"IT'S SOLD?" Conrad asked, "You-you sold this house in the last 12 hours?"

Julia smiled, "Yes. To a-a lovely family with three children and some kind of a poodle mix."

"Well, it can't just be over." Jeremiah said.

"It is." Julia paused, "Uh, I'm gonna need your keys, please.

The two boys scoffed, taking their keys out of their pockets and handing them reluctantly over to Julia.

Conrad scoffed, "I'll bet you're really enjoying this."

"Mom," Skye suddenly spoke, "don't do this."

"Skye," Julia gasped, "really?" She turned, facing the boys, "I told you two that I was selling the house. You just refused to believe it. And I'm not enjoying it, but I will admit, that I'm relieved it's finally over." She turned, "Come on, Skye. Excuse me."

With a heavy sigh and the weight of the world on their shoulders, the group, minus Skye, made their way into the house, still empty.

The gathered around the kitchen island and the only person to speak was Jeremiah.

"Okay. So, I know things aren't going so great right now, but it's always the darkest before the dawn, right?"

"Thank you for the speech Shakespeare." Melody groaned, rolling her eyes and leaning her back against the island.

"Must you always be negative?" He asked.

"She's right, Jere." Conrad muttered, "I don't think there's any winning in this."

"Um... I'm-I'm sorry." Skye said, entering the kitchen, "I-I tried to get her to call off the deal."

"It's not on you, Skye." Conrad reassured.

"I know, but she's my mom, so I would get if you guys were angry with me, too." They paused, "I just can't deal with her right now."

"Hey, no one's mad at you, Skye." Jeremiah said, side hugging them.

"So, what do we do now?" Steven asked, "We're supposed to go home now?"

"Yeah." Conrad answered, "It's over."

Olivia said, pressing her hands against the counter, chipping her black nail polish as she did so.

"Well," She sighed, "it may be over, but that doesn't mean it's over over."

"What the hell are you talking about, babe?" Melody asked.

Olivia softly smiled, facing the boys, "Do you really want your last memories in the house to be full of sorrow?" She asked, "You need to give this house a proper Fisher-Conklin goodbye."

"What do you mean?" Conrad asked.

"When my mom officially got divorced, instead of being sad, she threw a party with all of her girl friends." She smiled, "She invited me downstairs to party with them instead of wallowing in my room. So, I say with throw a party. A super crazy, fucked up, drunken party."

"I'm in." Jeremiah smiled.

One by one, they agreed to the party. They only two not giving an answer we're Conrad and Melody.

Conrad softly smiled, looking over at Olivia, "I'm in."

Olivia smiled brightly, looking over at Melody, "Come on. You've never turned down a party."

Taylor chuckled, "We know you're a moody bitch, but come on—"

"Can you shut the fuck up, I'm begging you to shut the fuck up."

The happy move had been shifted once again

"What's your problem?" Taylor asked.

"You're my fucking problem, Taylor."

Olivia swiftly moved from her side of the counter, grabbing Melody's wrist and dragging her out of the kitchen.

"What was that?" Olivia asked.

"Me not giving a fuck anymore." Melody sighed, "I'm so sorry, Livs, but I seriously can not stand to be around that clip on bang bitch any longer."

"I told you that I'm over—"

"You're over it." Melody laughed, "I love you, but think about it. You would've left this place as soon as Taylor walked through that damn door, but because Jeremiah told you to call me, you stayed. You're not over it."

Olivia sighed, "Then let me deal with it."

"When!? When Liv?" Melody asked, "I'm bothered because you're not. She can't walk around her like she's some high and mighty hero."

Olivia sighed, "Why don't we just talk to Taylor, okay, not now, but before the party."

Melody rolled her eyes, "Fine, but after this, if nothing is said or done, I'm fighting that bitch, I promise you."

Olivia only nodded and Melody left her alone to try and change the mood that she had created in the kitchen.

Olivia shut her eyes, pushing her glasses up as she rubbed her hand over her face.

She knew Melody only wanted to protect Olivia and what Taylor had said before, during, and after meeting Olivia had shifted how Olivia saw her relationship with Jeremiah and Melody knew that.

That was she was angry with Taylor and if she simply apologized and meant it, Melody would just a little kinder to her.

"You okay?"

Olivia looked over, her glasses falling down her nose bridge as she looked over at Conrad who held a bottle of water in his hands.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

"Liv?" Conrad smiled, "I know you."

"And I know you Conrad, big fucking whoop."

Conrad's smile only grew, "Have you ever realize that you shit talk me when you're angry?" He scoffed, "What's up?"

Olivia turned, "I'm sorry. Taylor said some shit about me behind my back last year and it bothers more than I let on, so, Melody wants her to apologize."

Conrad nodded, taking a sip of his drink, "Then Taylor's a bitch then."

Olivia furrowed her brows, "What?"

"She's a bitch." He repeated, "What did she say?"

"It's not important."

Conrad cocked his head to the side. Though he wasn't in the mood to party and would rather just go home, he wasn't going to let his mood overshadow Olivia's, even though he rightfully had every reason to be angry with everything going on in his life.

Olivia sighed, "Something about me being too awkward and how I can easily be run over and something about Jeremiah being with a girl like me." She muttered.

"What the fuck does a "girl like you" mean?" He asked.

"You know what she meant."

And he did. Everyone did. You could look at Olivia and tell she was kind, "easy to run over", and someone who just let things be said to her.

That's why Melody was angry. That's why Conrad grew angry.

Because Olivia let things just get to her.

"I would've let Melody beat her ass then." Conrad said.

"Conrad—"

"Liv, you're a great person and what Taylor said was fucked up. I know you better than anyone. Better than Taylor, better than Melody, hell, better than Jere." Conrad continued, "Is that why... Is that why you hit that girl at your volleyball game?"

It wasn't her proudest moment, but Olivia had always claimed to be a lover, not a fighter.

But when the girl on the opposing team made a jab at her and her relationship with Conrad... she felt like she had fallen backwards.

OLIVIA HAD been captain of her schools volleyball team since her junior year of high school and she had never been known to be violent. Of course, she'd gotten angry when she lost or when someone on the opposing team mocked her way of starting, but she never took that out on anyone.

Until she did.

Her school had won their final game that year and she was elated. She could remember Conrad pushing his way towards their crowd to make his way towards her.

She smiled, jogging towards him and he picked her up with ease, spinning the girl around as she smiled, holding him close so she wouldn't lose her grip on him, not like he would be letting her go.

"My God," Conrad smiled, setting her down with a chuckle, "I've never seen you play like that."

"You should've heard what those bitches said in that locker room." She smiled, panting from the game, "They've been talking shit about us since the beginning of the year. It's all over our teams Insta."

When Olivia was pumped, drunk, or angry, she would just spew profanities. She didn't know where it came from, but it felt good to get all of that out.

Soon, one of Olivia's teammates approached her, tapping her shoulder and waving towards Conrad.

She leaned in close, whispering in Olivia's ear and Conrad watched as her smiled slowly droop into a frown.

Her teammate soon turned, pointing towards the group of girls on the opposing team and as quickly as he blinked Olivia and her teammate left his side and there was a sudden shout from the other side of the court.

Conrad looked over, seeing Olivia swing her fist towards the girl and watched as her head flew back and Olivia taking another step forward to send another punch towards the girl.

Conrad, once again, pushed through the people to get to his, at the time, girlfriend and pulled her away from the girl.

"Be lucky that your fake-ass, mothered hired, boyfriend helped you, slut!" The girl shouted, "Getting with your ex-boyfriend's brother is fucked! Surprised he's even with a girl like you, you fucking slut!"

Olivia only cried as Conrad held the girl close and making their way out of the gym.

They had heard every word that girl had said. Every fucking word.

Conrad only let Olivia go when they were by his car.

Her face red from crying, hitting a girl for the first time, and winning an intense volleyball game. It was a lot in the matter of minute and Conrad didn't really know what to do.

He watched as Olivia held her hands on top of her head. She knew why it bother her so much and Conrad could only decipher, though obvious. He just didn't know how to comfort her in the way that she needed.

So he just held her close, pulling her into his touch as she cried. She wrapped her arms around his torso as she cried.

And instead of celebrating her win.

She cried.

"YEAH..." OLIVIA sighed, "That's why I hit her."

"You're more than what anyone thinks of you, Liv." Conrad softly smiled, "And whenever you realize that shit, I promise you'll feel so much fucking better."

Olivia only nodded, "I'll work on it. I promise."

Conrad only nodded, stepping forward and holding his pinky finger out.

Olivia smiled, a genuine smile as she scoffed, stepping forwards and latching her pinky with his.

He looked down at her, "You've always had the prettiest smile."

She scoffed once again and detached her finger from his, "Okay, okay, you're little shit talking worked. I feel better."

"Good." Conrad softly smiled, turning to leave.

"But are you?" She asked.

"Am I what?" Conrad asked, turning back around, "Do I feel good? Yeah, I'm fine."

"I know you know that I have a lot on my plate, but I know that you also have a lot going on." Olivia said, "The house, Stanford—"

"I already told you I'm not going to Stanford." He said, sipping his drink once more.

"I know. I'm all for you going zen—"

"Going zen?" He questioned, "Where'd you get that? Is that what you're mom said?"

"No." She smiled, "She my be going to a therapist, but never in her life have I heard about her going zen."

"Whatever you say." Conrad said, turning once more to leave the kitchen.

Olivia moved, now standing in front of Conrad to block him from moving forward.

"Look, you've been so stressed about everything these days and I want you to just let it out." She smiled, "Whatever the fuck you've got going on down there, I want you to let it all go tonight... be zen."

"Okay, so if I agree to be zen, will you let me out of the living room?" He asked.

"Sure."

"Fine. I will try and be zen." He muttered.

"You'll try? Is that what you said?"

Conrad looked down, Olivia's smile only growing as she waited for him to respond. Something about her smile was contagious and he soon found himself smiling down at her.

"I will be zen."

Olivia gently turned her head, "You've always had the prettiest smile."

Conrad scoffed and chuckled, finally being able to leave the kitchen and Olivia alone.

She deeply sighed, running her hand through her hair.

Goddamn did Conrad have the prettiest fucking smile and thank God he always found away to make Olivia feel okay.

And he could always say the same about her.

That would never change.

— lucy has something to say !!

this is important: if you don't like skye that is fine. yes, they are awkward and almost irrelevant to the plot, but do not misgender them or belittle elise (skye) in my comments because they will be deleted thank you xoxo

also when skye said "i get if you guys were angry with me, too" LIKE THEY HAD EVERY RIGHT TO FEEL THAY WAY ESPECIALLY AFTER THE WAY CONRAD SPOKE TO THEM 12 HOURS AGO 😭

bye :))))