them!"

The man looked up at her, raising a brow. "How am I the nosy one, Em?"

Emily motioned for him to follow her. "Oh, would you just come here please?"

Mitch followed his wife, chuckling as she guided him to their kitchen. When he saw what she was talking about, his gaze softened, memories of himself and Emily flashing in his mind.

Luke had his arm locked across Olivia's chest, trapping her back against him. In his free hand, he held the faucet threateningly over her head.

Olivia was pleading for him to stop through her laughter when she noticed the two adults watching them. "Emily! Mitch!" She squirmed out of Luke's arms. "This isn't—"

The two teens turned to each other and as Olivia said, "Luke started it!", Luke shouted, "Liv, started it!"

Olivia turned with wide eyes. "Hey!"

"Dude!" Luke exclaimed with a similar expression.

There was a silence that fell upon the four. The older couple studied the pair in front of them. They looked so ridiculous in their soaking clothes, eyes bright with youth in the middle of the kitchen, that they couldn't help but laugh.

Luke watched his parents in confusion as they begun laughing. "Wait, so we're not in trouble?"

Emily shook her head, a smile firmly planted on her face. "Come here, Livy," the woman said. "Let's get you some dry clothes."

Olivia shrugged as she left Luke's side and followed his mother out of the kitchen and down the hall.

Emily stopped by a closet and pulled out a towel so Olivia could dry her hair. "I need to thank you," she said before walking to the laundry room.

Olivia tilted her head to the side. "For what?"

"It'a been a while since I've seen Luke so... happy," Emily explained as she dug through the dryer, looking for clean clothes that would fit the girl. "It's been hard with him lately. We haven't exactly been on the same page since the band started and it's nice to see him smile like he used to."

Emily wished that she could give her son the same support, but she was so concerned for his future that it prevented her from doing so. She was glad that he had a friend like Olivia to keep him grounded, even if she had the same rockstar dream as he did. At least Olivia knew how to balance her life with her music.

She handed Olivia a pair of Luke's sweatpants. "And I know I have you to thank for him staying on top of his school work." She gave the girl a warm smile. "I really appreciate it."

"That's all Luke," Olivia said modestly with a dismissive shake of her head. "You raised an amazing guy."

Emily handed her a clean shirt. "You are an amazing girl, Olivia." She walked towards the door. "I'll leave you to change."

When Olivia was out of her wet clothes, she returned to the living room to see that Luke had also changed. He was holding a sweater in his hands and tossed it at her when he noticed that she was back. She took it graciously and pulled it on, slightly cold since Emily had only given her a tank top. It smelled like him and it brought a small smile to her face.

Luke's eyes swept over her, feeling his heart skip at the sight of her in his clothes. "C'mon, trouble. I'll take you home."

The pair headed out to Mitch's station wagon, laughing about their recent water fight. The drive to Olivia's house wasn't long and the Los Angeles traffic wasn't as bad as it usually was.

"Thanks for taking me home," Olivia said as they walked up her porch steps.

Luke looked down at her, the corners of his lips turning up. "Of course, Liv."

Soft smiles mirrored each other and like two magnets, the pianist and guitarist gravitated towards each other. Luke's hands slowly reached to cup Olivia's face. She leaned into his hold and her eyes flickered from his eyes to his lips.

Before either of them could make a move, the front door burst open. The two teenagers jumped apart, shooting each other a sheepish smile as Solo came running out.

Mikey opened the door completely and stood in the doorway. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at Luke, then Olivia, then back to Luke.

Luke bent down to scratch Solo, avoiding the twelve year old's stare in hopes he wouldn't say anything awkward about what he witnessed through the frosted glass door.

Mikey turned his head. "Mom!" he shouted into the house. "Livy's back from Luke's house!"

Luke stood up, glad that Mikey didn't draw attention to his and Olivia's near kiss. "Hey, Mike," he greeted. "How was your friend's party?"

Mikey forgot about anything that he saw happen between the two teenagers and started going on about his friend's birthday party. He pulled Luke into the house, leaving Olivia on the porch with Solo.

Olivia bent down and scratched behind her dog's ears. She let out a sigh. "It's an interesting little relationship him and I have, isn't it?"

Solo wagged his tail and let out a small bark.

Olivia stood up and nodded. "Yeah, I think so too."

RAE SPEAKS !
they're in ~love~ but they're too ~dumb~ to see it

also it's my birthday today! this happy update is my gift to you :)