OLIVIA HAD not thought about the Deb ball whatsoever.

She was more concerned about the bruise circling around her eye.

Regardless, it was now or never to ask Jeremiah to the event. Because, according to her mother, it would be too late.

So, after changing into a yellow tank top and one of Jeremiah's button ups, she grabbed her dress from the closet and asked her mother to drop her off at the country club.

With a wave goodbye, Olivia left her mother's car, her dress in hand, and made her way over to the pool.

"You see her?" Jeremiah laughed, arm around Steven, "Hooked up with her. Him, lifeguard. And uh, the one in the blue and the guy with the eyebrows."

"Does Olivia know you're this much of a slut?" Steven asked, a laugh leaving him.

"I was a slut until I met her." He smiled, "I'm not a slut anymore."

"Why aren't you a slut anymore?" Olivia asked.

The duo turned, the smile never leaving Jeremiah's face.

"Because I met the prettiest, most caring girl ever." He smiled, quickly kissing her, "What are you going here? What's in the bag?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

Steve waved goodbye to the couple, leaving them alone to speak.

"So? The bag?" Jeremiah questioned.

"Would you do the honor of taking me to the Deb?" She asked.

Jeremiah smiled, his hand resting over his bare chest, "I thought you'd never ask. I was afraid you'd go with someone else."

Olivia smiled, "I'm only doing this because my mom wants me to go. So, let your mom know so I can a dress to match your tie."

He nodded, pointing to the bag once more.

"It's my dress for the thing that's happening today. I'm supposed to be meeting my big."

A big, in this case, was a person who would teach their little (Olivia) about the ins and outs of the Deb. Teaching them everything they needed to know before the night of the Deb.

"Do you know who it is?" Jeremiah asked.

"Malory... something I think."

"Look, you go get changed and come back here to find me." Jeremiah said, "I'll walk you up."

Olivia nodded, waving a goodbye to Jeremiah and headed inside the country club.

She walked into the bathroom, changing out of her clothes and into her dress.

She stepped out; another girl looking at herself in the mirror apply a lipgloss of sorts.

"Excuse me?" Olivia called, "Can you zip me up please?"

The girl with the blonde hair smiled and stepped away from the more. Olivia threw her hair over her shoulder.

"Are you Olivia Lovell?" The girl asked.

"Who's asking?"

"I'm Melody Mason. I'm your big."

Once Melody zipped Olivia up, she turned the girl up.

"Your mom is Jessie Lovell, right?"

"It's Summers now. She goes by her maiden name."

Melody nodded, "She was my mom's big when they their Deb ball." She said, "She somehow managed to get me to be your big."

"Doesn't your mom own the flowers shop downtown?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah. Mason's Vases." She smiled, "If you don't mind me asking; what happened to your eye?"

"Oh?" Olivia slipped her glasses off and touched the forming bruise on her eye, "I was elbowed in the eye during a party."

Melody furrowed her and gestured for Olivia to sit on the counter.

"It's easy to cover up." Melody smiled.

She pulled a smaller bag out of her bigger bag. Unzipping it in front of Olivia and reveal the various makeup items inside.

"I know we're totally different shades, but this concealer should work."

Melody dropped some of the concealer on the back her hand and using the finger to make small, but splotchy dots to cover the bruise.

"They really got you, huh?" Melody asked.

"Yeah, it's... a long story."

Melody only nodded, throwing washing her hands and looking over at Olivia.

"That should work for now. I suggest using makeup to cover it up for now."

"Thanks." Olivia smiled and hopped off the counter.

"Anyways, if you need anything I'll be around to teach you everything."

Olivia nodded, brushing past Melody before hearing her name being called.

"You can't get my help if you don't have my number." Melody said.

"Right, of course."

After exchanging numbers, Olivia left the bathroom to look for Jeremiah.

He hadn't been by the pool and wasn't with Steven.

Olivia sighed, leaving the pool area and began her journey to her meeting.

As she began walking she saw Jeremiah talking and laughing with Belly.

Olivia paused for a moment, watching the two of them interact with each other before making herself know.

"Oh," Jeremiah smiled, pulling Olivia close and kissing her cheek, "hey. Belly also decided to do the Deb ball, now you won't be so lonely."

Olivia smiled at Belly. She truly had nothing to say to the girl.

It wasn't like Olivia didn't like Belly. She didn't know Belly. Things felt awkward between the two of them still, at least, in Olivia's eyes it did.

AFTER MEETING the other girls at the meeting, Olivia had been informed that Jeremiah had told his mother that she was going to the Deb and the the couple, along with their mothers were going to try on dresses for the big night.

Their mother's had been been picking through plenty of white dresses. Something that screamed Olivia and matched Jeremiah's white tie.

Olivia and Jeremiah on the other hand had been trying different suits and dresses on.

"Hey Jer?" Olivia called from behind the curtain.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come zip me up please?"

He didn't hesitate to step out of his dressing room and into hers. He zipped her dress up, never stepping away from her as he finished.

"What do you think?" She asked, turning to face him as she rubbed her hands over the silk fabric.

Jeremiah only stared, a small smile painted on his face, "You're beautiful, Liv."

She smiled up at him, "You look pretty dapper yourself." She said, adjusting his white bow tie.

"Speaking of dapper. I have your birthday gift ready for you."

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"I'd be a bad boyfriend if I did."

The two of them chuckled and Jeremiah continued on.

"But first you have to come over for birthday dinner. It's gonna be for Belly also. Midsommar theme and-"

"Wait? Midsommar? That Florence Pugh horror movie?" Olivia asked, "Why is that the theme?"

"Because Belly likes Midsommar and-"

"Belly?"

Jeremiah sighed, furrowing his brows, "Did I say something wrong or-"

"No! No..." She sighed, "Midsommar theme is great. I'll make sure that my mom and I dress for the occasion."

Jeremiah looked over Olivia's face to find some sorts of truth that could be seen on her face.

He hadn't said more than a sentence to her and she seemed to be... sad.

"Can you step out?" She asked, "I'm not feeling the dress anymore."

"Do you need me to unzip it?"

"No, I got it."

He turned to exit only to stop when Olivia called his name.

"Can you actually unzip it?"

He did as told and left her alone to change.

She wasn't upset about the party theme per se, but why would it be something that only Belly liked? Why couldn't they run the idea by her until the last minute? They didn't even try to run the idea by her.

She knew how much Jeremiah missed Belly, but why would they make party plans for both her and Belly without her presence?

Olivia glanced at herself in the mirror.

What was so special about Belly? She thought. She bit her lip, shutting her eyes for a moment. She exhaled deeply.

Olivia was just a special as Belly.

She just didn't want Jeremiah slipping away from her.

- lucy has something to say !!

melody is CLEAN why would i put my used beauty blender on someone else's face 🤨 someone i don't even know 😭

also i haven't said anything bad about belly here or whatever friendship she may or may not have with olivia... belly is still cool as shit 👍

bye :))))